Supplements I Regret Taking (and What I'd Do Now)

TL;DR

Dr. Mike reviews five supplements he regrets taking, explaining why most fail and what actually works instead.

Key Points

• 1.Creatine ethyl ester is a waste. It breaks down in the stomach's acidic environment into creatinine, which is simply excreted — stick to cheap, well-researched creatine monohydrate instead.
• 2.Non-stimulant fat burners are nearly useless. Ingredients like berberine, capsaicin, and green tea extract have effects too small to be noticeable; a calorie deficit and 10,000 steps daily outperform them.
• 3.Leucine powder is only useful for low-quality protein diets. Adding 3g per meal can trigger muscle growth when proteins lack leucine, but it's unnecessary if you already eat meat, whey, egg, or soy.
• 4.Casein protein isn't magical before bed, just convenient. It digests slowly and works well pre-sleep or between long meal gaps, but Greek yogurt or lean meat is roughly equivalent.
• 5.Cheap whey concentrate is problematic for sensitive guts. Those with lactose or dairy intolerance should switch to whey isolate, whey hydrolysate, or beta-lactoglobulin (BLG), which remove most problematic compounds.