Creatine in a Cast Won't Clearly Save Muscle, But Rehab Is Different
Everyone wants to know if creatine can save your muscle when an injury puts you in a cast. A new systematic review of six randomised trials (118 young people, 1-2 weeks of immobilisation) says the evidence during disuse is mixed, and some apparent lean-mass benefits may just be water. The more intriguing signal came during rehab, where two studies found larger gains in quad size, power and strength with creatine. Here are the real numbers, the limitations, and who might want to try it.
Vegans Took Creatine for 4 Weeks: Jumps Rose, Sprints Didn't
Vegans eat almost no dietary creatine, so does supplementing hit harder? A new randomized, triple-blind human trial gave 20 active vegans 0.1 g/kg/day of creatine monohydrate for four weeks. Jump performance improved, and so did some body composition measures, but sprint, handgrip and mid-thigh pull results didn't budge. Body water climbed 1.4 kg, and the study couldn't compare vegans with meat-eaters. Here's what the numbers show, what they don't, and who might want to try it.
Ketone Drinks in the Heat: Longer Endurance and Sharper Memory?
Ketone drinks are supposed to be for fat-burning biohackers, but a new heat-stress trial suggests they might also help you finish stronger. In 17 trained men, ketone monoester plus caffeine extended time to exhaustion to 8.9 minutes versus 7.0 with carbs plus caffeine, after 90 minutes of loaded treadmill work at 34 °C. Working-memory accuracy on the 1-back task improved too, while heart rate and core temperature didn't differ meaningfully. But 2-back, reaction time and the hit-and-avoid task showed no benefit, and the study was small, male-only and single-session. Here's what the data show, and what they don't.
SlimSEB Probiotic-Enzyme Blend Beat Placebo—But There's a Catch
A probiotic, enzyme and botanical blend called SlimSEB beat placebo in a 12-week randomized trial of 87 adults at risk of type 2 diabetes. Obese participants lost 4.5 kg more than placebo and trimmed their waists by 11 cm, while cholesterol and insulin resistance also improved. But the product was supplied by its maker, the trial was small and short, and the multi-ingredient formula means no single component can take credit. Here is what the data show, how they compare with GLP-1 drugs, and who should think twice.
GAA Brain Booster? The 6-Week Trial Result Is Complicated
GAA, the creatine precursor sold as a brain booster, just got its first serious human test. In a six-week, double-blind trial of 58 healthy adults, it produced some faster reaction times and a scattering of mood and stress signals. Most cognitive tests, however, showed nothing, and many of the headline results were only trends. Safety markers looked fine, but the study was small, exploratory, and had no creatine-only comparison group. Here is what it really shows, who it might suit, and why the verdict is mixed.
Vitamin D Sped Strength Recovery in Men Who Weren't Deficient
Men with perfectly normal vitamin D levels still recovered strength faster after a brutal leg workout when they took 4,000 IU daily. In this randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 28 active men, peak isometric force bounced back about 8% better at 24 hours. Muscle-damage markers ALT and AST also rose less. But there's a twist: soreness didn't improve at all. Here's what the study found, where it falls short, and who might actually care.
A Mushroom Capsule Lifted VO2max 14.8%—But There's a Big Catch
A mushroom capsule, 40 days, and a 14.8% rise in VO2max sounds almost too good to be true. In this new Antioxidants paper, 50 young male athletes taking 320 mg/day of a beta-glucan-rich multi-mushroom extract improved from 46.26 to 53.12 mL/kg/min. The big catch is that there was no placebo group, no randomization and no blinding, and the athletes kept training throughout. Cell experiments on rat heart cells add a hypoxia-related hint, but they tested single compounds, not the capsule. Here's what the study found, what it can't tell us, and who should think twice.
The Add-On That Boosted Arginine Absorption 17% in a Small Trial
A 2023 crossover trial found that pairing 5 g of arginine with Astragalus and Panax notoginseng saponins raised arginine absorption by 17.3% and lifted the arginine-to-ADMA ratio by 167.1%. Urinary nitrate and cGMP, two nitric oxide markers, also rose. But only 24 people were analysed after six were excluded for large individual differences, and nobody measured workout performance. Here's what the data show, what they don't, and who should think twice.
