Why You Should Be Avoiding These Overhyped Supplements
Save your coin (& your health) on these 10 supplements
This was a fun one. And one I’ve had requested by many of you in the past 6 months.
A few times/year I’m dishing out research summaries & personal insight on supplements I’ve found to be effective. Now it’s time to sniff out the bullsh*t. Each one carefully chosen, researched, & experimented with personally at some point in the last 2-3 years. Deep investigations like you’ve never seen into a wide variety of compounds.
If you’re looking for more general intelligence on navigating the supplement market at a practical level, I recommend the link below:
Supplement Buyer's Guide
This is an important one. And one I feel strongly about the need to democratize.
As critical as is to identify the compounds worth investing in for your health - it’s even more critical in knowing what to avoid.
“Invert. Always invert.”
- Carl Gustav Jacobi
Let’s jump into the most overhyped supplements.
#1: AG1
What is it?
If you’ve been around the health space for more than a year, you know Athletic Greens is a wildly popular powdered dietary supplement marketed as an "all-in-one" nutritional solution. The formula contains over 75 ingredients including probiotics, adaptogens, digestive enzymes, antioxidants, & antioxidants. Its become the most heavily promoted supplement on the market today by mainstream podcasters, influencers, & scientists alike.
What are the claims?
On a general level, AG1 is purported to replace your multivitamin & then some. Navigate to their web pages and you’ll get the idea of the abundance of claims made including but not limited to promoting gut health, healthy aging, hormonal health, brain function, and immune support. The list goes on.
Why is it overrated?
The first & greatest issue with any products like AG1: proprietary blends. If you’ve read my Supplement Buying Guide - you know how I feel about these and more importantly why I feel this way. In short, they don’t have the customer’s best interests in mind. Plain & simple.
But what’s more concerning about AG1 is their demonstration of what they claim to be strong evidence suggesting the efficacy of their product. In a recent X post on May 1, 2025, they claimed their product was backed by “four gold-standard clinical trials”:
At the bottom of the thread, they posted the “citations”:
Only one problem: these aren’t citations. And no where throughout the thread are peer-reviewed papers cited.
Still standing by on an official response here…
When ConsumerLabs independently tested AG1, they also found 2.1 mcg of lead in a single serving. Putting this into perspective, the FDA established guidance detailing 2.2 μg/day as the action level for young children in processed foods.
Stick to dialing in your nutrition via whole, minimally processed foods & supplementing any micronutrient gaps individually.
#2: Resveratrol
What is it?
Resveratrol is a polyphenol naturally sourced from the skins of red grapes, blueberries, raspberries, & peanuts. Its most commonly associated for its presence in red wine (derived from grape skins during fermentation) & Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) - the popular supplement source.
Though it gained a lot of popularity in the late 2010s, it started to gain some prominence in the 1990s with the “French Paradox” - a suggestion of its role in the low cardiovascular disease rates among French populations despite high saturated fat intake linked to red wine consumption.
What are the claims?
If you’re close to the longevity space, there’s a high chance you’re familiar with this one as the “Fountain of Youth”. Popularized by David Sinclair over the past decade, resveratrol takes the crown for its marketing campaigns drastically outpacing all forms of scientific evidence.
As far as the claimed benefits, the list is extensive & highly reliant on animal model studies:
Why is it overrated?
When we review the literature on resveratrol, 1) the evidence in human RCTs is at best lackluster and done via poorly designed studies & 2) much of the research showing some promise was conducted via animal models that aren’t translating well to humans. Up until this point, we’ve had ~150 human trials showing either neutral or some cases even negative effects like blunting the benefits of exercise. On a mechanistic level, resveratrol is a compound that’s demonstrated little to no evidence as a longevity elixir given its low bioavailability & solubility and its potential to stress DNA in human cells.
The story goes deeper though. Let’s trace back to the uncovering of sketchy research practices more than a decade ago on the compound. Scott Hensley of NPR wrote:
“In 2008, the university got a tip about irregularities in Das' work. The subsequent investigation identified 145 counts of fabrication and falsification of data, according to a UConn statement.”
