Top Picks — Athletic Performance

💪 Best Athletic Performance Supplements

Athletic performance supplements ranked by clinical evidence — for strength, endurance, power, and recovery. Creatine, beta-alanine, caffeine, and more.

155 ingredients reviewed Ranked by clinical evidence

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Top 5 — Ranked by Evidence

Creatine Monohydrate

Strength and high-intensity exercise performance

Standard daily: 3-5 g/day (no loading needed). Optional loading: 20 g/day × 5-7 days,

Provon® (Whey Protein Isolate — Glanbia)

Muscle Protein Synthesis Stimulation

20-40 g whey protein isolate per serving across published trials. 20 g provides ~2.5 g

Improved Exercise Performance

4–6 grams per day, typically taken for 2–12 weeks

Power output and athletic performance

AD/MCI: 400 mg × 3/day = 1200 mg/day. COGNITIVE: 300-600 mg/day. ATHLETIC: 250-600 mg

Improves Physical Performance

100–400 mg/day; performance: 3–6 mg/kg body weight 60 minutes pre-exercise; upper safe

📈 Fastest Growing Athletic Performance Ingredients

Branded ingredients seeing rapid growth in formulator adoption and clinical research in 2024–2026.

Creatine Monohydrate

Strength and high-intensity exercise performance

3-5 g/day (no loading needed); optional loading 20 g/day x5-7 days, then 3-5 g/day.

Provon® (Whey Protein Isolate — Glanbia)

Muscle Protein Synthesis Stimulation

20-40 g whey protein isolate per serving; 20 g provides ~2.5 g leucine. Typically 1-2…

Whey Concentrate

Muscle Growth and Repair

20-40 g post-workout; 1.6-2 g/kg/day total protein for athletes; 15-30 g pre-meal for…

🔬 Future Athletic Performance Ingredients to Watch

Lower current evidence but active research underway — these may become top picks within 2–3 years.

PrimaVie® (Shilajit Extract — Natreon)

Muscle strength preservation during training

250 mg twice daily (500 mg/day); CoQ10-potentiation studies 200 mg/day.

cellflo6® (Gallate-Enhanced Green Tea Procyanidins — PLT Health)

Investigated for blood flow following resistance exercise

600 mg/day (the dose used in the resistance-exercise trial).

Bovine Colostrum

Exercise-induced gut permeability

10-20 g/day for 8-12 weeks in most human trials; a smaller set of trials used 0.5-1.0 g/day.…

EnduBerry™ Nu (Haskap / Blue Honeysuckle Berry)

Faster 5 km run in one trial, using a different haskap powder

The cited trial used 6 g a day of freeze-dried haskap berry powder (about 150 mg…

Recommended Athletic Performance Products

Heads up: NutraSmarts may earn a commission from purchases made through these links, at no extra cost to you. We curate these picks based on the same evidence we cite throughout the page. Full disclosure.

Real products featuring the best-evidenced athletic performance ingredients ranked above - chosen for clinically-studied forms and doses, third-party testing, and value. Match the supplement to your specific need.

Best for energy, pumps & focus pre-training Amazon →

Transparent Labs Bulk Pre-Workout

Powder, 30 servings (flavored)

Fully transparent label with clinically meaningful citrulline, beta-alanine, and organic caffeine; no artificial sweeteners or dyes.

Best for post-workout muscle recovery Amazon →

Momentous Essential Grass-Fed Whey Protein

20 g whey isolate/serving, 25 servings

Grass-fed whey isolate that is NSF Certified for Sport, screening for banned substances; includes ProHydrolase enzymes.

Best for strength & lean muscle support Amazon →

Thorne Creatine

5 g micronized monohydrate/serving, 90 servings

Micronized monohydrate, the most-researched creatine form, and NSF Certified for Sport; unflavored, mixes easily.

Best for hydration during & after exercise Amazon →

LMNT Zero-Sugar Electrolytes Variety Pack

Stick packs (1,000 mg sodium each), 12 ct

High-sodium, zero-sugar mix with potassium and magnesium for sweat replacement; sampler of flavors.

