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8 Workout Supplements: Do They Really Boost Performance?

You may be able to optimize and support your fitness performance with supplements, but not all are worthwhile, and some (in large doses) may be dangerous. Here’s our short list of what’s out there, which ones work, and which ones to skip.
8 Workout Supplements: Do They Really Boost Performance?
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Updated on June 27, 2025
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Note: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve supplements for safety or effectiveness. Talk to a healthcare professional about whether a supplement is the right fit for your individual health, and about any potential drug interactions or safety concerns.

Many gymgoers are curious about supplements, like protein powders, sports bars, creatine, and others, that come with claims they can boost the effects of working out.

But experts caution that for some of these products, the hype may outpace the science.

“There is a place for supplements, but people need to be mindful of making sure they’re doing their homework and reading the labels,” says Nicole Avena, PhD, an associate professor of neuroscience at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and a visiting professor of health psychology at Princeton University in New Jersey. Some supplements are designed to improve performance, reduce the risk of injury, and enhance recovery, but they should not be used in place of a balanced diet — and some are only helpful for helping specific groups of individuals.

If you decide to try a supplement, be sure to choose carefully, Dr. Avena says, since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate them in the same way it does prescription drugs.

 To choose a quality supplement, check the label for USP, NSF, or Consumer Labs Approved. This means the product has undergone third-party testing for quality and purity. A primary care provider can help you identify nutrient deficiencies.

Here’s what you should know about the science behind these eight options.

1. Creatine

What It Does You may have heard of creatine — it’s one of the top three workout supplements recommended by sports scientists, says Micheil Spillane, PhD, an assistant professor and the human performance lab director at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas.

Creatine is naturally found in your body’s muscles and in your brain. It may help produce energy for high-intensity exercises like sprinting, as well as lifting heavy objects. Many athletes use creatine to improve strength and gain muscle.

What Research and Experts Say A small study found that physically active young adults who supplemented with creatine during six weeks of resistance training significantly increased their leg press, chest press, and total body strength compared with the placebo group.

 A review of research on nutritional strategies for weightlifters reported that creatine helps muscles provide the quick bursts of power needed during sports such as weightlifting. According to the studies the review analysed, athletes who take creatine supplements endured high-intensity training and recovered from fatigue faster.

Most athletes’ bodies tolerate creatine well, but conclusive evidence about its effectiveness is still lacking, Dr. Spillane says. “We have a good safety profile on creatine,” he says, emphasizing that it’s one of the best-studied sports supplements.

Speak with your doctor before taking creatine if you’re also taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), caffeine, diuretics, cimetadine (Tagamet), drugs that affect the kidneys, or probenecid (which treats gout). It’s generally safe to take but may lead to side effects, including weight gain, muscle strains and cramps, upset stomach, high blood pressure, liver dysfunction, and kidney damage.

If creatine is calling your name, we can help you figure out which supplement makes sense. Look at our list of the best creatine supplements to boost your workouts.

2. Leucine

What It Does Leucine is one of three types of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and is used to fuel the skeletal muscles during exercise.

 Its job is to repair and build muscle, including in older adults who may need assistance maintaining muscle. Leucine is also another one of the top sports supplements recommended by experts, Spillane says.

Bodybuilders and athletes who need to build k typically use this supplement. “Leucine will activate a specific pathway in your muscle that basically makes it turn on the activation for growth and repair,” Spillane says.

That said, it may not be necessary to take this supplement, because you can source leucine from your diet. It’s found in meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and milk.

What Research and Experts Say BCAA supplements, including leucine, have a long-standing reputation for helping your energy level and muscles recover after exercise.

 One meta-analysis of 18 studies found that this group of supplements seems to help muscle soreness and reduce creative kinase (an enzyme released by damaged muscles) after exercise-induced muscle damage, which can help speed up the recovery process after an intense workout.

Approach high doses with caution, however, as that can lead to low blood sugar or a disease called pellagra.

 The daily upper limit of safe intake for healthy adults is about 0.53 grams (g) per kilogram ( kg) of body weight.

 Also, avoid taking if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding or have maple syrup urine disease.

3. Protein

What It Does Protein offers loads of nutritional benefits, and from a fitness perspective, it’s prized for enhancing muscle growth and repair and appetite control.

 Most Americans get plenty of protein from their diet, but athletes who exercise at higher volumes may want to increase their protein intake to maximize the muscle-repair benefits. That’s why some athletes supplement with plant-based protein (such as pea or rice protein) or animal-based protein (such as whey), which often comes in powder form. As powders, these supplements are easy to make by adding water or adding to a post-workout smoothie.
What Research and Experts Say Athletes need 0.5 to 0.9 g of protein per pound of body weight a day, according to the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS). That amount could increase during times of intense training.

Taking in high amounts of protein is fine from a safety perspective (in other words, there are no health risks to overdoing it for most healthy people), but there’s no benefit to going beyond the recommended amounts.

