The 4 Supplements that are Actually worth taking!

Volume 4 of The Nourished Life Series

Welcome back to The Nourished Life Series, where we focus on simple, realistic ways to bring more nourishment into everyday life.

I can’t believe we are already in Volume 4 of this 6-part series.

So far, we’ve talked about:

• Blood Sugar & Cravings

• Iron & Energy

• Vitamin D & Dementia

Today’s topic was actually going to be gut health, but I am writing this from bed, with a cup of hot tea next to me (recipe at the end), because… well… I’m a bit sick.

This is surprising for me because I rarely get sick. Like, almost never. But my boyfriend had a terrible virus all week, and apparently, I am not as indestructible as I thought😅.

So, gut health will now be next week’s topic, because that one requires a bit more of my brain power.

Today, I want to focus on a simpler question instead: which supplements do I actually think are worth it?

When I first started doing research on supplements, I felt overwhelmed by all the options and how many supplements were being marketed left and right. But then I paused and decided to go back to the basics of what I learned from my nursing training and experience.

I listened to podcasts I trust and read peer-reviewed research studies. Based on all of this, I do believe the supplements that I list today are the best and most important supplements to take.

These are the supplements that are consistently recommended by longevity scientists and evidence-based research.

They are also the ones I personally take.

Creds to Pinterest

1. Creatine

Did you know that this is actually the most extensively researched supplement out there? Yes! And all of the research consistently shows just how beneficial it is for us, with virtually no downsides.

People historically thought this was a supplement just for the “weightlifting bros”, and often women worried that taking this supplement would lead to unwanted muscle growth, but that theory has been debunked over and over again by the research.

Here is why I highly recommend you take creatine:

• It helps your body regenerate ATP more efficiently — in other words, it helps with quick energy production during short, intense efforts.

• It helps preserve your muscles even if you are not exercising, but especially if you do resistance training. And muscle is one of the biggest predictors of how well you will age and recover from injury.

• It helps improve your strength and training performance over time, as well as during training recovery periods.

• Research is now showing increasing evidence of creatine aiding in healthy aging and mental cognition. (more on this below)

And this is especially important for women — the ones who were long told not to take creatine— as we are more prone to conditions such as osteoporosis with age, and therefore maintaining muscle and strength becomes increasingly important for us.

The recommendation is usually 3-5 grams per day, but I take at least 5 grams daily.

Additionally, there is a lot of recent research that shows the benefits of creatine on brain health and cognition. Dr. Rhonda Patrick is a well-known scientist who talks about this extensively, and one of the most promising studies that she often refers to was one done on sleep deprivation.

They had two groups of subject undergo the same amount of sleep deprivation and in the morning one was given a placebo, the other group was given creatine. The group that was given the creatine performed significantly better on cognitive reasoning tasks throughout the day and suffered less symptoms of sleep deprivation. If that doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what will.

With that said, on days when I need more brain power to get things done, I take 10-15 grams so that my brain can reap the benefits of this supplement. This is because those first 5 grams tend to get used up by the muscles before they reach the brain.

2. Omega-3

Omega-3 is another one I consider foundational.

We hear about it all the time, but for good reason. Omega-3 fats are part of cell membranes throughout the body.

The most useful forms of this are EPA and DHA, which are found mainly in fatty fish and seafood :

• Salmon

• Sardines

• Mackerel

• Herring

• Anchovies

• Trout

• Mussels

• Oysters.

Plant sources like flax, chia, and walnuts contain ALA, which is still an omega-3, but the body converts it into EPA and DHA very inefficiently. So if the goal is to actually raise the omega-3s that matter most for the brain, eyes, and long-term health, fish or supplements are the best routes to take.

A simple rule of thumb is this: if you are eating about two servings of fatty fish per week — roughly 6 to 8 ounces total — you are already doing pretty well. If you are not eating that much fish consistently, which a lot of us are not, then an omega-3 supplement is what I would recommend.

I usually eat salmon about once a week, which is great, but not enough for me to feel confident relying on food alone. So for consistency, I supplement daily.

3. Vitamin D3 + K2

I won’t go too deep into this one because I spoke about it more in last week’s post, but Vitamin D is the one I would take if I could only take one supplement.

Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and is essential for bone health, brain health, muscle function, and immune function. In the U.S. and Europe, about 40% of us have insufficient levels.

The tricky part with vitamin D is that food usually doesn’t move the needle much. Sun exposure is the major source for most people, which is why so many people struggle, especially in colder months, if living farther from the equator, or when they spend most of their day indoors. That is why I recommend getting your levels checked and then supplementing based on your personal needs.

Personally, I adjust mine by season. I used to be deficient, then improved with supplementation, and recently my levels were drifting borderline low again during winter, so I increased my dose. In the summer, when I’m at the beach more and getting more sun, I will pull back on my dosage.

I also like taking D3 with K2. Here is the simple explanation: Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, and Vitamin K helps ensure that calcium gets directed into your bones instead of accumulating in your blood vessels.

Pro tip: Vitamin D is fat-soluble, and its absorption is significantly improved when taken with a meal that contains fat — think eggs, avocado, yogurt, olive oil, or salmon.

4. Magnesium

Most people hear “Magnesium” and immediately think sleep, but that is actually such a small part of the picture. Magnesium is involved in more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It helps regulate muscle and nerve function, blood sugar, blood pressure, energy production, bone health, and normal heart rhythm. In other words, it is not just a “nice extra” supplement. It is a foundational mineral that your body relies on constantly.