Whey Plus Collagen Beat Either Alone in Lifters—With a Catch
Mixing 30 g of whey with 10 g of collagen beat whey alone, collagen alone and placebo on every outcome in a new 8-week trial of resistance-trained men. The stack added 2.66 kg of muscle (by BIA), lifted lumbar spine BMD and improved squat, bench and bone turnover markers. Collagen alone moved bone, and whey alone moved muscle. But with only 40 participants, unmatched protein totals and a surprisingly big BMD jump, there is a catch. Here is what the stack won, who it may suit and who should skip it.
Ashwagandha's Surprise: It Helps Endurance More Than Strength
Ashwagandha is often marketed as a strength and muscle booster, but a new meta-analysis points somewhere else. Pooling 13 randomized trials and 599 participants, researchers found the most consistent benefit for aerobic endurance, with a pooled effect of g = 0.54. Strength gains were positive but uncertain, and the data on power were thin. The apparent dose sweet spot of 500-600 mg/day of extract comes with big caveats, including a prediction interval that crosses zero. Here is what the evidence supports, who might benefit, and who should hold off.
Creatine + Beta-Alanine: The Stack Bonus Researchers Couldn't Find
The creatine plus beta-alanine stack is marketed as a performance power couple, but a new network meta-analysis of 52 randomized trials found no synergy between them. Creatine alone significantly improved sprint, jump, repeated-sprint and upper-body endurance outcomes versus placebo. Beta-alanine's effects were non-significant or context-specific, and the combo added nothing beyond creatine. Here's what the study did, where it falls short, and what it means for your supplement budget.
Creatine for Jumper's Knee? Pain Relief Showed Up by Week 4
Jumper's knee can sideline athletes for months, and a new trial asks whether creatine can speed things up. In 20 athletes doing eccentric rehab, only the creatine group had a significant pain and function (VISA-P) improvement at 4 weeks, along with gains in jump height. By week 8, however, both groups had improved similarly, and the between-group interaction only trended (p = 0.099). Here is what the study did, how creatine was taken, who might benefit, and why the small sample demands caution.
Ketone IQ Raised Ketones at Cape Epic, But Did Nothing Else
Riders at the 8-day Cape Epic drank Ketone IQ twice a day and hit about 1 mM blood ketones, yet their fatigue, heart rate, reaction time and recovery looked the same as placebo riders. The double-blind trial tested R-1,3-butanediol in real racing conditions rather than a lab. The authors say the modest ketosis was not effective, and that butanediol should not be confused with ketone esters. With only 18 riders, the study has real limits, but it is a sobering data point for anyone considering a pricey ketone drink for recovery.
Baking Soda + Sprints: The Dose That Beat Placebo on Every Test
A new randomized trial in basketball players found that adding sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to four weeks of sprint interval training beat placebo on jumping, sprinting, agility, Yo-Yo distance and Wingate power. The higher dose of 0.45 g/kg then outperformed 0.3 g/kg on every single measure. That makes it a cheap, tempting add-on for team-sport athletes. But the stomach is the catch, and the study is small, short and male-only. Here's the dose math, the GI-distress workarounds, and who this actually applies to.
Doubling Your Caffeine Barely Helped Boxers—Here's What Did
Think a double scoop of pre-workout means double the performance? A new crossover trial in 15 competitive boxers compared 3 mg/kg and 6 mg/kg of caffeine, and the bigger dose was not consistently better. Both doses raised jump height and power at 60 minutes, while 6 mg/kg only pulled ahead on a few outcomes like ballistic push-up power and knee torque. Here is the mg-per-kg conversion for common body weights, the timing the data supports, and the honest caveats, including that punching itself was never tested.
Creatine Works Even When You Can't Breathe: Freediver Trial Shows
Creatine is famous for helping you lift heavier and sprint harder, but can it help when you are not breathing at all? A new double-blind trial in trained freedivers found that a 7-day loading phase of 20 g/day boosted total work and time to exhaustion on a breath-hold cycling test. Strangely, blood lactate ended up lower in the creatine group than in placebo despite the better performance. Here is what the study did, who might benefit, and why a sample of just 20 divers means you should keep your expectations in check.
12 mg Astaxanthin for 28 Days: Muscle Damage and Burnout in Fighters
A new randomized trial put 12 mg of daily astaxanthin to the test in young male taekwondo athletes. After 28 days, the supplement group showed a significantly different creatine kinase trajectory than placebo, plus higher SOD and exploratory signs of lower MDA and less emotional and physical exhaustion. But the burnout findings were exploratory, with no group × time interaction on any subscale. The trial was small and measured biomarkers, not performance. Here's what the data show, what they don't, and who might want to pay attention.
