Dietary Supplements

Dietary supplements are products designed to provide nutrients or other substances that may complement an individual's diet and support specific aspects of health, nutrition, or physical performance.
Understanding supplements starts with knowing what they are, what they can and cannot do, and how their benefits vary depending on the individual and the specific supplement.
The sections below introduce the basics of dietary supplements, explore protein powder and its different types, and explain what to consider when it comes to pre-workout.

Introduction

Dietary supplements are concentrated products that are designed to replenish missing nutrients from your diet, including vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients. In fitness, this can include pre-workout, post-workout, protein powder, and anything in-between. These may appear as tablets or capsules, powder, ready-to-drink liquids, or bars. They often include ingredients such as, but not limited to, amino acids, protein, creatine, and caffeine.

People often use supplements as ergogenic aids, or products that provide benefits such as performance enhancement, muscle growth and repair, and improved recovery. This can help prepare the body for exercise, and reduce the risk of injury during and after a workout. Additionally, ingredients such as BCAA, caffeine, creatine, and protein help to provide energy and alertness for the body.

However, dietary supplements are largely not necessary, and although they may provide health benefits and boost performance, a healthy and balanced diet may offer similar benefits. Dietary supplements generally should not be used as a replacement for a healthy diet, but should instead be used in addition to it [1] [9] [11].

Protein Powder

What is Protein Powder?

Protein powder is, in accordance with its name, a powdered form of protein that contains ingredients rich in protein, such as eggs or milk, or vegan options like soybeans, peas, hemp, or rice. This usually also includes ingredients including vitamins, minerals, thickeners, added sugars, and artificial flavoring. Furthermore, protein powder is considered a dietary supplement, and is not reviewed by the FDA. Therefore, be sure to review ingredients and obtain your product from a trusted manufacturer. Risks include, but are not limited to, digestive issues, potential long-term health issues, and adverse effects from artificial/added ingredients.

Aside from this, protein powders are known for their beneficial effects on the body, notably during exercise. This includes building muscle mass, enhancing performance and recovery, and helping individuals meet their daily protein goals. Protein powder may also help individuals with medical conditions or injuries receive proper nutrition. However, this supplement is likely not a requirement or necessity for your fitness goals [8] [9] [12].

What are the different options for protein powder?

There are many popular brands to source protein powder from, such as Optimum Nutrition, Dymatize, Transparent Labs, and Orgain. However, what’s important is the source of protein, which affects digestion, protein density and content, and other side effects/benefits. This includes, but is not limited to, whey, casein, pea, and soy.

Whey

Whey comes from milk, and separates from curds when making cheese, as it is the watery portion of milk. It is one of the most popular options of protein, as it is the fastest to digest, has high-protein content, and is often used as post-workout. There are 3 main types of whey: whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, and whey protein hydrolysate, with main differences including price, rate of absorption, and protein content.

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Casein

Casein is found in cow’s milk as well, containing all necessary amino acids for your body. However, absorption takes much longer, and therefore can be used to satiate hunger. It also greatly helps with muscle recovery and repair. Depending on dosage, both whey and casein can induce gut or digestive problems and similar side effects.

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vegan

Popular vegan options for protein include pea and soy. Studies have shown that the muscle synthesis is comparable between dairy-based and plant-based protein options. Soy protein contains all necessary amino acids, but is a common allergen for individuals. Pea protein also contains the same amino acids, but may contain smaller quantities of certain ones, like methionine. Both are generally easier to digest compared to whey protein.

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[2] [4] [5] [6] [7] [10] [13] [17]

pre-workout

What is pre-workout?

Pre-workout refers to the dietary supplement taking usually around 20-30 minutes prior to lifting or training. Common components in pre-workout include caffeine, creatine, beta-alanine, BCAAs, and electrolytes, which all serve to aid fitness and exercise. Caffeine helps increase alertness and boosts athletic performance, while creatine can increase strength, power, and muscle mass. Beta-alanine and BCAAs decrease discomfort and fatigue, promoting endurance. Electrolytes help replace vital minerals in the body, preventing cramps, dizziness, and headaches.

