Performance Essentials guides
Performance Essentials guides
Creatine, aminos and hydration, read honestly — what the research supports and how to run a fair trial.
- Guides
- 28
- Products
- 9
- Avg. read
- 11 min
By product
The guides behind every product
Each performance essentials product with the guides written for it — what it is, how to take it, and how it compares.
5g Creatine & Electrolyte Powder
from $29.90
Shop the product4 guides
- Creatine for Runners: When It HelpsCreatine for runners, session by session: which workouts it touches, the two ways our labels start it, and why race week is the wrong time to begin.11 min read
- Does Creatine Dehydrate You? The EvidenceDoes creatine dehydrate you? The NIH ties creatine's usual weight gain to water your body holds. See the liquid our labels pair with each 5,000 mg scoop.11 min read
- Creatine for Women: What It Does & DoseCreatine for women means the same 3 to 5 g a day the NIH describes for any adult. We cover water weight, training past 40 and sodium.11 min read
- Creatine and Electrolytes Together: 3 WaysTaking creatine and electrolytes together? We compare plain, blended and two-product setups by the sodium each adds, from none to 1,000 mg a scoop.11 min read
Creatine Monohydrate Powder
from $29.00
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- Creatine Side Effects: Myths vs EvidenceCreatine side effects, sorted: water weight is common, and one study tied diarrhea to a single 10 g dose. Hair, bloat and blood tests, explained.11 min read
- Creatine Monohydrate vs HCl: Which to BuyCreatine monohydrate vs HCl, decoded: gram for gram, HCl carries about 11% less creatine, and micronized and Creapure are both just monohydrate.11 min read
- Creatine Gummies vs Powder: The 5 g MathCreatine gummies vs powder: 5 g is one scoop of our powder, but a gummy's count, sugar and cost per dose all depend on its label. Here's how to check.11 min read
- Creatine for Beginners: A Simple GuideNew to creatine? What it does, how much to take, why you can skip the loading phase, and honest answers about bloat, timing, and who it's for.10 min read
Beta-Alanine & Caffeine Pre-Workout Powder
from $33.90
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- Pre-Workout Side Effects: What's NormalPre-workout side effects can run from a late-day crash to a short night and red, itchy skin. Here's what each feels like and why we stop at 1 scoop.11 min read
- Pre-Workout for Beginners: How to StartPre-workout for beginners, label in hand: why your first try is 1 scoop with 175 mg of caffeine, what you may feel, and when to skip it.11 min read
- Pre-Workout vs Creatine: Which or Both?Pre-workout vs creatine: one is caffeine for today's session, the other a daily habit. Our pre-workout's 1,500 mg of dicreatine malate isn't a full dose.11 min read
- Pre-Workout vs Energy Drink: Which to UsePre-workout vs energy drink: we compare caffeine per serving, what else each adds, and how most adults can keep a whole day within 400 mg of caffeine.11 min read
Pre-Workout Caffeine & L-Theanine Energy Powder
from $36.49
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- Are Energy Powders Bad for You? Our LabelAre energy powders bad for you? The format matters less than the scoop count. We read our own label, from 200 mg of caffeine per serving to sucralose.11 min read
- What Does Taurine Do in Energy Drinks?Wondering what taurine does in energy drinks? Learn its everyday job in your body, how the added kind is made, and how 1,000 mg compares with food.11 min read
- Best Time to Drink an Energy DrinkThe best time to drink an energy drink is the morning. Stop any caffeine 8 hours before bed, and finish a full 200 mg serving by late morning. Here's why.11 min read
- Energy Drink vs Coffee: An Honest VerdictEnergy drink vs coffee: sip for sip, a strong brewed coffee can match the strongest can. So the choice comes down to sugar, extras and how you measure.11 min read
2:1:1 BCAA & L-Glutamine Powder
from $36.90
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- BCAA Side Effects: Who Should Skip ThemNIH names no specific BCAA side effects, but our tub holds more than BCAAs. Here's what its label adds: L-glutamine, two sweeteners and 2.5 mg of B6.11 min read
