The supplements you probably don't need
We sell supplements — and we're telling you to buy fewer of them. Most of what's on the shelf is either unproven, redundant or overpriced. Here's the honest list, with sources.
BCAAs
Branched-chain amino acids are marketed for muscle growth and recovery. The problem: if you eat enough protein, you already get plenty of BCAAs — and isolated BCAAs lack the other amino acids needed to actually build muscle. A much-cited 2017 review went as far as calling the muscle-building claim for isolated BCAAs unsupported. Money better spent: ordinary food, or a whole protein if you struggle to hit your target (how much protein do you need?).
"Testosterone boosters"
A 2020 analysis went through the ingredients and claims of popular testosterone boosters and found that the marketing is largely not supported by the academic literature — many ingredients had no human data at all. There are no EU-authorised claims in this category. If you're worried about your testosterone, that's a conversation with a doctor, not a checkout.
Fat burners
The EU has assessed and rejected the weight-loss claims behind most "fat burner" ingredients — you won't find them among the authorised claims. The mild metabolic effect of caffeine is real but small, and you can get it from coffee. The rest is mostly hope in a capsule, sometimes with real side effects.
Greens powders
A scoop of dried plants is not a shortcut to vegetables. The category has remarkably few clinical trials, no EU-authorised claims, and doses of each ingredient that are usually far below what studies used. If your diet lacks vegetables, the boring answer is the right one: eat vegetables. A basic multivitamin is a cheaper, better-defined base layer.
So what is worth it?
The short list of supplements with strong evidence and authorised claims is genuinely short: creatine for physical performance, vitamin D through the Nordic winter, omega-3 if you rarely eat fatty fish, B12 if you're vegan — and protein if food alone doesn't get you there. That's roughly it. That short list is also why our range looks the way it does.
In short
The supplement industry profits from complexity. The evidence points the other way: a few well-documented basics, dosed properly, taken daily. Everything else — be skeptical, and keep your money.
Sources
- Wolfe (2017). Branched-chain amino acids and muscle protein synthesis in humans: myth or reality? Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
- Clemesha, Thaker & Samplaski (2020). 'Testosterone boosting' supplement composition and claims are not supported by the academic literature. The World Journal of Men's Health.
- EU register of authorised health claims — rejected and authorised claims across categories.