Popular forms of pre-workout include powder, capsules, and ready-to-go drinks. Powder is usually mixed with water or milk to form a drink, with popular options including Optimum Nutrition, Transparent Labs Bulk, Legion Pulse, and Cellucor C4. Capsules are travel friendly, while ready-to-drink options such as Alani Nu and Cellucor C4, are pre-mixed and convenient [3] [14] [15] [16].

References

[1] Alfieri, A., D’Angelo, S., & Mazzeo, F. (2023). Role of nutritional supplements in sport, exercise and health. Nutrients, 15(20), 4429. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15204429

[2] Badesha, Y. (2021, April 26). Pea protein versus soy protein: What’s the difference? Vivo Life USA. https://www.vivolife.com/blogs/news/pea-protein-versus-soy-protein-whats-the-difference?srsltid=AfmBOooQeq2_YbSVQNCBxgJUKcSsdVOGWjz3AH3USTX82QQnQ4wpJsjP

[3] Bella, Y. F., Cupido, S. R. S., Inacio, P. a. Q., Sobral, M. L. P., & Vieira, R. P. (2025). Pre-Workout supplements and their Effects on cardiovascular health: An Integrative review. Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease, 12(4), 112. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcdd12040112

[4] Boirie, Y., Dangin, M., Gachon, P., Vasson, M., Maubois, J., & Beaufrère, B. (1997). Slow and fast dietary proteins differently modulate postprandial protein accretion. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 94(26), 14930–14935. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.94.26.14930

[5] Cleveland Clinic. (2023, July 13). 4 Benefits of Casein. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/casein

[6] Colorado State University. (n.d.). Protein powder. Food Source Information. https://www.chhs.colostate.edu/fsi/food-articles/dairy/protein-powder/

[7] Dijk, F. J., Van Dijk, M., Roberts, J., Van Helvoort, A., & Furber, M. J. (2024). Pea and soy fortified with leucine stimulates muscle protein synthesis comparable to whey in a murine ageing model. European Journal of Nutrition, 64(1), 12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-024-03506-8

[8] Harvard Health Publishing. (2026, March 30). The hidden dangers of protein powders. https://www.health.harvard.edu/diet-and-nutrition/the-hidden-dangers-of-protein-powders

[9] Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2021, November). Workout supplements. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/workout-supplements/

[10] McIntyre, C. (2026, January 20). Casein protein - uses, side effects, and more. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/casein-protein#sideeffects

[11] Office of Dietary Supplements. (n.d.). Dietary supplements for exercise and athletic performance. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ExerciseAndAthleticPerformance-HealthProfessional/

[12] Patel, V., Aggarwal, K., Dhawan, A., Singh, B., Shah, P., Sawhney, A., & Jain, R. (2023). Protein supplementation: the double-edged sword. Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings, 37(1), 118–126. https://doi.org/10.1080/08998280.2023.2280417

[13] Schneider, C. (2025, April). Pea protein vs. soy protein: Which one is better? Daily Harvest. https://daily-harvest.com/blogs/ingredients/pea-protein-vs-soy-protein?srsltid=AfmBOop-Df1ZiEdgQa48pzeEtDQusXKKAhBKsdhp_sYZJ0-dhie3Z-ki

[14] University Hospitals. (2025, May 2). Pre-Workout supplements: Are they worth taking? The Science of Health. https://www.uhhospitals.org/blog/articles/2025/05/pre-workout-supplements-are-they-worth-taking

[15] VASA Fitness. (2025, April 8). Best Pre-Workout Drinks ranked by us. https://vasafitness.com/blog/the-best-pre-workout-drinks-ranked-by-us/

[16] Vigliotta, C. (2026, January 5). We sourced the best Pre-Workouts based on insights from nutrition experts. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-personal-shopper/article/best-pre-workout/

[17] WebMD. (n.d.). Whey protein - uses, side effects, and more. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-833/whey-protein#overview

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