Magnesium-rich foods include nuts, leafy greens, legumes, seeds, and dark chocolate. However, a lot of us are not consuming enough magnesium through diet alone.

This is why I think magnesium can be so helpful even beyond the usual wellness talking points. If you are

• stressed

• training hard

• dealing with muscle tightness or bad period cramps

• not eating enough magnesium-rich foods

• feeling low energy

  Magnesium is one of those basic supports that can really move the needle.

There is also some evidence that magnesium supplementation can have small but meaningful benefits for things like blood pressure, especially at higher doses over a longer period of time. One recent meta-analysis found a modest reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, particularly in studies using 400 mg or more per day for at least 12 weeks. I would not jump to using magnesium as a treatment for hypertension, but I do think this adds to the case that it supports overall metabolic and cardiovascular health.

Which type should you take?

This is the part where I feel many people get confused.

Forms like magnesium aspartate, citrate, lactate, and chloride tend to be absorbed more completely than magnesium oxide and magnesium sulfate.

Here is the simple version:

• Magnesium bisglycinate (or glycinate): This is the one I personally take and the one I tolerate best. It is often a great option if you want a well-absorbed form that is gentler on the stomach and less likely to have a laxative effect.

• Magnesium citrate: also well absorbed, but more likely to pull water into the intestines, so it can be useful if constipation is part of the picture. Some people (myself included) complain that this one can cause too much of a laxative effect.

• Magnesium oxide: common and cheap, but generally doesnt get absorbed as well.

• Magnesium threonate: popular in the brain-health world, but the evidence is still much less established than people online sometimes make it sound. Bisglycinate has more evidence to back it!

My “not essential, but worth knowing about” category

These are not supplements I think everyone needs. They are not in the same league for me as creatine, omega-3, vitamin D, or magnesium.

But they are still worth talking about, because both of them can be useful in the right context.

Collagen

Collagen is one of those supplements that I think gets both overhyped and unfairly dismissed.

On one hand, no, I do not think collagen is some magic anti-aging powder that will suddenly transform your skin, hair, nails, joints, and entire life. On the other hand, I also think it can be worth considering.

The research here is not as foundational or universally compelling as it is for creatine or omega-3, but it is also not nothing. Recent studies suggest that hydrolyzed collagen peptides may offer modest benefits for skin hydration, elasticity, and signs of skin aging, and there is also evidence for joint comfort and musculoskeletal support.

That is why I personally put collagen in the category of supportive, not foundational.

If your budget is limited, I would absolutely prioritize protein, creatine, omega-3, vitamin D, and magnesium before collagen. But if your basics are covered and you are thinking about skin health, connective tissue support, or joint support, I do think collagen can make sense as an “extra credit” supplement.

I also use collagen as part of my overall skin and connective tissue support routine, especially because with a larger chest, I’m more mindful of supporting firmness and elasticity over time. Additionally, I have a previous ankle injury (was in a cast for 6 months), so I like using it as extra support for my joints and connective tissue.

Zinc

Zinc is different.

I do not think zinc is something most healthy adults need to blindly take every day just because “it’s good for immunity.”

But zinc does matter. It is an essential mineral involved in immune function, wound healing, DNA synthesis, and normal growth and development.

Most people with a varied diet are probably getting enough, so I think of it as more strategic than essential.

For example:

• If you get sick often

• If your diet is low in zinc-rich foods (Think seafoods, nuts, red meat, chia seeds, dark chocolate)

• If you are under a lot of physical stress

• Or if you want to keep zinc on hand for when you feel a cold coming on.

That last point is actually where zinc gets more interesting. Researchers have hypothesized that zinc may help reduce the duration of cold symptoms by acting locally in the mouth and throat, which is why zinc is often studied as a lozenge or syrup rather than just a standard capsule. The evidence is not perfect, and it does not seem to reliably reduce severity, but it is one of the more practical “at first sign of a cold” supplements people look to.

Currently, I’m taking zinc to help me get over this infection quickly, but I don’t normally take it on a daily basis.

So for me, zinc is not a daily non-negotiable. It is more of a tool:
useful in certain situations, unnecessary in others.

Creds to Pinterest

With that said, I wanted to also leave my favorite tea recipe for when I am feeling sick. Its simple:

• Freshly grated ginger

• Half a lemon squeezed

• A drizzle of honey

  Let it brew for a couple of minutes, and voila! It’s delicious, and immune system supportive 🌞

  Thank you so much for supporting my work. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments.

  And if you enjoyed this read, please subscribe below, it is the best support I can recieve.

  Here are the previous topics covered from The Nourished Life Series

  The Blood Sugar Hacks That Help You Feel Less Sluggish, Crave Less, and Stay Leaner

  The Iron & Energy Connection: Simple Nutrition Fixes for Low Energy and Brain Fog

  Vitamin D levels are linked to Dementia and so much more: Simple Ways to Increase Your Levels

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Lia. Thank you for being here and reading my work. I was born in Cuba, raised in Miami, and two and a half years ago, I moved to Portugal. Since then, I’ve been on a journey of deep inner healing, transformation, and embodied wellness. I’ve taken back the driver’s seat of my life, built a community here, found my soulmate, and am slowly designing a life I truly love. In this space, I write about life abroad in Portugal, the inner work, and science-backed wellness and longevity through the lens of my nursing background.