Supplements: which are worth it?

Worth considering for most people who train

• Vitamin D. The NHS advises everyone in the UK to consider 10 micrograms a day in autumn and winter, when sunlight is too weak to make enough. Some people should take it all year. See our guide to vitamin D in the UK.
• Creatine monohydrate. The most researched sports supplement. At 3 to 5 g a day, it improves performance in short, hard efforts and supports strength and muscle gain over time. Full details in creatine explained.
• Caffeine. Consistently shown to improve endurance and high-intensity performance. A coffee before training is enough for most people, and it is best used with care around sleep.
• Protein powder. Not better than food, but a convenient way to reach a daily protein target, especially after training or at breakfast. Our guide to protein shakes covers the types.

Useful in specific situations

These can help the right person, but are not needed by everyone.

• Omega-3 (fish or algae oil): worth considering if you do not eat oily fish. Check with your GP if you take blood-thinning medication.
• Vitamin B12: essential for vegans, from fortified foods or a supplement.
• Iron: only if a blood test shows you are low. Taking iron you do not need can cause side effects and hide other problems. See iron and training.
• Folic acid: the NHS advises 400 micrograms a day for anyone who could become pregnant or is trying to, until 12 weeks of pregnancy.
• Beta-alanine: some evidence for efforts lasting roughly one to four minutes, such as hard intervals. The tingling it causes is harmless.
• Nitrate from beetroot juice: some evidence for endurance performance, with smaller effects in highly trained athletes.
• Electrolytes: helpful for long, hot or very sweaty sessions, not everyday gym workouts.

Usually not worth your money

These are popular, heavily marketed and, for most people, poor value.

• Fat burners: mostly caffeine at high doses plus ingredients with little evidence. Some have been found to contain banned or unsafe stimulants. Our guide to fat loss supplements explains why they disappoint.
• Testosterone boosters: herbal blends that have not been shown to meaningfully raise testosterone in healthy men.
• BCAAs: if you eat enough protein, branched-chain amino acids add nothing. Whole protein already contains them.
• Detox teas and cleanses: your liver and kidneys already do this. Some teas are laxatives in disguise.
• Most greens powders: cannot replace fruit and vegetables and are expensive for what they contain.
• Glutamine for muscle growth: no good evidence in healthy people who eat enough protein.

High-dose antioxidant supplements, such as large amounts of vitamin C and E, are also worth avoiding around training. Some research suggests they can blunt the adaptations training is meant to produce. Getting antioxidants from fruit and vegetables does not appear to have that problem.

How to buy supplements safely

1. Buy from established UK retailers, not unknown websites or overseas sellers.
2. Choose products that list exact doses for each ingredient, not 'proprietary blends'.
3. If you compete in tested sport, only use products batch-tested under a scheme such as Informed Sport.
4. Be wary of anything that promises dramatic results, fast fat loss or hormone changes.
5. Check with your GP or pharmacist if you take any regular medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a long-term health condition.

Keep a simple record of what you take and why. If you cannot explain in one sentence what a product is meant to do and what evidence supports it, you probably do not need it.

A simple plan by goal

Rather than buying a cupboard full of tubs, match the short list to your situation. For most people, this covers everything that is worth paying for.

• General health and regular gym training: vitamin D from October to March. Everything else is optional.
• Building strength and muscle: vitamin D, creatine, and protein powder only if you struggle to hit your protein target with food.
• HYROX or endurance training: vitamin D, caffeine for key sessions and races, electrolytes and carbohydrate drinks for long sessions, and creatine if you want support for the strength stations.
• Vegan or mostly plant-based: vitamin B12, vitamin D from a vegan source, consider iodine and algae omega-3, plus creatine, which often has a bigger effect in plant eaters.
• Over 50: vitamin D, protein powder if appetite is small, and a conversation with your GP about anything else, especially if you take regular medication.

Review the list once a year. If something has not made a noticeable difference in three months and has no health reason behind it, stop buying it.

Spending the money elsewhere

A month of fat burners, pre-workout, BCAAs and a greens powder can cost more than a week's food shop. That money often does more good spent on better food, a good pair of trainers or coaching that keeps you consistent.

If you are unsure where to start, Lycan Strength offers nutrition and accountability coaching, and a 7-day free trial lets you see the gym before spending anything. For anyone with a medical condition, a GP or registered dietitian is the right person to review supplements.