48 g of Rice Protein Matched Whey for Muscle and Strength in 8 Weeks
Plant protein is supposed to lose to whey, but a 2013 trial in trained men found otherwise at a big dose. In 24 resistance-trained males, 48 g of rice protein isolate after training produced the same gains in lean mass, muscle thickness, strength, and power as 48 g of whey over eight weeks. Why did rice keep up? The large dose may have closed the leucine gap. Here is what the study showed, where its limits lie, and how vegans and dairy-intolerant lifters can use it.
Less Iron, Every Other Day: Same Ferritin Gains in Women
Hepcidin can throttle iron absorption after a daily dose, which may be why oral iron so often disappoints and upsets the stomach. A 2026 randomized trial in 66 iron-deficient women tested 21 mg of iron every 48 hours against 30 mg daily for 42 days. Ferritin rose significantly in both groups with no significant difference between them, while hemoglobin stayed stable and GI effects were mild. The catch is that this was active-controlled with no placebo, and the iron forms differed, so the result is comparable rather than superior. Here is what it means for women who train, and why you should test ferritin before supplementing.
Pre-Workout Caffeine Stiffens Arteries. Beetroot Powder Offset It
A new randomized crossover trial found that a pre-workout-sized dose of caffeine (6 mg/kg) raised markers of arterial stiffness within 2.5 hours. Adding a beetroot powder with 400 mg of nitrate brought those markers back to placebo levels. Blood pressure and endothelial function did not change, so this is a subtle effect rather than a red flag. The study involved just 24 healthy young adults and a single dose, leaving big questions about long-term use and older or hypertensive people. Here is what the data show, what they do not, and how to think about it if you rely on caffeine before training.
The Glutamine Dipeptide That Kept Shooters Accurate When Water Didn't
Water is the default hydration advice, but a small study of Division I basketball players suggests it may not protect shooting accuracy as well as water with a little L-alanyl-L-glutamine. Ten women played four 40-minute games, and the low dose of 1 g per 500 ml beat water by 11.1% on shooting. The higher dose did not do better on shooting, and jump power didn't change at all. Here are the numbers, the practical takeaways, and the caveats you should weigh before stirring any of it into your bottle.
Tribulus Terrestris Flopped in Elite Rugby Players: 5-Week Trial
Tribulus terrestris is marketed as a natural testosterone booster that builds muscle in under a month. So researchers tested it on elite rugby league players in a double-blind trial. Everyone got stronger and gained fat-free mass, but the placebo group did just as well. The supplement also didn't change the urinary T/E ratio. Here's what the study found, its limits, and where your money is better spent.
Creatine Helped Women With Bad Knees Stand Up Better. Not Why You Think
Creatine is usually pitched at young lifters, but a randomized, double-blind trial tested it in postmenopausal women with knee osteoarthritis. After 12 weeks of leg training, the creatine group's timed-stands score rose from 15.7 to 18.1, while placebo barely moved (15.0 to 15.2). Creatine also improved stiffness, lean mass and quality of life. But pain relief and leg-press max strength were no better than placebo. Here's what the numbers show and who this might actually help.
Krill Oil Cut Muscle Loss on a Fasting Diet by Up to 6x in a Trial
Dieting hard often means losing muscle along with fat, but a new randomized trial suggests one supplement may change that. In 41 adults doing 8 weeks of alternate-day fasting, krill oil and placebo groups lost the same body weight (about 4.6 vs 4.5 kg). Yet the krill group lost just 0.2 kg of fat-free mass versus 1.2 kg for placebo, and held onto handgrip strength too. Before you stock up, there are catches: the sample was small and the capsule also contained astaxanthin and choline. Here are the numbers, the dose and who should skip it.
Fish Oil Swapped Fat for Muscle in 6 Weeks. Scale Didn't Budge.
What if the scale doesn't move, but your body quietly trades fat for muscle? A double-blind trial of 44 healthy adults found that 6 weeks of fish oil (about 2.4 g EPA+DHA daily) shifted body composition by roughly half a kilo each way, with body weight unchanged. A drop in salivary cortisol tracked with the changes, though that link is only correlational. Resting metabolic rate didn't budge, and the sample was small. Here's what the numbers really show, and how to use them sensibly.
Creatine Stack Built Muscle in Beginners—But Not Strength. Why?