In 2004, David Sinclair & his business partner Chris Westphal founded the biotech startup Sirtris Pharmaceuticals. Their aim was to take advantage of the anti-aging theory of sirtuin regulation with resveratrol leading this newfound fight. Four years later, GlaxoSmithKline acquired Sirtris Pharmaceuticals for $720 million. At the time, Sirtris was conducting a phase 2 trial for relapsed multiple myeloma, which was terminated after five patients developed renal failure. Not long after in 2013, GlaxoSmithKline shut down Sirtris.
In a 2011 study by Miller et al., the longevity claims of the compound were met with rejection as the compound showed “no effect on the lifespan of genetically heterogeneous UM-HET3 mice treated from 12 months of age.” Interestingly enough, David Sinclair himself was involved in the study!
#3: Probiotics
What are they?
At this point, you’ve probably seen hundreds of these products sold as capsules, powders, or liquids but almost all share the common feature of containing bacterial strains like Streptococcus, Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium aimed at improving overall gut function & the gut microbiome.
What are the claims?
I suspect part of why we as a culture have become obsessed with probiotics is due to the new, dedicated focus on maintaining a healthy gut. Just like any other powerful marketing trend, once research begins to proliferate in an area of health, you can expect a wave of products focused on addressing the “problem” immediately after. Look at GLP-1s today and the rise of consumer products aimed as “adjunct tools” to their use.
Find any popular probiotic and the proposed benefits will be much of the same:
Why are they overrated?
We need to distinguish between probiotics naturally occurring in minimally processed foods & probiotic supplements. Regarding probiotics supplement forms, the robust evidence we have up until this point suggests at best minimal benefit and at worst a negative impact to the gut microbiome.
A few reasons:
Poor survival in our GI tract
Our GI tract, particularly the microbiome, is uncharted biological waters even still today. But one aspect that’s becoming clear to us is the harshness of the very acidic environment (pHs ranging from 1.5 - 4.5). It’s estimated only ~20-40% of live probiotic bacteria will even reach the gut to impose the supposed microbiome benefits due such low pH and high presence of bile salts.
Potential antibiotic resistance
Probiotic supplements frequently harbor antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) conferring resistance to common classes of antibiotics like tetracycline, macrolides, aminoglycosides, & glycopeptides. A 2023 analysis found 29% of 579 probiotic isolates from supplements carried these ARGs.
More ≠ Better
In a 2020 review conducted by Wang et al., the researchers noted:
“Consumption of probiotics in large amounts and high frequency in the form of health or dietary supplements can accelerate these natural ways of acquiring resistance…The resistant genes carried on mobile elements of probiotics can be transferred by horizontal gene transfer to resident gut bacteria, which over time can accumulate resistant determinants that may in turn be transferred to opportunistic pathogens within the gastrointestinal tract.”
Optimizing gut function = prioritize 1) full-spectrum light throughout the day & 2) consume naturally-occurring prebiotics & probiotic-rich fermented foods.
#4: Fadogia Agrestis & Tongkat Ali
What are they?
We'll call this the overhyped testosterone optimization bundle. And we'll see in a minute why they’re grouped together.
Fadogia agrestis is a shrub native to Nigeria and some other remote tropical parts of Africa - commonly used as a fever reducer, aphrodisiac, & treatment for ED.
Tongkat ali (Eurycoma longifolia) is a medicinal plant native to Southeast Asia - particularly Malaysia & Indonesia. Traditionally, it’s been used as an herbal remedy for a variety of ailments mostly tied to sexual health and as a general adaptogen to combat fatigue & stress.
What are the claims?
The claims around the two are similar: "boost your testosterone naturally". My theory as to why these maintained their appeal in the last 3-4 years: 1) it's relatively less friction (both time & effort) than typical testosterone replacement therapies & 2) pervasive fear of needles associated with TRT.
The fadogia claims are typically grouped into two closely related ones: androgen boosting capabilities & potential for improvement of sexual performance/libido. And there’s even some evidence (in male rat models) of it increasing testicle size.
