Training

The best workout supplements, matched to how you train.

The supplement aisle sells certainty by the tub. The trials support a short list, mostly worth a few percent each. Here is what fits your training, and what the wearable you already own can see.

By the Umbral teamUpdated October 3, 202610 min read44 studies cited

Quick answer

The best workout supplements are creatine, caffeine, whey protein and beetroot nitrate. Creatine, 3–5 g a day, has the deepest evidence: hundreds of trials. Caffeine helps every exercise type tested but, taken late, costs about 45 minutes of sleep. Whey adds about 5.5 lb (2.5 kg) to your best lift over a training block; beetroot nitrate, 1–3% in time trials.

Key takeaways

Creatine comes first for almost any training: 3–5 g every day, at any time, with the deepest evidence of any performance supplement.
Match the next one to your training: beetroot nitrate for endurance, beta-alanine or sodium bicarbonate for hard efforts of 30 seconds to 10 minutes, whey if you eat under about 1.6 g of protein per kg (0.73 g per lb) a day.
Caffeine works, but a 217 mg pre-workout needs at least 13.2 hours before bed; taken late, it costs about 45 minutes of sleep.
Few effects are big enough for a wearable to show: beetroot nitrate in your VO₂ max estimate, omega-3 and taurine in resting heart rate, late caffeine in your sleep.

In this guide

What are the best workout supplements?
Which workout supplement is best for your training?
Creatine or whey: which should you take first?
What is the best supplement for muscle recovery?
Do pre-workouts work?
Is creatine safe?
Which workout supplements can your wearable see?
How do you know a supplement is what the label says?
How do you know if a workout supplement works for you?
Frequently asked questions
References

What are the best workout supplements?

The best workout supplements, and the best supplements for athletes in most sports, are the few with consistent trials behind them: creatineStrong, caffeineStrong, whey proteinStrong, beetroot nitrateStrong, beta-alanineStrong and sodium bicarbonateStrong. Most are worth a few percent, not a transformation. Which ones you need depends on how you train.

The shortlist, strongest evidence and broadest use first
Supplement · Evidence	Best for	What studies found	Typical dose	On your wearable
Creatine monohydrate Strong	Strength, sprints, almost any training	Best-studied performance supplement; one large dose partly reversed the mental dip of 21 hours awake.	3–5 g a day	Below wearable noise
Caffeine Strong	Endurance, power and strength sessions	Helped every exercise type tested; taken late, costs about 45 minutes of sleep.	3–6 mg/kg (1.4–2.7 mg/lb), 60 min before	Likely visible
Whey protein Strong	Muscle gain when protein falls short	About 5.5 lb (2.5 kg) more on your best lift over a training block.	20–40 g per serving	Below wearable noise
Beetroot nitrate Strong	Running, cycling, endurance races	1–3% better time trials; the same pace at a lower heart rate.	6–13 mmol nitrate, 2–3 h before	Likely visible
Beta-alanine Strong	Hard efforts of 30 s to 10 min	About 3% better in that window; nothing under 30 seconds.	4–6 g/day, split doses	Below wearable noise
Sodium bicarbonate Strong	Rowing, middle distance, team-sport sprints	Worth 1.3–2.9% in 30 s to 12 min events; no effect on maximal strength.	0.3 g/kg (0.14 g/lb), 60–180 min before	Below wearable noise
Curcumin Strong	Soreness after hard training blocks	Soreness about half a point lower on a 0–10 scale.	500–1,500 mg curcuminoids daily	Below wearable noise

Lower down: L-carnitineModerate moves damage markers, not performance, and cordycepsEmerging rests on one decent trial in which VO₂ max did not change. For the bigger picture, see which supplements you actually need.

Which workout supplement is best for your training?

The best workout supplement for you depends on how long your hardest efforts last. CreatineStrong fits strength work. Among the best supplements for endurance, beetroot nitrateStrong comes first. Beta-alanineStrong and sodium bicarbonateStrong fit hard efforts of 30 seconds to 10 minutes. Find your row, then start one supplement at a time.

