Supplement Truth Database

One of the most extensively researched supplements available. Studies have associated it with improvements in strength, power output, and lean mass when paired with resistance training.

A highly bioavailable source of protein containing all essential amino acids. Essential for muscle repair and achieving daily macro targets conveniently.

A central nervous system stimulant. Research has associated it with reduced perceived exertion, delayed fatigue, and improved power output when taken roughly 30-60 minutes before training.

An adaptogenic herb. Some studies have explored its association with markers of stress and self-reported sleep quality, though evidence is still developing.

Branched-Chain Amino Acids contain only 3 of the 9 essential amino acids. Unless you are training completely fasted, they are largely redundant and inferior to a complete protein source like Whey.

Buffers acid in muscles, improving performance in exercises lasting 1-4 minutes (like high rep sets or sprinting). Known for causing a harmless tingling sensation (paresthesia).

A marketing term for proprietary blends of under-dosed stimulants. They do not magically burn fat and cannot replace a caloric deficit.

Provides EPA and DHA fatty acids. Research has associated adequate omega-3 intake with cardiovascular and joint health, though individual results vary.

An amino acid that raises nitric-oxide production. Studies have associated it with improved blood flow ("pumps"), greater training volume, and reduced next-day soreness.

A fat-soluble vitamin many people fall short on, especially in winter. Adequate status is associated with bone, immune, and muscle function. Testing your levels helps you dose appropriately.

A mineral involved in hundreds of bodily processes, including muscle and nerve function. Intakes often fall below the RDA, and some studies link supplementation with better sleep quality.

An amino acid found in tea. Frequently stacked with caffeine, where research suggests it smooths out jitters and supports focus without reducing the stimulant benefit.

Hydrolyzed collagen supplies glycine and proline. Emerging research has explored its association with connective-tissue and joint support, though it is a low-quality protein for building muscle.

A conditionally essential amino acid. While popular for "recovery," in healthy people eating enough protein the evidence for added performance or muscle benefit is weak.

A slow-digesting complete protein that releases amino acids gradually over several hours. Studies have associated it with sustained muscle protein synthesis, making it a common choice before longer gaps between meals.

Dietary nitrate raises nitric-oxide levels, which may improve blood flow and exercise economy. Research has associated it most with endurance performance in recreational athletes, with smaller effects in highly trained individuals.

Acts as a blood buffer that can offset the acidity built up during hard, repeated efforts. Meta-analyses have associated it with small performance gains in high-intensity bouts lasting roughly 30 seconds to 12 minutes, though it commonly causes GI upset.

Sodium, potassium, and other minerals lost in sweat that support hydration and neuromuscular function. Replacing them matters most for long or hot endurance sessions; for a typical hour in the gym, plain water and a balanced diet usually suffice.

A hormone that signals your body it is time to wind down for sleep. Research has associated low doses with faster sleep onset and easier adjustment to jet lag; more is not better and can leave you groggy.

Rich in anthocyanins and naturally occurring melatonin. Some studies have associated it with reduced muscle soreness after hard training and modest improvements in self-reported sleep.

An essential mineral involved in immune function, hormone production, and recovery. Correcting a genuine deficiency matters, but supplementing when your diet already provides enough offers little added benefit and high chronic doses can impair copper absorption.

Concentrated catechins that may produce a small thermogenic effect, often studied alongside caffeine. Any impact on body weight is minor and no substitute for a calorie deficit, and very high doses have been linked to liver stress.

The active compound in turmeric, studied for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Evidence for reduced exercise soreness is mixed and limited by its naturally poor absorption.

An amino acid found in many energy drinks and involved in cellular hydration and muscle function. Research on standalone performance benefits is inconsistent, and any effect is hard to separate from the caffeine it is usually paired with.

A broad, low-dose blend of vitamins and minerals that can fill small gaps in an imperfect diet. It works as cheap insurance rather than a performance aid and cannot replace whole foods.

A herb marketed as a natural testosterone booster. Controlled trials have consistently found no meaningful effect on testosterone, muscle, or strength in healthy men, making it largely a waste of money.

A complete set of the 9 amino acids your body cannot make, so unlike BCAAs they can genuinely support muscle protein synthesis. The catch is that whey or any complete protein already delivers them for less money, so the added benefit shows up mainly for people who struggle to hit their daily protein target.

A leucine metabolite that produced dramatic muscle and strength gains in a handful of trials from labs with commercial ties, results that larger independent work has not reproduced. Meta-analyses in trained and competitive athletes find no meaningful effect on strength or body composition, and the plausible use case is narrow: untrained beginners or people in heavy caloric deficit.

The simplest amino acid, also the one collagen is richest in. Small trials, several of them quite short and with few participants, have associated a 3 g pre-bed dose with better self-reported sleep quality and less next-day grogginess. It is cheap and well tolerated, but the evidence base is thinner than the marketing suggests.

A plant alkaloid studied for its association with blood-sugar and lipid markers, with effect sizes that are real but frequently exaggerated online — the "nature's Ozempic" framing is not supported. It has poor absorption, commonly causes GI upset, and meaningfully inhibits CYP3A4, so it can raise blood levels of many medications including some statins. Talk to your doctor first if you take anything regularly.

A viscous soluble fiber with an unusually solid evidence base for a supplement: meta-analyses associate roughly 7–10 g/day with modest LDL reductions, and it is widely used for regularity. Start low and drink plenty of water, since ramping up too fast causes bloating and it can slow the absorption of medications taken at the same time.