Tongkat possesses a similar benefit profile in its ability to boost total testosterone in hypogonadal men with the addition of potential to combat fatigue & stress. It acts primarily by boosting the amount of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) produced.
Why are they overrated?
The hype around fadogia & tongkat can be attributed to mainstream podcasting once again. We'll even get specific with this one. On April 12, 2021, Huberman released the episode "The Science of How to Optimize Testosterone & Estrogen", where he mentioned supplementing with these compounds. In the months to follow, short YouTube clips starting spreading across all platforms. And that of course kicked off the spike we saw in the summer of 2021.
That's why they burst on the scene and gained popularity so quickly. But why are we not convinced of their efficacy?
Let's break each down.
We currently have zero published clinical human trials on the efficaciousness of fadogia. The androgenic benefits have only been reproduced in rats. Based off a single study conducted in male albino rats.
While I'm doubtful the pure versions of these compounds pose a significant toxicity risk, the problem lies in the pervasiveness of poorly sourced products. The low quality, purity, & potency esoteric herbal compound has unfortunately become the norm within an industry already brimming with fraud as it is.
Fadogia has a general scarcity of human data supporting it, but the tongkat ali case isn't quite the same. Tongkat ali trials typically fall into a few different buckets:
Industry funded → Always follow the money.
Subtle effect size → In a two-week trial (poor study design), testosterone levels slightly favored the treatment group however there were no impacts to luteinising hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) & sexual hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) - all thought to be implicit in the mechanism of Tongkat ali’s androgenic impact.
Confounding factors → The one trial showing relatively strong evidence in favor of the compounds amelioration of ED ran it concurrent with a training protocol.
Keep this in mind as a general rule for many compounds: If I'm running a trial & trying to obtain the sexiest looking results for a substance, I'm choosing as unhealthy of a population as I can. These cases are no different. Much of the recruited populations had been older hypogonadal adults. Yet these are compounds becoming increasingly popular among young men in their 20s & 30s.
Focus on the foundations first. And if needed, the TRT route is the preferred path for androgen dominance. Not esoteric African/Asian herbs.
#5: Turkesterone
What is it?
Touted as a natural anabolic compound, turkesterone has become one of the most popular supplements in the natural bodybuilding space over the past few years. It’s a naturally occurring phytoecdysteroid (a subclass of ecdysteroids) extracted from the Ajuga turkestanica plant - native to northern Asian countries like Tajikistan & Uzbekistan.
What are the claims?
The peak turkesterone era happened in early 2022 following a few mentions again from popular health influencers & podcasters like Rogan & Huberman. The initial wave of popularity has since cooled off, but still remains a compound of interest backed by many popular voices in the bodybuilding space like Greg Doucette.
The turkesterone respectors suggest it accelerates muscle protein synthesis by activating intracellular pathways like PI3K/Akt signaling cascade - playing a role in hypertrophy. More specifically, the claim is it exerts anabolic effects through non-androgenic pathways by:
Stimulating Muscle Protein Synthesis: Enhancing mRNA translation & leucine uptake in muscle tissue via estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) agonism instead of androgen receptor binding.
Increasing Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1): Upregulation of IGF-1 signaling to promote muscle hypertrophy.
Why is it overrated?
First, the claims turkesterone is a naturally anabolic alternative to AAS are baseless given it doesn’t bind to androgen receptors. Much of its popularity is attributable to outstanding marketing tactics (i.e. “natural steroid” narrative) & the overwhelming endorsements of social media influencers beginning in 2021.
Up until this point, we only have two human studies that were conducted overseas: one supporting its efficacy for hypertrophy and an additional one demonstrating subtle increases in strength in older adults.
The most powerful rebuttal to the turkesterone claims came in late 2024 via Jose Antonio and his team when they found that four weeks of supplementation with turkesterone didn’t affect body composition in a placebo-controlled trial of 31 young healthy individuals.
