Thrive in 12 – Week 7 (April–June 2026) – Metabolism and Supplements - focus on what matters!

Hello Thrive in 12 Ladies 💛

Thank you for another wonderful session this week!

I loved the thoughtful questions, curiosity, and willingness to look beyond health trends and focus on what actually supports metabolism, energy, hormones, and long-term thriving.

One of the themes that came up repeatedly during our discussion was something I want to reinforce:

🌱 Foundations First. Supplements Second.

Supplements can absolutely have a place.

But they work best when they are supporting a strong foundation of:

• adequate protein
• balanced nutrition
• strength training
• movement
• sleep
• stress management
• hydration
• healthy light exposure, supporting the daily hormonal "cascade" with your circadian rhythm!

No supplement can replace those fundamentals.

With that in mind, here are some deeper answers to the questions that came up during our session.

💪 Creatine: One of the Most Researched Supplements Available

As mentioned, Creatine might not have ALL of the benefits it's been marketed to have lately, but it does have a lot of merit and value - especially if you are going to be focused on building strength and muscle:)

It is one of the few supplements that consistently shows benefits for:

• strength
• muscle preservation
• recovery
• exercise performance
• healthy aging
• cognitive function (limited evidence, but time will tell!)

This is especially relevant for women in midlife because maintaining muscle tissue becomes increasingly important for:

• metabolic health
• insulin sensitivity
• bone protection
• physical function
• long-term independence

What I recommend:

• 100% creatine monohydrate
• third-party tested
• no proprietary blends
• no unnecessary ingredients

Some accessible options include:

• Allmax Creatine Monohydrate
• LeanFit Creatine Monohydrate (Costco)

Typical dose:

• 5 g daily (up to 20 g if you also want to focus on its cognitive boosting properties.)

Consistency matters far more than timing.

🧴 Topical Collagen: What Does the Evidence Say?

This question came up during our call, and I promised to look deeper.

The conclusion supports what we discussed on the call:

Topical collagen creams and serums may help improve skin hydration and temporarily improve skin appearance for some people, but current evidence does not strongly support the idea that collagen applied to the skin penetrates deeply enough to rebuild collagen stores or reverse skin aging.

One challenge is that collagen molecules are quite large, which makes deep penetration difficult.

This doesn't mean these products are harmful.

It simply means their marketing claims often exceed the evidence.

If you enjoy using them and feel they help your skin feel more hydrated, that's perfectly reasonable.

Just be cautious about expecting to get exactly what the product claims (aka dramatic effects.:)

✨ And to add to what I shared on Oral Collagen Supplements:

This is another area where marketing often gets ahead of the science.

Some studies suggest collagen peptides may modestly improve skin hydration and elasticity in certain populations.

However, collagen is still simply a protein source.

Once consumed, your body breaks collagen down into amino acids and small peptides.

Those building blocks can then be used wherever the body needs them most.

And your body prioritizes survival and function over cosmetics.

In other words:

Your body may use those amino acids for:

• connective tissue
• muscles
• tendons
• ligaments
• bone
• organs
• skin

We cannot direct collagen specifically to wrinkles, hair, or nails.

But- If you enjoy your collagen supplement's taste and it fits your budget, it can certainly be included as an added protein source.

But I would not consider it a miracle supplement.

Adequate total protein intake remains far more important.

🥚 Choline Supplementation: A Food-First Approach

Another question that came up was choline.

Choline is an essential nutrient involved in:

• brain function
• nerve signalling
• liver health
• cell membrane structure

Excellent food sources include:

• egg yolks
• meat
• poultry
• fish
• dairy products

For most people, obtaining choline through whole foods is preferable.

Why?

Because nutrients in food arrive as part of a complete food matrix that contains many complementary vitamins, minerals, proteins, and compounds that work together.

When we isolate nutrients into supplement form, we sometimes lose that context.

Supplementation is not necessarily harmful.

However, please make sure you are actually in need of it, and more is not always better.

Unless there is a demonstrated deficiency or a specific clinical reason, routine choline supplementation may not provide additional benefit and should ideally be discussed with your healthcare provider to make sure the overall mineral balance in your body is under control.

As with most nutrients:

Food and lifestyle tweaks first (such as optimising digestion so your body can actually GET the nutrients it needs from what you're feeding it.)
Supplement when clearly indicated by a medical professional.

🏷️ What To Look For On Supplement Labels

When purchasing supplements, ask:

✓ Is it third-party tested?
✓ Are ingredients clearly listed?
✓ Is the dose transparent?
✓ Are there unnecessary fillers?
✓ Is there a clear reason I'm taking this?

Be especially cautious of products promising:

• hormone balancing
• metabolism boosting
• rapid fat loss
• anti-aging miracles

If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

🏷️ A Few Supplement Brands I Generally Trust

Several of you asked about supplement quality and brands.

While no supplement company is perfect, there are a few brands that generally have good quality-control standards and are widely available in Canada:

For basic vitamins and minerals (Vitamin D, B-complex, magnesium, etc.):
• Webber Naturals
• Jamieson
• SISU
• Natural Factors

For creatine monohydrate:
• LeanFit (Costco)
• AllMax

For omega-3 supplements:
• Webber Naturals
• NutraSea
• Nordic Naturals

For protein powders:
• LeanFit Whey Protein Isolate (Costco)
• ATP Labs
• Progressive
• Genuine Health

As always, what matters most is not the brand name itself, but whether the product is:

✔ Third-party tested
✔ Free from unnecessary fillers and proprietary blends
✔ Transparent about ingredient sourcing
✔ Provides clearly stated dosages
✔ Manufactured according to recognized quality standards

Remember: a supplement should supplement a strong foundation, not replace one.

Food quality, protein intake, sleep, movement, stress management, and strength training will always have a far greater impact on long-term health than any supplement on the shelf.

🌞 Light Exposure & Energy

We also discussed light exposure, the hormone cascade, and the way all of our little energy messengers (aka hormones) affect our metabolic health, cravings, needs, and mood.

Getting natural daylight remains the gold standard.

Morning light helps support:

• healthy cortisol rhythms
• serotonin production
• circadian alignment
• nighttime sleep quality

While light therapy lamps may help some individuals during darker months, they do not replace the benefits of regular outdoor light exposure.

One of the most powerful "supplements" available remains:

Getting outside, moving your body, and spending some time under the sun.

🌟 The Big Takeaway

A Healthy Metabolism is not controlled by supplements.

The biggest drivers of thriving remain:

• strength training
• adequate protein
• quality sleep
• stress management
• movement
• hydration
• nourishing food
• healthy body composition
• consistency

Supplements can sometimes help support those goals.

But they are never the foundation.

You are building something much more powerful than a supplement stack.

You are building metabolic resilience.

And that is what creates lasting health.

Keep asking great questions, keep experimenting thoughtfully, and keep showing up for yourselves.

I'm incredibly proud of all of you 💛

Coach Sasha