Supplement 101: Chennai fitness trainer with 18 years of experience shares guide for supplements you should add or skip

With so much buzz around supplements, it can be confusing to choose which ones you need and what you can safely skip. Raj breaks them down into 3 categories.

From celebrity-endorsed powders to influencer-backed capsules, the supplement market is louder and more confusing than ever. With every scroll promising better health, faster fat loss, or peak performance, it’s easy to feel pressured into adding multiple supplements to your routine - often without knowing whether you actually need them.

But do supplements genuinely support health, or have they simply become another wellness trend? Cutting through the noise, experts say the key lies in understanding what your body truly requires - and, just as importantly, what you can safely skip.

Chennai-based fitness trainer with 18 years of experience, Raj Ganpath - founder of the Slow Burn Method, co-founder and head coach at Quad Fitness, and author of Simple, Not Easy - is breaking down a clear, no-nonsense guide to supplements, explaining what actually deserves a place in your routine and what you can safely skip.

In an Instagram video shared on February 4, he states, “Let's take a realistic look at supplements because there are so many out there and they're all so heavily marketed. It is confusing, tempting, and overwhelming all at once. So, which ones should you take, which ones should you not? Let's find out.”

The fitness coach explains that supplement needs can vary widely from person to person based on factors like lifestyle, diet, health status, and individual deficiencies. However, to make this easier to understand and apply, he simplifies the approach by grouping supplements into three clear categories:

1. Supplements you most probably need

In the first category, Raj includes supplements that most people in India are likely to need, given prevailing dietary habits and lifestyle patterns. At the core of this group are three essentials that are commonly under-consumed - protein, fibre, and vitamin D.

He explains, “Why? Because most of us don't get enough protein. Most of us don't eat enough vegetables and so we don't get enough fibre. Most of us don't go out in the sun, and so we don't get enough vitamin D. So, chances are adding these three supplements will in general improve your health, fitness, and well-being.”

2. Supplements that you may need

This category covers supplements that are more goal-specific and may be beneficial depending on individual needs and lifestyles. These include electrolytes for those who train intensely and sweat heavily, magnesium for improving overall recovery, creatine for enhanced strength and performance, and vitamin B12 for vegetarians who may be at risk of deficiency.

Raj elaborates, “Number one, electrolytes, if you're someone who moves a lot, trains a lot, sweats a lot, this will help. Number two, magnesium. If you're someone who has muscle cramps, or you struggle to recover, or you in general want to improve your recovery, this will help.

Number three, creatine. If you're someone who wants to improve your physical performance, strength, speed, endurance, any of these, creatine will help. And number four, vitamin B12. If you're a vegetarian or a vegan or just someone who does not consume too many animal-based or milk-based products, you may need this. But again, you may need to test it to find out, but chances are you may need it.”

3. Supplements you most probably do not need

The fitness coach groups everything that does not fall under the first two categories into this final list, covering supplements that are optional, highly individualised, or situational rather than universally necessary.

He states, “There is a whole list here. Basically, everything that I did not mention. L-carnitine, L-glutamine, BCAAs, collagen, multivitamin, vitamin C, berberine, you name it.”

Do you even need supplements?

Raj highlights that supplements are not a one-size-fits-all solution and you should take them only if you truly need them, irrespective of attractive branding or celebrity endorsement. What works for one person need not be the solution for another.

The fitness trainer advises, “What you need to do is to talk to a doctor, get a blood test done, and then decide which supplements you need. That is the smartest and most effective way to go about it. It is also the safest way to go about it. And always remember, there is no such thing as a magic pill. And even if there were, supplements are not it.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.