- BCAA and Glutamine Together: Who It SuitsBCAA and glutamine together is about convenience, not proven synergy. We weigh 1,000 mg of L-glutamine per BCAA serving against a 3.15 g plain scoop.11 min read
- Do BCAAs Break a Fast? An Honest AnswerDo BCAAs break a fast? By a strict water-only rule, yes. Here's why some labels still read 0 calories, and how to time BCAAs around fasted training.11 min read
- BCAA vs EAA: Which One Do You Need?BCAA vs EAA: BCAAs are 3 of the 9 essential amino acids. Here's when each fits, and why whey, which the NIH says provides all nine, often makes more sense.11 min read
Electrolyte Hydration Powder
from $35.99
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- Electrolyte Tablets vs Powder: How to PickElectrolyte tablets vs powder: why sodium per serving matters more than format, and how salt and coconut water compare to a scoop with 100 mg of sodium.11 min read
- Can You Have Too Many Electrolytes?Can you have too many electrolytes? Yes, mostly by stacking. See how 5 scoops, a creatine blend and a magnesium capsule add up against federal limits.11 min read
- Best Hydration Powder: An Honest Guide to Choosing OneWhat a hydration powder actually does, the electrolyte amounts that matter, when water alone is enough — and how to pick a mix you will actually drink.11 min read
- Electrolytes 101: When You Need ThemWhat electrolytes actually do, when plain water is enough, and when a mix earns its place — plus how to choose between our two hydration powders.9 min read
L-Citrulline & L-Arginine Capsules
from $27.90
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- L-Citrulline Side Effects and SafetyL-citrulline side effects are thinly studied. The NIH notes stomach upset, and gram-level gut trouble is mostly arginine's. See how 2 capsules compare.11 min read
- L-Citrulline Capsules vs Powder & TimingL-citrulline capsules vs powder, counted out: matching the 6 g a day in NIH-cited studies would take 42 to 53 of our capsules. Here's when to take each.11 min read
- L-Citrulline and Creatine: Take Together?Taking L-citrulline and creatine together? See what our labels hold, why creatine is the half with the evidence, and where a 400 mg capsule falls short.11 min read
- L-Citrulline vs Citrulline Malate: DosingL-citrulline vs citrulline malate is really label math: a 1:1 citrulline malate is about 57% citrulline, so 400 mg of it holds roughly 227 mg.11 min read
L-Glutamine Powder
from $27.00
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- L-Glutamine vs Glutathione: Not the SameL-glutamine vs glutathione: one is a single amino acid, the other a molecule your cells build from three. How they differ, and which one we sell.11 min read
- Glutamine vs Creatine: Which One to Take?Glutamine vs creatine side by side: 3.15 g of L-glutamine per scoop next to 5,000 mg of creatine monohydrate, and what the NIH says each does for training.11 min read
- L-Glutamine Side Effects: What to KnowMost L-glutamine side effects are digestive. See what NIH lists, what 3 scoops (9.45 g) of our powder add up to, and who should ask a doctor first.11 min read
- L-Glutamine for Gut Health: A Complete GuideWhat L-glutamine for gut health really means: how it fuels the gut lining, what research suggests, how much to take, and powder vs capsules.10 min read
Organic Beetroot Capsules
from $21.90
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- Beetroot and Citrulline Together: The MathBeet nitrate and citrulline take separate routes to nitric oxide. We check the label math on beetroot and citrulline together against two small trials.11 min read
- Do Beetroot Capsules Work? The Nitrate GapDo beetroot capsules work? The exercise research used beet juice, and our own capsule label lists no nitrate, the compound that research centers on.10 min read
- When to Take Beetroot Capsules, and WhyWhen to take beetroot capsules: our label says 2 capsules once a day, 20-30 minutes before a meal. Here's how that timing fits around a workout.11 min read
- Beetroot Capsules Side Effects to KnowBeetroot capsules side effects, from our label (1,300 mg per 2-capsule serving): why urine can go pink or red, what oxalate means and who should ask first.11 min read
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