Ashwagandha
Small, real effects on stress and sleep. Screen first: rare liver injury is documented, and pregnancy is a clear no.
Ashwagandha playbook →Supplements A to Z
The 12 supplements clients ask about most, graded by the research. Each row sums up a sourced playbook: what works, for whom, and what to skip.
Updated · 12 supplements · 10 playbooks
| Supplement | Verdict | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Ashwagandha | Conditional yes | Moderate (stress, sleep) |
| BCAAs | Skip | Strong: no benefit over enough protein |
| Beta-alanine | Conditional yes | Strong for the window, small effect |
| Caffeine | Default yes | Strong |
| Creatine monohydrate | Default yes | Strong |
| Fish oil (omega-3) | Conditional yes | Moderate for pain; none for muscle |
| Magnesium | Conditional yes | Moderate when intake is low |
| Pre-workouts and fat burners | Skip | Strong: highest contamination risk |
| Protein powder | Default yes | Strong |
| Research peptides | Avoid | Preclinical (BPC-157, TB-500) |
| Testosterone boosters | Skip | Strong: claims not supported |
| Vitamin D | Conditional yes | Moderate for people who are low |
No supplements with this verdict.
BCAAs branched-chain amino acids
Only 3 of the 9 essential amino acids. Some relief from soreness, but no extra gains once daily protein is covered.
BCAAs playbook →Beta-alanine
Helps only in hard efforts of about 30 seconds to 10 minutes. No effect on body composition. The tingle is a side effect, not proof it works.
Beta-alanine playbook →Caffeine
About 2 to 4% faster endurance time trials at 3 to 6 mg/kg, roughly 60 minutes before. A tool for the session: it costs sleep if taken late.
Caffeine playbook →Creatine monohydrate
More strength alongside training. 5 g a day, timing irrelevant. Hair-loss and kidney fears are not supported in healthy adults.
Creatine monohydrate playbook →Fish oil (omega-3) EPA, DHA
Not a muscle builder. Moderate help for chronic pain, but not for osteoarthritis. Heart-rhythm risk rises above 1 g a day, so more is not better.
Fish oil (omega-3) playbook →Magnesium
Worth it when intake is low, which is common. The sleep effect is modest and uncertain, and it does not help common night cramps. Choose citrate or glycinate over oxide.
Magnesium playbook →Pre-workouts and fat burners
Caffeine is the part that works, and you can dose it on its own. Pre-workouts and fat burners were among the products most likely to contain banned substances.
Pre-workouts and fat burners in the supplement triage →Protein powder whey
Only useful to close a food gap. Gains stop at about 1.6 g/kg of total protein a day, so ask what the client eats first.
Protein powder playbook →Research peptides BPC-157, TB-500, MK-677
Almost all animal data. Unapproved, unregulated and banned in tested sport. MK-677 added mass but no strength, and raised blood sugar.
Research peptides playbook →Testosterone boosters
In an audit of 50 products, 90% claimed a testosterone boost but only 24.8% had any published data behind it. Some contained ingredients shown to lower it.
Testosterone boosters in the supplement triage →Vitamin D
A correction supplement, not a performance one. Helps people who are low, which is common in European winters. No effect on fractures, and high doses carry risk.
Vitamin D playbook →Before any effect: is it clean? In an analysis of 200 sports supplements (Sport Integrity Australia, 2022), 35% contained substances on the WADA prohibited list. Recommend only products with third-party batch certification. The full supplement triage →
Common questions
Which supplements actually work for strength training?
Three earn a default yes for a general training population: creatine monohydrate, caffeine for specific sessions, and protein powder only when food leaves a gap. Beta-alanine helps only in hard efforts of about 30 seconds to 10 minutes.
Which supplements can my clients skip?
BCAAs when daily protein is already adequate, testosterone boosters, and multi-ingredient pre-workouts and fat burners. These claims have been studied and do not hold up.
How do I know a supplement is clean?
Buy only products with third-party batch certification. In a 2022 Sport Integrity Australia analysis of 200 sports supplements, 35% contained substances on the WADA prohibited list, and most of those were not listed on the label.
Which product? The evidence tells you what works. Sqwod Verified tells you which product, with the testing check. Best supplements →