All Athletic Performance Ingredients (155)

Creatine Monohydrate

Strength and high-intensity exercise performance

Standard daily: 3-5 g/day (no loading needed). Optional loading: 20 g/day × 5-7 days,

Provon® (Whey Protein Isolate — Glanbia)

Muscle Protein Synthesis Stimulation

20-40 g whey protein isolate per serving across published trials. 20 g provides ~2.5 g

Improved Exercise Performance

4–6 grams per day, typically taken for 2–12 weeks

Power output and athletic performance

AD/MCI: 400 mg × 3/day = 1200 mg/day. COGNITIVE: 300-600 mg/day. ATHLETIC: 250-600 mg

Improves Physical Performance

100–400 mg/day; performance: 3–6 mg/kg body weight 60 minutes pre-exercise; upper safe

Creapure® (Pharmaceutical-Grade Creatine Monohydrate)

Strength and power output

Loading: 0.3 g/kg/day for 5–7 days (typically 20 g/day split in 4 doses). Maintenance:

Whey Concentrate

Muscle Growth and Repair

20–40 g post-workout for muscle growth/recovery; 1.6–2 g/kg/day total protein for

Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda)

High-intensity exercise performance enhancement

0.3 g/kg body weight (typically 20–25 g for 70 kg person) taken 60–90 minutes before

Glucose / Dextrose

Endurance exercise fuel and delayed fatigue

Oral rehydration solution 13.5 g glucose/L; sports 40-80 g/L (4-8%); endurance 30-60 g/hr (90 g/hr glucose+fructose 2:1); post-exercise 1.0-1.2 g/kg plus protein.

Sodium / Electrolyte Sodium

Endurance performance and hyponatremia prevention

1,500–2,300 mg/day dietary sodium (AI/UL); electrolyte replacement during exercise:

InnovaTea® (Natural Caffeine from Tea — NutriScience)

Exercise performance

Commonly 100 to 200 mg of caffeine per serving.

PurCaf® (Organic Caffeine from Green Coffee)

Exercise performance

Commonly 100 to 200 mg per serving; performance studies use about 3 to 6 mg per kg.

Oxygen transport

18 mg/day (women RDA); 27 mg/day (pregnant); 8 mg/day (men); therapeutic: 150–200 mg

Potassium and normal muscle function

Adequate Intake is 2,600 mg/day for women and 3,400 mg/day for men. US supplements are capped at 99 mg per serving, so a pill cannot match what was studied; food is the realistic route.

Long-term muscle and strength gains

PRE-SLEEP: 20-40 g casein 30 min before sleep (Res 2012: 40 g intrinsically labeled).

Pea Protein Isolate

Muscle Thickness and Strength Gains

20-50 g per serving; 1.4-2.0 g/kg/day total protein for resistance training. 25 g

Whey Protein Isolate

Supports muscle protein synthesis

20-40 g per serving; the cited protein targets (1.4 to 2.0 g/kg/day for exercising adults, at least 1.0 to 1.2 g/kg/day for older adults) count all food, not just supplement.

Adenosine 5'-Triphosphate (ATP)

Athletic Performance Adjunct

400 mg/day disodium ATP (research-validated dose, primarily based on PEAK ATP studies)

Beef Protein Isolate

Lean mass & strength (vs whey)

20-46 g/day (standard 20-30 g/dose post-workout); total protein targets of 1.6-2.0 g/kg/day are general recommendations for protein from all sources, not beef protein isolate specifically.

Oceanix™ (Marine Phytoplankton Recovery Booster — Lonza)

Explosive strength preservation (single manufacturer-funded trial)

25 mg/day Oceanix — the small concentrated clinical dose used across multiple trials.

Testosterone and Muscle

KSM-66® root extract: 300-600 mg/day (most stress/sleep trials). Shoden®: 120-240

Strength and high-intensity exercise performance

Typical dosing: 1.5-3 g/day of creatine HCL based on marketing claims of higher

Milk Protein (MPC/MPI)

Muscle protein synthesis equivalent to whey at matched doses

MPS: 20 g = whey-equivalent. Trommelen 2020: 38 g sustained MPS 5+ hr. PRE-BED: 30-40

TestFACTOR® (Testosterone + Sexual Wellness)

Grip strength improvement

PERFORMANCE: 325 mg/day × 8 wk testosterone + sexual function. ULTRA-PERFORMANCE: 650

Wellmune (Yeast Beta-Glucan)

Athletic Recovery Support

Most Wellmune trials use 250 mg/day, taken daily for periods of 4 to 12 weeks. Some

Betaine / TMG (Trimethylglycine)

Athletic performance — power and strength

2–6 g/day; athletic performance: 2.5 g/day (most studied dose); homocysteine

Citrulline Malate

Resistance Training Performance

6-8 g pre-exercise (most clinical research dose); 8 g taken 60 minutes before training

HMB (Beta-Hydroxy Beta-Methylbutyrate)

Muscle mass preservation during inactivity and aging

3 g/day in divided doses (1 g three times daily); HMB-FA: 1–3 g/day pre-workout;

Muscle protein synthesis activation

About 2 to 3 g of leucine per meal is the commonly cited threshold for muscle protein synthesis. The trials used leucine-enriched protein, so a specific free-leucine dose is not well established.

