For Stuart Phillips, Examine.com is a signal in a sea of scientific noise
Examine.com provides up-to-date, informative, factually correct and unbiased research reviews that I trust. Examine.com is a signal in a sea of scientific noise!
Make sure the supplements you buy actually improve your health
Know exactly what to take, when to take it, and how much to take
Achieve your health goals with the right combination of supplements
Save $100s by not buying useless supplements
Supplement companies are trying to make you buy supplements you don’t need
There are hundreds of supplements available for purchase, and Examine.com has analyzed over 400 of them.
With the overwhelming number of supplements you could buy, how do you figure out which ones you need?
It’s not like you can trust supplement companies; they have one goal: to convince you to buy their supplements.
Since 1994, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) has been poorly enforced, allowing supplement companies to run wild. As long as they made no specific medical claims, it was essentially legal for supplement companies to spread misinformation and unfounded claims.
For example, glutamine, a nonessential amino acid, is heavily promoted as a muscle builder. A common marketing claim is that consuming glutamine increases muscle mass by 300%.
Take a second to flex your biceps. Now imagine them 300% bigger — you’d put Conan-era Arnold to shame!
The truth is, research did show glutamine tripled the size of muscle cells — if you injected it directly into cells in a petri dish! That doesn’t happen in your body. First, you’re not injecting glutamine, and second, your small intestines keep much of it for themselves!
So based on a technicality, supplement companies push glutamine as a muscle builder.
Supplement companies also hide behind “proprietary blends”, which allow them to hide from you how much of each ingredient you’re getting. Not reassuring when that’s stuff you put into your body!
Furthermore, these companies frequently underdose the most expensive ingredients (and overdose the useless ones).
Are you getting the supplements you actually need?
Instead of relying on marketing claims, you need to figure out which supplements are worth your time and which are a waste of money.
Here’s the truth: you should take specific supplements based on your health goals. A 60-year-old with aching joints has different needs than a 30-year-old who can’t fall asleep; recommending the same supplements to them is wasteful and senseless!
Making sense of the information — and misinformation — out there can be overwhelming. There's a ton of conflicting information online, and most of it is pushed by people trying to sell you specific supplement brands. Plus, reading scientific research is a complex skill that requires specific education and expertise.
This is where we can help.
We do not sell any supplements
Examine.com’s only goal is to break down and make sense of research. Not only do we not sell supplements, but we also don’t recommend any brands, nor do we do any consulting or accept advertisements, donations, or sponsorships.
We are 100% independent and extremely serious about being unbiased when it comes to nutrition and supplement information.
We only care about the science. It’s why millions of people visit us every month, why professionals from major sports leagues rely on us for nutrition and supplement analysis, and why we have tens of thousands of customers.
To that end, we created the Supplement Guides to help you level up your knowledge and take only the supplements that are proven to work — and skip the ones that waste your time and money.
What aspect of your health do you want to improve?
Here are the topics our 17 guides cover:
What to take for a
healthy body
What to take for a
healthy lifestyle
What to take for a
healthy mind
In the Supplement Guide, we cover
Supplements that work
that may
to avoid
The %topic Supplement Guide helps you improve the following health conditions:
Ready for an unbiased guide on optimal supplements for %topic?
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- FREE Lifetime updates
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Ready to improve your health?
- FREE Lifetime updates
- Instant Access
- Unconditional 30-day money-back guarantee
The Supplement Guides
Go from “This supplement works... I think?” to “I know these supplements work.”
Achieve your health goals
There is no magic pill that works for everyone; instead, you need to take the supplements that help achieve your goal.
So we created 17 different guides, each focused on helping you optimize a specific health goal.
We analyzed all of the available scientific research so we can give you the best recommendations on how to optimize your health.
Actionable steps, with a focus on what actually works — and what doesn’t
We have four main goals when recommending a supplement. We tell you:
- Why you should take it.
- When you should take it.
- How much you should take.
- If the supplement combines well with any other supplement.
We use our decades of knowledge and research to give you easy-to-understand, step-by-step directions to help you optimize your supplementation.
