Protocols / NUTRITION

Supplement Stack Protocol

Know exactly which 4 supplements are worth it.

Most supplements don't prevent disease, and some contain things that aren't on the label. This protocol keeps to the four with real evidence, gives doses inside EU limits, explains which popular supplements to skip, and shows you how to buy products that contain what they say.

€5 · one-time payment · instant PDF · by Anthony Falcone

What's included

  • Vitamin D, magnesium, omega-3 and creatine
  • Doses and timing inside EU limits
  • What not to buy: the USPSTF verdicts
  • How to choose independently tested products
  • Interactions and who should ask a doctor first
  • 10 peer-reviewed references

Built for

Build Muscle · More Energy · Better Focus

Inside the PDF: 6 chapters

  1. Vitamin D3 + K2: Vitamin D is the supplement most people in northern Europe genuinely need in winter: about 40% of Europeans have low blood levels (Cashman et al., 2016). Low vitamin D is linked to weaker bones and muscles and to more respiratory infections.
  2. Magnesium: Magnesium is involved in hundreds of enzyme reactions, and many adults eat less than recommended. It affects sleep, stress, muscle function, heart rhythm, and brain health.
  3. Omega-3 (EPA + DHA): Omega-3s from fish (EPA and DHA) support heart, brain and eye health. Most people eat little oily fish, so a supplement is a simple way to cover the gap.
  4. Creatine Monohydrate: One of the most studied sports supplements. The muscle and strength benefits are well established; brain benefits are promising, especially when sleep-deprived or eating little meat.
  5. What Not to Buy: Most supplements don't prevent disease. A major independent review is clear about a few that can even do harm, and honest about how little evidence there is for the rest.
  6. Buying Supplements Safely: Supplements are not checked like medicines before they are sold. Testing has found products containing things that aren't on the label, so where you buy matters.

Safety notes

  • Many people pair D3 with K2: D3 increases calcium absorption, and K2 is involved in directing calcium into bone. It's a reasonable combination, though trial evidence for adding K2 is still limited. If you take blood thinners such as warfarin, don't take K2 without your doctor's approval.
  • If you take blood-thinning medication, check with your doctor before taking omega-3. In trials, doses above about 1g/day were linked to a higher risk of atrial fibrillation, so higher doses belong under medical guidance. Stop 1 week before surgery.
  • Creatine does NOT harm kidneys in healthy individuals. This myth has been debunked repeatedly. Creatine raises creatinine (a marker doctors use to assess kidney function), but this is a measurement artifact, not kidney damage. If you get blood work, tell your doctor you take creatine so they can interpret creatinine levels correctly.
  • If you take medication, are pregnant or have a health condition, check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting any supplement: some interact with common medicines.

References (10)

  1. Holick, M.F. (2007). Vitamin D Deficiency. New England Journal of Medicine, 357(3), 266-281. doi.org/10.1056/nejmra070553
  2. Knapen, M.H.J. et al. (2015). Menaquinone-7 supplementation improves arterial stiffness in healthy postmenopausal women. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 113(05), 1135-1144. doi.org/10.1160/th14-08-0675
  3. Slutsky, I. et al. (2010). Enhancement of Learning and Memory by Elevating Brain Magnesium. Neuron, 65(2), 165-177. doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2009.12.026
  4. Bhatt, D.L. et al. (2019). Cardiovascular Risk Reduction with Icosapent Ethyl for Hypertriglyceridemia. New England Journal of Medicine, 380(1), 11-22. doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa1812792
  5. Rae, C. et al. (2003). Oral creatine monohydrate supplementation improves brain performance: a double–blind, placebo–controlled, cross–over trial. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences, 270(1529), 2147-2150. doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2003.2492
  6. Antonio, J. et al. (2021). Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18(1). doi.org/10.1186/s12970-021-00412-w
  7. Kreider, R.B. et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(1). doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
  8. Cashman, K.D. et al. (2016). Vitamin D deficiency in Europe: pandemic? The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 103(4), 1033-1044. doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.115.120873
  9. US Preventive Services Task Force (2022). Vitamin, Mineral, and Multivitamin Supplementation to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA, 327(23), 2326-2333. doi.org/10.1001/jama.2022.8970
  10. Geyer, H. et al. (2004). Analysis of non-hormonal nutritional supplements for anabolic-androgenic steroids - results of an international study. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 25(2), 124-129. doi.org/10.1055/s-2004-819955

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General education, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition, take medication, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor before you start.