BCAA, CLA, L-arginine, taurine, glutamine and NAC are usually bought individually for a specific goal, rather than as a group. Here’s what UK-relevant research actually shows for each one — including a genuine cardiac safety finding for one of them that’s worth knowing before you buy.
Health Tips for Sports & Performance Nutrition
Evidence-based guides on creatine, amino acids and other nutrients studied for exercise performance and recovery.”
Once seen as a “gym bro” supplement, creatine is having a genuine moment in 2026, particularly among women. Unlike most of the supplements we cover, creatine has two officially authorised EFSA claims behind it — here’s what the research actually supports, and where the current hype gets ahead of the evidence.
Exercise performance depends mainly on training, recovery and overall diet, with a small number of supplements — creatine chief among them — genuinely well studied for a supporting role. This category covers what current research actually shows for ingredients like creatine and amino acids, alongside the training and recovery fundamentals that matter more than any supplement. Where an ingredient has an authorised EU health claim — such as creatine’s role in physical performance during high-intensity exercise — we say so specifically, rather than treating every sports supplement as equally proven.