Take the ideal combination of supplements - for you
Some supplements can impact the efficacy and potency of other supplements. Bolster your results by learning how best to combine supplements based on your situation and goals.
Not everyone is the same - we each have our own health issues, concerns, and goals. We understand that, so our guides give you the context and information behind supplements so you know exactly which ones are worth your time and money, and which you can safely skip.
Save time and money
The average American spends over $350 on supplements every year!
People take supplements they think are helping but are not useful; our guides help you identify which supplements you don’t need.
The guides will pay for themselves with the savings they’ll bring you in the long run.
Unbiased information you can trust
Our guides only tell you what to take, not which brand, because we are 100% fiercely independent. You won’t be hit with the unfounded claims and outright misrepresentation of research that are the tactics of shady supplement companies.
You can supplement confidently, knowing our recommendations are based on science and not because we’re trying to push profits.
A clear prioritization of supplements
The reality is that science is not exact. Sometimes there’s evidence that a supplement may work, but we cannot be 100% sure.
So we’ve broken down our recommendations into five descending sets of priorities:
- Core supplements have the best safety-efficacy profile.
- Primary options can be effective in the right context.
- Secondary options may be worth adding, but the evidence is limited.
- Promising supplements are backed only by preliminary evidence.
- Inadvisable supplements are likely to harm your health and/or wallet.
This way you can maximize your hard-earned money and spend it on what you wish rather than wasting it on supplements that will be useless to you
Included lifetime updates keep the guides reliable and up to date
With free lifetime updates, even as your needs change, our guides remain useful.
There are hundreds of nutrition studies published each month. It’s why we have an entire research team whose only job is to stay abreast of the latest research. If you take a look at our social media, you’ll see we’re always posting about research as it is published.
Here is an example of one section from one of our guides being expanded over the years:
Examine.com has been around for over nine years. Are your health goals the same today as they were nine years ago?
We keep up with research and update our Supplement Guides accordingly so you’ll be confident that you have the latest and greatest recommendations for your changing health goals.
Ready to get started?
Over the years, we’ve had thousands of peoples send us messages, emails, and videos thanking us for our research and how following our advice vastly improved their health and lives.
If you want to improve your health, save money (by buying only the supplements you need), and save time (by not having to figure out everything yourself), then our Supplement Guides are the perfect complement to your health goal regimen.
Plus, with our unconditional 30-day money-back guarantee, you can buy with complete confidence.
Because we don’t sell supplements ourselves, we’ll tell you which supplements are a complete waste of your money — promise.
Some of the interesting things you’ll learn inside our Supplement Guides:
- The vegetable that will give you a better pump than most commonly sold nitric oxide boosters.
- A few key minerals and vitamins where, if you are deficient in them, can result in having below-average testosterone levels.
- The vitamin that combines with vitamin D and calcium to help strengthen your bones!
- The supplement that not only amplifies the effect of caffeine but also reduces the anxiety or jitteriness you can get!
- History of skin cancer? This mineral may help reduce your risk.
- Looking to improve your hair? Don’t waste your money on this wildly popular supplement.
- Creatine not giving you an exercise boost? We can show you how to fix that.
- How your protein needs change based not only on your health goals, but your age.
- How timing your carbohydrate intake can increase exercise performance.
- Diabetes? You may become deficient in certain minerals...
- How you may be using sunscreen incorrectly (and how to use it properly).
Benefit from decades of important research without spending decades poring over studies.
Take only the supplements that will help you achieve your health goals
Our Supplement Guides are the culmination of years of research and experience — we’ve distilled thousands of studies into practical steps you can take right now.
Stop wasting your time and money on supplements that don’t work.
Stop getting information from biased sources trying to sell you supplements.
Start taking supplements that will help you achieve your health goals.
Get all 17 Supplement Guides for only $149
That's 40% off (NORMALLY $249.99)
- Instant download
- Free lifetime updates
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Has the COVID-19 health crisis impacted your financial situation? We are offering 50% discount to those suffering from economic issues — click here to learn more.
Are you currently a student? Click here to claim a 50% discount from the regular price.
Are you a senior citizen? Contact us for our senior discount.
Take a peek inside one of our Supplement Guides
What is Examine.com and why should you trust us?
