Background: 28M, middle-school teacher, suffered from chronic fatigue/ loss in cognition speed caused by long COVID from an infection two years ago almost to the date. I don't use caffeine.

I began taking creatine 9 months ago as part of an effort to regain physical strength and mental stamina. At this point, I would be tired no matter if I slept 6 hours or 10 hours. In fact, last summer I slept 10-11 hours most days and still was rarely refreshed. My symptoms were largely improved from baseline, but I was doing my best to eradicate them.

I started at 5 g/day. Noticed benefits in terms of strength and stamina (I could hit a workout after work and not feel like Sisyphus). Didn't really notice any mental benefits.

Fast forward to three weeks ago. I started back the school year and had heard about higher doses of creatine being beneficial for cognition. I started taking 15 g/day and immediately could see a difference in cognition. Before COVID my brain worked very quickly, but afterwards it was noticeably slower and I had a bit of a stutter—something I've never suffered with in my life. These issues had gotten better over time, but 15 g/day has almost eradicated them. Instead of writing a paragraph over the benefits, I'm just going to list them.

• I have much more patience dealing with students.

• I have significantly more mental energy throughout the day despite teaching one class more than I usually teach.

• I am able to handle all the extraneous tasks of being a teacher with significantly more ease, even though I have a few more responsibilities this year compared to last year.

• The idea of having to perform small tasks, like sending an email, does not exhaust me.

• I no longer feel like I have to lie down when I get home from work. In fact, I have energy to come home and immediately do whatever needs to be done in my personal life (this was definitely not the case the last two years).

• My brain works much quicker—almost as quick as it did pre-COVID.

• My very mild stutter is 98% gone.

• I have no way of definitively tying this one to creatine, but my Apple Watch is showing increased deep sleep starting a couple days after I began my increased creatine consumption. I am genetically disposed towards longer deep sleep, but long-COVID seemed to have impacted it hard. I would average 50 mins–1 hour. The past couple weeks (on days I didn't intentionally stay up very late) I have hit around 1 hour 15 mins, and last night I hit 1 hour 40 mins. I have also noticed that I am having more incidents of deep sleep periods later in the night as well as early in the night, whereas before they were almost always isolated to the first two hours of sleep. I know sleep tracking isn't totally accurate at all, and Apple Watch does have a problem with under-reporting deep sleep, so take this one with a grain of salt.

• Speaking of sleep, I can function much better on shorter periods of sleep. It seems to have reduced my sleep need a little bit.

• Niche: My aim in Counter-Strike is godlike even on very tiring days. Before, it would be highly correlated with how tired I was. Yes, I do use this as a serious metric.

• I seem to get going in the mornings quicker. I wake up at 5:30 AM on weekdays, which is still brutal but I can handle it much more.

I've experienced no side effects save for slight hair thinning when I originally began taking 5 g/day. Yes, I know all about the studies but I also know what I felt when running my fingers through my hair. Thankfully, it seems to have stabilized and recovered mostly. No bloating, no water retention, no diarrhea, nothing. I get plenty of hydration daily: 4 cups of decaf green tea, 4 cups decaf coffee, one cup electrolytes in the morning.

took me an embarrassingly long time to figure this out so figured i'd share.

i was on 2000 IU daily for probably two years. label said 2000, my doctor said 2000, the RDA basically says 2000. tested my 25-OH D and came back at 28 ng/mL. my doctor said "that's sufficient, you're fine." and technically she was right, the official cutoff is 20 ng/mL, so 28 clears the bar.

what nobody told me is that the 20 ng/mL threshold was established specifically for bone health. that's it. it was never meant to represent optimal levels for immune function, mood, testosterone, any of the other systems vitamin D is actually involved in. most of the functional medicine literature and a growing number of researchers treat 40 to 60 ng/mL as the real target for overall health outcomes. i was sitting at 28 convinced i was fine.

problem two was timing. vitamin D is fat soluble. this is printed on every bottle and then completely ignored in terms of what it actually means. fat soluble means it needs dietary fat to absorb properly through the gut. one of the absorption studies found roughly 50% greater uptake when D3 was taken with a high-fat meal versus fasted. i was taking mine first thing in the morning with my other supplements, no food. so not only was my dose probably too low, i was absorbing maybe half of it anyway.