Equivalent to whey for muscle and strength gains

MUSCLE/RT: 20-40 g/day. FDA HEART CLAIM: 25 g/day. Anderson 1995 NEJM meta 38 trials:

AlphaSize® (Alpha-GPC — Chemi Nutra)

Power and exercise output

300 to 600 mg per day for cognition; about 600 mg pre-exercise in sports studies.

AstaZine® (Natural Astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis — BGG)

Athletic Performance and Recovery

4-12 mg/day AstaZine (research-validated; some applications 12-24 mg)

Athletic endurance

About 300 to 500 mg of nitrate a day; the trials used beetroot juice, not capsules, and a 500 mg beetroot extract capsule is not the same as a studied dose.

DL-185® (Dileucine)

Superior muscle protein synthesis vs. leucine

2,000 mg (2g) once daily; absorbed 185% faster than equivalent leucine dose; clinical

Strength, Endurance, and Recovery

600 mg/day of root extract, usually 300 mg twice daily, in most trials; a 250 mg/day arm was also tested, and 675 mg/day in the oligospermia trial.

Improved Exercise Performance

3–6 g/day L-citrulline or 6–8 g/day citrulline malate (2:1 ratio) 30–60 minutes

Palatinose™ (Isomaltulose)

Sustained exercise fueling

25–75 g per dose in acute glycemic and exercise trials, typically replacing sucrose or

Phosphorus / Phosphate

Bone mineral density and skeletal strength

700 mg/day (RDA for adults); athletic phosphate loading: 3–4 g/day sodium phosphate

HydroPrime® (Stabilized Glycerol)

Endurance performance and thermoregulation

2–6g glycerol (as HydroPrime®) 1–2× daily; pre-exercise hyperhydration: 1g/kg

Exercise Performance

1.5 to 3 g/day in the two primary trials (500 mg three times daily; 3,000 mg/day); endurance studies used 1 to 6 g/day, with no sign larger doses worked better.

Sensoril® (Ashwagandha Extract — Verdure/Natreon)

Exercise Tolerance and Recovery

125-500 mg/day Sensoril (research-validated; stress applications often 250 mg/day)

Pre-exercise hyperhydration

Pre-exercise glycerol hyperhydration: typically 1.0–1.5 g glycerol per kg body weight

Insect Protein (Cricket / Mealworm)

Muscle protein synthesis equivalent to milk protein

MUSCLE PROTEIN SYNTHESIS: 30 g lesser mealworm = MPS equivalent to 30 g milk protein.

Sustamine® (L-Alanyl-L-Glutamine)

Endurance and Time-to-Exhaustion

Exercise/hydration trials used roughly 1–2 g per 500 mL of fluid during activity, or

Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)

Less Muscle Soreness After Exercise, in People Who Already Train

5–10 g/day (2:1:1 leucine:isoleucine:valine); leucine alone 2.5–3 g per meal; the cited meta-analysis reported the soreness benefit at low doses.

Lacprodan® (Branded Family of Hydrolyzed Whey and Milk Proteins)

Supports muscle protein synthesis

Class-level whey dosing in muscle protein synthesis trials is typically 20-40 g per serving (about 2-4 g leucine). No Lacprodan variant itself has been tested, so there is no studied dose for this product.

Exercise performance and endurance

About 1 g/day of Cs-4 in the older-adult trial, 2 g/day in the marathon trial, 3 g/day in the cyclist trial; 1.5 g/day of Cordyceps militaris; 4 g/day of a six-mushroom blend.

Exercise Performance

3 to 6 g/day is typical in consumer products; the cited blood pressure meta-analysis pooled trials using 4 to 24 g/day. Common pre-workout doses of 6 to 10 g are not supported by any study cited here.