- Examine.com is an independent encyclopedia on supplementation and nutrition. We’re unique because we don’t sell supplements and aren’t affiliated in any way with any supplement company. When we recommend a supplement (or say another is ineffective), it has no impact on our bottom line. Consider us the Switzerland of the world of nutrition and supplementation.
- Since our inception in early 2011, we’ve had but one goal: to be the best source of unbiased information on supplements and nutrition. MDs, biophysicists, pharmacists, dietitians, sports nutritionists, kinesiologists … the members of our team are all accredited experts, but with very different backgrounds, so that when we do research, we get the full picture. That’s why we have over 50,000 references on our website — we’re happy to show our work.
- This single-minded dedication to providing well-researched, unbiased information has made us the #1 site for supplement information. Over 2.5 million people visit us every month. We have over 65,000 happy customers. And when major media organizations — the BBC, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Men’s Health, and many more — need experts, they turn to us.
The professionals rely on Examine.com’s evidence-based analyses.
Stuart Phillips, Director, Physical Activity Centre of Excellence (PACE) | Director, McMaster Centre for Nutrition, Exercise, and Health Research | Tier 1 Canada Research Chair, Skeletal Muscle Health
For John Berardi and his team, Examine.com is a trusted resource
Whenever I want unbiased, meticulously researched, and scientifically credible supplement information, I turn to my friends at Examine.com. They review thousands of studies and give bottom-line supplement recommendations better than anyone else in the industry. For me, my team, and my colleagues, they’ve become a trusted resource.
John Berardi, PhD, CSCS | Co-founder Precision Nutrition | Advisor to Apple, Nike, and Equinox
Jennifer Sygo uses Examine.com to get “the lay of the land” quickly
Examine.com’s updates help me to stay on top of current research on supplements and diet trends. I appreciate the detail on topics like supplement-nutrient interactions, and their in-depth summaries are a great way to get “the lay of the land” quickly and efficiently.
Jennifer Sygo, RD Cleveland Clinic Canada | Performance Toronto Raptors
Bryan Marshall recommends Examine.com to any fitness professional
Examine.com has been a long-time favourite resource of mine. Everything that the team at Examine.com puts out is relevant, trustworthy, and most importantly, actionable. I would highly recommend these resources to any fitness/performance professional or anyone interested in learning how to live a healthier lifestyle.
Bryan Marshall, Player Development & Applied Sport Science | Vancouver Canucks
Ramsey Nijem relies on Examine.com for credible and relevant information on nutrition and supplementation
As the Head Performance and Strength Coach for an NBA team, I am responsible for delivering credible and relevant information on all things sport performance. Examine.com is my go-to source when it comes to nutrition and supplementation.
Ramsey Nijem, Head Performance & Strength Coach, Sacramento Kings
John Meadows trusts Examine.com to tell him the truth on supplements
I’ll keep this simple: Examine.com is where I go when I want to look up what the science says on supplements and nutrition.
If you want the truth on supplements and what works and what doesn’t, no one does it better. You can tell they spend the time and effort to get the full picture. And as a pro bodybuilder, that’s exactly what I need.
John Meadows, IFFB Pro Bodybuilder
Michael Easter turns to Examine.com when he needs to understand complex nutrition topics
I turn to Examine.com any time I need to understand complex nutrition topics. The team consistently delivers science-backed, practical, and digestible information that I can trust.
Michael Easter, Lecturer - Journalism, UNLV | Journalist, contributor to Men's Health, Outside, and more
Mike Hart visits Examine.com daily
Examine.com is the most trusted resource on the internet for making intelligent decisions regarding your health. I visit it daily and frequently suggest to my patients to visit Examine.com before purchasing any supplements or making any dietary changes.
Mike Hart, MD
For Dr. Bryan Chung, Examine.com is the repository resource for nutritional supplement information
Examine.com has become THE repository resource for nutritional supplement information. Most other similar databases fail at what they’re good at, which is being accessible and being comprehensive. Their frequent updates stay on top of the literature as it evolves. Examine.com gives me an excellent overview of the body of work, which helps me filter and refine my search strategy when I’m looking up supplements that I get asked about that I’ve never heard of. The Human Effect Matrix provides interpretation that is lacking in every other supplement database in the world. Most people don’t have the time or interest to develop high-level expertise, but need somewhere to turn to to make informed decisions about their supplements. That information is at Examine.com.
