Many of the highest traffic articles on this website are based around supplements. Since I have no affiliation or sponsorship through any supplement brand, I thought I would offer my personal and honest recommendations.
Below you’ll find general recommendations (i.e. type of supplement) based on individual needs and goals along with specific brands that I’ve used and found to be trustworthy. By previously working in the supplement industry for over 5 years you get a grasp on companies that are legit and ones that cut corners.
If you want to see for yourself, this type of information is public in situations where things get really bad. For example, if a company has an issue with label claims. This could mean a supplement says it has a particular ingredient when it doesn’t (or vice versa). It could also mean that a supplement claims to have 10 grams of an ingredient, when in reality it has 3.
It’s hard to know exactly what it is in a supplement, since they are not technically FDA approved. But what’s often misunderstood from consumers is that there are still FDA regulations that need to be followed. Good companies will have cGMP policies in place.
Beyond quality control and production is the fact that some supplements never worked in the first place. Many supplement ingredients are thought to have ergogenic effects when in reality the research isn’t too convincing.
At the same time I give credit to companies that are willing to try new things. Too often I’ve been in a supplement store looking at pre workouts only to find basically the same ingredient profile over and over. On the other hand, if there is an ingredient that I’ve never heard of I’m certainly intrigued.
A quality supplement will have efficacious doses of established ingredients and newer compounds yet to be seen in the industry. Unfortunately, this is a combination seldom seen.
Creatine
I know. And you know. So why is there still people not taking creatine?
I’ve written about the benefits of creatine for women. I’ve written about the benefits of creatine while cutting.
Aside from being a creatine non-responder (which is the minority), I can’t think of a situation where creatine wouldn’t help someone.
It improves strength, helps grow muscle, aids in athletic performance, and preliminary research even shows it may improve cognitive function.
Creatine monohydrate has been shown to 100% saturate muscles with creatine. For those keeping score, you cannot do greater than 100%.
The ironic thing is that these new fancy forms of creatine have not necessarily been shown to do the same. So when you go out and buy the latest and greatest “new” form of creatine, be aware that it may not fully saturate muscles like good old fashioned monohydrate.
Product Recommendation: Get any basic creatine monohydrate from a reputable brand like Optimum Nutrition.
L-Carnitine
Carnitine is the rate limiting step in the process of converting fat to energy. Carnitine is a transporter which carries fatty acids into the mitochondria. By supplementing with carnitine, you can make this process more efficient.
Beyond that, carnitine has been shown to improve anaerobic performance. It can also delay time to fatigue since it decreases ammonia, which is a byproduct of intense exercise.
If you supplement with the Acetyl L-Carnitine (ALCAR) form, it may provide additional benefit since it can cross the blood brain barrier. Regular L-Carnitine and L-Carnitine L-Tartrate do not cross the blood brain barrier but are still quality forms for the workout performance benefit.
A standard dose is 1-2 grams or higher. It is found in some pre workout formulas but can be taken as a standalone supplement.
Product Recommendation: I prefer powder or pill rather than liquid form, as it can cause gastrointestinal distress. Thorne is a good brand for pills while Evogen makes a great tasting powder.
Fish Oil
Ideally, you want a similar ratio of omega-3 fats to omega-6 fats in the diet. This is typically not achieved unless you eat a lot of fish.
Omega 3 Fish Oil has a variety of health benefits, but odds are you won’t feel the effects. It’s more likely that you would just see some improved markers the next time you get blood work done. Fish oil is like a vitamin in that you take it to improve overall health and wellness without feeling a tangible result.
As I’ve researched more and more, I’ve become more picky about the brand of fish oil I choose. You want something that is sourced from the right ingredients and is pure (especially when you’re talking about oils which can go rancid).
Product Recommendation: Overall I prefer the liquid form of fish oil. Once again, Thorne is one of the highest quality brands, and they also make a pill form if you don’t want liquid.
Pre Workout
Sometimes (okay, all the times) you want a jolt before your workout. Sounds crazy to say, but with all the arguments about the best diet, we’ve forgotten how important training is. Without hard workouts, you will not build muscle, period.
This is especially true as you get more advanced. It takes a lot to even put on a few pounds of muscle in an entire year, so you need to get the most out of each training session. This is why I take a pre workout.
Most pre workouts are the same. Not to say they’re bad, but there is little innovation in this particular facet of supplementation.
Earlier I referenced the idea of properly dosing established ingredients while taking chances with new compounds. This brings me to the product recommendation.
Product Recommendation: Gorilla Mode Pre Workout is a comprehensive formula with ingredients for muscle pumps like citrulline and glycerol (high doses by the way). It contains unique mood enhancing agents like Kanna and N Phenethyl Dimethylamine Citrate that you won’t find in usual pre workout supplements. In addition it also contains the usual suspects like caffeine and creatine.
Derek of More Plates More Dates fame is the owner of this company and has been outspoken on how bad many of the most popular pre workouts are. It’s nice to see him come out with a product that gets the job done.
Energy Drink
Most energy drinks are a combination of B vitamins and caffeine, which really isn’t anything special. So when there is a brand that goes above and beyond and shakes up the energy drink market, I feel compelled to tell others about it.
Product Recommendation: Ghost Energy Drink goes far beyond the usual ordinary formulations. It has a gram of carnitine, an adequate dose of Alpha-GPC for cognitive function, and 200mg of caffeine, which I think is the sweet spot for an energy drink.