A 30-year-old CrossFit star shares her supplement stack for strength, energy, and recovery

Business Insider

3 days ago

Brooke Wells has been a star at the CrossFit Games for a decade, known for her strength and skill at exercises like handstand walks and Olympic lifts.
Brooke Wells has been a star at the CrossFit Games for a decade, known for her strength and skill at exercises like handstand walks and Olympic lifts. Courtesy of Brooke Wells
Brooke Wells has been a star at the CrossFit Games for a decade, known for her strength and skill at exercises like handstand walks and Olympic lifts. Courtesy of Brooke Wells
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At 30, Brooke Wells is retiring.
A college athlete turned CrossFit star, she recently announced her retirement from the CrossFit Games after dominating the global event of strength, skill, and endurance.
Now, she is starting a fresh decade, shifting gears to focus full-time on her role as cofounder of the athletic shoe and apparel company, While on Earth.
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Wells told Business Insider she's looking forward to leveraging her personal branding savvy, honed over years of making a living as an athlete, without giving up her fitness in the process.
"Quality over quantity is something that I've learned in just my experience," Wells said. "It's about training smart rather than just trying to get a ton of things in."
She told Business Insider about her daily routine, which keeps her strong and focused, including her supplement stack to aid recovery, boost energy, and support longevity.
Here's what Well takes for peak performance in the gym or at the office:
Creatine: for muscle, strength, and longevity
Topping the list of Wells' go-to supplements is creatine, a trendy muscle-builder backed by extensive research.
Creatine provides fuel for tissues like muscle, helping to stave off fatigue so you can get a few extra reps in the gym (and more gains as a result).
Emerging evidence shows creatine can support longevity by protecting the brain from stresses ranging from Alzheimer's to sleep deprivation.
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Since it's widely accessible, relatively cheap, and offers a large range of benefits, creatine monohydrate is a top supplement recommendation from doctors, personal trainers, and exercise science pros.
Protein powder: for added nutrients
Nearly every day, Wells starts and ends with protein powder — half a scoop in her oatmeal for breakfast, and half a scoop before bed.
Her diet is extremely high in carbs, particularly the meals and snacks between training sessions, so protein powder helps to round out her nutritional needs in the morning and evening.
"I've just added more and more carbs every single year because I realized how important they are," Wells said.
CrossFit includes a mix of strength exercises with speed and endurance events, so athletes need to fuel with plenty of calories, carbs, and protein
Courtesy of Brooke Wells
Beyond supplementing, Wells also gets enough protein from lean meats like steak and chicken, along with eggs, and tracks her food to ensure she's fueling properly.
BCAAs: for hydration and recovery
Wells said she constantly drinks water during training, and her bottle is filled with a mix of carb supplements and BCAAs for an added boost.
Short for branch chain amino acids, BCAAs include certain building blocks of proteins (specifically leucine, isoleucine, and valine). While the research is inconsistent, they may help improve muscle rebuilding and repair after exercise while reducing fatigue.
The potential edge is worth it, Wells said, in part because it makes her more likely to drink water and stay hydrated by adding extra flavor.
Wells said she used to skip recovery habits in favor of more training in the hope of maximizing her performance, but has since changed her approach.
"As I've gotten older, it's the complete opposite. You're only as good as you can train, and you can only train if you're healthy," she said.
Fish oil: for healthy joints and lower inflammation
Wells takes a daily fish oil supplement to protect her joints from the wear-and-tear that comes with intensive training.
A the 2021 CrossFit Games, Wells was forced to medically withdraw after dislocating her elbow and damaging the connective tissue during a weightlifting event.
She said that leading up to the injury, she had worked through persistent pain in her elbows, and recovering from the injury prompted her to re-prioritize her health for the long term.
"I was more worried about getting my training session in than I was about how my body felt. So that's a huge lesson and I had to learn in a very hard way," she said.
Brooke Wells recovered from a major injury in 2021, reprioritizing her health to continue lifting heavy and performing at an elite level.
Victoria Costello/Courtesy of Brooke Wells
Fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help boost recovery, support healthy joints by reducing inflammation, and may also have benefits for longevity.
B vitamins: for energy and metabolism
Rounding out her daily routine, Wells said she supplements B vitamins.
B vitamins are a group of nutrients crucial for producing energy. They include niacin, folate, biotin, and riboflavin.
Getting enough of them is key to keeping the metabolism running smoothly, and B vitamin deficiency can cause exhaustion, muscle weakness, sleep disruption, and brain fog.
While she may not be prepping for the CrossFit Games again, Wells said she needs all the energy she can get as she's planning to channel her discipline and dedication toward her business ventures.
"I just have this huge work ethic and drive and motivation to be the best in the space," she said. "I think it's so cool to be in a sport where strong women are celebrated, and I want to continue doing that for my entire life."