The training-recovery stack we'd actually take ourselves

The recovery-supplement category is largely noise. Most of what''s marketed as "post-workout essential" is either redundant with food, mechanistically implausible, or active at doses 5x what the bottle delivers. Here''s the short list of what actually moves the needle, with the dose ranges where the literature supports the effect.

Tier 1 — well-supported, take consistently

Creatine monohydrate, 5g/day. Decades of evidence. Strength, power, recovery, lean mass. Doesn''t need to be cycled. Doesn''t need to be loaded. Cheap.

Whey protein isolate, 25-40g post-workout. Hits the leucine threshold for maximal muscle protein synthesis (~2.5g leucine). If you''re getting 1.6-2.2g protein per kg bodyweight from food, you don''t strictly need it — but it''s the most efficient post-training delivery.

Vitamin D3 + K2, 2,000-5,000 IU D3 with 100-200mcg K2. If your serum 25(OH)D is below 40 ng/mL (most lifters are). Supports bone, recovery, and immune function.

Tier 2 — situational

Beta-alanine, 3-5g/day, for high-intensity intervals. Buffers muscle acidity in the 60-240 second effort range. Worthless for low-intensity endurance.

Tart cherry extract, 480mg/day, during heavy training blocks. Modestly reduces DOMS and inflammation. Best evidence is in endurance athletes during 5-7 day intensification weeks.

Tier 3 — skip

BCAAs (redundant if you''re getting whole protein). Glutamine (no effect outside clinical depletion). Most "test boosters" (effects are within natural diurnal variation). Pre-workouts north of 300mg caffeine (diminishing returns; sleep impact dominates).

What we''d actually take ourselves: creatine, whey, D3/K2, daily. Beta-alanine when peaking. Tart cherry during heavy weeks. That''s the whole stack.