SUPPLEMENTS: SMALL THING. SMALL THING.

By Coach Adam
28:Tenn Fitness | Hendersonville, Tennessee

Supplements.

It’s a small thing you can do for your health.

But it’s a small thing you can do for your health.

Those two sentences look identical.

They’re not.

One makes supplements feel powerful.
The other puts them in their proper place.

Before we talk about protein powder, creatine, fish oil, greens powders, or amino acids, we need to talk about the house.

Because too often, people are mowing their lawns while their houses are on fire.

And I say that with respect—not sarcasm. I’ve seen it. I’ve done it. It’s easy to chase the small thing when the big thing feels harder.

Build the House First

The house isn’t complicated.

It’s just not glamorous.

It looks like:

• Eating adequate protein
• Eating colorful fruits and vegetables
• Choosing mostly whole-food carbohydrates
• Choosing mostly healthy fats
• Drinking mostly zero-calorie beverages
• Sleeping 7–9 hours
• Managing stress
• Eating slowly, until satisfied—not stuffed
• Lifting weights with purpose
• Moving consistently

That’s the structure.

A multivitamin doesn’t fix a protein deficiency.

Fish oil doesn’t fix chronic sleep deprivation.

Magnesium doesn’t fix scrolling your phone at midnight.

Fat burners don’t fix the absence of strength training.

(If you’re unsure how much exercise actually matters, I break that down in How Much Should I Exercise? ACSM Guidelines Explained for Real Life.)

If you’d like a deeper dive into how we define supportive nutrition at 28:Tenn Fitness, I explain that in Mastering Mealtime: A Guide to Eating the Right Foods in the Right Amounts at the Right Time.

If the house isn’t built, supplements are landscaping.

And landscaping matters—after the structure stands.

When Supplements Become a Distraction

It’s easy to obsess over:

• The perfect greens powder
• Collagen timing
• The glycemic index
• Blood-type diets
• Fat-burning stacks

While:

• Eating 30 grams of protein per day
• Avoiding vegetables
• Sleeping five hours
• Skipping strength training

That’s not optimization.

That’s distraction.

Supplements are easy.

The fundamentals require discipline.

And I don’t say that to shame anyone. I say it because I’d rather see you spend your money and energy where it actually moves the needle.

But Here’s the Other Side

Supplements are a small thing you can do for your health.

In other words: Supplements aren’t useless. They’re just not the main character.

They’re support.

And small things matter.

If your habits aren’t strong yet, a multivitamin might be your springboard.

If you’re traveling or in a busy season, a protein shake or greens powder can help.

If you’re training hard in a calorie deficit, amino acids may support muscle retention.

Supplements aren’t the finish line.

But they can be a starting line.

28:Tenn Fitness–Approved Supplements

If the house is being built—or already stands—here are the additions I support.

Not because they’re trendy.
Because they’re practical.

Multivitamin

Think of it as insurance.

According to NHANES data (as cited by Dr. Ryan Andrews), common deficiencies in the U.S. include:

• Vitamin B6 – 11% of the population
• Iron – 10% of females aged 12–49; 7% of children aged 1–5
• Vitamin D – 9% of the total population; 31% of non-Hispanic Blacks
• Vitamin C – 6% of people over age 6
• Vitamin B12 – 2% of the population

Those numbers matter.

But so does this:

Most of those nutrients are found in real food.

Vitamin B6: chickpeas, turkey, tuna, salmon, chicken, potatoes, bananas
Iron: beef, pork, turkey, fish, spinach, tofu, lentils, beans
Vitamin D: fatty fish, egg yolks, fortified dairy
Vitamin C: citrus fruits, bell peppers, strawberries, broccoli
Vitamin B12: salmon, tuna, clams, beef, dairy, eggs

Notice something?

There’s overlap.

Salmon shows up more than once.
Tuna shows up more than once.
Animal proteins show up repeatedly.

If you’re consistently eating lean proteins and colorful produce, you’re already checking multiple boxes at once.

That’s efficiency.

A multivitamin may help cover gaps.

But the first solution isn’t the pill.

It’s the plate.

If bloodwork confirms a deficiency, targeted supplementation makes sense. Speak with your physician before making those decisions.

Low cost. Low risk. Not magic.

A starting point—not the solution.

Protein Powder

Before powders, identify what protein is.

Chicken. Eggs. Greek yogurt. Lean beef. Fish. Tofu.

Eat it daily.

Most active adults benefit from roughly 0.7–1 gram per pound of bodyweight per day to support strength, recovery, and muscle retention.

If you struggle to hit that, protein powder is a useful tool.

It supports:

• Muscle repair
• Muscle growth
• Satiety during fat loss
• Recovery

Convenient. Effective. Supplemental.

Not superior to whole food.
Just helpful when life gets busy.

Essential Amino Acids

If total daily protein is adequate, they’re less necessary.

But when:

• Training fasted
• In a calorie deficit
• Struggling to hit protein targets

They can help preserve muscle and support recovery without meaningfully increasing calorie intake.

Context matters.

Greens Powder

Whole vegetables first.

Always.

Travel happens.
Busy seasons happen.
Life happens.

Greens powders can be a “better than nothing” option.

They supplement vegetables.

They don’t replace them.

Fish Oil (or Algae Oil)

If you don’t eat fatty fish regularly, supplementation may support:

• Cardiovascular health
• Brain function
• Inflammation regulation

Vegetarian or vegan? Algae oil works.

Simple.

Creatine Monohydrate

One of the most researched supplements available.

Supports:

• Strength and power
• Increased training capacity
• Lean mass gains when combined with resistance training
• Cognitive performance

This isn’t just for bodybuilders.

It’s for anyone who wants to stay capable.

If the goal is to do more of what you love—longer—creatine supports that mission.

Protein + Carbohydrate Drink

For performance or muscle-gain phases:

• Protein supports repair
• Carbohydrates replenish glycogen

This combination also provides additional calories, which are often necessary to support performance, recovery, and muscle growth.

You don’t build muscle from willpower alone. You build it with stimulus and fuel.

Better recovery → harder training → stronger adaptation.

A tool.

Not a requirement.

Final Thought

Supplements won’t save you.

They won’t outwork sleep deprivation.
They won’t outwork processed food.
They won’t outwork stress.
They won’t outwork inactivity.

But they can support you.

Build the house.

Then mow the lawn.

Be strong, and do the work!