The Only Supplements That ACTUALLY Work (2025)

This post summarizes the supplements I take. We'll start with the three supplements that have strong evidence backing their benefits for improving muscle performance. After that, we'll delve into a supplement I take for memory and cognitive function.

Disclaimer: Just because I take these supplements doesn't mean that you should as well. Always consult with a healthcare professional before adding any new supplements to your regimen.

Supplement 1: Creatine Monohydrate

The first supplement on my list is the most widely studied of all, and the evidence is so strong that the International Society of Sports Nutrition concluded that it "is the most effective nutritional supplement currently available to athletes in terms of increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training" [1].

It also helps with muscle recovery after exercise [2]. And lucky for us, the initial safety concerns about this supplement have been disproven. Specifically, we know that there's no link to hair loss, does not increase uric acid levels, and poses no risks to our kidneys. It is not associated with dehydration or muscle cramping, and it increases lean muscle mass, not fat mass [3][4][5][6].

The supplement is creatine monohydrate, and I take 5 grams every day.

But while many people focus only on creatine's muscle performance effects, there's more to the story. 95% of the body's creatine is stored in muscles, but the remaining 5% is found in the brain, kidneys, and liver. During times of stress, such as sleep disruption and even aging itself, these challenges can cause the levels of brain creatine to decrease [7].

We have evidence that creatine supplements can restore our brain creatine levels [8]. To figure out if creatine supplements do improve brain performance and memory, scientists conducted a large review of all the studies, called a meta-analysis. They included ten studies, and the main analysis showed that creatine supplementation improved memory performance compared to a placebo, with the effect being particularly strong in older adults [9].

That provides another reason for me to supplement with creatine monohydrate 5 grams a day.

Supplement 2: Protein Powder

Now for the second of three supplements for muscle performance: protein powder.

There's a striking correlation between decreased muscle strength and increased death rates, even after adjusting for other factors [10]. So, we want to maximize muscle strength in youth, maintain our strength in middle age, and minimize the loss in older age.

We know from multiple lines of evidence that higher protein intake improves the muscle-building response to exercise, which is why clinical guidelines suggest increasing protein intake [11].

A 2018 analysis that combined 49 studies found that a protein intake of 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day maximized the muscle-building response from resistance exercise [12]. For an 80 kg (176 pound) person, that's just under 130 grams per day (128 grams). That's a lot of protein.

For example, beef is 25% protein. So you'd need to eat just over half a kilogram of beef per day (or about 1.15 pounds). Now, I'm not saying you should do that; I'm just using this as an example of how high this protein intake actually is.

Protein powders are a great option to help reach these protein targets. The protein is highly bioavailable, can be mixed into smoothies, taken as a shake, etc. I just make sure that the powder I use doesn't have added sugar and salt.

When selecting your protein sources, an important factor to consider is their leucine content. Leucine, an essential amino acid, plays a pivotal role in initiating muscle protein building. Whey protein is typically rich in leucine.

For those following a plant-based diet, achieving the same leucine intake requires a higher overall protein intake. Pea protein can fit the bill. It's a fantastic source of high-quality protein. It's not only rich in essential amino acids, but it's easily digestible. Soy protein is another great option, and despite what you might hear on social media, there's solid evidence that soy proteins don't affect testosterone or estrogen levels in men [13].

Supplement 3: Trimethylglycine (TMG)

Now for the third and final supplement that I take for muscle performance: Trimethylglycine (TMG).

TMG works by accelerating the recycling of our cells' energy storage called ATP, and it enhances muscle protein building.

But there is some controversy with this supplement. A 2017 analysis found that of the seven studies published at that time, only two reported improvements in muscle strength or power [14].

Here's the crucial point: When this supplement is combined with exercise, there are muscle performance improvements compared to just exercise alone. Otherwise, there's no effect.

This supplement is TMG, and I take 500 mg daily. It's included in MicroVitamin.

There's another intriguing potential benefit of TMG: just like creatine supplements, it may help to improve brain performance and specifically reduce the risk of dementia.