In an earlier study conducted in 2006 led by Wilborn et al., researchers stated:
“No significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed in training adaptations among groups in the variables FFM, percent body fat, bench press 1 RM, leg press 1 RM or sprint peak power…no significant differences among groups in active testosterone (AT), free testosterone (FT), cortisol, the AT to cortisol ratio, urea nitrogen, creatinine, the blood urea nitrogen to creatinine ratio.”
And again in 2015, Anthony et al. proved the inefficacy of the hype mechanistically by noting phytoecdysteroids’ lack of bioavailability at all doses.
Turkesterone = snake oil
#6: Magnesium Threonate
What is it?
Magnesium threonate (also referred to as L-threonate or its commercial brand name Magtein) is a chelated complex of magnesium & L-threonic acid - a metabolite of Vitamin C.
What are the claims?
The proposed advantage of magnesium threonate (MgT) over other magnesium supplement forms is its ability to easily cross the blood-brain barrier. It leverages an endogenous presence in our cerebrospinal fluid and is transported via glucose transporters enabling enhanced bioavailability in our central nervous system.
Why is it overrated?
It’s not that threonate is on net ineffective - only that the hype of threonate as the superior form doesn’t match the reality for most.
Most formal evidence up until this point on magnesium threonate is based on animal models. Worth considering here also is the amount of human research being industry-funded suggesting the possibility of conflicts of interest potentially skewing results.
Here’s a review on the small number of human MgT studies published:
PMID: 26519439
In this study including 44 subjects, the treatment group receiving 25 mg/kg BW daily for 12 weeks achieved an underwhelming increase in plasma magnesium levels with no significant increase in RBC magnesium level relative to the placebo group. In the cognitive tests conducted, there were no significant differences seen individually in both weeks 6 & 12 of the trial.
Cognitive function effects seen for placebo vs. treatment groups at 6 & 12 weeks
PMID: 36558392
In a more recent 2022 placebo-controlled study, the treatment group got 400 mg magnesium threonate, 12 mg Vit C, 80 IU Vit D, 4 mg Vit B6, & 50 mg phosphatidylserine. Though the treatment group did show significant improvements across cognitive parameters, no reasonable conclusion can be determined about MgT specifically here given the confounding compounds provided (especially phosphatidylserine).
Impacts of Magtein on cognitive function
Based on human clinical trials & many of us self-experimenting with the compound over the last few years, the supposed sleep & nootropic benefits don’t appear to match the claims. Discuss with those who are similarly tuned into their own biofeedback & have ran tests comparing its impact on sleep up against glycinate/bisglycinate - most will say similarly: reality fails to meet the promise.
Similar to AG1 - a lot of the traction its gained has picked up steam via the mainstream health influencer network - Huberman being one of its strongest proponents. If you’re in the position where you’re either starting to supplement magnesium or glycinate is already working well for you, I see little advantage in shifting to this form.
#7: GABA
What is it?
To review GABA as a supplement, we need to understand its role as a neurotransmitter. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is our CNS's primary & most abundant inhibitory neurotransmitter. It’s synthesized in GABAergic neurons through the production of glutamate (our primary excitatory neurotransmitter) via the enzyme glutamate decarboxylase.
What are the claims?
Given the endogenous function of GABA as a neurotransmitter, the most commonly claimed benefits are tied to enhanced mood & sleep - improving the GABA/glutamate balance overall. But some trials have even claimed benefits to metabolic health like blood pressure & body composition generally. It’s worth noting here these are proposed benefits only seen in animal models thus far.
Why is it overrated?
A 2020 systematic review conducted across fourteen studies on exogenous GABA administration noted:
“results show that there is limited evidence for stress and very limited evidence for sleep benefits of oral GABA intake”
The primary flaw of GABA as a supplement is the standard physiological oversimplification. The logic goes something like this: when GABA is ingested, brain GABA levels are boosted. But it's not that simple.
First, exogenous GABA fails to cross the blood-brain barrier to any significant degree. Some mice studies show its potential permeability, but it doesn't translate well to human trials. In some trials, where the proposed benefits are seen (albeit subtly), the mechanism is largely unknown. There's also nuance between endogenous vs. exogenous GABA. GABAA, GABAB, & GABAC receptors exhibit tissue-specific effects while supplement forms fail to discriminate by non-selectively targeting all subtypes.
