How to know if you’re buying the right supplement.

Walking into a nutritional store and making a choice on which supplements are right for you can be a daunting task.

Moreover, reading and comprehending the labels of these products, along with deciphering the role each ingredient plays in making the product effective, can puzzle even the most highly informed athletes.

A large part of that confusion can come from the all-so-prevalent “proprietary blend” that seems to be slapped on almost every ingredient label these days. Well maybe that’s a little bit of a exaggeration, but proprietary blends are very common in this industry and the fact is, many consumers don’t know what that phrase even means. So let’s try to clear the air a little.

The most obvious question is what does “proprietary blend” mean when it comes to sports nutrition? Proprietary blends are complex compounds of health enhancing ingredients that make up patented blends. Proprietary blends keep the competition from knowing the exact formulae and stealing that formula to make their own successful products. It’s like the Colonel’s secret recipe and KFC’s 11 herbs and spices. However, it also keeps the consumer in the dark.

To decipher the mystery so you can make a decent judgment on whether or not the product is worth your hard-earned money, first, check to see how many milligrams encompass the entire blend. Then look to see how many ingredients are included in the blend. The longer the list of ingredients, the better the chance that the amount of each ingredient is so small they will have little or no effect.

Many of these ingredients could be useless fillers that many manufacturers use to pump up their blends. Watch out for ingredients like rice flour, magnesium stearate, silica, gelatin, cellulose, maltodextrin, stearic acid, croscarmellose sodium, vegetable coating, rice bran oil, beeswax, etc. With that simple formula in mind, it can help you see who is out to make a buck and who has the intention to make a product that will help you reach your fitness goals.

For some of the best in high performance sports nutrition, check out Fitlode’s Product Reviews ^[1].

Creatine is the most popular muscle building sports nutrient and is essential for those interested in bodybuilding, since it helps to achieve desired increases in muscle mass in a very short period of time.

Creatine’s biggest benefit is its ability to produce energy and is very beneficial for anaerobic athletes who require instant energy to maintain and sustain high-powered muscle contractions. Studies have revealed that Creatine boosts muscle growth in a number of different ways, and also helps to repair torn muscles much faster.

Whether you want to bulk up or lose weight, dietary supplements will help you reach your goals faster, safer and with better results. We review only superior market brands to ensure you’re getting the weight loss management and high performance nutrition advice you need. These brands are backed by scientific research and have shown proven results.

Micronized Creatine Monohydrate

Micronized Creatine Monohydrate uses exclusive CREAMAX™ technology to micronize the highest grade German-source CREAPURE® creatine monohydrate – the most heavily researched and time-tested sports nutrition supplement. Micronized Creatine Monohydrate is manufactured under a cGMP pharmaceutical processes to provide you with the ultimate in purity, quality and effectiveness.

ALLMAX Nutrition
1000 g
MSRP: $31.99
Sale: $26.99
Find out more ^[2]

KRUSH4

For post-workout recovery, KRUSH4 rapidly replenishes depleted energy stores and increases muscular strength and size. KRUSH4 offers quicker creatine delivery, increased insulin sensitivity, faster blood flow, rapid ATP energy production, enhanced muscle recovery, and hyper-creatine muscular saturation.

ALLMAX Nutrition
3.3 lbs
MSRP: $41.99
Sale: $39.99
Find out more ^[3]

NOK2

More than just a potent Nitric Oxide Stimulator, NOK2 delivers you the power of three of the most potent muscle-stimulating complexes:  Arginine, Creatine and Glutamine to provide the pump, the strength and the power you demand. NOK2 takes the power of K2 (Alpha Ketoglutarate) to a whole new level by adding the purest German-Source Creatine money can buy:  Creapure gives you the most dynamic fast-track to rapid gains in power and strength.

ALLMAX Nutrition
180 Capsules
MSRP: $61.99
Sale: $26.99
Find out more ^[4]