Dr. Bryan Chung, MSc in Rehabilitation Science, MD, PhD
Dr. Yoni Freedhoff sees in Examine.com a massive and helpful undertaking
It’s insufficient to simply rely on belief, conjecture or internet advice to determine if supplements are right for you. Instead you need to rely on research. With Examine.com’s reference guide, not only will you find their summary of the research, but also links to the original papers should you want to do your own due diligence. Truly a massive and helpful undertaking.
Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, MD CCFP Dip ABBM
All of our guides are written by researchers with no conflicts of interest
We look at scientific research and summarize the findings for you in plain English
Kamal Patel
Director
Kamal is a nutrition researcher with an MPH and MBA from Johns Hopkins University, and is on hiatus from a PhD in nutrition in which he researched the link between diet and chronic pain. He has published peer-reviewed articles on vitamin D and calcium as well as a variety of clinical research topics. Kamal has also been involved in research on fructose and liver health, mindfulness meditation, and nutrition in low income areas.
Gregory Lopez
MA in Molecular Biophysics, PharmD
Gregory enjoys bringing his quantitative and analytical skills to bear on issues relevant to people's health and well-being.
Bill Willis
PhD in Biomedical Science
An avid member of the fitness industry for the past 15 years, Bill is currently a postdoctoral fellow, where he is examining the role of metabolic stress in the control of protein synthesis and inflammation in health and disease.
Download All 17 Guides For Only $149
That's 40% off (NORMALLY $249.99)
Or choose a single Supplement Guide
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Frequently Asked Questions
Most supplement research comes with an inherent bias. Studies are often backed by supplement companies with a vested interest to arrive at a conclusion substantiating their claims. All of this is done with one purpose in mind - to make you spend your money on pills and powders which may not work.
Other companies that don't do research themselves just cherry pick studies that make their products look good. Often time these are studies performed on rats and in petri-dishes - not in actual humans!
As Examine.com is an independent company that does not sell any supplements, we do not cherrypick. We are not trying to sell you supplements. We are 100% neutral and conduct all of our research independently, allowing us to come to our own conclusions regarding the validity of which supplements work.
Absolutely. The Supplement Guides are actually written with our own mothers in mind. They are easy-to-read and give you simple step-by-step directions on which supplements to take (and which to not waste money on).
Supplement Guides are easy-to-follow with step-by-step instructions. They can be easily used by your mother or father! Examine Plus gives you access to all the collated research. It's great for those who want to do it themselves (DIY), but can be intimidating.
Unless you are a researcher, you should choose a Supplement Guide.
Our goal is to update the Supplement Guides with new scientific evidence at least once a year.
We will notify you of each major update via email. With that said, you can simply download a new copy from the Member’s Area and it will be the latest version of the Supplement Guides.
We offer an unconditional 30-day money-back guarantee on all our products. Should you be unhappy with the Supplement Guides for any reason, simply email us at support@examine.com and we will refund your purchase.
Download All 17 Guides For
Only $149
That's 40% off (NORMALLY $249.99)
Or choose a single Supplement Guide
- Instant download
- Free lifetime updates
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Are you currently a student? Students are eligible for a 50% discount off the regular price.
Click here to claim your student discount.
Unbiased Information
Zero conflict of interest
Examine.com is an unbiased resource on nutrition and supplementation. We are not influenced by commercial interests, product manufacturers, or any other organization, and we will not advertise products or brands. Examine.com does not accept donations, third-party funding, or sponsorship of any kind. One hundred percent of our revenue is generated through our information products.
Unconditional Refund Policy
100% money-back guarantee
All Examine.com purchases are risk-free. Our Supplement Guides come with a 30-day money-back guarantee — no questions asked. If you don’t like what you see, just email us via support@examine.com within 30 days for your full refund.
Get All 17 Guides For Only $149
That's 40% off (NORMALLY $249.99)