Nutrition
Creatine, caffeine, protein, meal timing — what the evidence backs, and what it doesn't.
- Myths Busted
Creatine is not bad for your kidneys, per Antonio's 2021 review of over 500 published studies
3 studies · 500+ papers reviewed
Creatine doesn't harm healthy kidneys — rising creatinine is a muscle byproduct, not kidney damage. A 2021 review of 500+ studies confirms it.
- What Actually Matters
Coffee before or after a workout? Two different jobs, per 21 meta-analyses
5 studies · Grgic 2020 umbrella review
Coffee before training boosts strength and endurance; coffee after training speeds glycogen refill by over 2x, per a 2021 RCT and 21 meta-analyses.
- Myths Busted
Beta-alanine does work — but only for the right type of effort, per a 2026 meta-analysis of 17 RCTs
5 studies · 2026 meta-analysis of 17 RCTs
Beta-alanine raises muscle carnosine and cuts fatigue in high-intensity efforts lasting 1–4 minutes — but a 2026 meta-analysis of 17 RCTs found zero benefit for repeated sprints.
- What Actually Matters
Creatine works for women — here's what 69 studies and a 2-year RCT of 237 women actually found
4 studies · 2 meta-analyses + 1 RCT
Creatine isn't just for men. It builds strength, protects muscle, and supports bone health — per a 2025 meta-analysis of 69 studies and a 2-year RCT of 237 postmenopausal women.
- Myths Busted
Coffee before a workout does help — but only if you time it right, per a 24-study meta-analysis
3 studies · Gardiner 2023 meta-analysis
Pre-workout coffee can sharpen focus and cut perceived effort — but drink it too late and it steals 45 minutes of sleep, per a 2023 meta-analysis of 24 studies.
- Myths Busted
Magnesium won't stop your muscle cramps — unless you're deficient, per a 2020 Cochrane review
4 studies · Cochrane 2020 meta-analysis
Magnesium supplements are the go-to for muscle cramps — but a 2020 Cochrane meta-analysis found no reliable benefit for most people. Here's what actually matters.
- Myths Busted
Exercise does suppress appetite — but a muscle molecule, not willpower, is why (2016 meta-analysis)
4 studies · meta-analysis + RCT + 2 reviews
Does exercise make you eat less? Yes — but the mechanism is a molecule called Lac-Phe, not willpower. Here's what the research actually says, per a 2016 meta-analysis and a 2021 RCT.
- Myths Busted
Creatine is not bad for your heart — in fact, creatine cut mortality in a 2016 meta-analysis
4 studies · meta-analysis + 2 reviews
Think creatine damages your heart? The opposite is true. Here's what the cardiac research actually shows, per a meta-analysis of 41 controlled trials.
- Myths Busted
The Anabolic Window Is a Myth.
3 studies · Schoenfeld 2018 review
You don't need to slam a protein shake the second you rack the bar. Here's what the research actually says about post-workout nutrition timing, according to two landmark reviews.
