The 10 best supplements for beginner athletes

As a beginner athlete stepping into the gym for the first time, the world of supplements can be quite overwhelming. There are countless types and forms of nutritional supplements, making it difficult to see the wood for the trees. What is really worth considering as a beginner? Which supplements do I need for muscle building? And which supplements are necessary for fitness in general? To answer these questions, we have put together this guide with the 10 most important fitness supplements for beginner athletes. This way, you save yourself hours of reading through forums and asking others, so you can start off on the right foot.

Since the best sports supplements for your specific situation naturally depend on the goal you have, we have divided this guide into three sections, called the 3 B’s. In the first part, you will find the basics. These are supplements that are a good addition for every athlete. In part 2, you will find the builders. These are fitness supplements particularly suitable if your goal is to build more strength and muscle mass. Finally, in part 3, you will find the burners. These are the sports supplements you can take during a calorie-restricted diet to lose fat.

The Basics (Overall Health)

In this first section, you will find the basics: sports supplements that are a good addition for literally everyone. It doesn’t matter whether your goal is to build muscle mass or lose fat, or whether you’re into strength training or endurance sports—these supplements are suitable for everyone.

1. Whey Protein

Probably the most popular sports supplement out there, and for good reason, is whey protein. Whey protein is a concentrated dairy product resulting in extremely high protein levels (up to 93%) with hardly any carbohydrates or fats. Why is that so beneficial? Well, you've probably heard that it’s incredibly important for athletes to consume enough protein. Proteins support the maintenance and growth of muscle mass, which is exactly what you’re aiming for when you start training at the gym! But it doesn’t stop there, as protein is also crucial for endurance athletes and team sports to prevent muscle loss during your workouts. However, it can often be challenging to get enough protein from your diet every day, making whey protein the perfect solution!

Whey protein comes in different forms, but as a beginner, your best option is a good whey concentrate. This type of whey protein has a protein content of around 80%, offers great value for money, and also tastes fantastic! The best products to start with are Whey Delicious, which gives you the best-tasting whey protein right from the start, or Perfect Whey Protein. The latter may not score as high on taste as Whey Delicious, but it is more budget-friendly.

2. Amino Acids

As a subcategory of whey protein, we have amino acids. As you may know, proteins are made up of smaller components called amino acids. Although your total protein intake should always be your top priority, amino acids can be a great addition when it’s challenging to get enough protein. This is especially important around your training sessions. With amino acids, you can ensure that your body gets the essential building blocks it needs, even during longer workouts, to prevent your training from doing more harm than good.

For beginners, BCAA Powder is your best choice, providing your body with the three most important amino acids during both muscle-building and fat-loss phases. Looking for a more complete product? Then Essential Amino Stack is what you need, offering a full spectrum of essential amino acids.

3. Multivitamin

Your health should never come at the expense of your performance in the gym. That’s why it’s important to ensure your body gets all the necessary vitamins and minerals. If you’re hitting the gym several times a week, your nutritional needs increase because you’re burning more energy, which can make it difficult to meet the recommended daily amounts.

Of course, it’s crucial to start by eating enough fruits and vegetables. Besides vitamins and minerals, these foods are packed with other beneficial nutrients, such as complex carbohydrates, fiber, and antioxidants. However, since it can be challenging to eat enough vegetables every day to cover all your needs (not to mention the variety you need to include), it’s a wise choice to supplement your diet with a multivitamin. This way, you get all the essential vitamins and minerals in one go, so you don’t have to worry about it. Think of it as a kind of insurance policy.

With a bottle of Multivit, you can cover your needs for as little as 45 cents per day, making it almost a no-brainer. Curious about what all these vitamins and minerals are needed for? Discover the functions of the 10 most important vitamins and minerals here!

4. Omega-3

The next basic supplement is Omega-3. You’ve probably heard of it—the well-known fatty acid that’s especially abundant in fatty fish like salmon. Omega-3 has countless benefits for your body, and as if that wasn’t enough, new studies come out every year revealing even more advantages. Omega-3 is truly a nutrient you don’t want to miss, but getting enough solely from your diet can be a challenge for most people. After all, how often do you eat fatty fish each week? To meet the recommended amounts, you’d need to eat something like salmon at least three times a week, and let’s be honest, most people aren’t eager to do that.

