Creatine and the Few Supplements Worth Your Money

The supplement aisle is mostly expensive hope. A small handful of products, though, are genuinely supported by strong evidence, and food still does the heavy lifting for everyone.

Creatine monohydrate

Creatine is the most studied and most effective legal supplement for training. The International Society of Sports Nutrition describes creatine monohydrate as the most effective ergogenic supplement available for increasing high intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training, with an extensive safety record (Kreider et al., 2017).

The practical protocol is simple: 3 to 5 grams per day of plain creatine monohydrate, every day, timing irrelevant. You can optionally "load" with about 20 grams per day for five to seven days to saturate faster, but it is not required, steady daily dosing reaches the same place in a few weeks. Fancier, pricier forms have not been shown to beat plain monohydrate.

A few others worth considering

Protein powder is not magic, but it is a convenient way to hit your daily protein target. Caffeine is a well supported performance aid for training. Vitamin D and omega-3s are worth attention mainly if your diet or blood levels are genuinely low. That is most of the list.

What to skip

Most fat burners, testosterone boosters, and standalone BCAA products have weak or no evidence behind them for healthy people eating enough protein. Spend your money on food, creatine, and sleep before anything with a flashy label and bold promises.