A cysteine precursor that supports the body's own glutathione production. It has a legitimate role in hospital medicine, but the leap from that to everyday antioxidant or recovery supplementation is not well supported, and the sports-performance data is sparse and inconsistent. Blunting exercise-induced oxidative stress may even work against training adaptations.

An adaptogenic herb studied for fatigue and perceived exertion. The trials are mostly small, short, and heterogeneous in extract quality, and the effects on actual performance output are inconsistent. Any real-world benefit appears to be about feeling less worn down rather than producing more force.

A Southeast Asian root sold hard as a testosterone booster. What research exists is mostly small trials in men who were already stressed, older, or had low baseline levels, and much of it comes from parties with a commercial stake. Evidence that it raises testosterone in healthy, well-rested men is weak, and product purity varies widely.

A trace mineral that appears in testosterone-booster blends on the strength of a few very small, short studies showing shifts in free testosterone. Those results have not translated into demonstrated changes in muscle, strength, or how you feel, and most diets already supply boron from fruit, nuts, and legumes.

Essential for oxygen transport, and genuine deficiency is a real drag on endurance — most common in menstruating women, vegetarians, and high-volume endurance athletes. This is a test-first supplement, not a default one: your body has no way to excrete excess iron, so supplementing without a confirmed need risks accumulation, and doses commonly cause constipation and nausea.

Live bacteria whose effects are strain-specific, which is exactly what most product labels obscure — a benefit shown for one strain says nothing about the mixed blend on the shelf. Some strains have decent evidence for narrow situations like antibiotic-associated digestive upset. As a general wellness or body-composition aid, the case is weak.

A pantry staple with an outsized internet reputation. The weight-loss trials behind it are small and short, and the changes they report are trivial next to what an actual calorie deficit does. Straight vinegar erodes tooth enamel and irritates the esophagus, and the gummy versions often contain little acetic acid at all.

Trimethylglycine, an osmolyte found in beets. Meta-analyses have associated it with modest gains in lower-body strength and power, though results for upper-body and endurance measures are inconsistent.

A choline compound popular in pre-workouts for power output and focus. A few small studies report acute strength or power gains, but others show no effect, so the evidence remains conflicting.

A mushroom marketed for endurance and oxygen use. Some small trials have associated it with modest endurance and VO2 max improvements, but studies are short, low-quality, and often industry-funded.

A long-standing joint supplement. Evidence for joint comfort is mixed, and the popular combination has not reliably outperformed placebo in controlled trials. Any effects tend to be slow to appear.

An antioxidant involved in mitochondrial energy production. Evidence for performance or recovery benefits in healthy, well-nourished trainees is weak and low-quality.

A fat-soluble vitamin involved in directing calcium toward bone. Research has associated adequate intake with bone and cardiovascular markers, though outcome evidence is still developing.

A mushroom studied for cognition via nerve-growth-factor pathways. Animal work is promising, but human trials are small and inconsistent, with little clear benefit demonstrated in healthy adults so far.

Dramatic fat-loss results in rodents did not translate to people. Human meta-analyses show at best a trivial reduction in fat mass, and it is no substitute for a caloric deficit.

A hydroxycitric-acid extract sold for appetite and fat loss. Controlled trials have not found meaningful weight loss beyond placebo, and it has raised liver-safety concerns in case reports.

A fragrance compound marketed as a fat burner. There is essentially no human evidence supporting weight loss, and the rodent research used doses far beyond anything realistic in a supplement.

A water-soluble antioxidant that supports normal immune function and collagen formation. Research suggests regular intake may modestly shorten cold duration, but it is widely over-hyped for preventing illness in otherwise well-nourished people.

An essential vitamin involved in normal energy metabolism and red blood cell formation. Genuinely valuable for vegans, older adults, and those with low status, but supplementing when already replete offers little added benefit.

An Ayurvedic herb studied for cognitive support. Some trials have associated consistent use with measures of memory and information recall, though effects build slowly over weeks and are modest in size.

An amino acid precursor to dopamine and noradrenaline. Research suggests it may help maintain cognitive performance under acute stressors like sleep loss or cold, but shows little benefit under normal, rested conditions.

A sugar alcohol involved in insulin signaling. Studies in women with PCOS have explored its association with markers of insulin sensitivity and menstrual regularity; evidence in the general population is more limited.

A botanical marketed for memory and circulation. Human trials are mixed and largely fail to show meaningful cognitive benefit in healthy adults, and it may interact with blood-thinning medication.

An adaptogenic root explored for fatigue and vitality. A handful of studies report small effects on self-reported energy and cognition, but findings are inconsistent and product standardization varies widely.

A sulfur compound taken for joint comfort and exercise recovery. A few small trials suggest possible reductions in self-reported joint discomfort and muscle soreness, but the evidence base is thin and short-term.

An alpha-2 antagonist studied for fat mobilization, with effects seen mainly in fasted, lean individuals. It commonly raises heart rate, blood pressure, and anxiety, so tolerability and safety concerns temper its usefulness.

A trace mineral heavily marketed for blood sugar control and weight loss. Meta-analyses show at most a trivial effect on body weight, and benefits appear negligible in people who are not deficient.

A polyphenol popularized for longevity and heart health. Despite promising cell and animal data, human trials are underwhelming and oral bioavailability is very poor, leaving real-world benefits unproven.

A seaweed sold as a cure-all with '92 minerals' marketing claims. There are essentially no human trials supporting its touted benefits, and its highly variable iodine and heavy-metal content poses a real risk of thyroid disruption.