 The authors of a review on the pros and cons of protein supplementation recommended that protein come from real food if possible, and to use supplements only if you can’t get enough via diet.

Marie Spano, RD, an Atlanta-based certified strength and conditioning specialist and coauthor of Nutrition for Sport, Exercise, and Health, agrees. “It’s not necessary [to supplement] if you eat enough protein through food,” she says.

4. Beta-Hydroxy Beta-Methylbutyrate (HMB)

What It Does When your body breaks down leucine, HMB is created. It prevents or slows damage to muscle cells that can occur as a result of exercise, so some exercisers take it as a supplement to aid muscle growth and improve strength and endurance.

What Research and Experts Say HMB can reduce post-exercise muscle damage and speed recovery while also improving strength.

Spano says it may be particularly helpful for those recovering from an injury. For instance, after someone breaks their hip, HMB prevents muscle loss while they are on bed rest. But for the young, average person who’s in the gym and working out, they don't need HMB.”

The clinical research is not very robust, and most of the studies have been small. More research is needed to back up the potential benefits of HBM to exercisers.

5. Caffeine

What It Does Yes, your daily cup of coffee can do more than jolt you awake in the morning — it may also boost your exercise performance. It’s an extremely popular workout aid: According to a review published in December 2020, 3 out of every 4 athletes (including triathletes, marathoners, tennis players, and weight lifters) consumed caffeine before or during a sports competition. There are a few ideas as to why caffeine aids performance; it may preserve muscle glycogen or interact with the nervous system in a beneficial way, according to the review.

What Research and Experts Say Research suggests caffeine is effective as a workout supplement. One evaluation of research involving caffeine and exercise performance concluded that caffeine mainly benefits aerobic endurance when taken in doses of 3 to 6 mg per kg of body weight.

Experts caution that there are risks to taking caffeine supplements in any form, however. Some supplements contain 600 to 800 mg of caffeine. “That isn’t near your upper limit, but can cause severe cardiac arrest in some people,” Spillane says.

Too much caffeine can also lead to less-severe — but still concerning — side effects, such as insomnia, headaches, dizziness, and increased heart rate.

The ODS recommends curbing your caffeine intake to 400 to 500 mg per day; teens shouldn’t have more than 100 mg of caffeine a day. If you take 10,000 mg in a single dose — which is 1 tablespoon of pure caffeine powder — it can be fatal.

Keep a wary eye out for caffeine products mixed with ephedra (a natural stimulant banned by the FDA), especially if you have a heart condition, hypertension, glaucoma, prostate enlargement, or thyroid disease. The combination, which may be found in weight loss and energy supplements, can increase heart rate and blood pressure, and the FDA urges people not to use supplements that contain ephedra.

6. Beta-Alanine

What It Does Beta-alanine is an amino acid that’s produced by the liver and is also available through foods, such as meat and chicken.

Supplementing with beta-alanine may enhance sports performance because it can prevent lactic acid buildup generated by exercise, which contributes to soreness and fatigue. The main benefit is that you can work out longer and recover quicker, Spillane says.

What Research and Experts Say Spillane says there’s strong evidence supporting the effectiveness of beta-alanine. For example, a small study of strength-trained athletes found that beta-alanine supplements taken during a five-week strength-training program led to strength gains measured by the load the 30 study participants were able to lift, as well as the number of repetitions they were able to complete, compared with their initial baseline.

After analyzing multiple studies, one review reported that beta-alanine supplements improved weightlifters’ endurance and performance during intense, repetitive workouts.

Spano is also a fan. “I absolutely love beta-alanine for athletes,” she says. “It can be a game changer. If you’re out there on the football field or basketball court, and you’ve got a lot of muscle fatigue, beta-alanine can help buffer fatigue so your muscles don’t feel as heavy and tired.”

You may not see the benefits of taking beta-alanine immediately, Spano cautions. The researchers behind the study with 30 participants noted performance improvements after participants took a 4 to 6 g supplement daily for at least two to four weeks.

7. Sodium Bicarbonate

What It Does You probably already have sodium bicarbonate in your house: It’s baking soda. Some gymgoers use the household staple in supplement form to improve performance. It can be found in powder form (similar to what you cook with) or tablet form.

Sodium bicarbonate can reduce lactic acid buildup from intense, explosive, or sustained exercise that can lead to exhaustion and reduced muscle force.

What Research and Experts Say For some people, sodium bicarbonate could improve performance slightly during intense, short-term activities like sprinting and intermittently intense sports such as boxing. But for others, sodium bicarbonate either provides no benefit or hinders performance.

Spillane says there’s another caveat to keep in mind: “It causes significant GI distress, which can include nausea and vomiting. Of course, experiencing those side effects during a race or game could impact your performance.”