RipFACTOR® (Botanical Muscle Accelerator)

Strength gains reported within 14 days in two sponsor-funded trials

Tested: 650 mg/day of LI12542F6 for 56 days, or 425 or 850 mg/day of a water-dispersible version; the two were standardized differently, so equal mass is not an equal marker dose.

May Support High-Intensity Performance

Ergogenic protocols use 0.3-0.5 g/kg body mass (about 0.5 g/kg most effective), taken

Terminalia Arjuna (Oxyjun®)

Cardiorespiratory endurance improvement

400 mg/day Oxyjun® in the single published, manufacturer-run heart-function trial; generic arjuna was used at 500 mg three times daily in the angina trial.

Testofen® (Fenugreek for Male Vitality)

Resistance Training Strength and Body Composition

300-600 mg/day (libido lower; resistance training higher)

Muscle strength and endurance preservation

Standard dose: 500-1,000 mg/day urolithin A direct supplementation. Most clinical

Zynamite® PX (Mango Leaf Extract for Sports Performance)

Peak power output improvement in single dose

140 mg Zynamite plus 140 mg quercetin as a single dose about 1 hour before exercise, per the sprint trial; no trial has tested it as an ongoing daily supplement.

AstaPure® (Natural Astaxanthin — Algatech)

Antioxidant and recovery support

4 to 12 mg per day, taken with a fat-containing meal for absorption.

BetaTor® (HMB Free Acid)

Muscle preservation

About 1 to 3 grams per day, often around training.

CherryPure® (Montmorency Tart Cherry — Shoreline Fruit)

Exercise recovery

Often 480 mg of cherry powder per day, or the equivalent in juice concentrate.

Epicatechin (Myostatin Inhibitor / Muscle Flavonol)

Muscle protein synthesis and grip strength

About 50 mg/day for 7 days in Gutierrez-Salmean 2014; Mafi 2019 gave daily oral epicatechin for 8 weeks alongside resistance training.

Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Jiaogulan / Southern Ginseng)

Blood sugar: studied in people with type 2 diabetes

200 to 450 mg standardized extract daily, or 3 to 9 g a day of dried herb as tea; the diabetes trial used 6 g a day. Products and doses studied differ, so results may not transfer.

Athletic recovery and reduced muscle damage

General supplementation: 1-3 g/day L-carnitine. Athletic recovery: 2 g/day L-carnitine

Exercise fatigue reduction via ammonia clearance

2–6 g/day; fatigue reduction: 2 g before exercise; sleep: 400 mg before bedtime; liver

NewCaff™ (Microencapsulated Natural Caffeine)

Exercise performance

100 to 200 mg of caffeine per serving; performance trials use about 3 to 6 mg per kg of body weight, but from studies of plain caffeine, not any study of NewCaff.

Nitrosigine® (Arginine Silicate)

Recovery and muscle damage reduction

1,500 mg/day; most studies use 1,500 mg taken 30–60 minutes pre-exercise

Phosphatidylserine

Exercise-induced cortisol attenuation

100-300 mg/day for cognition, with cited trials using 300 mg/day; athletic doses of 600-800 mg/day are widely quoted but not tested in any study cited here.

PrimaVie® (Shilajit Extract — Natreon)

Muscle strength preservation during training

Clinical trial dose: 250 mg twice daily (500 mg/day total) for 90 days. CoQ10

Pycnogenol® (French Maritime Pine Bark)

Athletic performance and recovery

50–200 mg/day; cardiovascular: 100–200 mg/day; cognitive: 100 mg/day; athletic

ZMA® (Zinc Magnesium Aspartate — Lonza)

Athletic Recovery and Muscle Strength

30 mg zinc + 450 mg magnesium + 10.5 mg B6 (per ZMA standard formulation)

MalTor™ (Taurine + L-Malic Acid Recovery Complex)

Exercise recovery acceleration

Per MalTor™ clinical specifications; NutriScience Innovations product data; 5g MalTor™

Nitratene® (Stabilized Beet Root Nitrate)

Exercise capacity: helps in tests to exhaustion, less clear for timed performance

No dose of Nitratene itself has been tested; research used generic nitrate at about 6 to 13 mmol per day (400 to 800 mg), or 250 mL beetroot juice. A capsule is not shown equivalent to juice.

