Supplements Worth Taking (and Which Ones to Skip)

By Zerxus Team  |  Supplements

The global supplement industry exceeds $150 billion annually, but the vast majority of products on the shelves are either ineffective, redundant, or both. Here is an honest, evidence-based breakdown of which supplements are worth your money — and which ones to skip.

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Tier 1: Strong Evidence, Worth Taking

Creatine Monohydrate

The most researched supplement in sports nutrition. As covered in the full creatine guide: 3–5g per day increases strength, power, and muscle mass. Safe, cheap, and effective. Everyone doing resistance training should consider it.

Whey Protein

A convenient way to hit your daily protein target — not a magic muscle builder, but a practical food supplement. High biological value, fast-digesting, and cost-effective. Most useful when whole food protein is inconvenient.

Caffeine

3–6mg/kg bodyweight taken 30–60 minutes before training reliably improves strength, endurance, power, and focus. The cheapest and most accessible performance enhancer available — black coffee works perfectly. Avoid within 6–8 hours of sleep to protect sleep quality.

Vitamin D

An estimated 40–50% of adults are deficient, particularly in northern latitudes. Deficiency is associated with reduced testosterone, impaired immune function, and increased injury risk. 1,000–2,000 IU daily is appropriate for most people who spend limited time outdoors. Inexpensive and important.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Fish Oil)

1–3g of combined EPA/DHA daily reduces inflammation, supports cardiovascular health, may slightly improve muscle protein synthesis, and supports brain health. Particularly useful if you do not regularly eat oily fish. Look for a product with high EPA+DHA content per capsule.

Tier 2: Modest Evidence, Situationally Useful

Beta-Alanine

Increases muscle carnosine levels, which buffers acid during high-rep sets and may slightly improve muscular endurance. Most beneficial for sets of 8–15 reps or conditioning work. Causes a harmless tingling sensation (paresthesia) at doses above 800mg. 3.2–6.4g/day, divided into doses.

Magnesium Glycinate

Many adults are deficient in magnesium, which plays a role in over 300 enzymatic processes including muscle contraction and sleep regulation. Magnesium glycinate specifically may improve sleep quality and reduce muscle cramps. Low risk and relatively inexpensive.

Citrulline Malate

6–8g taken 30–60 minutes before training may improve training volume capacity and reduce fatigue. Evidence is reasonable but not as strong as creatine or caffeine. More useful for high-volume hypertrophy training than low-rep strength work.

Tier 3: Weak or No Evidence — Skip

• BCAAs (during training): Redundant if you hit your daily protein target from whole foods and supplements. BCAAs are just a subset of what whey protein already provides
• Testosterone boosters: No over-the-counter supplement meaningfully raises testosterone in healthy adults. The category is almost entirely marketing
• Fat burners: The active ingredient doing anything useful is usually caffeine — which you can get from coffee for a fraction of the price. The rest is typically proprietary blends of ineffective compounds
• Glutamine: Unnecessary for people who eat adequate protein. Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body and is synthesised in abundance during normal metabolism
• Most pre-workout blends: Strip away the caffeine and beta-alanine and most pre-workouts contain underdosed, ineffective ingredients wrapped in marketing

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I take supplements before or after training?

Caffeine: 30–60 minutes before. Creatine: any time of day (timing does not matter much — consistency does). Protein: whenever convenient to hit daily totals. Most other supplements have flexible timing. See pre-workout nutrition and post-workout nutrition for full context.

Are supplements safe?

The Tier 1 supplements listed above have excellent safety profiles at recommended doses. The risk in the supplement industry is primarily financial (wasting money on ineffective products) rather than physical, for most mainstream products. Look for products with third-party testing certification (Informed Sport, NSF Certified) to verify label accuracy.

Do I need supplements to build muscle?

No. Whole food nutrition provides everything needed to build muscle. Supplements add convenience and may provide marginal performance enhancements — but training, adequate protein from food, and sleep are the primary drivers. Do not invest in supplements before optimising the fundamentals.

Zerxus Coaching Team

Certified Strength & Conditioning Coaches

The Zerxus coaching team combines qualified personal trainers, certified strength coaches, and evidence-based sports science to build programmes that actually work. Every article is grounded in peer-reviewed research and practical coaching experience — no fads, no shortcuts.