A new randomized trial gave novice lifters a creatine-based supplement blend for four weeks and found more muscle mass, a better testosterone/cortisol pattern, and improved recovery. Yet leg press 1RM improved no more than with placebo. The reasons may include beginner neural gains, a short study window, and early water retention, though the paper can't prove which. Kidney markers stayed normal, but the study was small, men-only, industry-funded, and didn't detail the full formula. For new lifters, the safest evidence-based move is still plain creatine monohydrate.
This Carnitine Form Lifted Sprint Power Up to 15% and Cut Lactate
A 2009 crossover study found that a single 4.5 g dose of glycine propionyl-L-carnitine (GPLC) lifted peak and mean sprint power by 2.6% to 15% across five all-out cycling bouts. Blood lactate was also 16.2% lower 14 minutes after exercise. But the "15%" is the top of a range, not an average, and the study involved just 24 men in one lab. This article breaks down how GPLC differs from regular L-carnitine and ALCAR, where the nitric oxide theory fits, and who might actually benefit. It also covers dose, timing and the limits of the evidence.
Kre-Alkalyn's Label Dose Didn't Lift Muscle Creatine, Biopsies Show
Buffered creatine like Kre-Alkalyn promises better absorption, lower doses and less bloating. A double-blind Texas A&M trial put that to the test with actual muscle biopsies in 36 trained lifters over 28 days. At the label dose of 1.5 g/day, muscle creatine barely moved, while monohydrate raised it clearly more. Strength, body composition and side effects showed no advantage for the buffered product. Here is what the numbers show and how to dose creatine instead.
The Energy Drink Ingredient That Boosts Endurance on Its Own
Everyone talks about caffeine, but the other ingredient on the energy drink can may be quietly doing its own work. A 2018 meta-analysis of 10 studies found that isolated taurine improved endurance performance (Hedges' g = 0.40), and a single dose appeared to be enough. Neither dose (1–6 g) nor supplementation length changed the effect in a meaningful way. The catch is a small evidence base and wide confidence intervals, so this is a promising signal, not a guarantee. Here's what the study found and how to try taurine sensibly.
The 'Sleep Protein' That Left Bad Sleepers Waking More Often
Alpha-lactalbumin is marketed as the "sleep protein," and earlier acute studies hinted it could help athletes sleep and perform. A new randomized crossover trial put it to the test in 24 athletes who actually sleep badly. After a week of 40 g taken 2 hours before bed, there was no sleep benefit, awakenings rose slightly (11.01 vs 10.25), and jump height dipped (27.68 vs 28.58 cm). The one upside was reduced negative mood in the evening. Here's what was tested, what the numbers show, and who should skip it.
Creatine Pyruvate vs Citrate: One Form Kept Force Up Longer
Two fancy creatine forms beat placebo in a 28-day trial, but one kept muscle force elevated through all ten all-out intervals while the other faded. Creatine pyruvate raised force in every interval (p < 0.001), whereas creatine citrate's benefit disappeared by the sixth interval. Only pyruvate also improved relaxation velocity and resting oxygen consumption. Before you ditch your tub, there's a major catch: the study had no creatine monohydrate group. Here's what the numbers show, what they can't, and how to choose.
Ashwagandha + Rhodiola Worked. The Evening Sleep Stack Didn't.
A new four-arm trial throws a curveball at the supplement-stacking crowd. In 103 healthy, active adults, a morning combo of 600 mg ashwagandha and 300 mg Rhodiola rosea was linked to lower perceived stress, better sleep quality and improved mood. The popular evening stack of magnesium L-threonate, L-theanine and apigenin added nothing, and taking both looked worse on positive affect. Here's what the study found, why it needs caution (only two weeks, small groups), and how lifters might use it.
Creatine's Precursor Beat Creatine for Grip Strength in Over-65s
A small trial in adults over 65 found that guanidinoacetic acid (GAA), the direct precursor of creatine, improved grip strength more than creatine monohydrate. The catch is that it was an 8-week pilot with just 21 completers, no exercise program, and a confidence interval that barely cleared zero. GAA also showed greater myostatin suppression and BIA-measured gains in muscle-related indices, though those readings may partly reflect hydration. Homocysteine is the safety question to watch, since GAA consumes methyl groups and has raised it in other studies. Here is what the study found, what it can't tell us, and why creatine monohydrate is still the proven default.
