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The fitness supplement market is the wild west of business and marketing. 

✅ Minimal legal oversight or regulations.

✅ Widespread use of “filler” ingredients and cheap contaminates.

✅ TONS of money made on outlandish claims, big promises and pricey products. 

The vast majority of supplements have little to no evidence that they even work (do what manufacturers claim they do)…

…or that they’re even safe (contamination with heavy metals, pharmaceutical drugs, or hormonal steroids).

Today, I’m kicking off the Supplement Series here on Human Powered. In this series, I’m going to walk through a number of supplements (many of which I personally use) that are currently considered to be the most effective, beneficial, safe and worth purchasing. 

But before we talk about individual supplements, we first need to discuss 3 essential principles for figuring out which supplements are effective, safe and worth your hard earned money.

Principle #1 – Third Party Tested

Third party testing verifies that the supplement ingredients are accurate, uncontaminated, and in the correct concentrations / dosages.

ConsumerLabs.com reported that approximately 20% of the supplements they test have quality issues. Unfortunately, even if a product says it’s been “third party tested” it doesn’t necessarily mean that the testing service conducted a thorough test. 

To be most safe, look for products that are certified from these organizations:

• NSF (National Sanitation Foundation)
• Informed Choice
• USP (United States Pharmacopeia)
• ConsumerLab

From Walmart.com

Don’t take a chance on sketchy supplements. Purchase products that have been thoroughly tested for quality and safety. 

Principle #2 – Be Careful With “Proprietary Blends"

“Proprietary blend” is a term for a “secret recipe” (think KFC’s legendary secret fried chicken recipe) that a company doesn’t want to disclose so no one else can copy their formula.

The problem with a “proprietary blend” is that a company doesn’t need to list how much of each ingredient has been mixed into the formula. Some manufacturers have abused this by diluting a small amount of an expensive ingredient with a lot of cheap “filler” ingredients while still charging premium prices per pill (the consumer has no way of knowing how much of the expensive ingredient was used in the formula because it’s a “proprietary blend.”) Additionally, it can be impossible to know if you are at risk for chronically over- or under-consuming a supplement if you are unsure how much of each ingredient it contains.

Best practice is to avoid proprietary blends and instead stick to supplements that list out precise ingredient amounts and dosages. 

Principle #3 – The “Magic Pill” Test

Good ‘ole common sense, logic and reasoning skills say that if something sounds “too good to be true”... it probably is. 

Clever marketing is engineered to manipulate human psychology by using emotionally triggering language, images, claims and urgency. Products that directly (or subconsciously) promise rapid, easy, yet incredible results are less likely to be safe or effective. Before purchasing a new product, first ask yourself, “does this supplement marketing make me feel like I’m purchasing a “magical pill” or does it feel like a genuine, quality product?

Look for products that describe the ingredients and potential benefits using clear, simple, and straightforward language. 

Are Supplements Worth The Hype?

Supplements are just that: a “supplement” to the more important, foundational, core principles of health and fitness. 

They will never substitute the importance (and power) of regular exercise, better sleep, and a nutritious diet. Make sure that you are working on mastering the basics (sleep, exercise & nutrition) in addition to using supplements. 

In the next issue of the Supplement Series, we’ll dive into my favorite (and relatively inexpensive) supplement for exercise and mental performance.

Until then, keep crushing. 

Onward!