In 2020, a large review of the risk factors for Alzheimer's disease found that high levels of homocysteine—an amino acid—were strongly linked to Alzheimer's [17]. It went on to say that homocysteine-lowering treatment seems the most promising intervention for Alzheimer's Disease prevention [17].

And what's interesting is that TMG lowers homocysteine [18]. In other words, TMG may reduce a risk factor for Alzheimer's by lowering homocysteine levels. Now, this isn't a guaranteed way to prevent Alzheimer's, but it's a promising area of research.

Supplement 4: Multivitamin and Mineral

On the point of brain health, the fourth supplement I specifically take for cognitive performance and memory is a multivitamin and mineral supplement.

A massive study in 2022 called the COSMOS-Mind study was published, involving over 2,000 people. The study ran for three years, and the group who took this supplement compared to the placebo or dummy pill had a statistically significant benefit on global cognition [19].

This study was a key reason why I decided to create my own multivitamin and mineral supplement called MicroVitamin. We're currently on version 5, and version 6 should be ready in about 4-6 months.

Before MicroVitamin, I was already taking separate supplements of Vitamin B3, D3, K2, Zinc, and Magnesium. When I looked for a multivitamin and mineral supplement that combined those supplements together and met my requirements, I couldn't find one. Specifically, I didn't want to take Vitamin A or E, I didn't want to megadose, most existing products didn't contain Vitamin K2, and I wanted to have Magnesium in the form of Magnesium Taurate, for reasons I explain in this video:

Overall, reaching our recommended daily intakes of micronutrients is a good idea, and the COSMOS-Mind results provided me with a strong justification to supplement with a multivitamin and mineral.

Also, there's a tantalizing prospect that combining TMG with a multivitamin and mineral supplement, plus the fifth supplement on this list, all work together to enhance brain performance and reduce dementia risks.

Let me explain.

Supplement 5: Omega-3 Fatty Acids

The fifth supplement I take is Omega-3 fatty acids, and in my recent in-depth Omega-3 video, I shared data showing that people with low homocysteine levels who took Omega-3 supplements experienced a 7.1% improvement in brain performance and a 22.3% reduction in dementia symptoms [20].

But for people with high homocysteine, Omega-3 didn't help at all. This suggests that homocysteine plays a critical role in brain health.

And that low homocysteine levels might be required for Omega-3 supplements to have a positive impact on brain performance.

TMG and B-vitamins, which are in MicroVitamin, lower homocysteine levels. I want to be clear that more research is required before any definitive conclusions can be drawn about combining these three supplements to improve brain performance, but it's a tantalizing prospect.

There's also a second reason why I take Omega-3 supplements.

From a large trial called the VITAL trial, involving over 25,000 people, the group who took Omega-3 had an unexpectedly high 28% reduction in the risk of having a heart attack compared to the group who took the placebo [21].

When the Mayo Clinic combined all the data from separate trials, they concluded that this supplement is associated with a statistically significant reduction in the risk of heart attacks by about 13%, with high GRADE certainty [21].

Like my warning about megadosing with vitamins and minerals, there are significant risks of megadosing this supplement as well, including the increased risk of developing an abnormal heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation.

So I only take about 1 gram of Omega-3, which has a mixture of EPA and DHA.

Supplement 6: Psyllium Husk

The sixth supplement I take is also for heart health: psyllium husk. And then we'll look at two supplements that reduce skin wrinkles.

This supplement helps to feed the bacteria that grow in our gut, and through this mechanism, we see improvements in insulin sensitivity, blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol [22][23].

I take between 3-5 grams of psyllium husk every day, but when looking at psyllium husk brands, you need to be aware of the lead content. From an analysis done by ConsumerLab.com, Organic India Psyllium Whole Husk Fiber had the lowest amount of lead.

Like protein powder, it can be mixed into smoothies or shakes. It also helps keep you feeling fuller for longer.

The next two supplements have strong evidence that they reduce skin wrinkles and improve skin hydration.