The 15 g Bedtime Collagen Trick That Cut Night Wake-Ups by 27%
Waking up repeatedly through the night can quietly sabotage your recovery, even when training and nutrition are dialed in. A small trial found that 15 g of collagen peptides taken an hour before bed cut polysomnography-recorded awakenings from 29.3 to 21.3, roughly 27% fewer. Participants also scored better on a morning Stroop test. But total sleep time, sleep latency and sleep efficiency didn't budge, and the study involved just 13 men over 7 nights with an industry-supplied product. Here's what the data really shows and how lifters might test it safely.
Baking Soda Beat Sodium Citrate and the Combo by 17 Seconds
Everyone assumes that stacking buffers beats taking just one. In a crossover trial of ten highly trained female CrossFit athletes, sodium bicarbonate cut 6-km time trial time by 21.5 seconds versus placebo, while sodium citrate and the combo weren't clearly better than placebo. Bicarbonate also beat citrate by 11.6 seconds and the combination by 17.2 seconds. The catch was more pre-exercise stomach discomfort. Here is what the study found, why the stack flopped, and how to trial it safely.
Creatine + HMB Made Over-60s Stronger in 6 Weeks, Not Bigger
Over-60s on a creatine + HMB stack got stronger in just six weeks, yet the muscle-mass numbers barely moved. This double-blind crossover trial of 30 active older adults found gains in leg, back and arm strength plus upper-body and core endurance. Regression analyses suggested the improvements were largely independent of muscle size, pointing toward a neuromuscular effect. Before you rush to buy, there are real caveats: a short six-week window, a small sample, and body composition measured by BIA. Here's what the study found, what it didn't, and how to read it.
Spirulina Helped Runners Last 32% Longer—Here's the Catch
Runners who took spirulina for four weeks lasted about 32% longer in an all-out effort after a brutal two-hour run. The same study found a 10.9% jump in fat oxidation and higher levels of the antioxidant glutathione. But before you stock up, there's a catch: only nine men took part, and the real-world gain was roughly 39 seconds. Here's what the research shows, why it might work, and how to try it safely.
Forskolin Fat Burner: 2 kg in 12 Weeks—Modest but Real?
Forskolin has been hyped as a fat-burning miracle for years, but does a new 2026 trial finally give it some real backing? In 60 overweight adults over 12 weeks, a Coleus forskohlii extract beat placebo by about 1.93 kg in body weight and 1.83 cm in waist size, with better triglycerides and HDL. Safety markers looked clean too. But the study was quasi-randomized, small, and run by the product's manufacturer, and the effect is a rounding error next to GLP-1 drugs. Here's what the data really say and how to approach forskolin with realistic expectations.
A 40 mg Collagen Dose Doubled Time to Knee Pain. Here's the Catch
Achy knees under the bar or on the road? One randomized trial found that just 40 mg a day of undenatured type II collagen (UC-II) was linked to knee pain starting later, from 1.4 to 2.8 minutes, and to better knee extension. That is about 250 times less than a typical 10 g scoop of hydrolyzed collagen, and it is a different kind of product. But the study was small, industry-linked, and done in healthy people rather than arthritis patients. Here's what the data show, where the headline needs context, and how to read a label.
2 Grams of Ginger Cut Next-Day Muscle Pain by ~25% in Two Trials
A common kitchen spice just went head-to-head with one of the gym's most universal complaints: next-day muscle soreness. In two double-blind trials, people who took 2 grams of ginger daily for 11 days reported roughly 25% less pain 24 hours after punishing eccentric exercise. But ginger didn't clearly improve strength or swelling, and nobody tested it against ibuprofen. Here is what the research shows, why it might work, where the evidence falls short, and who should consider trying it.
HMB Boosted Cardio Fitness, Not Strength, in New 2026 Trial
HMB is usually sold as a way to hold onto muscle and build strength, but a new triple-blind trial found something different. In 90 men, a high personalized dose of liquid HMB free acid (90 mg per kg of fat-free mass daily) plus high-intensity functional training raised VO2max and threshold markers more than placebo. The effect was clearest in trained men, and isometric leg strength did not budge. Here is the dose math, how it compares with the standard 3 g, and who might actually benefit.
Shilajit Tested: Can 'Mountain Tar' Really Raise Testosterone?
Shilajit, the Himalayan "mountain tar" sold as a natural testosterone booster, was put through a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. In men aged 45 to 55, 250 mg of purified Shilajit twice daily for 90 days significantly raised total testosterone, free testosterone and DHEAS versus placebo, while LH and FSH stayed stable. The study is promising but modest, limited to middle-aged men, and reports hormone levels rather than gym performance. Here's what the research shows, what it doesn't, and why purity and heavy-metal testing matter when buying.