Which workout supplement fits your training
If you train for	Start with	Why
Strength and muscle	Creatine; add wheyStrong if protein is under 1.6 g/kg (0.73 g/lb) a day	Whey: about 5.5 lb (2.5 kg) more on your best lift
Endurance: running, cycling	Beetroot nitrate; taurineModerate in the heat	1–3% better time trials
Hard efforts of 30 s to 10 min: HIIT, team sports, rowing intervals	Beta-alanine daily, or sodium bicarbonate before the session	About 3% and 1.3–2.9%; nothing under 30 s
Tendon and joint loading	Collagen peptidesModerate with vitamin C, 30–60 min before	Gelatin with vitamin C doubled a collagen-synthesis marker; tendon data are very low certainty
Heavy soreness after hard blocks	CurcuminStrong or L-carnitineModerate	Less soreness, lower muscle-damage markers
Bad sleep after evening sessions	Earlier caffeineStrong, then tart cherryModerate	A 217 mg pre-workout needs 13.2 h before bed; tart cherry added 34 min of sleep

Beetroot nitrate

Strong

Concentrated shot

The endurance pick, with the largest effects in recreational endurance athletes; it also lowers systolic pressure by about 4 mmHg.

It is also the one a wearable is most likely to register: the same pace at a lower heart rate is what watches use to estimate VO₂ max.

Dose: 6–13 mmol nitrate (1–2 shots)
Timing: 2–3 h before hard cardio

Watch out for

· Red urine is harmless. Avoid antiseptic mouthwash (blocks conversion).
· Caution with PDE5 inhibitors / hypotension.

Likely visibleSee the full evidence →

Beta-alanine

Strong

Beta-alanine powder or capsules; sustained-release formulations (e.g. CarnoSyn SR) if tingling is a problem

For efforts where the burn is the limit: rowing pieces, 800–1,500 m, CrossFit, repeated sprints. Small but dependable, about 3%, and only from 30 seconds to 10 minutes.

It loads over weeks: muscle carnosine rises 20–30% by week 4, so judge it after a month, by your interval times, not your wearable.

Dose: 4–6 g/day for at least 2–4 weeks (cumulative load matters more than daily dose); split into servings of ≤1.6 g to stay under the paraesthesia threshold
Timing: Time of day is irrelevant — this is a loading supplement, not an acute one. Take with meals to blunt tingling. Muscle carnosine rises 20–30% by week 4 and 40–60% with continued loading, and washes out over ~6–15 weeks.

Watch out for

· Paraesthesia (skin tingling on face, neck and hands) above ~800 mg in a single non-sustained-release dose — harmless but uncomfortable; use divided 1.6 g doses or a SR formula
· No other adverse effects identified in the ISSN review at recommended doses; long-term (>1 year) data are limited
· Theoretical taurine depletion via shared transporter has not been confirmed in humans

Below wearable noiseSee the full evidence →

Creatine or whey: which should you take first?

Creatine vs whey comes down to protein: take creatineStrong first unless your diet is short on it, since creatine has the deepest evidence of any performance supplement. Whey proteinStrong mainly helps you reach a protein target; its gains were largest in people eating under about 1.6 g per kg (0.73 g per lb) a day. Short on protein? Take both.

Creatine monohydrate

Strong

Powder

Suits almost anyone who trains. Take it every day, rest days included; the hour matters less than not skipping.

In a 2024 trial, one large dose partly reversed the mental dip of a night without sleep. It won't raise your HRV, and its effect sits below what a wearable can see.

Dose: 3–5 g/day
Timing: Any time; consistency matters

Watch out for

· Raises lab creatinine harmlessly; hydrate.

