Protein plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health, as it serves as a fundamental building block for tissues, enzymes, and hormones in the body. Adequate protein intake supports muscle repair and growth, enhances immune function, and aids in maintaining healthy skin, hair, and nails. For athletes and individuals engaged in regular physical activity, protein becomes even more essential. Beyond basic health, protein intake is paramount for optimizing sports performance, aiding in muscle recovery, and facilitating muscle protein synthesis. Protein powders offer a convenient and efficient means of meeting elevated protein requirements, especially for those aiming to consume 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram or 1 gram per pound of body weight daily. While various protein powder sources exist, including soy, pea and other proteins which are highly effective, whey isolate stands out for its greatest bioavailability, rapid digestion, and complete amino acid profile, making it particularly effective for muscle recovery and growth in athletes and fitness enthusiasts.

Applications: Muscle growth, repair, convenient protein source

Dosage: 20-40g (aim for total 2.2g/kg or 1g/lbs body weight daily total)

Recommended Source: Whey protein powder | Vegan protein powder

Overconsumption: Digestive discomfort, possible kidney issues

Contraindications: Allergies, kidney issues

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found primarily in muscle cells and synthesized in the body from amino acids. It serves as a crucial energy source during short-duration, high-intensity activities, such as weightlifting and sprinting, by rapidly regenerating adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body's primary energy currency. By increasing the availability of ATP, creatine supplementation enhances muscle strength, power output, and exercise performance, particularly during repeated bouts of intense activity. Beyond its role in sports performance, creatine has shown potential benefits for overall health, including promoting muscle mass maintenance in aging populations and supporting neurological function. Studies suggest that creatine supplementation may have neuroprotective effects, potentially benefiting brain health and cognitive function. As one of the most researched and widely used supplements in the sports and fitness industry, creatine continues to be a popular choice among athletes and fitness enthusiasts seeking to optimize performance and support overall well-being.

Applications: Strength, power, performance enhancement

Dosage: 3-10g (optional loading dose: 20g/day for first week)

Recommended Source: Creatine

Overconsumption: Digestive discomfort, dehydration, kidney damage

Contraindications: Kidney disease, liver dysfunction

Electrolytes are essential minerals dissolved in bodily fluids, including sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, and phosphate. They play a crucial role in maintaining fluid balance, transmitting nerve impulses, and supporting muscle function. Electrolytes facilitate the transmission of electrical impulses along nerve cells and muscle fibers, ensuring proper contraction and relaxation. In addition to regulating hydration levels, electrolytes help maintain pH balance and support cellular metabolism. During physical activity, especially intense exercise, electrolytes are lost through sweat, making it vital to replenish them to prevent dehydration and maintain optimal performance. Athletes often supplement with electrolyte-rich beverages to replace lost fluids and maintain electrolyte balance, which is critical for sustaining endurance, preventing muscle cramps, and promoting overall athletic performance. Electrolyte supplementation before, during, and after exercise can help athletes maintain hydration levels and optimize performance, particularly in endurance sports where fluid and electrolyte loss is significant.

Applications: Hydration w/ water, Prevention of cramps, Electrolyte balance, Optimal sports performance

Dosage: 500-1000mg Sodium + 300-700mg Potassium per 1L water (varies; intensity, temperature, individual...)

Recommended Source: Electrolytes

Overconsumption: Dehydration, Weakness, Nausea, Cardiac issues

Contraindications: n/a

Glutamine is a conditionally essential amino acid abundant in the body and crucial for various physiological functions. It acts as a primary fuel source for rapidly dividing cells, including immune cells and enterocytes in the gastrointestinal tract, supporting immune function and gut health. In the context of sports performance, glutamine plays a vital role in muscle recovery and repair by replenishing depleted glutamine stores post-exercise, reducing muscle soreness, and enhancing muscle protein synthesis. Additionally, glutamine aids in maintaining a positive nitrogen balance, essential for muscle growth and preservation. Beyond its benefits for athletes, glutamine supplementation may support overall health by promoting immune system resilience, enhancing gut integrity, and facilitating wound healing. As a versatile amino acid with diverse roles in the body, glutamine remains a popular supplement choice among athletes and individuals seeking to optimize recovery, performance, and overall well-being.

Applications: Immune support, muscle recovery, nitrogen balance

Dosage: 5-40g

Recommended Source: Glutamine

Overconsumption: Nausea, stomach cramps

Contraindications: Seizures, liver disease

Citrulline is a non-essential amino acid primarily found in watermelon and other fruits. It plays a crucial role in the urea cycle, where it is converted into arginine, another amino acid involved in the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO), a vasodilator that relaxes blood vessels. Through this mechanism, citrulline supplementation promotes increased blood flow and nutrient delivery to muscles during exercise, enhancing exercise performance and reducing fatigue. Citrulline's ability to enhance blood flow also supports cardiovascular health by improving circulation and lowering blood pressure. Additionally, citrulline may aid in reducing muscle soreness and accelerating recovery post-exercise. Its multifaceted benefits make citrulline a popular supplement choice among athletes and individuals seeking to improve exercise performance, endurance, and overall cardiovascular function.

Applications: Blood flow, exercise performance, cardiovascular health

Dosage: 3-6 grams (8-10g citrulline malate)

Recommended Source: Citrulline

Overconsumption: Gastrointestinal issues, low blood pressure

Contraindications: Hypotension, medication interactions

Betaine also known as trimethylglycine, is a naturally occurring compound found in various foods like beets, spinach, and whole grains. It plays a vital role in methylation reactions in the body, which are essential for various physiological processes, including the synthesis of neurotransmitters, DNA, and proteins. As a methyl donor, betaine supports liver function by aiding in the metabolism of homocysteine, thereby reducing its levels in the blood and promoting cardiovascular health. In the context of sports performance, betaine supplementation has been linked to improved muscle strength, power, and endurance, possibly due to its role in promoting creatine synthesis and cellular hydration. Additionally, betaine may help reduce muscle fatigue and support recovery post-exercise. Its versatility in promoting both health and exercise performance makes betaine a popular addition to pre-workout mixes.

Applications: Liver function, cardiovascular health, exercise performance

Dosage: 2-4g

Recommended Source: Betaine

Overconsumption: Nausea, diarrhea

Contraindications: Digestive disorders, pregnancy

Beta Alanine is a non-essential amino acid that serves as a precursor to carnosine, a dipeptide found in muscle tissue. Carnosine acts as a buffering agent, helping to regulate pH levels in muscles during high-intensity exercise. By buffering acid build-up, beta-alanine supplementation delays the onset of muscle fatigue and extends exercise capacity, particularly during anaerobic activities like weightlifting and sprinting. This delay in muscle fatigue can lead to improvements in performance, power output, and endurance. Beta-alanine supplementation has been extensively studied and shown to be safe and effective in enhancing exercise performance, however it requires daily loading to effectively increase muscle carnosine levels and maximize its buffering capacity during high-intensity exercise.

Applications: Delayed fatigue, increased capacity, muscle buffering

Dosage: 2-6g (takes ~4 weeks loading)

Recommended Source: Beta Alanine

Overconsumption: Brief Tingling sensation (from any consumption)

Contraindications: Kidney problems, nerve conditions