{"id":42061,"date":"2025-08-04T05:03:16","date_gmt":"2025-08-04T05:03:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/42061\/"},"modified":"2025-08-04T05:03:16","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T05:03:16","slug":"use-this-summer-guide-to-choose-your-best-workout-supplements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/42061\/","title":{"rendered":"Use this summer guide to choose your best workout supplements"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summer workouts can be tricky. On the one hand, the weather is great for taking whatever you like to do into the great outdoors. The counter to this is the oft-brutal heat that can sap energy, along with the natural urge to just enjoy the weather and take a lot of downtime.<\/p>\n

This is where supplements step up and play a vital role. We all need a boost for our workouts<\/a>\u00a0every now and then, but we also want the supplements we take to get to be as healthy and untainted by bad ingredients as possible. The world of supplements can be a maze full of false health and fitness claims<\/a>, so let\u2019s navigate the twists and turns so you can make the best possible choices.<\/p>\n

Start your supplement search with protein
\n\"bestJustin LUCK \/ Pexels<\/p>\n

You know you\u2019re taking on a serious challenge when you realize it\u2019s difficult just to delineate the categories for a summer supplement guide. My personal choices tend to be on the quirky side \u2014 that\u2019s probably being kind, actually \u2014 so I quickly turned to a high-level expert to help level the supplement playing field.<\/p>\n

That choice was\u00a0Dr. Jordan Glenn<\/a>, PhD. He\u2019s the Head of Science at\u00a0SuppCo<\/a>, so he\u2019s an ideal choice to bring some much-needed rigor to the evaluation process.<\/p>\n

One thing we agreed on right away was to start the selection process with protein powders. They\u2019re a hot topic right now, not to mention a vital nutritional add if you\u2019re going to do supplements. There are way too many choices out there, and whittling them down can be a formidable task without the right kind of help.<\/p>\n

The protein powder criteria
\n\"bestKarolina Grabowska \/ Pexels<\/p>\n

Glenn\u2019s criteria for protein powders is definitely different from a lot of the current evaluation trends. Much of what\u2019s happening now is a numbers game, with manufacturers vying to become king of the hill by offering the most grams of protein in a single serving. Getting complete proteins<\/a> in your powder is also important, and this aspect helps explain Glenn\u2019s choice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tend to gravitate towards pea protein as I respond better from a digestive perspective,\u201d he explains. \u201cIt is practically a complete protein, and a breakfast of eggs makes up for the methionine and cysteine I may be missing by choosing pea over whey.\u201d<\/p>\n

Regardless of the source, it\u2019s important to get a protein powder that gives you enough branch chain amino acids (BCAA) \u2014 specifically, we\u2019re talking leucine<\/a>, isoleucine and valine. The ratio he recommends is 2:1:1, which is optimal for muscle protein synthesis.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to read the labels, too. Here are the three questions Glenn says you need to ask when you go to evaluate your protein powder:<\/p>\n

Is the product cGMP certified?
\nHas it been third-party lab tested through an ISO 17025 lab, and are the COAs, i.e., Certificates of Analysis, available?
\nDoes it have other certifications indicative of quality (NSF or USP)<\/p>\n

Protein propaganda to avoid
\n\"bestHowToGym \/ Unsplash<\/a><\/p>\n

A lot of protein powders come with some pretty wild claims that are borderline propaganda, so Glenn also offers some advice to sort through the noise<\/p>\n

\u201cI highly recommend avoiding \u2018proprietary blends\u2019 that fail to disclose their amino acid breakdowns,\u201d he says. \u201cThis typically means a product is being filled with cheaper amino acids vs the ones that will actually help with strength benefits and recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s just as important to be on the lookout for problematic additives.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep an eye out for products that contain unnecessary or problematic added ingredients,\u201d he says. \u201cEspecially as artificial colors and sweeteners are being flagged as dangerous, it is more important than ever to make sure we are not sabotaging our goals by consuming unnecessary ingredients.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another red flag is a long ingredients list. Protein powders are one supplement that should have a short list, with creatine and magnesium being the others.<\/p>\n

\u201cA complete list and breakdown of amino acids is great,\u201d he says. \u201cLots of non-protein ingredients should be avoided.\u201d<\/p>\n

The protein powder choices
\n\"bestMomentous<\/p>\n

Glenn uses TrustScore as the basis for his choices \u2014 here are the top three:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile all of these are very popular in our platform, our most popular protein powder is Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate Powder,\u201d he adds. \u201cThe flavor is milk chocolate, and the TrustScore is 9.19.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vitamins and minerals
\n\"bestShutterstock<\/p>\n

Not surprisingly, Glenn applies a completely different set of criteria when selecting the best vitamins and minerals.<\/p>\n

\u201cClinically meaningful dosages are one of the first things that matters to me,\u201d he explains. \u201cIf I need 1,000 milligrams of a nutrient to achieve my goals, I do not want a product providing 200 milligrams per serving. This is especially important for essential nutrients like vitamin D3, B12, or magnesium.<\/p>\n

\u201cVitamins are a little trickier given that they have so much variability. But Vitamin D is by far the most stacked vitamin we have, followed by multivitamins and Vitamin C.\u201d<\/p>\n

The next criteria is all about increased absorption. Certain combinations like magnesium with B6, or vitamin D with K2 provide higher absorption levels, and the enhanced performance of these combinations is supported by clinical data.<\/p>\n

When it comes to label reading, the questions Glenn asks are identical to those he poses when choosing protein powders. He\u2019s also looking for products that are free of artificial flavors, colors or fillers.<\/p>\n