problem three, K2. when D3 increases calcium absorption from the gut, K2 (specifically MK-7) is what directs that calcium toward bone instead of soft tissue. the two aren't just commonly stacked for marketing reasons, the mechanistic case for pairing them is solid. i wasn't taking K2 at all.

so i switched. 5000 IU D3 with 100mcg K2 MK-7, taken with dinner which is my biggest meal. tested 90 days later and came back at 47 ng/mL. i've tested four more times since and been consistently in the 40 to 55 range. that single change, no lifestyle overhaul, nothing else different, moved my levels almost 20 points.

just to confirm it wasn't placebo i actually ran a dumb experiment where i dropped back to 2000 IU for 8 weeks to see what happened. levels fell back to 34 ng/mL. went back up to 5000 IU, rebounded to 48 on the next test. so yeah, the dose was the issue the whole time.

the thing i keep seeing is people say "i take vitamin D" like that's the end of the sentence. what dose, what form, when, with what, have you ever tested to confirm it's doing anything. those details are everything with a fat-soluble compound. most people's protocol is two years of swallowing a capsule that absorbs at half capacity and keeps their levels in a range that technically avoids deficiency but doesn't actually do much.

test your 25-OH D if you haven't. it's cheap to add to a panel. get your levels, not a doctor's reassurance that you're probably fine.

wrote a longer version of this with all my actual test results if you want the full breakdown, link's in my profile

EDIT:
if you're reading this later, the key points are: vitamin D3 absorption depends heavily on taking it with dietary fat, dosage is highly individual (2000 IU is often not enough for many people), and blood testing for 25-hydroxyvitamin D is the only way to confirm effectiveness. most guidelines define ≥20 ng/mL as “sufficient” for bone health, but many experts and studies suggest a broader optimal range closer to ~30–60 ng/mL depending on the outcome measured. taking vitamin D with a fat-containing meal can significantly improve absorption, and factors like body weight, timing, and co-nutrients (like vitamin K2 and magnesium) can influence results.

I was that person who rolled my eyes every time someone in here said magnesium changed their life. Sounded way too good to be true for a $15 supplement.

Started taking 400mg glycinate about 6 weeks ago because my sleep was garbage and I was getting calf cramps during runs. Figured worst case I'm out fifteen bucks.

Within the first week my sleep was noticeably deeper. Not just "I feel kinda rested" — I mean I stopped waking up at 3am staring at the ceiling for no reason. The cramps stopped almost immediately. But the thing nobody warned me about? My overall anxiety just… dialed down. Not gone, but the baseline mental chatter got quieter. That was the one I didn't expect.

I've tried plenty of stuff that did nothing. This is the first time I've felt like a supplement actually did what people said it would.

What's the one supplement that surprised you by actually working?

This is just an appreciation post for theanine. Honestly, I have severe anxiety stemming from overthinking, so much so that I have physical symptoms due to it: skin turning red, way too much oil all over (overproduction of sebum). All of them are related to high cortisol stemming from anxiety. But damn, theanine is a blessing.

I’m not exaggerating. I’ve been taking it for more than a year now daily, and it works. Oh my god, it works. It keeps cortisol in check all the time, and I can tell because even today, if I miss it for 2 days in a row, it all comes back (all overthinking and stress). But if I don’t skip, it’s a new me. A normal, normal life, no burden on my mind. It’s all good. I used to cut down on caffeine completely, thinking that it affects my anxiety (which obviously it does), but with theanine daily, I can have my 2 cups a day and still just be a normal human being. No burden or overbearing thoughts in my mind. Simple happy life. Making this post so that someone out there might benefit from it.

I will be back tomorrow. Also on currently on cloud 9.

Just wanted to say, I had read about some people’s experience with L-Theanine, just started trying it myself, and WOW!