We just got done discussing the complexity of the gut in the probiotics section. Well GABA (made in the gut) is no exception to this. Gut-derived GABA production varies by pH & the individual type of bacterial strain - more evidence of our biochemical individuality. One strain like Bacteroides synthesizes 10x more GABA at pH 3.1 than it does at 6.3. When we take a GABA supplement, it fails to account for these interindividual differences in gut acidity & microbiota composition.
All this said - I think there may be some potential in its utility. First, there's a GABA analogue gabapentin that did boost brain GABA levels by 56%. Second, GABA itself as a supplement may just require co-administration of other compounds. For example, when administered adjunct to L-arginine, a 380% GABA increase was observed - due to a likely increase in NO production increasing the BBB permeability.
#8: Beta Alanine
What is it?
Everyone knows this one for its notorious skin tingling sensation. Beta-alanine is a non-protein amino acid produced endogenously in the liver and is a precursor to carnosine (a dipeptide needed to regulate our muscle's intracellular pH). It’s naturally present in foods - typically meats & fish - but not nearly enough to produce the sensations you might be familiar with. When we get a rapid plasma spike usually > 3 g, that’s when we start to feel the tingling associated with it.
What are the claims?
Beta-alanine has been well-studied and used widely across the bodybuilding and fitness communities generally since the 1990s. If you were logging into the bodybuilding forums in the 2000s & early 2010s, there was plenty of conversation around it. The primary benefit associated with is enhanced high-intensity, anaerobic exercise performance. Think lifting & HIIT. Specifically, these include: reduction of muscle fatigue, greater muscular power, & improved muscle growth.
Some of the other far-fetched claims are either predicated on low levels of evidence or animal model studies:
Neuroprotective (against Alzheimer's & Parkinson's)
Why is it overrated?
If you took a double scoop of C4 at least once in your life, you know exactly the skin tingling I’m referring to. This was a clever way to formulate a pre-workout because it gives the illusion of feeling the increase in energy & power output. The reality is there’s no real impact here minus a strong placebo effect.
In a 2017 systematic review, Zanella et al. summarized beta-alanine’s impact on athletic performance & muscle fatigue:
“After BA supplementation, no statistically significant difference was observed in total work, exercise performance time, oxygen consumption and time to exhaustion…(but) seems to improve perceived exertion”
That last part is key in why I consider it one of the best athletic supplement placebos around.
Any statistically significant benefits we've seen from the most well-run trials up until this point have been very subtle. The small effect sizes are negligible. For example, in the most robust meta-analysis conducted on the amino acid to date, Hobson et al. concluded a ~3% increase in exercise performance relative to placebo when a median daily dose of 5.1 g - including a wide range of tests like VO2max, time to exhaustion, sprints, & muscular endurance.
The effects can be especially minimal for well-trained individuals who already have higher baseline carnosine levels due to regular exercise. Muscle carnosine synthesis is also saturable meaning there’s an upper limit to how much carnosine can be stored - even with prolonged supplementation.
Generally - beta-alanine = king of the placebos
Which is OK. I’m a placebo respector (if there are minimal negative side effects present). Couldn't care less about the mechanism large majority of the time.
Intervention is working for you? Carry on.
Not doing as much as advertised? Your effort & coin better allocated elsewhere.
#9: Glucosamine
What is it?
Glucosamine is an amino sugar that serves as a key precursor in the biosynthesis of glycosylated proteins and lipids, particularly those found in cartilage and connective tissue. It's naturally present in the human body, especially within joint cartilage, and is of course produced commercially - typically by hydrolyzing shellfish exoskeletons or fermenting grains like corn or wheat. You'll see it sold in a few different forms: glucosamine sulfate, glucosamine hydrochloride, and N-acetylglucosamine.
What are the claims?
