Consumers have long looked to dietary supplements to support their exercise and weight management goals, which often go hand-in-hand. But now that GLP-1 drugs have supercharged the conversation around healthy weight, even more shoppers are hungry for high-quality natural products to help them become fitter, stronger and overall healthier.

Women represent a large slice of this market, and many are asking their local supplement retailers to recommend the best products to meet their unique physiologies and needs. We sent our female Secret Shopper to investigate how one store handled this topic, then had an expert provide additional intel to share in the aisles.  

Natural Foods Merchandiser: As I’m exercising more and moving toward a healthier weight, what supplements are most important? 

Retailer: Great question! The answer kind of depends on your diet. Are you eating lots of protein? That’s super important for fueling exercise. 

Natural Foods Merchandiser: I try to, but I might not always succeed.   

Retailer: Yeah, it’s pretty common for women starting a weight loss journey to fall short on protein, especially if you’re taking a GLP-1 drug that curbs hunger. So, a protein supplement might be smart. There are all kinds of shakes and powders and other cool products that make it easy—and tasty—to get your daily protein fix. 

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Natural Foods Merchandiser: Super. Any other supplements I should consider?

Retailer: Protein is the most important. Beyond that, I guess it depends on your individual goals and needs. 

How did this retailer do?

Our expert educator: Susan Kleiner, Ph.D., R.D., owner of High Performance Nutrition and co-founder of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

While a variety of supplements can be beneficial while ramping up exercise and trying to get healthier, a few big ones just can’t be ignored. Protein is No. 1, so I’m glad the retailer mentioned it. Many women think they get enough protein, but they rarely do. For most women, the recommendation is about 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight per day. 

But as more research has been done specifically on females, we’re seeing that we need a little more protein around exercise. To build and maintain muscle, as well as bone, women must be well fed and get sufficient protein.

No. 2 is creatine, which benefits mood, focus, sleep, heart health, cellular metabolism—and getting the most out of your muscles. Any cell that uses energy uses creatine, and nobody consumes enough. You’d have to eat pounds of meat daily, so I suggest supplementing creatine at 5 grams a day. And no, women will not get bloated, gain weight or look like Arnold Schwarzenegger—you’ll just get stronger and recover better from exercise.

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Next, focus on gut health, which impacts the entire body. When we start to exercise and change our diets, we can go through transitional periods with our gut. A daily probiotic supplement can enhance the beneficial cultures in your gut, while prebiotic fibers feed those organisms that keep your microbiome healthy. Along with eating fiber-rich foods, a daily prebiotic supplement can help. 

Lastly, get your omega-3s, whether from fish oil, microalgae or another source. Yes, we need EPA and DHA, but we also need other omega-3s such as stearidonic acid and gamma-linoleic acid. I really like Ahiflower, a regeneratively grown plant that offers broad-spectrum omega-3s.