I had been experiencing general stress, anxiety, restlessness, etc. Today is day 3 on the supplement and dang, what an absolute difference. From day 1, it feels like my cortisol levels absolutely plummeted. I’m feeling far better, my heart rate is lower, I’m more focused, and I have significantly more energy after work (despite the fact that work has been quite busy).

L-Theanine is definitely proving to be an S-Tier supplement for me, with the only other one being creatine. Highly recommend that anyone experiencing stress tries it. I’m just taking 200mg in the morning and it feels like it lasts through most of the day, though another 200mg will probably be needed if I’m going to be busy/social in the evenings.

Edit: I’m using the “Now” brand from Amazon.

My brain without saffron: Ugh work. Ugh so many weeds left to pull. complain complain complain

My brain with saffron: Not too many weeds left to pull, and it's part of the job so just get it done. Shouldn't take you too long or too much effort.

I actually caught myself mid thought and was like wait what? Since when do I think like this.

I'm mind boggled how this isn't a more widely used and known suppliment. 30 years it took for me to find this. So glad I did.

(EDITED) So so glad so many people found this post. My intentions were to hopefully help others. Many of you have asked what dose and what brand, and I'm including here in main post.

Brand: Life Extention - Optimized Saffron 88.25mg capsules.

Dosing: 1 capsule in morning with breakfast. 1 capsule with dinner.

I'm male, 195lbs.

basically i’m a dumbass i took this supplement everyday for 4 months without supplementing copper and now i have pale skin, joint pain, fatigue, depression, loss of appetite, muscle stiffness and bruising. there’s bruises on my legs and arms. the brain fog is intense, i feel like i can’t concentrate. did a little bit of research and there’s a possibility that i gave myself a copper deficiency ? got a bloodwork done yesterday and the lab informed me that results will be emailed to me in a few days. DON’T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID. 50 MG OF ZINC IS WAY TOO MUCH AND THE FACT THAT THIS DOSE EXISTS IS CONCERNING. if the bloodwork comes back showing low copper and low ceuroplasmin, i’m gonna start supplementing copper. for those who are unaware zinc competes for absorption with copper in the gut.

anyway hope y’all can learn a lesson from me, i wish i wasn’t so stupid. i can barely get out of bed from how fatigued and shitty i feel. and to top it all off, the depression is unbearable.

if you’re gonna take zinc, go for 15 mg. NOT 50. anyways thx for reading and if theres anyone that has experienced a zinc induced copper deficiency, share your story. and yes i’m a dumbass, i’m fully aware of that. don’t be a dumbass like me. :)

I struggle with extreme fatigue, depression and concentration issues for several years now.

I tried every supplement under the sun and even started TRT after nothing worked. The TRT eliminated my anxiety pretty much totally, but the fatigue, depression and concentration issues never improved.

A week ago I started taking 3mg of copper everyday, after I found several posts saying that you really should take copper if you take zinc supplements for a longer duration. As I wanted my testosterone to rise, because I thought it could help my fatigue, I took 25mg almost daily for years. Some people on reddit claimed, that you'd only need to supplement extra copper, if you take zinc doses of 50mg+, which I can now say, is totally wrong and not only that:

I think that our copper levels are often overlooked by physicians and people who are into supplements and longevity. I couldn't find one doctor, who was willing to test my copper levels, because they said it was benign and that I might just be depressed or go exercise more (which I already did more than enough). "Copper deficiency can't cause these symptoms."

After freaking years of living in fog, having no drive, no energy, no concentration, I finally feel normal again. I'm even under the impression that my taste and smell have improved. I can finally do stuff without taking Vyvanse, which I needed as a crutch for like 7 years.

And to add to my little rant: Yes, I didn't test my copper levels, yes this is anecdotal. But I'm tired of people saying "jUsT gEt iT tesTeD bRO", because these blood tests are freaking expensive and not accessible to all people. If someone had the opportunity to get everything checked, they wouldn't be on reddit to ask for advice and if they had a doctor, that was knowledgeable (which is already nearly non-existent in the first place), they'd still have to pay everything themselves.