PurTea® (Organic Green Tea Caffeine — Applied Food Sciences)

Exercise performance

Commonly 100 to 200 mg of caffeine per serving.

goCOCOA® (Cocoa Flavanol Extract)

Exercise performance (mechanism only, not tested in the cited studies)

500 mg/day of cocoa flavanols including 80 mg epicatechin (COSMOS); blood pressure trials used a few hundred mg/day. No cited study tested a dose for athletic performance.

Gremin™ (Green Coffee + Curcumin BioFusion Complex)

Muscle recovery and DOMS reduction

Per Gremin™ clinical dosing; BioFusion Technology formulation per manufacturer

Physical endurance

200–600 mg/day standardized extract; taken before meals

VitaCherry® Sport (whole tart cherry recovery powder — FutureCeuticals)

Supports post-exercise muscle recovery

Marketed at roughly 400 mg/day; class evidence used ~480 mg tart-cherry powder or ~30 mL Montmorency concentrate/day

Bovine Colostrum

Exercise-induced gut permeability

10-20 g/day for 8-12 weeks in most human trials; a smaller set of trials used 0.5-1.0

Cluster Dextrin® (Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin)

Lower perceived exertion in endurance work

15 to 70 g per session in sports products; cited human studies used 15 g during endurance exercise and 45 g during a resistance training session.

MuscleGuard™ (Vegan 4-Nutrient Sports Performance Blend — Lonza)

63% increase in composite muscle score (no exercise)

Single daily dose providing the patent-pending ratio: 1500 mg L-Carnitine + 2000 mg

Whey Protein Hydrolysate

Faster recovery of muscle force in one small trial

20-30 g of whey protein hydrolysate per serving, taken before, during, or shortly after training, with total daily intake adjusted to overall protein targets.

Black Ginger (Kaempferia parviflora / Krachaidum / Thai Ginseng)

Exercise capacity and physical performance

Human trials used 25 to 90 mg/day in elderly fitness, 180 mg/day in soccer players, 360 mg/day in adolescent athletes, and 100 mg/day in the erectile-function pilot.

cellflo6® (Gallate-Enhanced Green Tea Procyanidins — PLT Health)

Investigated for blood flow following resistance exercise

600 mg/day cellflo6 — the dose showing significant blood flow improvements in the

CordycepsPrime™ (Fermented Cordyceps sinensis Mycelium Extract)

Recovery: one 14-person study of muscle repair markers

The supplier lists 500 mg/day, but no published trial has used that dose or this material; the tested doses of about 1 to 4 g/day belong to other cordyceps products.

CordyFuel™ (Branded Cordyceps Extract)

Supports exercise endurance and oxygen utilization

Branded-specific dosing is not well defined in indexed trials. Class-level cordyceps

Creatinol-O-Phosphate (COP)

Niche pre-workout ingredient

Italian cardiology trials used variable parenteral and oral doses depending on

May Support Strength Adaptations

150 mg/day in branded human studies, taken with or without other workout ingredients.

Pre-exercise hyperhydration (glycerol class)

1.2 g glycerol/kg body weight in 26 mL/kg of fluid, 30 minutes before exercise, from the generic glycerol trials; no branded GlycerPump trials exist.

Pre-exercise hyperhydration (glycerol class)

No branded GlycerSize™ RCTs. Glycerol-class hyperhydration protocols typically use

Supports Muscle Strength and Power

Manufacturer-recommended use is 1.5-3 g/day without a loading phase; head-to-head

Muscle Protein Synthesis (Adjunct to Leucine)

Typically as part of BCAA blends (2:1:1 leucine:isoleucine:valine); standalone rarely

PEAK ATP® (Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate)

Strength and lean body mass gains

400 mg/day PEAK ATP® (disodium ATP); acute: 400 mg taken 30–60 minutes pre-exercise;

PepForm® (Leucine-Rich Whey Peptides — Glanbia Nutritionals)

Higher short-term muscle protein synthesis when leucine is added to a small protein dose

About 4.2 g added leucine with a low-dose protein drink, or 20 g whey containing 3 g total leucine; these come from research drinks, not PepForm itself.

PeptiStrong® (AI-Discovered Fava Bean Peptides)

Muscle protein synthesis and recovery acceleration

2,400 mg/day PeptiStrong® (clinical dose across 3 RCTs); taken daily; muscle recovery

Endurance: a 20% gain reported in one 12-person single-dose study of purified Rg1

50–100 mg/day is what products typically provide; none of the cited human studies tested this dose or this blend.

