Foundations
Creatine Monohydrate
Brand TBD
The most-studied sports supplement there is. Supports strength output, training volume, and cellular hydration. Cheap, boring, and it works.
Straight talk
Skip the loading phase. Skip anything labeled HCl at four times the price.
Where it fits
Part of these stacks
The Floor
Four items. Under a dollar a day at most price points. This is where every man I work with starts, and most never need to leave it.
Iron and Qi, supportedPhysical Excellence
For the man already doing the work: lifting heavy, standing in practice, and asking his body for more than it is used to giving.
Same shelf
Also in The Floor
Vitamin D3 + K2
Brand TBD
- 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
Brand TBD
- 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)
Brand TBD
- 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.