The Stack That Stuck

For as long as I can remember, I have been taking supplements. When I was a kid, I was lucky enough to have them introduced to me before I could even conceptualize what they were or what they did for me. I started taking Sulphur at a young age to help manage hair loss (a story to come next month), but I just took it because my parents told me to. I didn’t really start paying attention to supplements until I decided to get clean and take an objective look at my life. Then they became a core part of my recovery journey, not the whole picture, but the icing on the cake that helped everything come together. For me, certain remedies like Sulphur and 5‑HTP made a real difference when nothing else seemed to. But I want to be clear: this isn’t a one-size-fits-all prescription. Everyone’s path is different. I’m just sharing what works for me, in hopes that you can find what works for you.

My Core Supplements and Why I Take Them

I don’t think of Sulphur as just a supplement; it's my constitutional remedy that has been by my side since I was eight. It's more like a nightly reset I take alongside 5‑HTP.

The 5‑HTP has helped me manage intrusive thoughts, impulsivity, and cravings, but it didn’t do the heavy lifting on its own. The deeper work, therapy, mindfulness, routines, had to come first. Supplements were the final touch, the layer that helped everything else stick.

Here’s a brief look at what I take throughout the day and why it matters to me:

Morning: DLPA and L-Tyrosine — Support focus and energy to start the day with clarity. Especially effective for those who have abused stimulants, as both help repair dopamine neurotransmitters.

Midday: Liquid Fish Oil and Creatine — Omega‑3s for brain health and reducing inflammation. Creatine supports muscle strength, endurance, and overall energy metabolism, making it especially helpful for recovery and physical performance. Taking them midday helps balance them into my routine and typically works best a couple of hours after a big breakfast.

Nighttime: Triple Magnesium, Cortisol Manager, Pantothenic Acid, CoQ‑10 — This combo helps me unwind, manage stress, and recover while I sleep. The magnesium also aids my joints, which I need all the help I can get in that department… thanks, skateboarding.

How I Approach Supplements

I’ve learned that consistency matters more than chasing the next trend. I’ve been following this stack, minus the 5‑HTP, for about four years. It took me over a decade of trial and error to figure out what worked for my body and my mind.

Choosing supplements isn’t about following every new trend or finding a “perfect stack.” It’s about paying attention to your body, experimenting carefully, and consulting professionals when you can, like doctors, nutritionists, trusted herbalists, and homeopathic experts.

Safety First

A small disclaimer: some supplements, like 5‑HTP, can have adverse effects with certain medications, especially antidepressants or other mental health drugs. Always check with a professional before adding anything new. Safety comes first.

For example, 5‑HTP is a direct precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin and can cross the blood-brain barrier. Once in the brain, it’s converted to serotonin if needed. Combining 5‑HTP with certain antidepressants, like SSRIs or MAOIs, can cause a dangerous condition called serotonin syndrome. I wouldn’t wish serotonin syndrome on my worst enemy, and its effects can take years to reverse — so always proceed with caution and proper information.

Less Is More

It’s easy to get caught in the rabbit hole of tweaking doses and chasing the perfect formula. But like anything else, less is more.

Pick a few things that make sense for you and give them time to work. Consistency over experimentation wins every time.

Sometimes your body gets used to supplements, making them less effective. I take planned breaks, cycling certain supplements seasonally or taking a week off every few months, to reset tolerance and prevent burnout. For my own stack, 5‑HTP is essential to schedule days off. After nonstop use, it can start to have the opposite effect. I had to learn to take breaks when I found myself snapping at the smallest inconveniences. For me, a cycle of three weeks on, one week off works best.

It’s also important to note that if I rely on 5‑HTP too heavily, without continuing the deeper work, the very feelings I was trying to manage can eventually come back, sometimes even stronger. That’s why I see it as a support, not a substitute, for the routines, therapy, and practices that actually build lasting balance.

Final Thoughts

Supplements are just one piece of a bigger puzzle. Diet, therapy, sleep, exercise, and mindset are the foundation. For me, this stack helped restore energy and brain function, bringing all the other pieces together.

This month, as we explore Feeling Depleted, I wanted to start here, with one layer of what helped me rebuild. I’m sharing this not as a prescription, but as transparency: here’s what worked for me and how you might begin finding what works for you.

There will be more to come over the rest of the month to help you further build your foundation for healing. If this speaks to you, keep an eye out for the upcoming blogs in the Resources section, under "When You're Feeling Depleted."

Keep choosing yourself 🧡