Kirk Bondad took over 20 supplements during Mister International 2025 and here’s why

Mister International 2025 Kirk Bondad revealed that he took more than 20 supplements a day during the competition as part of a strict routine designed to manage stress, maintain energy, and keep his skin clear while staying in peak condition.

In an interview with GMA News Online, Kirk said the routine took him at least 10 minutes daily just to sort through dozens of capsules and powders packed into zip-lock bags.

“I think, every single day, it has to be at least 10 minutes for me to dissect the supplements that I had. Because I was taking, like, 20 plus supplements in my pageant routine. I couldn't bring all the containers with me, so I put them all into zip lockers,” Kirk shared.

According to Kirk, the demanding environment of a global pageant left him with limited calories, minimal sleep, and extremely low body fat—conditions that made his body highly sensitive to anything he consumed.

“When you are so depleted of calories and sleep and you are such in a low body fat percentage, everything that you put in your body is detrimental to your performance, your mood, your energy, your focus. So, you have to be super diligent with really anything that goes between your teeth because you want to perform on a high level, and this is a very high-stress environment.”

He added that food played an equally important role, especially because of his sensitive skin.

“When I eat fried food or anything like seed oil-related or eat a lot of sugar, I break out immediately. So, food-wise, you have to eat well. And that's why supplements help because you take supplements like, for example, turmeric powder as a very anti-inflammatory component to your body, and acne is inflammation on your skin,” Kirk said.

Per Kirk, his supplement routine was the result of over a decade of personal research and self-experimentation, something he began at 14 years old due to limited resources.

“I wanted to get the best supplements for the best bang for the buck. So, I was like, OK, I'm not gonna buy some BS supplements just because the marketing and the branding is amazing, right? So, I was just starting to check out blogs, read magazines, and then watch YouTube videos, cross-reference that, and then I got more into research papers,” he said.

He categorized his supplements by purpose: beauty benefits, sleep and stress management, cognition, physical performance, metabolism, joint inflammation, and gut health.

“This is a product of me just self-experimenting on myself and self-educating myself on this matter for like the past 15 years or so. So, yeah, that's that. But I don't just take supplements for my looks,” he said.

Among the supplements he takes are creatine, which he said helped him stay productive and mentally sharp despite expected sleep deprivation; fish oil for its anti-inflammatory benefits and its role in supporting focus, mood, and overall cellular health; and magnesium glycinate, which he took to help manage stress and support recovery. 

What doctors say about supplement use 

Dr. Maricar Madridejos Esculto-Khan agreed that supplements can be helpful for individuals with specific deficiencies or increased physical demands, but they are not universally required. 

In her Doctor’s Corner, she emphasized that nutrients are still best obtained from a balanced and varied diet and that excessive or unnecessary supplementation may not provide additional benefits. 

She also noted that taking supplements without professional guidance can lead to improper dosing, interactions with other substances, or simply wasting money on products that the body may not need.

“Even if they’re ‘supplements,’ they can still have adverse effects. They could interact with medicines you’re already taking, affect the results of your lab tests, or create new health problems,” she said. “Replacing your prescription medication with supplements can threaten instead of saving your life.”

Because of these risks, Dr. Esculto-Khan cautioned against indiscriminate use. She recommended consulting a doctor first, so a professional can determine whether a supplement is necessary, and give advice on proper dosage and duration.

—CDC, GMA Integrated News