For this reason, it’s not only more practical but also more cost-effective to take two Omega-3 softgels daily as a supplement to your diet. Want to get the most out of it? Opt for the Omega 3 Ultra Pure variant, which is extra highly dosed.

The Builders (Muscle Mass)

Now that we’ve covered the basics, we can take a closer look at your specific goals. Are you going to the gym to get stronger and build muscle mass? Then this is the category you’re looking for! Is your goal to get leaner? Scroll down to Part 3.

1. Creatine

Creatine is perhaps the most popular supplement when it comes to improving your body and performance. And for good reason, because creatine has been studied hundreds of times, and the results speak for themselves. Creatine helps improve performance during explosive strength efforts and stimulates muscle growth. If you want to get the most out of your training, you’d be missing out if you skip creatine. These effects might make you wonder whether creatine is safe, but fortunately, you don’t have to worry.

Creatine has also been tested numerous times for safety, and there are no risks you need to be concerned about. The best part about creatine? It’s cheap! For just over a tenner, you can get 100 days' worth of the extremely pure Creatine Monohydrate. Still have questions about creatine? Then read our blog 'Creatine: Everything You Need to Know'.

2. Carbohydrates

Gaining muscle mass isn’t just about eating enough protein; you also need enough calories. But where do those calories come from? Well, carbohydrates play a very important role here! Carbohydrates are primarily known as fuel for your body, but they are also perfect for making up a large part of your diet. Especially complex carbohydrates are known as a good source of calories and have been consumed by athletes in various sports for decades.

To gain muscle mass, you sometimes have to eat a lot in a day, and that’s not always easy. To help you out, you can choose finely ground carbohydrates like Perfect Oats or Perfect Rice Powder. This is finely ground oats or rice that you can easily mix into your whey shake. This makes it a breeze to quickly and easily get enough good calories.

3. Muscle Grow

Some nutrients simply work better when combined. With that thought in mind, we developed Muscle Grow. Muscle Grow has been the go-to Post-Workout product for years, consisting of creatine, fast carbohydrates for after your workout, and the essential amino acids we mentioned above. Muscle Grow takes the guesswork out of your post-workout nutrition, providing your body with exactly the nutrients it needs after a hard training session.

The Burners (Fat Burning)

This final section is dedicated to the burners. These products are perfect for combining with a calorie-restricted diet when your goal is to lose fat and become leaner.

Diet Shake

When you're trying to lose weight, it's important to eat meals that are not only low in calories but also keep you feeling full so you're not starving an hour later. Sometimes that can be a real challenge, especially when you don't have the time to spend hours in the kitchen every day. To make it a bit easier for you, we’ve developed the !Diet Shake. Diet Shake combines different protein sources with complex carbohydrates and adds the necessary vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. This way, you get the quality of a real meal, but with the convenience of a shake! This makes Diet Shake an excellent alternative for one or two of your daily meals, for instance, when you don't have time to cook or eat a full meal. It’s as simple as mixing with water, giving it a good shake, and drinking it. This way, you can keep going for a few more hours without depriving your body of nutrients.

Fat Metabolic Support

Sometimes you just need a little extra push, and that's exactly what Fat Metabolic Support is designed for. Fat Metabolic Support contains a powerful formula full of ingredients that are perfectly balanced with each other. This combination has made Fat Metabolic Support a staple in the fitness world for years and is used by countless athletes as a support to a well-structured diet and, of course, intense training.

Value Packs with the Best Sports Supplements

Now that you know the 10 best sports supplements for beginner athletes, you’re ready to start making your goals a reality. But to help you even more, we’ve gone a step further! With the popular 30-day Starter Packs, you’ll kick off perfectly with a combination of products while saving yourself time and money.

• The 30-Day Muscle Starter Pack combines Whey Delicious, Mega Grow, and Blast! Pre Workout, giving you a powerful stack that’s perfect for building muscle when you hit the gym. Combine this stack with Multivit and Omega 3, and you’re all set to crush it!
• The 30-Day Diet Starter Pack is a combination of Diet Shake, Fat Metabolic Support, and includes a free body fat caliper. These two products offer the perfect support for any diet, and as a bonus, you can even track your progress so you know exactly how much progress you’re making.