Supplements
Supplement timing, start to finish
By Shwetang Chikankar · 10 August 2026 · 7 min read
You do not need a spreadsheet for your supplements. But "when do I take this stuff?" is easily the most common question I get, so here is the whole day laid out, morning to night, in plain language.
Reality check first: supplements are the last 5%. Your food, your training and your sleep are the other 95%. If those are a mess, no pill fixes it. Get the basics right, then use this to fine-tune.
Morning (with breakfast)
- •Vitamin D3: take it with a meal that has a little fat, because it is fat-soluble and absorbs better that way. Most of us who work indoors run low on it, and it matters for mood, immunity and bone health.
- •Vitamin B12: non-negotiable if you are vegetarian or vegan, because it is very hard to get enough from plants. Morning, with food.
- •Multivitamin: a safety net for the small gaps, not a replacement for real food.
- •Zinc: only if your multivitamin does not already have a decent dose. Always with food, because zinc on an empty stomach can make you queasy.
Pre-workout (30 to 45 minutes before you train)
Caffeine is a genuine boost for focus and performance, best taken 30 to 45 minutes before training. The one rule: do not take it before a late-night session unless you enjoy lying awake at 1am. If you train late, skip it.
Post-workout, or honestly whenever it suits you
- •Whey protein: yes, right after training is convenient, but do not stress the famous "anabolic window". Hitting your total protein for the day matters far more than nailing a 30-minute slot. One scoop is roughly 24 g. Use it whenever you are falling short.
- •Creatine monohydrate: 5 g, every single day. Timing genuinely does not matter, because it builds up in your muscles over weeks. It is the most researched, most reliable supplement there is, and it is cheap.
Evening and night
- •Omega-3 (fish oil, or algal oil if you are vegetarian): with dinner. Good for joints, recovery and heart health, and most people simply do not eat enough oily fish, or any, if veg.
- •Magnesium: before bed. It can help sleep quality and the muscle cramps that show up when you train hard.
If you only remember two things
For almost everyone, the two that actually move the needle are creatine and enough total protein. Get those two right, stay consistent for a few months, and only then think about spending money on anything fancier. If protein is the part you struggle with, start with a high-protein vegetarian diet, not another tub of powder.
Anchor rule: do not chase supplements to rescue a poor diet. Build meals around real protein first, and let supplements fill the last small gaps.
A note on safety
This is general education, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or take any medication, check with your doctor before adding supplements. "Natural" does not automatically mean "safe for everyone", and whey is not "bad for the kidneys" if your kidneys are healthy.
Want this built around your actual routine, food and training instead of a generic list? That is exactly what coaching is for. We look at your real day and decide what is worth taking and what is a waste of money, so you stop guessing at the pharmacy.
Common questions
When should I take creatine, before or after a workout?
It does not matter. Creatine works by building up in your muscles over weeks, so the only thing that counts is taking 5 g every single day, consistently. Pick whatever time you will actually remember, rest days included.
Does the timing of whey protein really matter?
Far less than people think. The old "30-minute anabolic window" is largely a myth. Hitting your total protein for the day is what drives results. Use whey post-workout if it is convenient, or any time you are falling short of your daily target.
Do I actually need a multivitamin?
It is optional. A multivitamin is a low-cost safety net for small gaps, not a replacement for eating real food. If your diet is varied, you may not need one. If you are vegetarian, vitamin B12 and vitamin D are the two worth prioritising.
Which supplements matter most for a vegetarian building muscle?
Creatine and enough total protein come first, always. After that, vitamin B12 and vitamin D3 are worth taking because they are hard to get on a vegetarian diet. Everything else is optional fine-tuning once those basics are handled.
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