Supplement 7: Collagen Peptides

The seventh supplement I take is collagen peptides, also known as hydrolyzed collagen.

There's evidence from multiple clinical trials that it reduces skin wrinkles by about 8% [24].

I take 10-15 grams of collagen peptides daily.

But it's not without controversy. Collagen peptides are short chains of amino acids, and amino acids make up protein. One interesting question is whether simply supplementing with protein would offer the same benefits as collagen peptides.

Well, the body can absorb these short amino acid chains, and they are transported to the skin.

In a 2020 randomized controlled trial of burn patients, one group took protein and the other took a matching amount of collagen peptides. The collagen peptide group experienced a significantly higher wound healing rate compared to the protein group, suggesting that collagen peptides do indeed have benefits beyond regular protein intake [25][26].

The benefits were confirmed in an analysis that combined 23 separate randomized controlled trials together, where collagen peptides were shown to improve skin hydration and elasticity [27].

Supplement 8: Hyaluronic Acid

Keeping with the theme of improving skin health, the eighth supplement is hyaluronic acid.

I made a detailed video about Hyaluronic Acid recently, which you can find here.

Just like collagen peptide supplements, we have multiple randomized clinical trials showing that Hyaluronic Acid improves skin wrinkles. A study in 2021 showed an 18.8% improvement [28].

I take 200 mg of Hyaluronic Acid as part of MicroVitamin.

Supplement 9: Melatonin

The ninth supplement on the list is melatonin, which I take for sleep.

Low-dose melatonin supplements have great evidence from human studies showing improvements in the time it takes to fall asleep and sleep quality [29][30].

But the big issue is dose and timing. Melatonin helps to regulate our sleep-wake cycle, so taking a low-dose melatonin supplement only works by taking it around 2 hours before wanting to fall asleep [29].

There's also the issue of dose. The body creates up to 80 micrograms of melatonin an hour while we sleep, which equates to 640 mcg for an 8-hour sleep. But many melatonin supplements have doses much, much higher than that. We don't have long-term safety data about megadosing melatonin supplements.

Personally, I take 300 mcg about 2 hours before wanting to fall asleep.

Melatonin doesn't only have effects on sleep, but there are also antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This is especially important to consider with respect to aging [31].

Supplement 10: Glutathione Support

From the age of 45, a powerful antioxidant called glutathione starts to decrease [32]. So, by supplementing with the building blocks of glutathione, we can support our glutathione levels, and the body can control the levels of glutathione.

A small study in 2022 explored this idea, where they gave older adults a combination of glycine and NAC supplements and compared it to a placebo. The Glycine and NAC group had significant improvements in their mitochondrial health [33].

This is very early in the research journey, and out of everything I've discussed so far, this has the least evidence. But from the age of 45, I'd consider taking a Glycine and NAC supplement, around 1 gram.

And remember that just because I take these supplements doesn't mean that you should as well. Always consult with a healthcare professional.

References

1. https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
2. https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7871530/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4277830/
5. https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7871530/
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8912287/
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8912287/
9. https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/advance-article/doi/10.1093/nutrit/nuac064/6671817
10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25921473/
11. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/practical-guidelines-for-implementing-a-strength-training-program-for-adults
12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5867436/
13. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33383165/
14. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28426517/
15. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28426517/
16. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28426517/
17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7569385/
18. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3610948/
19. https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/alz.12767
20. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30958356/
21. https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(20)30985-X/fulltext
22. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464623004784
23. https://www.cochrane.org/CD011472/VASC_dietary-fibre-prevent-cardiovascular-disease
24. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36516059/
25. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31859087/
26. https://eprints.iums.ac.ir/24135/1/The-effect-of-a-hydrolyzed-collagenbased-supplement-on-wound-healing-in-patients-with-burn-A-randomized-doubleblind-pilot-clinical-trial2020Burns.pdf
27. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10180699/
28. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34933842/
29. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31715492/
30. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33417003/
31. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9204094/
32. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12398937/
33. https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology/advance-article/doi/10.1093/gerona/glac135/6668639