Delayed-release capsules of sodium bicarbonate may be less likely to have these side effects than when it’s directly dissolved in water and ingested, according to a small 12-participant study.

Be sure you talk to your doctor before taking baking soda, especially if you have Cushing’s syndrome, heart or kidney problems, stomach ulcers, low amounts of calcium or potassium in your blood, or are on a low-sodium diet.

The Takeaway

  • Supplements can boost workout performance, but they can come with risks and should not replace a balanced diet or proper training.
  • Clinical research on workout supplements is spotty and often funded by the pharmaceutical company, so you should always remain skeptical of exaggerated claims and choose products that are third-party tested.
  • Talk with your doctor or registered dietitian before starting any new supplements to ensure they make sense for your health needs and are the right supplements to help you reach your workout goals.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Dietary Supplements for Exercise and Athletic Performance. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. March 22, 2021.
  2. Dietary Supplements. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. October 1, 2024.
  3. 6 Signs of Nutrient Deficiency. Rush University Medical Center.
  4. Creatine. Mayo Clinic. December 13, 2023.
  5. Mills S et al. Effects of Creatine Supplementation during Resistance Training Sessions in Physically Active Young Adults. Nutrients. June 24, 2020.
  6. Hwang DJ et al. Nutritional Strategies for Enhancing Performance and Training Adaptation in Weightlifters. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. December 30, 2024.
  7. Creatine. Lima Memorial Health System. January 1, 2017.
  8. Leucine. University of Rochester Medical Center.
  9. Salem A et al. Attenuating Muscle Damage Biomarkers and Muscle Soreness After an Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage with Branched-Chain Amino Acid (BCAA) Supplementation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis with Meta-regression. Sports Medicine. April 16, 2024.
  10. Creatine Kinase (CK). Cleveland Clinic. April 11, 2022.
  11. Cynober L et al. A Proposal for an Upper Limit of Leucine Safe Intake in Healthy Adults. The Journal of Nutrition. December 2012.
  12. Emily Gelsomin. The Scoop on Protein Powder. Harvard Health. March 9, 2020.
  13. Samal JRK et al. Protein Supplements: Pros and Cons. Journal of Dietary Supplements. May 4, 2018.
  14. HMB. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. January 13, 2021.
  15. Kaczka P et al. Mechanism of Action and the Effect of Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methylbutyrate (HMB) Supplementation on Different Types of Physical Performance - A Systematic Review. Journal of Human Kinetics. August 21, 2019.
  16. Martins GL et al. Caffeine and Exercise Performance: Possible Directions for Definitive Findings. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. December 10, 2020.
  17. Guest NS et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Caffeine and Exercise Performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. January 2, 2021.
  18. Caffeine. MedlinePlus. September 8, 2021.
  19. Ephedra. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. March 9, 2023.
  20. Trexler ET et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Beta-Alanine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. July 15, 2015.
  21. Maté-Muñoz JL et al. Effects of Β-Alanine Supplementation During a 5-Week Strength Training Program: A Randomized, Controlled Study. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. April 25, 2018.
  22. Hilton NP et al. A Novel Ingestion Strategy for Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation in a Delayed-Release Form: a Randomised Crossover Study in Trained Males. Sports Medicine Open. January 24, 2019.
  23. Sodium Bicarbonate Tablets. Cleveland Clinic.
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Reyna Franco, RDN

Medical Reviewer
Member of American College of Lifestyle Medicine

Reyna Franco, RDN, is a New York City–based dietitian-nutritionist, certified specialist in sports dietetics, and certified personal trainer. She is a diplomate of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and has a master's degree in nutrition and exercise physiology from Columbia University.

In her private practice, she provides medical nutrition therapy for weight management, sports nutrition, diabetes, cardiac disease, renal disease, gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, food allergies, eating disorders, and childhood nutrition. To serve her diverse patients, she demonstrates cultural sensitivity and knowledge of customary food practices. She applies the tenets of lifestyle medicine to reduce the risk of chronic disease and improve health outcomes for her patients.

Franco is also a corporate wellness consultant who conducts wellness counseling and seminars for organizations of every size. She taught sports nutrition to medical students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, taught life cycle nutrition and nutrition counseling to undergraduate students at LaGuardia Community College, and precepts nutrition students and interns. She created the sports nutrition rotation for the New York Distance Dietetic Internship program.

She is the chair of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine's Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist Member Interest Group. She is also the treasurer and secretary of the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, having previously served in many other leadership roles for the organization, including as past president, awards committee chair, and grant committee chair, among others. She is active in the local Greater New York Dietetic Association and Long Island Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, too.

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Angela Haupt is a freelance writer and editor based in Pennsylvania. She was previously the managing editor of health at U.S. News & World Report, where she helped launch and continued to lead the popular Best Diets rankings. Angela's work has appeared in publications such as Washington Post, Women's Health magazine, USA Today, and Newsday. She received a bachelor's degree in journalism from Penn State University.

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