Coverage

Supplements

Supplements grades products by the strength of evidence behind them: creatine, caffeine, beta-alanine, nitrates, protein powders and a long tail of unproven blends. Entries list effective dose, timing, expected effect size and third-party testing status. For athletes and coaches deciding what deserves shelf space and what does not.

Creatine, beta-alanine, caffeine, nitrates and the rest ranked by trial quality and effect size, with dosing, timing and third-party testing status stated.

Bar chart comparing labeled versus measured caffeine in pre-workout products

Supplements

Pre-workout label accuracy: what independent testing has found

Analytical studies of pre-workout supplements repeatedly find caffeine and stimulant contents that diverge from the label — in both directions.

Athlete checking supplement certification mark on container in kitchen

Supplements

What does third-party certification of supplements actually verify?

NSF Certified for Sport and Informed Sport check what the label says is in the bottle — and what is not — but they do not certify that a supplement works.