Gym supplements with real evidence behind them
Creatine and caffeine have strong evidence and protein powder is convenient food. Most other supplements, from test boosters to fat burners, do not.
Does creatine work?
Yes. The ISSN position stand reviews hundreds of studies showing better high-intensity performance and training adaptations with creatine monohydrate. It found no adverse effects in healthy people at recommended doses. 3–5 g a day works, and loading is optional.
If you have kidney disease, ask your clinician first.
How much caffeine before training?
About 3–6 mg per kg of bodyweight, roughly 60 minutes before exercise, consistently improves endurance, strength and power. People respond very differently. At 70 kg, for example, that’s about 210–420 mg.
Side effects grow at higher doses, and caffeine late in the day can disturb your sleep. Pregnancy, heart conditions and some medications need lower limits or a clinician’s advice.
| Bodyweight | Dose before training, mg |
|---|---|
| 50 kg | 150–300 |
| 60 kg | 180–360 |
| 70 kg | 210–420 |
| 80 kg | 240–480 |
| 90 kg | 270–540 |
| 100 kg | 300–600 |
Do you need protein powder?
Protein powder is food in a convenient form. It helps if you struggle to reach your daily protein, around 1.6 g/kg when you’re building muscle. Past that, it adds nothing.
| Bodyweight | Grams a day |
|---|---|
| 60 kg | 96–132 |
| 70 kg | 112–154 |
| 80 kg | 128–176 |
| 90 kg | 144–198 |
| 100 kg | 160–220 |
Everything else on the shelf
The ISSN supplement review grades most marketed supplements as having little or no evidence of benefit, testosterone boosters and fat burners included. BCAAs add nothing when your daily protein is enough.
Detoxes and cleanses don’t speed up fat loss. Your liver and kidneys already clear waste.
| Supplement | What the evidence says |
|---|---|
| Creatine monohydrate | 3–5 g a day, loading optional. Strong evidence. |
| Caffeine | 3–6 mg/kg before training. Strong evidence. |
| Protein powder | Food: it counts toward your daily protein |
| Test boosters, fat burners | Little or no evidence of benefit |
| BCAAs, with enough protein | Add nothing |
| Detoxes and cleanses | A myth: your liver and kidneys clear waste |
What Laroa will and won’t recommend
Laroa only recommends supplements graded in its evidence base. It never recommends drugs, hormones or other performance-enhancing substances. Ask Laroa about a product and it’ll tell you how strong the evidence is.
Beyond protein powder for convenience, creatine and caffeine, most supplements (test boosters, fat burners, BCAAs with adequate protein) lack good evidence; food first.
ISSN exercise and sports nutrition review 2018Common questions
Is creatine safe?
For healthy people at 3–5 g a day, the ISSN position stand finds no adverse effects. If you have kidney disease, ask your clinician first.
Do I need to load creatine?
No. Loading is optional. 3–5 g a day works.
Are BCAAs worth it?
Not if you eat enough protein. BCAAs add nothing when your daily protein is adequate.
The evidence behind this guide
Each claim above traces to an entry in Laroa’s evidence base (version 2026-10-17.1), which summarises position stands, guidelines and meta-analyses and grades how strong each one is.
- CreatineStrong evidence
- CaffeineStrong evidence
- Other supplementsModerate evidence
- Daily protein for people who trainStrong evidence
Sources
- Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:18. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
- Guest NS, VanDusseldorp TA, Nelson MT, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021;18:1. doi:10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4
- Kerksick CM, Wilborn CD, Roberts MD, et al. ISSN exercise & sports nutrition review update: research & recommendations. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018;15:38. doi:10.1186/s12970-018-0242-y
- Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, et al. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(6):376-384. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608
- Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8
General information for healthy adults, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant, or have pain or warning symptoms, ask a clinician.