The Starter Stack
Five supplements. Research-backed, third-party tested, and chosen because they’re the ones we’d put in a friend’s cabinet if they asked where to begin. Not "everything you could take" — just the foundation that’s actually worth the money.
The Philosophy
The wellness industry makes money selling you a cabinet full of bottles you won’t finish. We’d rather give you five that actually move the needle — and the research to back each one — than pad out a list with things we don’t take ourselves. If you nail these five for 60 days, you’ll know what your baseline feels like, and anything else you add will have something to compare against.
None of these are medical advice. They’re what we’d hand a friend — with the same disclaimer we’d give them: if you’re on medication, pregnant, nursing, or managing a condition, talk to a qualified practitioner before starting anything.
The Five
The most studied supplement in existence. Supports strength, muscle mass, and cognitive performance. Dose: 5g/day, any time. No loading needed. Look for Creapure® or Informed Sport certification.
Most people don’t eat enough fatty fish to hit a therapeutic dose — and rancid fish oil is shockingly common. Dose: 1–2g combined EPA+DHA daily with food. Look for IFOS 5-star or Friend of the Sea certification and a TOTOX score under 10.
Roughly half the US population doesn’t hit the RDA. The form matters — oxide is the cheap form that barely absorbs. Dose: 200–400mg elemental magnesium, evening. Skip "magnesium oxide." Skip proprietary blends.
D3 alone can direct calcium to the wrong places. K2 (MK-7) makes sure it lands in bone, not arteries. Dose: 2,000–5,000 IU D3 + 90–180mcg K2-MK7, with a fat-containing meal. Always test your 25-OH-D level first.
Most people under-eat protein. The convenience of a scoop closes the gap. Dose: 0.7–1g per pound of bodyweight per day total; protein powder makes up the shortfall. Whey isolate or a clean plant blend — verified by Informed Sport or NSF.
Honest Notes
Multivitamins. Most are underdosed and include ingredients you don’t need with ingredients you can’t absorb together. If you need a multi, you need labs first.
Pre-workouts. Most are proprietary-blend caffeine bombs. If you want caffeine, buy caffeine. If you want pump ingredients, buy citrulline.
Adaptogens. We love ashwagandha and rhodiola — but they’re optimization, not foundation. Nail the five above for 60 days before you layer these in.
Greens powders. At best they’re an expensive insurance policy; at worst they’re a flavored fiber supplement with heavy metals. Eat the vegetables.
Free Guide
The downloadable version with exact product picks, dosage timing, and the Label Reading Cheatsheet. Research-backed, third-party tested, delivered to your inbox.
No sponsors. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.