Below wearable noiseSee the full evidence →

Whey protein

Strong

Whey concentrate (~80% protein) or isolate (~90%) — isolate if lactose-sensitive; look for ≥2.5 g leucine per 25 g serving and third-party testing (Informed Sport / NSF)

Over a training block, whey added 0.66 lb (0.30 kg) of fat-free mass and about 5.5 lb (2.5 kg) to one-rep max, and strength returned faster 72 hours after hard sessions. It did nothing for soreness.

The benefit plateaus near 1.62 g of protein per kg (0.73 g per lb) a day, all sources counted: use whey to reach that, not to pass it.

Dose: 20–40 g per serving (0.25 g/kg (0.11 g/lb) body mass), enough to hit 1.4–2.0 g/kg/day (0.64–0.91 g/lb/day) total protein; benefit plateaus around 1.62 g/kg/day (0.73 g/lb/day) (95% CI 1.03–2.20)
Timing: Anywhere in a 3–4 hourly distribution across the day; pre- or post-workout both work, the 'anabolic window' is at least 24 h wide. 30–40 g casein pre-sleep is the one genuinely time-specific protocol.

Watch out for

· Bloating, gas and cramping in lactose intolerance — switch to isolate or hydrolysate
· Acne flares are reported with whey in susceptible individuals
· No evidence of kidney harm in people with normal renal function, but high intakes are not appropriate in existing chronic kidney disease

Below wearable noiseSee the full evidence →

What is the best supplement for muscle recovery?

Among the best supplements for muscle recovery, curcuminStrong has the clearest effect on soreness: about half a point less on a 0–10 scale, plus lower creatine kinase, a blood marker of muscle damage. WheyStrong helps strength return. Omega-3Strong moves the recovery numbers a wearable tracks.

Curcumin

Strong

Curcuminoid extract standardised to ≥95% curcuminoids, in a bioavailable delivery form (phytosome/Meriva, Theracurmin, Longvida) or co-dosed with 20 mg piperine

For a hard block, a comeback or unfamiliar eccentric work; untrained and returning athletes saw the largest effect. Start days before the block, not the morning after.

The effect is small, and more isn't better: under 500 mg a day did as well as over 1.5 g. Read the liver-safety line below before buying a piperine product.

Dose: 500–1500 mg/day curcuminoids; meta-analysis found doses <500 mg/day worked as well or better than >1.5 g/day
Timing: Split into 2 doses with fat-containing meals; start 2–7 days before a hard block and continue 3–4 days after. Pre-exercise dosing favours soreness/ROM, post-exercise favours CK and IL-6.

Watch out for

· Diarrhoea, nausea and abdominal distension at doses above ~1.5 g/day
· Drug-induced liver injury is documented: 10 DILIN cases, 1 fatal; 7 of 10 carried HLA-B*35:01 and piperine-containing products were implicated
· Increases oxalate excretion — avoid with a history of calcium-oxalate kidney stones

Below wearable noiseSee the full evidence →

L-carnitineModerate: across 14 trials, creatine kinase 48.7 IU/L lower and less soreness at 24 hours. Recovery markers, not performance.
Collagen peptidesModerate: take them daily, 30–60 minutes before loading a tendon. Tendon results took 12–24 weeks, and that evidence is very low certainty.
Omega-3: across 51 trials, resting heart rate about 2.2 bpm lower and HRV higher, a change your wearable trend can show in 8–12 weeks.
Tart cherryModerate is sold for recovery, but its evidence is sleep: about 34 more minutes a night in a 7-day trial. More in our sleep guide.

Do pre-workouts work?

Pre-workout supplements that work do so mostly through caffeineStrong, which improved every type of exercise tested at 3–6 mg/kg (1.4–2.7 mg per pound). Citrulline malateModerate adds a smaller edge if the dose is real. The catch is sleep: a 217 mg pre-workout needs at least 13.2 hours before bed.

Caffeine

Strong

Anhydrous caffeine capsules for dose precision, or coffee (~95 mg per 240 mL cup); caffeinated gum absorbs faster and needs less lead time

Taken too late, caffeine costs about 45 minutes of sleep, 11 minutes of deep sleep and 9 extra minutes to fall asleep. For an 11 pm bedtime: a 107 mg coffee by about 2 pm, a 217 mg pre-workout before 9:48 am.

