Creatine Monohydrate
NOW Foods
- Form
- Unflavored micronized powder
- Dose
- 5 g daily. Timing doesn't matter, consistency does
The most-studied sports supplement there is. Supports strength output, training volume, and cellular hydration. Cheap, boring, and it works.
✦ Skip the loading phase. Skip anything labeled HCl at four times the price.
Vitamin D3 + K2
Sports Research
- Form
- Softgel, D3 5,000 IU with K2 MK-7
- Dose
- 1 softgel with a meal containing fat
Most men who train indoors are low. Supports bone density, immune function, and normal testosterone production. K2 belongs in the same capsule, because it directs calcium where it should go.
✦ Get a blood panel first. Dose to your labs, not to a bottle.
Magnesium Glycinate
NOW Foods
- Form
- Capsule, 200–400 mg elemental
- Dose
- 200–400 mg, 60–90 minutes before bed
Involved in hundreds of enzymatic processes, including muscle relaxation and sleep quality. Glycinate is the form that absorbs without sending you to the bathroom.
✦ Oxide is the cheap form. It is a laxative, not a supplement.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA)
Sports Research
- Form
- Triglyceride form fish oil, third party tested for oxidation
- Dose
- 2–3 g combined EPA + DHA daily, with food
Supports cardiovascular health, joint comfort, and brain function. The Western plate runs heavy on omega 6 and light on this.
✦ Check the actual EPA/DHA on the back panel, not the '1,000 mg fish oil' on the front.
Ideal Sea Salt
Dr. Murray
- Form
- Mineral salt with a 2:1 potassium to sodium ratio, 16 oz
- Dose
- Use in place of table salt, or a pinch in your water on hot or training days
You sweat out more than water. Most men run high on sodium and low on potassium, and this flips that ratio without a sugary drink mix. In Phoenix heat this is not optional.
✦ A salt, not a candy stick pack. No sugar, no dyes, no 2 grams of cane sugar hiding on the back.