What to avoid with vitamins
\n\"bestAnna Shvets \/ Pexels<\/a><\/p>\n

The must-to-avoid list for vitamins is just as explicit.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would avoid using inferior or poorly absorbed forms,\u201d Glenn says. \u201cExamples like magnesium oxide [have] low absorption, [and a] laxative effect. Iron in the form of ferrous sulfate competes with other minerals for absorption, [and]\u00a0 iron bisglycinate is typically better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Proprietary blends can also be a problem, just as they often are in protein powders. Glenn refers to this as \u201cfairy dusting\u201d \u2014 i.e., the label tells you that an ingredient is in the supplement, but not how much you\u2019re getting.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis usually means you are getting trace or ineffective amounts of a nutrient, if any at all,\u201d he says. \u201cProper testing and third-party accreditation can go a long way to avoiding products like this.<\/p>\n

\u201cFinally, I avoid products containing risky or banned additives. For example, titanium dioxide is restricted in several countries for oral use, but still appears in some U.S. supplements.\u201d<\/p>\n

The vitamin choices
\n\"bestPure Encapsulations<\/p>\n

The criteria for pre-workout supplements
\n\"bestKlaus Nielsen \/ Pexels<\/a><\/p>\n

What you take before you work out can be a huge factor in fitness success, but once again, you have to know about the specific testing and certification requirements that are involved.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrands that do third party testing or have cGMP certifications are good indicators,\u201d Glenn says, \u201cas well as anything that is NSF Certified for Sport. This tells you right away that you can trust what is on the label.\u201d<\/p>\n

The effectiveness of those listed ingredients are often another matter entirely, however. Glenn mentions citrulline, beta-alanine, and creatine as examples that may be added, but not at the levels necessary to be effective.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor example, citrulline-malate is shown to be acutely effective at an\u00a0 eight milligram dose, but if a pre-workout blend only includes two milligrams per serving, you are not getting any real benefits,\u201d he explains. \u201cConsumers should be discerning to make sure they are getting real benefits and not a watered-down blend pumped with stimulants.\u201d<\/p>\n

The timing of these ingredients matters, too. What you\u2019re looking for in a pre-workout product is a combination of a nitric oxide booster, a pH buffer, a stimulant and ingredients that enhances exercise recovery. But some ingredients take time to be effective, e.g., beta-alanine requires approximately 30 days of consistent use to be effective.<\/p>\n

What to avoid in your pre-workout choices
\n\"bestCanva Pro<\/p>\n

The amount of stimulants is the most important red flag in this area, either via an excessive amount or a combination of\u00a0 stimulants that can end up being dangerous.<\/p>\n

\u201cCaffeine is the most common stimulant in pre-workouts,\u201d Glenn says. \u201cBut many also include additional stimulants, like yohimbine, synephrine, theobromine, or even exotic ones like DMHA, which is banned in many countries.<\/p>\n

\u201cHigh stimulant loads can increase heart rate, blood pressure, anxiety, and insomnia. Combining multiple stimulants can amplify these risks, especially for those sensitive to them. As a rule of thumb, find single stimulant blends and stay below 300 milligrams of\u00a0 caffeine per serving unless you have a high tolerance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Proprietary blends are also a no-no in this category, largely because they can be used to hide the actual doses of individual ingredients.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis makes it impossible to know whether you\u2019re getting effective amounts, or just a \u2018fairy dusting\u2019 of actives surrounded by cheap fillers,\u201d Glenn explains. \u201cHigh-quality pre-workout blends should be transparent in their ingredient usage.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pre-workout choices
\n\"bestTransparent Bulk<\/p>\n

\u201cOur most popular pre-workout blend is also from Transparent Labs,\u201d Glenn says. \u201cTheir Lean Pre-Workout (Strawberry Lemonade) takes the top spot in popularity among SuppCo user stacks.<\/p>\n

Dr. Glenn\u2019s personal stack
\n\"bestSports Research<\/p>\n

Given Glenn\u2019s attention to detail in all of these categories, it\u2019s natural to wonder what he uses in his personal stack. Here\u2019s his top ten, so you can pick and choose according to your fitness needs and add accordingly:<\/p>\n

Purebulk Caffeine Powder<\/a> (synthetic), one scoop daily for energy
\nBulk Supplements Creatine Monohydrate<\/a>, one scoop daily for fitness
\nBulk Supplements BCAA 2:1:1,<\/a> one scoop daily for fitness
\nBulk Supplements Beta Alanine Powder<\/a>, two scoops daily, two servings, for fitness
\nSports Research Omega 3-6-7-9<\/a>, two soft gels, one serving daily for essential health
\nMomentous Turmeric<\/a>, 2 capsules, one serving daily, for bone and joint
\nHealth Thru Nutrition<\/a>, H2Q 100 mg, one capsule daily, for cardiovascular
\nBulk Supplements L-Citrulline <\/a>DL-Malate 2:1, one scoop daily for fitness
\nBulk Supplements Berberine HCL<\/a>, two scoops daily, two servings for cardiovascular
\nNaked Nutrition, Naked Pea<\/a> (unflavored), two scoops daily, one serving, for fitness<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Summer workouts can be tricky. On the one hand, the weather is great for taking whatever you like…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":42062,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[64,63,137,4794,532,36949,13424],"class_list":["post-42061","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nutrition","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-health","tag-health-fitness","tag-nutrition","tag-post-workout-recovery","tag-workouts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42061"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42061\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42062"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}