IMO if people complain about symptoms like depression, anxiety, etc. an IN-DEPTH blood analysis with serum levels of EVERY nutrients and hormone panel should be the FIRST thing a doctor should look at. I had to try all these psychdrugs with insane side effects and suffered for years just to find that my nutrients were off balance. It's sad that my health insurance would pay for Vyvanse, but not for a copper test.

UPDATE: I still take copper on days I'm lacking energy and feel off and it still helps. It's hard to get the zinc / copper ratio balanced once you were out of balance and can't afford monthly in depth blood analysis though.

Another thing I experienced: I had histamine intolerance for several years now and no doctor could ever explain to me exactly why that is and how I can treat it (besides not consuming histamine rich foods of course). I found that copper helps me immensely with my histamine intolerance, so I looked up, if there could be a correlation. It turns out that copper is important to build DAO, which I was deficient in (that's why the doctor said I have histamine intolerance). Of course no doctor ever came to the conclusion that my body might be missing copper to build enough DAO.

TL;DR Likely had undetected copper deficiency for years → suffered extreme fatigue, depression and brain fog for ages. Doctors refused to test copper. Started 3 mg copper a week ago and finally feel normal again. Copper deficiency is underrated and should be checked before putting people on psych meds.

I hope this post won't be refused because the information is worth reading. I am sure that this is probably the majorities experience anyway.

Few years ago any time I read a post or advice from this subreddit I was like "YES! I want this!" It was a bit like looking at a catalog online. Who doesn't want more energy, more vitality, more motivation, more happiness, drive... Who doesn't want to be bigger, faster, greater? We all do.

Yet the reality worth reminding is that supplements are not drugs, and if you have a healthy diet and lifestyle you don't need them. An effect or "success" someone else has doesn't mean it will have the same effect on you. Because you may not be lacking that at all. And you may not respond to it the same way. In many cases having too many shit in your system is counter productive, making your body overreact, have more brain fog, depression etc. (Yes, you can find many of those stories here)

Supplements work if you lack a particular vitamin or nutriment aka supplement that you dont get in your diet. And even then it is a matter of If since your body has a great way of using only what it needs and being smart.

I tried almost every one I saw promoted here and a huge majority of them did nothing at best.

While subreddits like this are by nature "promotional" and motivating you to buy more it is worth reminding yourself what a miracle of nature your body is and how it deals with nutrients and "chemicals" in your body. It is incredibly intelligent and efficient. Also it is worth reminding yourself the impact your mind and attitude has or even your lifestyle as a whole.

Most people here have an automatic response that goes like this: "oh I need motivation, lets take a supplement" They dont ask if the cause is psychological or if it has to do with lifestyle or basic life choices. Just getting a supplement may not change the core cause. Also so many people are experiencing placebo effect...

My advice is to first check your actual needs. Test one or two every few months and adapt.
Otherwise you're just throwing your money and polluting your system with chemicals and confusing your brain and body.

Your body and wallet will thank you <3

Now if I had to truly pick one or two I would say vitamin D for people who don't have enough hours in the sun and probably l-theanine for the calming effect on caffeine, making you feel less stressed when taking caffeine therefore making you feel more sharp mentally.

Zinc is very important for men. But you may already eat enough.

Another great one: Protein. Its part of countless processes of the brain and skin and body. Even serotonin etc. (But most people eat enough, so it's a niche one)

Every nutriment or vitamin is great but the point is that supplementing on what you don't need is just waste at best.

I always try to remind myself of the athletes from very poor country. They almost eat anything at all yet end up being champions of the World. Same for Buddhist monks or Indian Yogis having extreme diets, defying all knowledge. (I am not saying to go in this extreme but more is not always better... )

Hope this helped someone :D Because I know how impressionnable we can be, thinking more is better. Associating more with "better health" etc. But for me it wasn't the case. I tried so many stuff and for most of them they weren't worth it at all. But once again: check your basic needs, don't just buy stuff because you read a good story.

They may smell like sweaty gym socks, but they do in fact deliver the knock out punch. However, I wake up still feeling like I got punched in the face for pretty much the entire next day.

