5 Supplement Myths That Cost You Money

The supplement industry thrives on confusion. The more complicated nutrition seems, the more products you'll buy. But a lot of common supplement "wisdom" is either outdated, exaggerated, or just plain wrong � and it's costing you money.

Here are five myths you can safely ignore.

Myth 1: You Need BCAAs If You Drink Protein Shakes

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs � leucine, isoleucine, and valine) were the hottest supplement of the 2010s. The pitch was simple: BCAAs trigger muscle protein synthesis, so supplementing them means more muscle growth.

The reality? Whey protein already contains all three BCAAs in abundance. A typical 25g serving of whey protein delivers 5-6g of BCAAs naturally. Buying a separate BCAA supplement on top of whey is like buying a glass of orange juice and then taking a vitamin C tablet � redundant.

BCAAs only make sense if you train fasted and genuinely cannot consume any protein beforehand. For everyone else, it's money down the drain. Save �15-25 per month.

Myth 2: Expensive Brands Are Better Quality

A �45 tub of protein from a premium brand and a �25 tub from a budget brand often contain functionally identical ingredients. The protein comes from the same handful of dairy processors in Europe and the US. The difference is in marketing spend, packaging design, and brand positioning.

That's not to say all cheap protein is good � some budget brands under-dose protein or use amino spiking (adding cheap amino acids like glycine to inflate the protein number on the label). But the solution isn't to buy the most expensive option. It's to check the protein per 100g and the ingredient list.

A well-informed buyer of budget protein will get the same results as someone paying twice as much for a lifestyle brand. The �20 you save each month is better spent on actual food.

Myth 3: The Biggest Tub Is Always the Best Value

This seems intuitive � bulk buying is cheaper, right? Not always.

Larger tubs often have a lower cost per serving, but they come with hidden costs:

• Flavour fatigue: You'll get bored of "Chocolate Brownie" after 3 months. Many people end up throwing away the last quarter of a 5kg tub.
• Quality degradation: Protein powder absorbs moisture over time, especially once opened. After 4-6 months, you may notice clumping, off-flavours, and reduced mixability.
• Opportunity cost: Locking into a 5kg tub means you can't take advantage of sales on other products or try better options that come along.

The sweet spot for most people is 1-2.5kg tubs � large enough for a reasonable per-serving cost, small enough to finish within 2-3 months. Run the numbers: sometimes a 1kg tub on sale is cheaper per 100g protein than a 5kg tub at full price.

Myth 4: You Need a Pre-Workout Supplement

Most pre-workout supplements are built around one star ingredient: caffeine. The other 15 ingredients on the label are either underdosed (beta-alanine below 3.2g doesn't do much), unproven ("proprietary energy blend"), or just there for the label appeal.

A strong cup of coffee delivers 80-100mg of caffeine for pennies. A pre-workout supplement delivers 150-300mg of caffeine for �1-2 per serving, plus some tingling from beta-alanine that feels like it's "working" but is actually just a harmless nerve response.

If you genuinely want the performance benefits of proven pre-workout ingredients, buy them separately:

• Caffeine tablets: ~�0.03 per 200mg tablet
• Creatine monohydrate: ~�0.05 per 5g serving
• Citrulline malate: ~�0.15 per 6g serving (if you want the pump)

Total cost: roughly �0.23 per workout vs �1-2 for a branded pre-workout. Over a year of 4x weekly training, that's �48 vs �208-416. Same ingredients, a quarter of the price.

Myth 5: You Need to Take Supplements Every Day

This is the supplement industry's favourite myth because it maximises your consumption rate. "Take one serving daily for best results" is printed on almost every product.

The truth depends on the supplement:

• Creatine: Yes, daily is correct. It works through saturation, so consistent daily intake (3-5g) maintains muscle creatine stores.
• Protein powder: Only when you can't hit your protein target through food. If you ate enough chicken, eggs, and dairy today, you don't need a shake. It's food, not medicine.
• Multivitamins: If your diet includes fruits, vegetables, and varied protein sources, a daily multivitamin is mostly creating expensive urine. Get a blood test to check for specific deficiencies instead.
• Fish oil: Eat oily fish twice a week and you likely don't need it. Supplementation is useful if you genuinely don't eat fish.

The pattern is clear: supplements are meant to supplement a good diet, not replace one. Using them only when needed � rather than daily by default � can easily cut your monthly supplement spend in half.

The Bottom Line

Most people need far fewer supplements than they think. A solid diet plus whey protein and creatine covers 90% of what the evidence supports. Everything else is marginal at best.

When you do buy, compare smartly. Check the cost per 100g of active ingredient, ignore the marketing, and don't assume more expensive means better. That's exactly what PriceSniper is built to help you do.