Do I Need Supplements? A Dietitian’s Guide
If you’ve walked down the supplement aisle lately, you’ve probably felt a little overwhelmed. Protein powders, creatine, collagen, greens powders, the list goes on. As a dietitian, one of the questions I get asked most often is simple: “Do I actually need any of this?” The honest answer is: it depends.
Good nutrition should always start with real food first. Foods give us more than just nutrients; they offer fibre, variety, satisfaction, and the social and cultural pleasure of eating. That said, this doesn’t mean supplements have no place. Used thoughtfully, certain products can help fill genuine gaps, or get that 1–2% increase in performance when you’re already nailing the other aspects of your intake, whether that’s a busy schedule that makes food prep difficult, an increased nutrient need, or a specific, evidence-backed goal like recovery or performance. The key is knowing the difference between a supplement that’s actually going to help you, and one that’s just easy to sell. That’s what this guide is here to help you work out.
Protein Powder – What Does the Research Say?
Protein is everywhere in your body, not just muscle. It’s in your bones, skin, blood, and even the enzymes and hormones running the show behind the scenes.
However, between meat, fish, poultry, dairy, and cereal-based foods, most Australians are getting enough protein. Even most athletes hit their daily targets without ever needing a protein supplement.
What Is Protein Powder Made From?
Whey (dairy)
Whey is a high-quality, complete protein, rich in the branched-chain amino acids (including leucine) that help kickstart muscle repair. Whey typically comes in three forms and differ mainly in processing and price:
- Concentrate (WPC) – the most affordable option, around 70–80% protein by weight, with small amounts of carb and fat still present and contains a small amount of lactose
- Isolate (WPI) – further filtered to around 90% protein, with minimal carb and fat. Costs more because of the extra processing.
- Hydrolysate (WPH) – the priciest option, broken down into shorter peptide chains (“pre-digested”) and marketed on faster absorption claims. For most people, this extra cost doesn’t translate into a meaningful practical benefit.
Casein (dairy)
Makes up most of dairy protein and clots in the stomach, slowing digestion for a steadier amino acid release. Often marketed for night-time use, though evidence for a specific benefit over other proteins before bed is limited.
Egg White (albumin)
A complete protein with no fat or carbohydrate. Pasteurised egg white is still widely available in supermarkets and doesn’t rely on the batch testing powders often need.
Soy
A complete, fast-digesting plant protein and one of the cheaper options, which is why it’s common in protein bars. Slightly lower in leucine than whey however, this is easily corrected with fortification.
Other Plant Proteins (hemp, pea, chickpea, rice)
Lower protein quality individually, but easy to offset: blend sources, fortify with leucine, or slightly larger serving sizes.
Who Actually Benefits from Protein Powder?
Protein powders can benefit some people when a set of circumstances inhibit them from reaching their protein target from whole food alone. For example:
- Appetite or time is the real barrier – After intense training, during recovery from illness or surgery, or for someone who simply can’t eat enough whole food to meet higher requirements.
- Nutrient targets are elevated – Older adults trying to preserve muscle mass, or people with higher training loads, often benefit from convenient, concentrated protein.
- Practicality genuinely matters – Travel, shift work, or a schedule that makes regular meals difficult.
How Much Protein Do You Really Need?
The Australian Nutrient Reference Values set baseline requirements at around 0.75g/kg/day for women and 0.84g/kg/day for men — for a 70kg adult, that’s roughly 53–59g a day, which most people reach without thinking about it.
However, for some of the population, requirements sit higher: those doing regular resistance training or higher training loads, older adults, and people recovering from illness or injury.
Creatine – Benefits, Evidence and Myths
What Is Creatine and How Does It Work?
Creatine is a naturally occurring, non-essential nutrient produced by the body and consumed through foods such as meat and fish. While most creatine is stored in skeletal muscle, small amounts are present in the brain, where it may benefit cognition, reduce damage, and enhance recovery from mild traumatic brain injuries. Creatine supports rapid energy production in muscles, particularly for brief, high-intensity efforts lasting 8–10 seconds.
Is Creatine Just for Bodybuilders?
