Mix 1 scoop (15 g) with 250 ml of water or a smoothie once a day. Use a smoothie shaker or a handheld milk frother for a smooth mix, or add it to the blender if you’re making a smoothie. It is best taken in the morning or afternoon with a meal containing healthy fats, as CoQ10 is absorbed better alongside food that contains some fat (1, 2), and vitamins D and K2 are also fat-soluble. Taking it every day matters more than the exact time. Don’t take more than 1 scoop a day.
Does Your Age or Sex Change How You Take It?
No. The labelled serving of 1 scoop a day doesn’t change with age or sex, and the dose of each ingredient is the same for everyone. The Stack is not suitable for children, or during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Is It Suitable If You Train Regularly?
Yes. For active adults, creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise, with the benefit seen at a daily intake of 3 g (3). Magnesium and vitamins B2, B6 and B12 contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue (3).
Is It Suitable in Your 40s, 50s and Beyond?
Yes. Age changes some of the biology these ingredients relate to:
- NAD+ has been observed to decline with age in skin and brain tissue (4, 5), though results in blood vary (6). In overweight adults aged 40 to 60, 300 mg of NR a day, the amount in 1 scoop, raised whole-blood NAD+ by about half (7).
- CoQ10 blood levels rise into adulthood and fall in older age (8).
- Older adults are more likely to have problems absorbing vitamin B12 from food (9).
Muscle and strength also slowly decline from midlife, and creatine works alongside strength training: older adults who combined the two gained more lean mass than those who only trained (10). The World Health Organisation recommends muscle-strengthening activities on at least 2 days a week for all adults (11).
Can You Take It During and After Menopause?
Yes. Muscle and bone change after menopause. In postmenopausal women, creatine led to modest gains in lean mass and leg strength, particularly at 5 g a day or more alongside strength training, though it did not improve bone density (12). Separately, vitamin D and vitamin K contribute to the maintenance of normal bones (3).
Can You Take It With Other Supplements?
The Stack already contains vitamin D, vitamin K2, a full B complex, magnesium and 5 g of creatine. 1 scoop provides 100 µg of vitamin D and 12 mg of vitamin B6, the upper daily limits the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) sets for intake from food and supplements combined (13, 14). Before adding another product, check its label for vitamin D, vitamin K, B6, magnesium or creatine, as it’s easy to double up without realising, especially with multivitamins and fortified drinks. Some omega-3 supplements also contain added vitamin D.
If you already take NR, CoQ10 or magnesium on their own, the Stack can replace them, if the doses suit you. A plain omega-3 supplement without added vitamins doesn’t duplicate any of the Stack’s ingredients.
Who Should Check With a Doctor First?
Speak to your doctor or pharmacist before starting the Stack if you:
- take blood thinners such as warfarin or phenprocoumon (Marcumar), as vitamin K2 and CoQ10 may affect how they work
- have kidney problems
- are undergoing cancer treatment
- take any other regular medication or have a long-term condition
How Long Does It Take to Notice a Difference?
Some of the ingredients act within weeks, but give it at least 2 to 3 months before you judge it. Each ingredient works on its own timescale, and most of the research behind them looked at months of daily use. Creatine stores in muscle rose over about 4 weeks at 3 g a day in men (15), NR raised NAD+ in the blood within 2 weeks (7), and glutathione levels kept rising over 6 months at 250 and 1,000 mg a day (16).
Vitamin D blood levels also build up over weeks to months of daily use (17). If your doctor monitors your vitamin D, ask them when to retest.
The Takeaway
Take 1 scoop once a day, ideally in the morning or afternoon with a meal containing healthy fats, and keep it up, as consistency matters more than timing. Combine it with strength training to get the most from the creatine, and check with your doctor first if you take regular medication. As the Stack brings vitamin D, vitamin K, B vitamins, magnesium and creatine together in 1 scoop, there’s no need to take them separately. No supplement replaces good sleep, regular exercise and a varied diet.
Product mentioned in this article:
Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. This article is not medical advice.
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Literature Sources
- Mantle D, López-Lluch G, Hargreaves IP. Coenzyme Q10 metabolism: a review of unresolved issues. Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(3):2585. doi:10.3390/ijms24032585
- Bhagavan HN, Chopra RK. Coenzyme Q10: absorption, tissue uptake, metabolism and pharmacokinetics. Free Radic Res. 2006;40(5):445-53. doi:10.1080/10715760600617843
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 of 16 May 2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods, other than those referring to the reduction of disease risk and to children’s development and health. Off J Eur Union. 2012;L136:1-40. eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/432/oj
- Massudi H, Grant R, Braidy N, Guest J, Farnsworth B, Guillemin GJ. Age-associated changes in oxidative stress and NAD+ metabolism in human tissue. PLoS One. 2012;7(7):e42357. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0042357
- Zhu XH, Lu M, Lee BY, Ugurbil K, Chen W. In vivo NAD assay reveals the intracellular NAD contents and redox state in healthy human brain and their age dependences. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015;112(9):2876-81. doi:10.1073/pnas.1417921112
- Trętowicz MM, Scantlebery AML, Schomakers BV, et al. Human whole-blood NAD+ levels do not vary with age or lifestyle interventions. Nat Metab. 2026;8(6):1282-90. doi:10.1038/s42255-026-01537-5
- Conze D, Brenner C, Kruger CL. Safety and metabolism of long-term administration of NIAGEN (nicotinamide riboside chloride) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of healthy overweight adults. Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):9772. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-46120-z
- Niklowitz P, Onur S, Fischer A, Laudes M, Palussen M, Menke T, et al. Coenzyme Q10 serum concentration and redox status in European adults: influence of age, sex, and lipoprotein concentration. J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2016;58(3):240-5. doi:10.3164/jcbn.15-73
- Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. Vitamin B12: fact sheet for health professionals. Accessed 2 November 2026. ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-HealthProfessional
- Forbes SC, Candow DG, Ostojic SM, Roberts MD, Chilibeck PD. Meta-analysis examining the importance of creatine ingestion strategies on lean tissue mass and strength in older adults. Nutrients. 2021;13(6):1912. doi:10.3390/nu13061912
- Bull FC, Al-Ansari SS, Biddle S, Borodulin K, Buman MP, Cardon G, et al. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(24):1451-62. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955
- Naddafha S, Antonio J, Kreider RB, Stout JR. Creatine monohydrate for lean mass, strength, and bone density in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2026;23(1):2668435. doi:10.1080/15502783.2026.2668435
- EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA). Scientific opinion on the tolerable upper intake level for vitamin D, including the derivation of a conversion factor for calcidiol monohydrate. EFSA J. 2023;21(8):e08145. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8145
- EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA). Scientific opinion on the tolerable upper intake level for vitamin B6. EFSA J. 2023;21(5):e08006. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8006
- Hultman E, Söderlund K, Timmons JA, Cederblad G, Greenhaff PL. Muscle creatine loading in men. J Appl Physiol. 1996;81(1):232-7. doi:10.1152/jappl.1996.81.1.232
- Richie JP, Nichenametla S, Neidig W, Calcagnotto A, Haley JS, Schell TD, Muscat JE. Randomized controlled trial of oral glutathione supplementation on body stores of glutathione. Eur J Nutr. 2015;54(2):251-63. doi:10.1007/s00394-014-0706-z
- Heaney RP, Davies KM, Chen TC, Holick MF, Barger-Lux MJ. Human serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol response to extended oral dosing with cholecalciferol. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;77(1):204-10. doi:10.1093/ajcn/77.1.204
