Smart Supplementation for Fighters + Why It’s Not Optional for Some
By Leroy Saunders | Strength & Conditioning Coach, Fight by Design
In a perfect world, you’d get everything you need from food, water, sleep, and sunlight.
But that world doesn’t exist anymore.
Fighters don’t train in utopia. They train in high-stress environments. Under heavy loads. In extreme heat. With fluctuating sleep, processed food access, inconsistent schedules, and often, chronic nervous system strain from competition, sparring, and travel.
So when someone says, “You don’t need supplements, just eat better,” I get it. That’s an ideal. But in the real world, especially in the modern fight game, smart, targeted supplementation can be the difference between feeling flat and performing at your peak.
That said, supplements should never replace good nutrition, recovery, or habits. They’re a force multiplier, not a shortcut. And not every fighter needs everything.
So let’s break it down properly:
1 - Why you might need supplements
2 - The core stack I use and recommend
3 - What to avoid
4 - How to build a supplement plan that actually works for you
Why Modern Fighters Need More Than Food
1. Our environment is different.
Soil mineral content has dropped. Processed food is everywhere. Even clean eaters often fall short on critical micronutrients like magnesium, zinc, and iodine, especially when training volume is high.
2. Training volume.
Fighters don’t just hit pads a few times a week. They train 2–3 sessions daily, some doing essential strength + conditioning, pads, sparring, grappling, and mostly overdoing steady state cardio. Recovery demands go up. Nutrient demands go up. Stress goes up. That shifts the equation.
3. Stress depletes micronutrients.
Cortisol, the fight or flight hormone, eats through magnesium, vitamin C, B-vitamins, and electrolytes. If your nervous system is always “on,” you're burning through key recovery tools.
4. Gut and absorption issues are real.
Some fighters eat well but still feel sluggish, inflamed, or bloated. Chronic low grade inflammation from poor digestion means you’re not absorbing nutrients efficiently, even from good meals.
This is why high quality, targeted supplements, used based on symptoms, needs, and testing, are often essential. Not always. But often.
The Core Supplement Stack I Recommend (and Use Personally)
✅ Creatine Monohydrate
What it does:
- Increases ATP production (explosive energy)
- Supports brain function and hydration
- May reduce symptoms of brain trauma (emerging research)
Why I use it:
It’s the most researched supplement in sports nutrition, and for fighters, it supports explosive power without adding excessive weight.
Dose: 5g daily. No loading phase needed.
✅ Magnesium (Glycinate or Threonate)
What it does:
- Supports sleep, muscle relaxation, and nervous system recovery
- Essential for over 300 enzymatic reactions
- Deficiency is extremely common, especially in athletes
Why I use it:
Magnesium gets depleted fast under stress. It helps with cramping, deep sleep, and parasympathetic (rest and digest) balance.
Dose: 300–400mg at night. Look for glycinate (calming) or threonate (brain benefits).
✅ Electrolytes (Wilder or LMNT)
What they do:
- Maintain cellular hydration
- Regulate nerve and muscle function
- Replace sweat losses, especially sodium and potassium
Why I use them:
Plain water doesn’t hydrate you. Especially in hot climates or during weight cuts. Electrolyte loss impacts performance, endurance, and brain function.
Dose: 1–2 servings daily, especially pre training and during recovery.
✅ Omega-3 (DHA/EPA)
What it does:
- Supports brain function and joint health
- Reduces inflammation
- Improves recovery and cardiovascular health
Why I use it:
Athletes and fighters need anti-inflammatory support. DHA also supports concussion resilience and cognitive clarity.
Dose: 2–3g EPA/DHA daily from a clean, tested source.
✅ Vitamin D3 + K2
What it does:
- Regulates hormones and immune function
- Supports calcium metabolism and bone health
- K2 prevents calcium buildup in arteries
Why I use it:
Indoor training and lifestyles = less sunlight = low vitamin D. For fighters with high training volume and impact, bone health and immune resilience are critical.