Sodium Phosphate

Proposed Oxygen Delivery Support

Loading protocols typically use about 1 g of sodium phosphate four times daily

Lower body strength improvement

650 mg/day; significant results beginning at 4 weeks

Velositol® (Chromium-Driven MPS Complex - Nutrition 21)

Significantly Increases Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS)

2 g/day Velositol with protein (research-validated)

NUTRALYS® Pea Protein (Roquette)

Muscle Protein Synthesis Comparable to Whey

20-50 g/day pea protein for muscle/sports applications; per product specification for

Amino9® (Clinically Validated EAA Blend)

Complete muscle protein synthesis stimulation

No studied dose exists for Amino9 itself; Compound Solutions defers to the finished-product label. Finished products commonly supply about 5-10 g/day.

Betalains (Beetroot Pigments)

Small endurance gains from a betalain concentrate

BEETROOT JUICE: 250-500 mL/day (~5-10 mmol nitrate + 30-100 mg betalains).

BODYBALANCE® (Bioactive Collagen Peptides — Gelita)

Body composition with exercise

About 15 grams per day, combined with resistance training.

Caffinity® (natural coffee-fruit caffeine complex — FutureCeuticals)

Supports exercise performance and endurance output

286 mg Caffinity (~200 mg natural caffeine + ~15 mg coffee-fruit polyphenols), single pre-exercise dose

Carbelac® (Whey Protein Concentrate — Carbery)

Recovery: not tested on this page

No dose of Carbelac itself has been tested. Whey protein powders are commonly used at 20 to 40 g per serving; the cited study pooled generic whey protein trials in adults 60 and over.

CarnoLife® (L-Carnitine L-Tartrate)

Exercise recovery

Commonly 1 to 2 grams of L-carnitine L-tartrate per day.

LJ100® (Tongkat Ali — HP Ingredients)

No strength or exercise-capacity evidence is cited

Standard formulation use: 100-300 mg LJ100® daily. Most clinical trials use 200

NUTRALYS® Wheat Protein (Roquette)

Plant protein for muscle support

No consumer supplement dose established for this branded ingredient; generic wheat protein trials used 30 g in young adults and 60 g in older adults, while 35 g in older adults did not.

Acute Cognitive Performance

50-200 mg as a single dose, with 100-200 mg used in the cognitive trials; every published trial tested a single dose, so there is no evidence on daily or long-term use.

Quercefit® (Quercetin Phytosome — Indena)

Run Time and Recovery in One Unblinded Athlete Registry

250 to 500 mg/day, about 100 to 200 mg quercetin, in the studies; the 1,000 mg/day senolytic figure comes from trials pairing quercetin with a prescription drug, not tested for this product.

Recoverben® (Lemon Verbena Extract — Monteloeder)

Muscle recovery

Around 400 mg per day, often taken before exercise.

Robuvit® (French Oak Wood Extract)

Athletic endurance and performance

300 mg/day Robuvit®; fatigue studies use 300 mg/day; athletic performance: 300 mg/day

Tart Cherry Extract

Post-exercise muscle recovery and reduced soreness

Recovery: two 8 oz servings of tart cherry juice a day, or 30 mL of concentrate twice a day; sleep: 30 mL of concentrate twice a day. No cited study tested a capsule dose in milligrams.

AminoZorb® (Buffered Branched-Chain Amino Acids)

Commonly 5 to 10 grams of BCAAs per day.

FitNox® (Plant Nitric Oxide Complex)

Exercise support (mechanistic)

Around 250 mg per day.

HydroCurc® (Highly Bioavailable Curcumin)

Exercise Recovery: Not Measured Here

500 mg/day; clinical trials use 250-1,000 mg/day depending on indication

Carnosine Precursor

4 g/day for atopic dermatitis trials; 1.5–4 g/day in carnosine precursor research;

Molecular Hydrogen (H2)

Exercise: less perceived effort and lactate, no endurance gain

Oral hydrogen-rich water, about 11 mg H2/day (one tablet in 250 mL, three times daily) in the 24-week metabolic syndrome trial; other cited trials used 3.5 mg/day and 7.5 mg/day.

Prodiet® Colostrum (Bovine Colostrum — Ingredia)

Recovery support

Trials used 20 g/day, 25 g/day, or 3.2 g/day of colostrum powder. Ingredia's suggested minimum, about 0.4 to 0.5 g of powder a day, is far below the amounts used in those trials.