Rhodiola Rosea: A Stimulant-Free Pre-Workout for Hard Cardio?
A 2013 crossover trial found that a single 3 mg/kg dose of Rhodiola rosea an hour before a 6-mile bike time trial shaved the finish time from 25.8 to 25.4 minutes. Warm-up heart rate dropped from 140 to 136 bpm, and perceived exertion fell from 6.6 to 6.0. The gain is small, around 1.5%, and comes from only 18 people, so it's no miracle. Still, the effort-perception angle makes it an intriguing stimulant-free option for endurance athletes. Here's what the data show and how to try it sensibly.
Creatine and Hair Loss: The 56% DHT Spike Explained
A 2009 study found that a 7-day creatine load of 25 g/day raised DHT by 56%, with levels still about 40% higher on 5 g/day maintenance, while testosterone stayed flat. Since DHT is linked to male-pattern baldness, the finding fuelled the creatine hair-loss debate. But the trial had just 20 rugby players, lasted three weeks, and never measured hair at all. Later studies haven't consistently reproduced the DHT increase. Here is what the research really shows, who might care, and how to adjust your approach if you're worried.
Betaine Raised Bench Throw Power ~16% in 14 Days
Two weeks of betaine, a compound found in beets and sold as TMG, was linked to roughly 16% higher bench throw power on day one of a hard testing block in resistance-trained men. A randomized, double-blind crossover trial also found higher isometric bench press force, with smaller improvements in vertical jump power and isometric squat force. But reps and jump squat power did not budge, and the study included just 12 men. Here's what the data show, the dose used, and what lifters should and shouldn't take from it.
ZMA for Testosterone? 8 Weeks in Lifters Found Nothing
ZMA built its reputation on bold testosterone claims, a link to the BALCO scandal, and an early football study that seemed to show big gains. Then researchers put it to a tighter test: 42 resistance-trained men, double-blind, eight weeks of standardized training. Serum zinc rose 11-17%, but not significantly, and hormones, strength, body composition, endurance and anaerobic power were no different from placebo. Here's what the study did and didn't show, why deficiency is a separate question, and what lifters should do instead.
Creatine Ethyl Ester vs Monohydrate: The Pricey Form Lost
Supplement makers love to sell "advanced" creatine as better absorbed than the old standby. A 2009 double-blind trial tested creatine ethyl ester against monohydrate and placebo in 30 untrained men over seven weeks of heavy training. CEE produced lower serum creatine and sharply higher serum creatinine, a pattern consistent with it breaking down into waste. Muscle creatine rose in both creatine groups, but strength, power, and body composition did not differ between any groups. The takeaway: skip the premium form and keep it simple.
3 g Arginine + 500 mg Vitamin C: Testosterone Up 26% in Lifters
Arginine has long been written off as an overhyped nitric oxide booster, but a new randomized trial adds a twist: pair it with vitamin C. In 50 male bodybuilders, 3 g of arginine (split into three doses) plus 500 mg of vitamin C for 45 days significantly raised testosterone and VO2max versus placebo, and body fat dropped. Growth hormone, cortisol and nitrogen balance did not significantly differ between groups. It's a cheap stack worth watching, but it comes from one small trial, and higher testosterone doesn't guarantee more muscle.
Seaweed Fucoidan Boosted Grip Strength in Over-60s in 12 Weeks
Losing strength with age is one of the most common and least discussed parts of getting older, and resistance training isn't an option for everyone. A new 12-week randomized trial found that a low-molecular-weight seaweed fucoidan, taken at 1,650 mg per day, significantly improved grip strength and six-minute walk performance in adults over 60. Surprisingly, muscle mass didn't change, and adding BCAAs and vitamin D offered no extra benefit. The trial was small and tested a single branded product, so it's a promising lead rather than a verdict. Here's what the study found and what it means in practice.
AstraGin: The Hidden Label Ingredient That Boosted Whey Absorption
There's a tiny ingredient on your pre-workout label you've probably ignored: AstraGin. A new human pilot trial found it boosted absorption of valine by 14%, leucine by 8%, and total essential amino acids by nearly 13% in adults aged 60-80. Blood zonulin, a gut-permeability marker, also dropped 13%. But strength and muscle mass differences weren't statistically significant, and the study had just 30 participants. Here's what the data really says about whether AstraGin works.