Your wearable sees this one clearly, as shorter, shallower nights. If HRV dips too, the trials point to the lost sleep, not to caffeine itself. For daytime energy without that cost, see our energy guide.

Dose: 3–6 mg/kg (1.4–2.7 mg/lb) body mass; as little as 2 mg/kg (0.91 mg/lb) is ergogenic for some, and 9 mg/kg (4.1 mg/lb) adds side effects without adding performance
Timing: 60 min before exercise (less for gum). The cut-off matters more than the dose: a 107 mg coffee needs ≥8.8 h before bedtime and a 217 mg pre-workout ≥13.2 h — meaning a pre-workout at 6 pm is still costing sleep at midnight.

Watch out for

· Sleep disruption is the dominant documented cost: −45.3 min total sleep time, −7.0% sleep efficiency, −11.4 min deep sleep
· Anxiety, jitteriness, tachycardia and palpitations, strongly dose-dependent and modulated by ADORA2A genotype
· Acutely raises blood pressure and delays post-exercise heart rate and blood pressure recovery

Likely visibleSee the full evidence →

Citrulline malate

Moderate

Citrulline malate 2:1 — verify the ratio on a certificate of analysis, since many products deliver 1.1:1 and roughly half the labelled citrulline

For multi-set, high-rep strength work, mostly lower body: roughly 3 extra reps a set, on low-certainty evidence. The blood-flow 'pump' was not confirmed when measured directly.

Many products deliver 1.1:1 instead of 2:1, about half the citrulline on the label: check the certificate of analysis.

Dose: 8 g citrulline malate (≈4.5 g L-citrulline at a true 2:1), acutely; 12 g has been used without clear added benefit
Timing: 40–120 min before training, 60 min being the most common. There is no established loading protocol — the evidence base is almost entirely acute.

Watch out for

· Stomach discomfort and nausea at 8+ g — reported in roughly 10–15% of subjects across trials
· Mild blood-pressure lowering via nitric oxide; caution if hypotensive
· No serious adverse events reported, but no long-term safety data beyond acute and short-term use exist

Below wearable noiseSee the full evidence →

Is creatine safe?

For healthy adults, yes: the ISSN position stand found 3–5 g of creatineStrong a day effective and safe across populations. It raises creatinine on blood tests without causing harm, so tell your doctor you take it, and drink enough water. Our catalogue flags it for kidney disease: if that applies to you, check with a clinician first.

Which workout supplements can your wearable see?

Only a few. Beetroot nitrateStrong feeds your watch's VO₂ max estimate. Omega-3Strong and taurineModerate lower resting heart rate by roughly 2 to 4 bpm over weeks. CaffeineStrong taken late shows up as worse sleep, and tart cherryModerate as more of it. Most other workout supplements work, but below what a wearable can resolve.

A wearable shows change against your band, your normal range, and nightly numbers are noisy. An effect has to beat that noise, or hold for weeks, to show in your trend.

Visible, with a caveat: taurine's 3.6 bpm drop came mostly from trials in people with heart or metabolic conditions; a healthy, trained heart may move less.
Below the noise: the strength, interval and soreness supplements. Judge them by your training log.

How do you know a supplement is what the label says?

Buy products with third-party testing, such as Informed Sport or NSF, and a certificate of analysis you can read. This shelf has known label problems: some products deliver about half the stated active ingredient, others are contaminated. Three workout supplements need an extra check before you pay.

WheyStrong: Informed Sport or NSF, and at least 2.5 g of leucine per 25 g serving.
Citrulline malateModerate: a certificate showing a true 2:1 ratio.
CordycepsEmerging: only Cs-4 or cultivated C. militaris with declared cordycepin and beta-glucans. Wild cordyceps is routinely adulterated, with documented lead and arsenic, and a 'mushroom blend' hides the dose. Even clean, it is an experiment: its one decent trial moved a lab threshold, not VO₂ max.