Testncrease® (Testosterone Support Blend)

Exercise performance and muscle support

Per Testncrease® product specifications; typically 2 capsules/day with meals; clinical

Vinitrox™ (Grape and Apple Polyphenols — Nexira)

Exercise performance support

Around 500 mg per day, often taken before exercise.

MyoVera™ (Chromium-Based Muscle Protein Synthesis Amplifier — Nutrition 21)

Short-term muscle protein synthesis (related ingredient, 10 people)

No studied dose exists for MyoVera; no trial of it has been published. The related amylopectin and chromium complex was tested at 2 grams with 6 grams of whey protein in ten adults.

Velvet Antler (Deer/Elk)

Single small trial: knee extensor strength (with caveats)

Athletic: 1.5-1.6 g/day or 560 mg/day; TCM: 0.3-1 g/day powdered; these doses were studied, not shown to work, and trials found no benefit.

Dynagenix® (Water-Soluble Boswellia for Joint + Muscle Recovery — PLT Health)

Faster strength recovery after downhill running (60 mg a day, 10 days)

60 mg a day for 10 days in the single published Boswellia serrata recovery pilot; the 40 mg a day joint figure comes from manufacturer material, not a published trial.

Muscle strength and exercise recovery

Standard dose: 100-400 mg/day standardized root extract. Most clinical trials use

Mitopure® (Urolithin A — Amazentis)

Muscle strength preservation

Standard clinical dose: 500-1,000 mg/day Mitopure®. Most clinical trials use 500-1,000

Pyruvate (Calcium Pyruvate / Sodium Pyruvate)

Body fat reduction with exercise

MODERN: 5-10 g/day Ca/Na pyruvate (Kalman 1999: 6 g/day × 6 wk). STANKO 1990s: 22-53

Traditional use for energy and stamina

Traditional amounts, not tested doses: 1 teaspoon (about 5 g) to 1 tablespoon (15 g) daily, or capsules of 500–1,500 mg per serving. No cited trial established a dose of bee pollen.

Bemethyl (Bemitil / Metaprot)

Physical performance & endurance

Labelling describes 250 to 500 mg once or twice daily in courses of three to five days; no dose or schedule for athletic use has been established in any published study.

PureATP (Pure Adenosine 5'-Triphosphate Disodium)

Blood Flow: Rat Data and an Uncontrolled Pilot

400 mg/day ATP disodium in enteric-coated capsules, the dose used in the branded-ingredient trials. None tested an uncoated bulk powder.

Carnipure® (L-Carnitine — Lonza)

Athletic recovery and performance

Same as generic L-carnitine: 1-3 g/day general supplementation. Specific applications:

GeniusPure® (High-Purity Alpha-GPC)

Neuromuscular performance and power output

Healthy adults: 315 mg or 630 mg as a single dose in the GeniusPure trial, or 600 mg/day for six days. Alzheimer's trials used 1,200 mg/day, a medical rather than general supplement dose.

Ecdysterone / Turkesterone (Ecdysteroid Anabolics)

Lean muscle mass increase without hormonal side effects

Ecdysterone: 500–1,000 mg/day (12-week RCTs); Turkesterone: 500 mg/day; both: taken

Sexual Function: Studied Mostly in People With a Diagnosed Problem

1.5–3 g/day dried root powder; raw, gelatinised, yellow, red and black preparations are not interchangeable.

PeakO2® (Adaptogenic Mushroom Blend)

Better oxygen uptake (VO2 max) after three weeks

1–4g/day for ongoing use; 4g/day for clinical performance benefits (21-day loading);

Restoridyn® (Tart Cherry Extract — Anthocyte)

Faster jump recovery in one small trial of young women

The label dose is 480 mg once or twice daily, but no cited study tested 480 mg of extract; the recovery trial used 30 ml of tart cherry concentrate twice daily.

SalidroPure™ (Pure Salidroside)

Anti-fatigue and endurance

No human trial has tested the 3 to 5 mg label dose; trials of pure salidroside used 60 mg/day or 600 mg/day.

Muscle strength and exercise performance: one uncontrolled pilot

Standard clinical dose: 250 mg twice daily (500 mg/day total) of purified shilajit

Silk Amino Acids / Silk Fibroin Hydrolysate

Modest athletic stamina effect (small trial)

Cognitive: 200-600 mg/day of silk fibroin enzyme hydrolysate; the one stamina trial used far more, 500 mg per kilogram of body mass a day (about 35 g for a 70 kg athlete).