Mechanistically, the claim is that glucosamine influences cartilage cell metabolism and might inhibit certain enzymes involved in cartilage breakdown. Most of the claims on glucosamine supplements are targeted directly at improving joint health as a “cartilage builder” & acting as an alternative to NSAIDs like Naproxen or Ibuprofen for its anti-inflammatory impacts.
Why is it overrated?
This is another case of well-studied, but poor effectiveness on net.
Bioavailability is low - typically estimated at 10 - 20% for the most common form glucosamine sulfate. A 2007 study conducted by Persiani et al. found peak plasma concentrations of glucosamine after a 1,500 mg dose were far below levels needed to affect chondrocyte metabolism. Even more, the endogenous production of glucosamine via the hexosamine pathway (~2-3 g/day) likely dwarfs the typical supplemental doses.
More trials than not have shown either no significant benefit up against placebos and those that do show significance have a low effect size at best. The 2005 Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT), a multicenter RCT involving 1,583 patients with knee OA, found no significant difference in pain relief or functional improvement among the glucosamine hydrochloride (1,500 mg/day), chondroitin sulfate, their combination, and placebo groups after 24 weeks. Again in 2010, a meta-analysis by Wandel et al. concluded that glucosamine (alone or with chondroitin) failed to significantly reduce joint pain or improve function compared to placebo.
#10: Milk Thistle
What is it?
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is a plant native to Mediterranean regions but today is grown globally. Its seeds contain the bioactive compound silymarin - a mixture of flavonolignans like silybinin, isosilybinin, silychristin, and silydianin. Silymarin is considered the primary driving factor for milk thistle’s medicinal properties. And we'll see why if we're aiming to leverage the claimed benefits of milk thistle, it's a better option to source silymarin as a compound (as purely as possible).
What are the claims?
The primary benefit associated with milk thistle supplementation is the metabolic element. These impacts are often centered around its ability to support liver function - specifically its potential to treat directly or serve as an adjunct therapy to NAFLD or cirrhosis.
The additional metabolic enhancements associated with it include lipid profile & blood glucose improvements. Mechanistically, this is likely due to silymarin’s ability to sensitize insulin following an 8 - 12 week period of administration.
Why is it overrated?
Overall, the evidence thus far is mixed. We do have some improvements both clinically and anecdotally on liver function tests like ALT & AST but it's inconsistent and statistically insignificant relative to placebo groups.
In a 2005 meta-analysis of 13 RCTs, Rambaldi et al. noted:
“Based on high-quality trials, milk thistle does not seem to significantly influence the course of patients with alcoholic and/or hepatitis B or C liver diseases.”
However in another 2008 meta-analysis of silymarin, Saller et al. reported the liver enzyme aspartate aminotransferase (ASP) was significantly reduced in the treatment group, however alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was not.
The additional concern I have tied to milk thistle is the all too common poor quality of the substance itself. A 2019 study analyzed 26 milk thistle supplements from the U.S. & Czech markets. They found when consumed at the maximum recommended dosage ~50% of samples would lead to daily mycotoxin intakes exceeding one-quarter of the tolerable daily intake (TDI) for HT-2 and T-2 toxins. One sample even exceeded the TDI by about three times.
Notice the common trend with the herbal extracts/compounds.
If you're seeking to leverage the positive impacts of milk thistle: Consume artichokes (high in silymarin) or go directly to the source - silymarin itself - separating the metabolic signal from the noise of potentially toxic herbal blends.
That’s a wrap for this week. There are plenty more. If you found this one helpful, let me know in the comments if you’d find benefit in a V2.
We’re more bullish than ever on the future here. As always, stay healthy & we’ll see you next week.
Your friend,
BTP
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I have followed a simple rule-of-thumb for a long time and it has yet to steer me wrong.
If someone, ever, in their entire life, promoted AG1, then they are not to be trusted. 100% just a grifter who will jump from hot thing to hot thing for some sweet affiliate $$.
(If you haven't, look at the affiliate rates on AG1. Ginormous last I looked. )
Solid post
Interesting post. Curious what the writer thinks about supplements and reporting provided by the Life Extension Institute.