Supplements fill gaps. They don't create results, and no powder outperforms eating enough protein, sleeping, and lifting. That said, a handful are genuinely useful for adult women, especially in a calorie deficit or on a GLP-1 where total food volume is low.
These are the ones I actually recommend, and why. Where you buy matters less than third-party testing — supplements aren't tightly regulated, so an independent tested-for-purity seal is the thing to look for.
- Protein powder — the simplest way to close a protein gap when appetite is low or mornings are rushed. Whey isolate if dairy sits well, a pea/rice blend if it doesn't.
- Creatine monohydrate — 5 g a day, no loading phase needed. The most studied supplement there is — strength, lean mass, and increasingly interesting for mood and cognition in women.
- Electrolytes — sodium, potassium, magnesium. Worth it if you sweat heavily, train in heat, eat very little processed food, or feel light-headed and flat on a GLP-1.
- Vitamin D — most adults in northern climates run low for half the year. Test if you can, and take it with a meal containing fat.
- Magnesium — helps sleep quality, muscle cramps, and constipation. Glycinate for sleep, citrate when digestion is sluggish.
- Omega-3 — worth it if you rarely eat fatty fish. Look at the actual EPA and DHA per serving, not the capsule size.
- Fibre — psyllium or a simple soluble fibre, mostly for GLP-1 constipation and appetite steadiness when food volume is low.
What I'd skip: fat burners, detox teas, appetite suppressants, and enormous multivitamin stacks. They cost money, some interfere with medication, and none of them do what the label implies.
You can see the specific products I use and recommend here: courtneymericle.com/products.
This is education, not medical advice. If you're on a GLP-1, blood-pressure medication, thyroid medication, blood thinners, or you're pregnant, run your list past your prescriber before you add anything.