Yohimbe / Yohimbine (Pausinystalia yohimbe)

Body fat: one small 21 day trial in athletes

The only non-drug trial cited used 20 mg/day of yohimbine for 21 days. Yohimbe bark supplements often contain far more or less yohimbine than the label states, so the amount you take is hard to predict.

Eurycomanone (Tongkat Ali Quassinoid)

Muscle and exercise performance: not shown

Eurycoma longifolia extract 200 mg a day for 6 months in the only cited research; no dose of purified eurycomanone has been tested.

Building Block for Muscle Protein (Adequacy, Not Extra)

Valine on its own has not been tested for any exercise, muscle or recovery outcome; RDA 24 mg/kg/day, about 1.7 g/day for a 70 kg adult, which diet usually supplies.

4-Hydroxy-L-Isoleucine

Potential role in post-workout carbohydrate handling

Standalone 4-OH-Ile human data is limited; preclinical doses range 18–50 mg/kg in

Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (Lp299v / LP299V®)

Boosts non-heme iron absorption from food

PIVOTAL 10¹⁰ CFU/day (10 billion) Axling 2020 athlete 12 wk + Hoekstra 2021 pregnancy

Capsaicin / Capsicum Extract (Cayenne Pepper)

Thermogenic energy expenditure (class evidence)

2-10 mg total capsaicinoids/day (from 25-100 mg capsicum extract) in weight trials; exercise studies used a single 12 mg dose before training.

FORTIGEL® Bioactive Collagen Peptides

Supports activity-related knee comfort

5 g per day of FORTIGEL® dissolved in water or beverage, typically taken once daily

Metabolaid® (Hibiscus + Lemon Verbena)

AMPK activation and fat oxidation

500 mg/day Metabolaid® (325 mg lemon verbena + 175 mg hibiscus); taken before exercise

Mycoprotein (Quorn)

Protein for muscle support

Typical dietary serving: 90-180 g cooked mycoprotein per meal (providing 11-22 g

Oxystorm® (Red Spinach Nitrate)

Nitrate for endurance & blood flow

A single 1,000 mg dose providing about 90 mg nitrate in the one Oxystorm-specific trial; generic dietary-nitrate trials used roughly 300 to 600 mg nitrate per day.

Pomegranate Extract

Blood flow & exercise recovery

Standard cardiovascular dose: 500-1,500 mg/day pomegranate extract standardized to

zümXR® (Targeted-Release Caffeine Technology — PLT Health)

Gradual caffeine release intended to smooth the spike and crash

Caffeine doses typically 50-300 mg per serving (matching immediate-release caffeine

AstraGin® (Astragalus and Notoginseng Saponin Extract)

Amino acid and protein absorption enhancement

50 mg twice daily (100 mg/day) in both supplementation trials; the two acute absorption tests gave 50 mg the night before and 50 mg with the test drink.

Beef Heart (Desiccated)

Richest natural food source of CoQ10

Typical supplementation: 1.5-3 g/day (2-4 capsules at 750 mg each) desiccated beef

EnduBerry™ Nu

Faster 5 km run in one trial, using a different haskap powder

The cited trial used 6 g a day of freeze-dried haskap berry powder (about 150 mg anthocyanins), but that was a different company's powder, so no dose has been established for EnduBerry Nu itself.

MitoBurn® (L-BAIBA)

White-to-brown fat conversion

250–500 mg/day; 500 mg is the full clinical dose

TendoGuard® (Tendon Collagen Complex)

Tendon and ligament structural support

No studied dose for TendoGuard, since no published trial has tested this blend; labels commonly supply 5 to 10 g/day of collagen peptides.

Aspartic Acid / D-Aspartic Acid (DAA)

Sperm Quality (Not Measured in Any Cited Study)

DAA: 2,500–3,000 mg/day in clinical trials; supplemental cycles typically 12 days to 4

Cococin® (Freeze-Dried Coconut Water — Sabinsa)

Isotonic electrolytes for sport & hydration

No oral dose of Cococin has been established or tested in a published human trial; the cited studies used a topical serum or ordinary coconut water, not Cococin powder.

NUTRALYS® Fava Bean Protein (Roquette)

Plant protein for muscle support

Per Roquette NUTRALYS Fava product specification; typical 20-30 g/day for protein