I Just Dumped $300 on Vitamins

I've tried almost everything. Ashwagandha, CLA, every trendy nootropic that promised laser focus, probiotics that cost more than my phone bill. Most of it did nothing or made things worse.

These seven actually work. I know because I used to run this exact stack. I had a shit ton of energy, my body recovered insanely fast, and I was lifting consistently. Then my income got unstable and I cut it all out because bills beat vitamins. The tradeoff was, I survived but spent months wondering why everything felt harder.

Now with a stable income, it's time to get back to peak performance. If you're broke, I get it. I've been there. But if you're interested in this stuff and can swing it, keep reading.

I spent a total of $272.33 NZD for two to three months of supply. And with this stack... we're about to go into overdrive boi! 🏎️💨

Clinicians Vitamin D3 & K2 Liposomal Liquid - $37.99

I live in Wellington, New Zealand where the sun only shows up a few weeks in the year. Vitamin D keeps your mood stable, your bones from turning into chalk, and your immune system from giving up entirely. K2 makes sure the calcium actually goes to your bones instead of your arteries. Liposomal means better absorption, which is a fancy way of saying it actually works instead of just making expensive urine.

Living below the equator with minimal sun exposure, this one's non-negotiable for me. The alternative is seasonal depression and brittle bones, which sounds fun but isn't.

Blackmores Lutein Defence - $61.99

This one's for my eyeballs. Lutein protects against blue light damage and macular degeneration, which is what happens when you stare at screens for twelve hours a day for twenty years.

I spend most of my day looking at code. My eyes are going to deteriorate eventually, but I'd prefer that happens later rather than sooner. Sixty-two bucks to delay going blind feels like a reasonable investment.

BioCeuticals UltraClean Omega DHA - $43.99

Omega-3s reduce inflammation, keep my brain from feeling like it's wading through mud, and stop my joints from creaking like an old door. The DHA part is what my brain actually uses.

I eat too much omega-6 from seed oils and not enough omega-3 from fish. This fixes that without having to eat salmon every day, which would be great if salmon wasn't forty dollars a kilo.

NutraLife Magnesium Glycinate+ Powder Berry - $39.99

Magnesium glycinate is the only form of magnesium that doesn't give you catastrophic digestive consequences while still actually working. It calms your nervous system down, helps you sleep, reduces muscle soreness, and stops the evening brain spiral where you replay every awkward conversation from 2003.

I take this before bed. Do not take it before driving, it actually makes you sleepy.

Hydralyte Electrolyte Tablets - $14.39

Electrolytes keep your cells functioning. Sodium, potassium, magnesium. When I'm dehydrated, drinking more water doesn't fix it. I need electrolytes.

These are cheap, they work, and they taste better than the most sports drink powder. I keep them everywhere.

Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides Lemon - $53.99

Collagen supports skin elasticity, joint health, hair strength, and all the things that start falling apart after forty. My body produces less of it now, so I supplement to slow the decline.

The research is pretty solid, it mixes into water easily, and the lemon flavour doesn't taste like industrial waste. Fifty-four dollars to not look like a dried apricot by fifty seems fair to me.

Clinicians B Complex Active - $19.99

B vitamins help your body turn food into energy. When I'm dragging through the afternoon despite sleeping fine, this is usually why. B12 especially matters when you don't eat much meat.

This is the cheapest thing on the list and one of the most effective for me. Twenty bucks to actually have energy during the day.

The system, not the hack

This is just one subsystem. Supplements fix deficiencies, but they don't fix a broken foundation. You still need to eat well, move consistently, sleep enough, and manage stress. No amount of vitamins will save you from a shit diet and zero exercise.

But when the rest of the system is in place, the right supplements compound the results. More energy, faster recovery, better focus, less inflammation. Small inputs that stack over time.

I architect my health the same way I architect code. Build systems that work, measure what matters, cut what doesn't. This stack is the result of years of testing, failing, and iterating. It's not perfect, but it's reliable.

Next posts will cover the other subsystems. Nutrition, training, recovery. Each one matters on its own, but they all work better together.

The alternative is feeling like crap, looking older than you are, and wondering why everything hurts. I tried that. This is better.