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Evidence-reviewed. No hype. Know what you're taking.
Citrulline malate
Grade any supplement
SUPPLEMENT LAB
The most studied performance supplement on earth. It works.
The most reliable ergogenic aid. Dose matters. So does your tolerance.
The label says 6g. How much is actually L-citrulline? Usually far less.
Buffers muscle acidity in the 1–4 minute effort window. Feels like tingles.
A convenient, high-quality protein source. Not magic — just efficient food.
Mostly obsolete if you eat enough protein. Which you probably do.
Adaptogen with real (small) effects on stress markers and possibly strength.
Only supplement if you're deficient. Then it matters a lot.
If you don't eat fatty fish 2–3x/week, this is one of the few worth taking.
Marketed as a fat burner. It isn't one for most people.
Alpha-2 antagonist with a real fat-loss mechanism and a real cardiovascular risk profile.
Sold as a testosterone booster. It isn't.
Smooths caffeine's edge. 1:2 caffeine:theanine is the classic stack.
Sweat a lot or eat clean? You probably need more sodium than you think.
Most people under-eat magnesium. Glycinate is the well-tolerated form.
Fixes deficiency. Doesn't 'boost testosterone' if you're already replete.
Better than BCAAs. Still not necessary if you eat enough complete protein.
Slow-digesting protein. Fine as a night-time convenience — not magical.
Not for muscle. Some real (small) signal for tendons and skin — with vitamin C.
Modest anti-catabolic effect in untrained/cutting/older lifters. Overhyped in trained ones.
Buffers blood pH for 1–7 minute efforts. Real effect, real GI risk.
Small signal for power output. Fine to stack — not a headliner.
Real endurance signal. Timing and dose matter more than the brand.
Popular pre-workout add-in. Human data for performance is thin.
Poor oral bioavailability. Citrulline does its job better.
Great for gut health in ICU patients. Not doing much for your lifting.
Small ergogenic signal. Usually underdosed in energy drinks.
A phase-shifter, not a sedative. Low doses beat high doses.
Simple, cheap sleep quality aid at bedtime. Not a knockout.
Adaptogen with a small anti-fatigue signal — especially under acute stress.
Real anti-inflammatory signal — but only in bioavailable formulations.
Small pain benefit in some osteoarthritis studies. Not a joint 'repair' agent.
Tiny metabolic bump. High-dose EGCG carries liver risk.
Ephedrine-lite. Modest fat-loss signal, real cardiovascular risk when stacked.
Amphetamine-family stimulants. FDA-banned repeatedly. Hard skip.
Early studies looked promising. Follow-ups showed no effect — or a decrease — in trained men.
Small signals for glycemic control. Free-testosterone claims are thin.
Real acetylcholine precursor. Small power/output signal at real doses.
Only worth it under stress (heat, cold, sleep loss, cognitive load).
Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. Cycled — not a daily driver.
Investigational drugs. Not supplements. Not legal to sell for human use.
Anabolic steroids in a supplement bottle. Illegal and dangerous.
EVIDENCE LIBRARY
Why '6g citrulline malate' isn't 6g of citrulline — and how to figure out what you're actually getting.
Prop blends hide individual ingredient doses. They are almost always a signal that at least one ingredient is underdosed.
The five things that matter and everything the marketing wants to distract you from.
The category exists because the ingredients don't work — if they did, they'd be regulated.
The things that should make you put the tub back on the shelf.