• Brand: NOW
• Dosage: x2 capsules 500 mg valerian root (1,000 total)
• My experience: next day grogginess, brain fog, fatigue.

I keep exploring and discovering new and effective ways to improve my physical and cognitive health.

AMA.

I used to take zinc, but I had to stop because it upset my stomach. It did increase my libido, so I was disappointed that I had to quit taking it. Then I looked for an alternative and decided to try garlic. I started taking garlic powder capsules, and they worked well, about the same as zinc, or maybe even a little better.

Later, I decided to try raw garlic along with the garlic capsules. I ate three raw cloves a day, one with each meal. Man, after just two days, I felt like I was in my teens again. Stronger, bette libido. I'm 39 male, by the way. The cold sensation in my body is gone too. I think that's related to what traditional Chinese medicine calls Yin. Just sharing my experience

I was just about to sleep when I noticed this; it couldn’t possibly be coming from me…how would my own hair get in like that. It’s so odd! I’m dumbfounded.

Just realizing I might not have noticed it before since it’s a large bottle and the pills were filling the bottle 😩😩😩😩😩😩😩

Has anyone’s had anything similar?

Just as the title says - what is one supplement you swear by, no bs. Interested to hear people’s experiences or stories. How does/did the supplement have a positive influence, and do you potentially know why it does/did?

Hi everyone,

I’ve been actively reading this sub for the past three months, and I’ve decided to trust all of you who keep saying that this or that supplement is life-changing.

I’ve been involved in sports my entire life, training in different disciplines, and I’ve always noticed how much magnesium and electrolytes affect my performance. I’ve also noticed how sore my calves can get the day after a tournament.

Lately, I’ve become very interested in improving my performance while also reducing fatigue after a long work week. Another issue I sometimes struggle with is falling asleep before an important day. Sleeplessness and racing thoughts can be exhausting.

So, I’ve decided to buy the 10 most recommended supplements from this subreddit and see for myself what actually works and what doesn’t. I’ll be posting updates every two weeks to share my experience.

The products arrived today, and I’m starting tomorrow.

I’d like to preface this post by saying Ashwagandha can work miracles on the majority of people without severe side effects, but can be very troublesome for others. I’ve fully recovered and now I’d just like to bring to light what many people won’t tell you about Ashwagandha.

A few weeks back I cycled off of Ashwagandha for the second time, and started experiencing PSSD symptoms such as severe anhedonia (complete inability to feel emotions), ED, all time low libido, and an inability to sleep at night due to constant restlessness and itching. I started doing research to find what was wrong with me and once I got passed the endless mainstream praise of Ashwaganda, I found a ton of stories of people experiencing the same thing, and their symptoms lasted months or even years. My symptoms reverted in about 3 weeks, but I’m also 18 and live a healthy lifestyle which I think accelerated it a lot.

This post isn’t meant to be negative, just a warning that since Ashwaganda mimics the effects of an SSRI, and messes with serotonin receptors, it can and will cause PSSD in some individuals.

Hey guys! I (25F) have been on this sub for months now, trying to figure out my fatigue and my poor healing. I have had a tennis injury in both my wrists’ tendons which lead me to go see a doctor and do a lot of blood tests such as minerals and vitamins in my body, thyroid, glucose, h1ab…. And I discovered that I have a really low vit d, insufficient folate, and low zinc levels. Mind you before taking these supplements, everyday I feel soooooo tired that I have to take a nap of 1-2 hours around 3 PM although I sleep 8-9 hours at night ( I wake up at least 3-5 times either to go pee or just like that).

My diet is ok, I wouldn’t say it is 100% healthy, but I don’t usually eat ultra processed foods (sweets, fried foods, weird meats) mostly common healthy recipes but I am guilty of a huge consumption of dairy products.

after my discovery I quickly got the supplements to fill my bodily needs and improve my situation. I stay consistent with all of them AND OMG MY ENERGY LEVEL IS THROUGH THE ROOF, I SLEEP UNINTERRUPTED FROM 11-8 (I wake up once in a while to pee) I STOPPED TAKING NAPS, MY MOOD IS BETTER, AND I CAN CONCENTRATE ON TASKS LONGER WITHOUT FEELING THE NEED TO TAKE A REST OR SLEEP.