Creatine supplementation, especially when combined with resistance training, can improve strength, endurance, and muscle growth. However, its benefits extend to a wide variety of individuals – not just bodybuilders. It is valuable in sports involving repeated sprints, jumps, or other power-based movements, as well as in older adults to help prevent lean muscle loss and support recovery after inactivity. Emerging research is also investigating creatine’s role in brain health, though this evidence is still developing.
How to Use Creatine
- Loading phase (optional) – ~20 g/day split into four equal doses across the day with meals, for 5 days to quickly saturate muscle stores.
- Maintenance dose – 5 g/day taken consistently. Skipping the loading phase and going straight to maintenance will still saturate muscles, but more gradually.
- Timing – Taking it with a meal containing both carbohydrate- and protein-rich foods can support uptake into muscles. However, consistency is most important.
Creatine Safety and Side Effects
Creatine monohydrate is among the most extensively studied supplements, and safety data in healthy individuals is reassuring:
- Kidney and liver function – Long-term studies show no adverse effects in healthy people using recommended doses. However, those with pre-existing kidney disease should consult their doctor.
- Water retention – A modest increase in water weight (1–2 kg) is common, especially during loading. This is due to water entering muscle cells and typically stabilises over time.
- Digestive comfort – Some experience mild stomach upset, particularly with large doses. Consuming with a meal or splitting the dose can be effective in relieving symptoms.
Common Myths About Creatine
- “Creatine damages your kidneys.” This misconception comes from misinterpreting rises in creatinine levels (a normal metabolic byproduct), but studies in healthy people show no real kidney harm.
- “Creatine causes hair loss.” This claim is based on one small study showing a hormonal shift (increased DHT), but there’s no direct evidence linking creatine to hair loss.
- “You need to cycle on and off creatine.” No strong evidence supports this; daily use at maintenance doses is safe and effective.
- “More is better.” Extra creatine beyond muscle saturation is excreted, offering no additional benefit – like overflowing a full glass of water.
In summary, creatine is a safe, well-studied supplement that provides benefits for a wide range of people – not just bodybuilders – when used correctly.
Key Takeaways – Should You Take Supplements?
If you take one thing away from this guide, let it be this: supplements are not a shortcut. For most people, most of the time, a varied, adequate diet built on whole foods will get you further than any powder or capsule ever will.
That doesn’t mean supplements are pointless. Protein powder can be a genuinely useful, convenient tool when appetite, time, or an elevated requirement makes hitting your protein target from food alone difficult – not because your muscles need it in powdered form specifically. Creatine monohydrate is one of the few supplements with strong, consistent evidence behind it, supporting strength, power and repeated high-intensity efforts, and it’s safe for healthy people at recommended doses – but it works alongside good training and nutrition, not in place of them.
Before spending money on a new product, ask yourself three questions: Am I already covering the basics with food? Is there a specific, evidence-backed reason I need this? And will it actually change how I feel, train, or recover? If the answer to any of these is no, your money and your gut are usually better off elsewhere.
Talk to a Dietitian Before You Start
Supplement aisles and social media are full of advice, but very little of it is personalised to you – your training load, your medical history, or your goals. What works for one athlete can be unnecessary, or even unhelpful, for another.
A quick chat with a dietitian before you start can save you money, help you avoid unnecessary or poor-quality products, and make sure any supplement you do take is actually solving a real gap in your diet, not just filling a shelf in your cupboard.
At SportsFit, that advice comes from genuine elite sport experience, not just a textbook. We have two dietitians on our team, and between us we work across the full spectrum, from professional and elite athletes through to recreational runners and everyday gym goers. Both of us are head dietitians at AFL clubs (Hawthorn, Essendon). My colleague also holds the head dietitian role for an AFLW program and Melbourne Mavericks Netball, while I work closely with elite swimmers, alongside my own background as a former national level swimmer.
Whatever level you’re training at, our approach is the same: assess where your diet is already doing the job, identify any genuine gaps, and recommend evidence-based, quality-assured products only where they’re actually going to help. If you’re unsure where you stand, book in for a personalised assessment before you spend another dollar on the supplement aisle.
Paige Goodwin
Dietitian & Nutritionist, Essendon Head Dietitian (AFL)
References
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