Supplements for Health

These are a sample of some of the most common questions our personal trainers are asked concerning the use of food supplements and their impact upon general health. More in depth answers can be gained by contacting us directly.


I am concerned that some vitamins can be toxic. How can I be sure that I will get what I need and no more?
This is a valid concern as each person has a different lifestyle and different needs, and this should always be reflected by an individualised approach to supplementation. All supplement protocols should be designed with interaction and compatibility in mind. We make general supplement recommendations on this website that will certainly help point you in the right direction, but for a truly bespoke approach we always suggest that you talk to a qualified professional.

My friend told me that some supplements alter body chemistry. Is he telling the truth?
Your friend is spouting rubbish. There are a tonne of myths around the supplement industry, not least because it is so full of shysters who in another era would have been selling you Florida swampland. To be blunt, supplements are not drugs and they do not have drug like effects. If they did, they would be proscribed substances as are all substances that elicit a “drug like effect”.

However, there are a number of supplements out there that have massively positive effects on overall health, mental and physical well being, and body composition. They are NOT replacements for nutritious food, and that is why they are called supplements.

I am confused by all the different brands out there. Which is the best?
As in every commercial marketplace there is no one single best, but not all manufacturers are equal. We can’t say that Coke is better than Pepsi, but we can tell you they are both better than the 20p for 2litre no brand special at your local discount superstore. You can find our favourite brands and explanations of why we like them in our Supplement Recommendations page.

Do I have to keep taking the supplements once I reach my goal?
For optimal health you should always use a multivitamin and complementary anti-oxidant, but anything else depends upon your ongoing goals. If for example you supplement with a protein powder in order to gain 20lbs of muscle, once you have attained that goal you will need to continue supplementation in order to feed good quality protein to those hungry muscles. However, if you are supplementing with fish oil in order to increase your body’s sensitivity to insulin (and so aid fat loss as well as drastically improve your overall cellular metabolism and reduce the long term risk of heart disease and diabetes), you may well find that as your endocrine system improves you need a smaller quantity of fish oil to produce the same effect.

My local GP tells me that I can get all the nutrition I need from 3 square meals a day. My mother agrees. Help!!
The last time I checked GPs spend one solitary week of their 5 years of medical studies on nutrition. This would be laughable if it weren’t so lamentable. Preventions is always better than cure, and so many serious ailments would never arise if people were better educated on healthy eating. We live in a toxic, highly stressed modern world and quite frankly need all the help we can in ensuring we receive all the macro and micronutrients we require for healthy living and a good long life. Our team and advisory board include many of the top nutrition experts who study the area of supplementation extensively and we constantly update our clients with the latest scientifically validated research findings.