How do you know if a workout supplement works for you?

Test one at a time against your own data. Trials give you the average effect; your band shows whether you respond. Pick a supplement whose effect a wearable can see, keep everything else steady, and compare what happens against your band.

01Connect the wearable you already own and let it learn your band first.
02Pick one supplement and its metric: beetroot nitrateStrong and your VO₂ max estimate, or omega-3Strong and resting heart rate.
03Hold dose and timing fixed for as long as the trials ran: weeks, not days.
04Read the result as association, not causation: your numbers moved while you took it, which does not prove it moved them.

That is Umbral: no new device, supplements graded on scientific evidence, and each one measured against your own band.

Frequently asked questions

Should I take creatine every day?

Yes: 3–5 g a day, rest days included. Any time of day works; consistency is what matters. Creatine raises creatinine on blood tests without causing harm, so tell your doctor you take it and stay hydrated. If you have kidney disease, check with a clinician first.

How much protein do I need to build muscle?

Aim for 1.4–2.0 g of protein per kg of body weight a day (0.64–0.91 g per pound), food and supplements combined. In a 49-trial meta-analysis, the benefit plateaued near 1.62 g/kg/day (0.73 g per pound). Spread it in servings of 20–40 g every 3–4 hours; the 'anabolic window' is at least 24 hours wide.

Does beta-alanine tingling mean it's working?

No. The tingling, called paraesthesia, is a harmless side effect above about 800 mg in a single dose. The benefit comes from muscle carnosine building up over weeks, not from anything you feel after a dose. Split 4–6 g a day into doses of 1.6 g or less, with meals, or use a sustained-release form.

Is caffeine a good pre-workout?

Yes, if the timing fits your sleep. At 3–6 mg/kg (1.4–2.7 mg per pound) about 60 minutes before, caffeine improved performance in every type of exercise tested. Taken late it costs about 45 minutes of sleep: a 217 mg dose needs 13.2 hours before bed, so for evening sessions the trade stops paying.

What should I take for sore muscles?

Curcumin has the best evidence: about half a point less soreness on a 0–10 scale and lower creatine kinase, a blood marker of muscle damage. L-carnitine lowered the same markers across 14 trials, a recovery effect rather than a performance one. Whey helps strength return but did nothing for soreness.

Does sodium bicarbonate help in the gym?

For muscular endurance, a little: across 13 studies it helped people do more reps at a given load. For maximal strength, no: 11 studies found no effect. The cost is a large sodium load, about 1.6 g for a 154 lb (70 kg) person, and stomach trouble, so weigh it against a small gain.

Find out which of these move your numbers.

A guide can rank the evidence; only your own data can say what works for you. Umbral learns your band (your normal range) for sleep, HRV and recovery, recommends the supplements with evidence for what it sees, and measures each one against you. Results read as association, not causation.

Find out which supplements you need

Just connect the wearable you already own: WHOOP, Oura, Garmin, Fitbit and more. Nothing new to buy, no blood draw to start.

References

Every number in this guide comes from these studies: the same evidence catalogue that grades recommendations inside Umbral.

Umbral is a wellness product, not a medical device. It does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Supplement information is educational; talk to a clinician before starting anything, especially if you are pregnant, under 18, managing a condition or taking medication. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

Keep reading

Energy

The best supplements for energy start with a blood test.

Most lasting tiredness has a cause you can look for. Here is where to look first.

Read the guide →

Sleep

The best supplements for sleep, matched to your kind of bad night.

Slow to drop off, awake at 3 a.m. or short on hours: each has a different best pick. Here is what the trials found, in minutes.

Read the guide →

How to choose

What supplements should I take? A method, not a stack.

The wellness wave sells stacks without measuring you. Here is how to pick the few supplements with evidence for your goal, and test them on your own data.

Read the guide →