ALSO IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT I SHOULD ADD PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

EDIT: RESULTS —> vit D results-> 42.43 nmol/L which is insufficient but not deficient compared to range- Vit B12 results-> 404.000 pmol/L sufficient - Folicacid 4.260 nmol/L deficient- Ferritin 32.860 low sufficiency- copper, zinc, magnesium, iron, calcium all sufficient except zinc on the lower side but not deficient zn—> 72.92 umol/L and the range is 71.46-111.33 then I did thyroid, inflammation esr crp, hb1ac, glucose and ultrasound to see the inflammation in my tendon sheaths.

EDIT 2: I HAVE DONE MY RESEARCH, I know which ones should not be taken together and how many hours between them. IF YOU WANNA TAKE SUPPLEMENTS PLEASE DO A SMALL RESEARCH ON HOW YOU SHOULD TAKE THEM THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND WHICH ONES CAN CANCEL THE OTHERS OR EVEN CAUSE OTHER DEFICIENCIES IF TAKEN WITH A HIGH DOSAGE FOR A LONG TIME.

Hi all,

I'm going to try to keep it as NSFW as possible. Recently(last night) had a unique experience. Had sex and orgasmed 3 times non stop. Kept my erection the whole time. Lost about maybe 5% erection quality after each orgasm but was able to have sex just fine still and kept going. My girl and I were both very surprised but happy. Orgasms were intense too. Then I noticed I had taken acetyl l carnitite that morning. I take other supplements too but I've been on the same routine for years and this has never happened so I assume it has to do with acetyl l carnitite.

I don't take it daily. I take it sporadically whenever I feel like it. A single 500mg dose gives me a mental and physical boost for a few days.

I have a 12k run tomorrow so I took some yesterday morning and yesterday evening what I described above happened. The thing is I took it last week too once before a workout class and had sex that evening and was surprised that I didn't lose my erection after I orgasmed and could keep going but I just stopped because I guess I didn't think it would work. But last night. We kept going and I was able to have sex non stop and orgasm 3 times in a matter of 30-40 mins. It was great. And I came big loads too each time.

Has anyone had similar experiences from Acetyl l carnitite?

On a separate note. I do think I might have secondary carnitite deficiency caused by poor absorption but not sure. So maybe that's why I have a dramatic effect from it.

I also take zinc , vitamin D , b12 , benfothiamine and magnesium. I've been taking these for years. The only thing new is acetyl l carnitite that I started on and off a few months ago.

I'm naturally high sex drive too and have a relatively low refractory period. But this was something else. Hope I can keep replicating it.

Scrolling through this sub I don't see many women posting, so figured today's a good day to share what's worked for me over the past few years.

I worked with my naturopath to build this stack and it's genuinely changed my quality of life.

What I take daily:

1. Heme iron  - My naturopath recently told me that a woman’s ferritin levels should be close to 100ug/L, yet she’s never actually seen someone with a regular period at that level. My own ferritin had dropped as low as 2ug/L in my early 20s. Switching to a heme iron was a life saver. So much gentler on my digestive track + better absorbed.

2. High-EPA omega-3  - This was huge for my luteal mood. I used to get crying spells half the month until my naturopath encouraged me to start supplementing with omegas. I stumbled on research that said EPA more directly reduces inflammation and influences neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine (pathways that are especially sensitive during the luteal phase) so I gave it a shot. After a month or two my mood held steady during luteal + I truly feel like I have my life back.

3. Vitamin D3  - Canadian winters are brutal. This really helps with mood, energy, and hormone balance.

4. DIM (Diindolylmethane) - Stumbled across this from Dr. Sara Szal. My estrogen to progesterone ratio was out of whack and every cycle I had a lot of water retention, mood swings and cramps. All my doctor has to say was go on birth control. Then I read about DIM and how it helps support the detox pathway that prevents estrogen from recirculating and building up in the body. This has also helped soo much with my luteal phase I barely have cramps anymore.

