Nutrition has always been an interest of mine. Something that has gone alongside that is an interest in supplements. I have spent a lot of time assessing different supplement products and would like to concisely share my personal assessment of which are worth considering, and which are a waste of money. This will be based largely on my own experience and opinion, and I encourage anyone considering adding a supplement to their regimen to do their own research and talk to a doctor first. Most supplements are either a waste of money or can be potentially harmful if used incorrectly. You should also never trust claims that are being made by the same person trying to sell you a product. However, there are some options that are very reasonably priced and are quite affordable.
I am a certified personal trainer and have worked in an industry where all sorts of claims are made about products that can sometimes be very expensive. More often than not they are either completely ineffective or priced 400-700% higher than cheaper alternatives that offer the same benefits. There are 4 main categories of supplements that are frequently used. Supplements that promise ergogenic improvement (improvement to physical performance), ones that promise nootropic benefits (support brain health memory, or cognition), ones that support beauty, and those that promise health benefits. Some come with unadvertised health risks whereas others are simply a waste of money.
Let's start with ergogenic supplements. Whey Protein powder is very commonly used. It can also be a bit pricey. There is ample evidence that whey protein taken after exercise can have some recovery and anabolic benefits in comparison to other protein sources because of how quickly it is absorbed. However, it is best used after a workout or strenuous activity and should not be routinely used as a meal replacement. The literal scientific standard that all other protein sources are compared to is egg whites. The protein they contain has a complete essential amino acid profile and is very easily absorbed by the body. It is a much more inexpensive alternative to protein shakes and is the superlative form of dietary protein. Whey powders should be reserved for post workout recovery and are not at all necessary but can be a nice luxury. Another type of protein is casein protein. It can be found in whole food sources like cottage cheese but is also available in powder supplement forms. Casein powder is digested slower than other protein sources. This means that people often take it before bed in preparation for being in a fasted state for a longer period of time. Powdered forms can be pricey, but the same benefit can be had from whole food sources. Casein powders aren't a waste of money but don't offer any benefit to cheaper options outside of convenience. The protein market is quite competitive, with razor thin margins for sellers, but is often misused by consumers who use it at less-than-ideal times when they offer no benefit compared to whole food options.
There's a long list of supplements that promise ergogenic benefits that are a waste of money. Glutamate, BCAA's, isolated egg yolks. Glutamate is an important amino acid in our body but having a deficiency of it is quite rare. Although it is an important part of many functions of the body, supplementing it simply isn't necessary. BCAA's are similar. They are very important and offer a host of benefits, but they can be found in any animal protein source or eggs, and spending money on isolated BCAA's in a fancy tub from GNC is pretty silly when you already get BCAA's from food. There are also all sorts of strange products like one that is isolated egg yolk. It does contain a nutrient that supports muscle growth and is supported by science, but why not just eat eggs? It offers no benefits over the whole food alternative and is incredibly expensive. These types of supplements take advantage of scientific buzzwords but the actual practice of supplementing them is pretty silly.
Nootropic supplements are very interesting. They have the potential to support brain function, memory and cognition. An example of one is Lion's mane. Lion's mane is a mushroom and I'm personally a very big fan of it as a nootropic. It has actually been shown to cause neuron growth and memory enhancement. However, you need to be careful which option you use. Many sources contain just the stems and seeds of the plant, whereas the ones that contain the flowering bodies are much more potent. It is also important to note that any supplement that has the potential to be beneficial could also have potential adverse effects. It is important to review the possible negative effects of Lion's Mane before you were to take it. Another interesting nootropic is Gingko Biloba. I have used Gingko and personally don't notice as dramatic an effect as I do when I take Lion's Mane, but I do feel it has given me a slight mental edge at certain points. It's also important to note that some of these supplements can interfere with medications, particularly psychoactive or psychiatric ones and should be used with extreme caution by anyone taking any kind of antidepressant medication.
A supplement that fits into both the Nootropic and ergogenic category is creatine monohydrate. Creatine has well established benefits for physical and cognitive performance. Creatine is directly involved in energy pathways that are used during anaerobic exercise. Not only that but supplementing is able to further support these pathways to produce a positive result. Unlike glutamate and BCAA's which are involved in important pathways in the body, but whose function isn't supported any further through supplementation beyond addressing deficiencies. Creatine is also a very cheap supplement. Creatine seems like a clearly positive option to take. However, it can increase your water intake needs and aggravate preexisting kidney issues. You should be cautious to avoid heat illness and avoid dehydration when taking creatine. There are also many people selling creatine gummies more recently but many of them actually contain very little creatine and are quite expensive. It's probably best to stick to the monohydrate powder form. An interesting side note is that taking creatine with some sugar can help it be better absorbed by your body.
The beauty and supplement industry is perhaps the most shameless in their outrageous claims of what their product can do. Shampoos and moisturizers contain buzzword compounds that can't even be absorbed through the skin. For example, biotin is well known as a nutrient that supports healthy hair and nails, but it cannot be absorbed through the scalp. Any hair product that includes biotin is just using it as a buzzword. Dietary biotin is an essential part of everyone's diet, although in excess it can cause toxicity that can actually be bad for skin nail and hair health. Collagen is another double-edged sword in the beauty realm of supplements. Collagen powders have little evidence supporting their use. This would make sense as the body breaks down ingested collagen protein into its constituent parts. Your body may or may not use those amino acids to make more collagen, but any other source of protein would also provide all of the amino acids necessary for collagen production. Ingesting collagen supplements doesn't inherently increase the collagen in your body, despite the importance of collagen. You should carefully consider expensive beauty products that use buzzwords but are not supported by science. In most cases, a cheaper whole food option is available. There are some great dietary and dermatological products that support hair skin and nail health such as products containing niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and others. A trick you can use is to look at the ingredients for these products and not just the label and marketing. You will often find that there are much cheaper alternatives to the super lush and overpriced ones that actually contain the same active ingredients. You may find that half the price you are paying for is the celebrity endorsement, packaging and advertisement and not the product itself.
Supplements that promise health benefits are about the oldest form of snake oil that swindlers have sold throughout history. Once again many of them do have some benefits but no more so than much less expensive whole food options. An example of this is AG1, a well-advertised supplement that is popular on social media. While it does contain a wide range of high-quality nutrients, it is absurdly expensive for what it includes and simply isn't worth the cost. There is no real justification for buying it when more reasonably priced options exist. Another really interesting example is fish oil. Fish oil is the most popular supplement, by far, with a large industry supported by it and is recommended by many different doctors to their patients. Fish oil is high in an essential fatty acid, omega 3, that is important to have in the diet. However, fish oil can become oxidized very easily. You know that fishy smell of fish oil? It is probably oxidized and could actually have some negative effects on the body. Once again there is a cheaper and more efficient option. Chia seeds are incredibly high in omega 3's and other nutrients like fiber and are much less expensive than fish oil supplements.
Overall, it's important to consider the cost benefit analysis of dietary supplements. Many are a complete waste of money, whereas others offer a host of benefits that are well worth it. Whey protein powder, creatine, and nootropics like lion's mane can be a potent and affordable supplement option to add to your diet, but it is important to be careful not to follow the hype of trends or to listen to marketing that would make you believe you need to spend $100's a month on things that have no effect. Emotional advertisements and social media algorithms will try to get you to buy pointless supplements, but it is important to consider the financial and physiological realities objectively before committing to any of them.