Dose: 2000–5000 IU D3 + K2 daily, especially during winter or low sun exposure.
✅ Zinc (With Copper)
What it does:
- Supports testosterone, immune function, and repair
- Often depleted with sweat or poor gut health
Why I use it:
Athletes and fighters sweat out zinc daily. And low zinc is linked to poor recovery, low libido, and suppressed immunity.
Dose: 20–30mg zinc + 1–2mg copper, taken at night or away from iron/calcium.
✅ CoQ10
What it does:
- Supports mitochondrial function and energy production
- Helps recovery in high output athletes
- May support heart health under extreme physical stress
Why I use it:
If you’re training for hours every day, your cells need help producing ATP efficiently. CoQ10 supports that, especially for older athletes.
Dose: 100–200mg with fats
✅ Ashwagandha
What it does:
- Supports cortisol regulation
- May enhance sleep, testosterone, and mental resilience
Why I use it:
This is one of the only natural adaptogens that reliably helps athletes and fighters manage the mental side of training. It’s subtle, but powerful when stacked consistently.
Dose: 600mg/day (preferably before bed)
✅ Betaine HCl + Digestive Enzymes
What it does:
- Improves digestion and protein absorption
- Helps those with bloating or slow stomach emptying
- Supports nutrient assimilation
Why I use it:
If your gut is off, nothing else works. I often use this short term to improve digestion, especially during high protein intake phases or travel.
Dose: 1 capsule with heavier meals. Stop if you feel a strong warm sensation (your acid is fine).
✅ L-Theanine (Optional)
What it does:
- Enhances focus
- Calms jittery nerves
- Smooths out stimulant highs
Why I use it:
Stacking L-theanine with caffeine helps keep athletes and fighters focused without over-activation.
Optional or Goal Specific Supps
- Citrulline Malate - For vasodilation and endurance (2–3g pre-workout)
- TUDCA or NAC - For liver support if cutting hard (if on PEDs its even more important)
- Cordyceps - For aerobic capacity
What You Don’t Need
Supplements are often over marketed and under regulated. Some that I regularly tell fighters to skip include:
❌ Mass Gainers
Mostly sugar + fillers
Easy to eat more real food with protein and carbs
❌ Proprietary Pre Workouts
Underdosed or spiked with stimulants
Create dependency, crash, or jittery workouts
❌ Test Boosters
Rarely work
Often full of bunk herbs or poor quality DAA
Better to fix sleep, zinc, vitamin D, and stress first
❌ Detox Supplements
Your liver and kidneys already know what to do
Support them, don’t spam them with powders or stupid teas
If a supplement doesn’t have a clear reason for use, don’t take it.
How to Choose What You Need
Here’s how I help fighters decide:
Start with bloodwork always
Check D3, magnesium, zinc, CRP, hormones if possible
It gives context - not just guesswork
Track symptoms
Are you tired mid-day? Cramping? Sleeping poorly?
That tells us where the gaps might be
Evaluate training load
Higher volume = higher need for support
Cutting weight? Traveling? More needs
Build from the base
Start with electrolytes, magnesium, and creatine
Then layer based on goals (gut, sleep, hormones, recovery)
Adjust seasonally
Add vitamin D in winter
Increase electrolytes in summer
Drop things when training is light
Build Your Base, Then Supplement With Purpose
The strongest fighters I coach aren’t on 20 supplements. They’re on the right 4–6, consistently.
They eat whole food, sleep well when they can, train with structure, and use supplements as a precision tool, not a magic fix.
If you're already doing the work, recovering smart, eating real food most of the time, and training with purpose, then supplementation becomes a multiplier. Not a crutch.
So don’t just ask, “What should I take?”
Instead, ask:
“What am I missing, and how do I fix that?”
That’s the mindset that builds high performance fighters from the inside out.