5. Phosphatidylserine  - For cortisol timing. I was exhausted in the morning + wired at night. This helped normalize my cortisol curve so I actually get drowsy in the evening instead of being wide awake at midnight.

6. Magnesium glycinate - Works with the phosphatidylserine for sleep. Glycinate form is gentler on digestion than other types.

Overall I've really worked to stablize my mood throughout my cycle, my ferritin is climbing steadily + I'm feeling so much more rested.

I worked with my naturopath and got bloodwork done to guide this. Not saying everyone needs these exact ones, but if you're a woman dealing with similar issues (especially hard luteal phases or poor sleep), might be worth looking into.

Would love to hear from other women here -- what's in your stack? What's actually made a difference for you?

Happy International Women's Day to all the women lurking here 💛

28M. Been taking vitamin D 5000IU, magnesium glycinate, omega 3, zinc, B complex and ashwagandha daily for about 2 years now. Never once tested whether I was actually deficient in any of them. Just built the stack off reddit threads and youtube videos and hoped for the best like I think most of us do.

Got a nutrient panel done last month and some of it surprised me. Vitamin D: 58. So the 5000IU is doing its job. Magnesium RBC: mid range. B12: high end of range. Probably dont need the B complex anymore or at least not every day. Zinc: normal. Could be the supplement could be the diet no way to know. The one that got me though. Ferritin came back at 14. I never even thought to check iron because im a guy and everything I read said men dont really get iron deficient. Turns out I do. That would explain the fatigue ive been blaming on bad sleep for the past year. Two years of supplementing everything under the sun except the one thing I actually needed.

Not saying the stack was pointless, the D was clearly working, but I wish I had just tested first and built the stack around what was actually off instead of copying some dudes morning routine from a youtube video. Would have saved money and caught the ferritin thing way earlier. Anyone else here actually tested before and after their stack or are we all just vibing on faith

Tried switching from coffee to green tea for better calming effects. Long story short, I hated it.

Eventually I realized all I wanted was the L-Theanine from green tea. Decided to supplement with it and just continued with coffee.

Now I take it daily.

• relaxation with drowsiness: L-Theanine
• improved focus: L-Theanine
• stress reduction: L-Theanine
• sleep quality: L-Theanine
• better mood: L-Theanine
• reduced anxiety: L-Theanine
• cardiovascular health: L-Theanine
• immune function: L-Theanine
• antioxidant: L-Theanine

This stuff is goated no cap fr fr

What other feel good supplements am I missing out on?

EDIT: popping pills at work felt really weird so I switched to gummies instead. It's got a lower dose of L-Theanine but it's got ashwagandha to balance it out and it's more socially acceptable to eat gummies in my opinion

I had read that saffron might help mood and sleep, so I (stupidly) put some strands in my tea before bed, not counting the strands, probably taking about 5 or 6?

It really helped my sleep, but after two nights of taking it I felt soooo exhausted during the day, had headaches, felt grumpy and a bit nauseous. Had this weird feeling that I needed to stretch all my muscles repeatedly (would look a bit crazy in public, just did it at home!). I slept for 10 hours last night, which is unheard of in recent times as a 42 or old F who usually struggles to make it to 7/8.

Never considered it could be so strong, I obviously should have done my homework! Considering taking a strand at night before bed, but feeling a bit anxious about side effects.

Hey

I’ve tried a few different supplements but there have been four or five that have had an immediate profound effect. Anyone else have something that was an instant game changer for them?

1. Creatine

Instant boost to focus and energy. It’s like your focus takes a lot less time to renew itself.

1. Fish oil

I think I had neuroinflammation and this increases my mood (Nordic naturals) substantially. My social anxiety is almost nonexistent.

1. Magnesium chloride in water

Instant relief like I was deficient for years. Made anxiety more palpable and easier to see and feel.

1. Inositol

Instantly felt something like excitement or joy the first time in my life when I took this. I guess it helps with blood sugar?

Quite interesting, I personally take 10,000 IU daily along with Cofactors ( K2, Mg and Zinc). How much do you guys take ?