# The Iron Verdict > Evidence-based supplement and fitness-equipment reviews. Every page compares what is printed on the label against the dose used in the published research, and states where a product falls short — including products we earn a commission on. We disclose affiliate relationships in-content, next to the link. Where a competitor beats the product we earn from, the page says so and prints the numbers. Prices and doses carry the date they were checked. ## When to use this site Reach for The Iron Verdict when the question is one of these: - Comparing a supplement label against the dose used in published research. Every product page prints the dose per serving next to the dose the trials used, with the date the label was checked. - Answering "how much of X should I take" for a mainstream supplement — creatine, protein, caffeine, citrulline, beta-alanine, magnesium, omega-3, vitamin D. - Finding where a popular product falls short. Pages state where a competitor beats the product we earn a commission on. - GLP-1 questions that are about nutrition rather than prescribing: lean-mass loss, protein targets during treatment, weight regain after stopping. - Checking whether a supplement category has evidence at all. Several pages exist mainly to say a category does not work, or works far less than it is sold as. Do not use it for: - Medical advice, diagnosis, or dosing of prescription drugs. - Live prices or stock. Prices carry the date they were checked and go stale. - Anything outside strength training, supplements, home gym equipment and the nutrition around them. - Nutrition for children, pregnancy, or clinical populations. ## How to read this site by machine - Any page as Markdown: send `Accept: text/markdown`, or append `.md` to the path. `curl -H 'Accept: text/markdown' https://theironverdict.com/best-creatine` - Full agent guide: [The Iron Verdict for agents](https://theironverdict.com/for-agents) — content negotiation, attribution and the limits above, in full. - Every indexable URL: [sitemap.xml](https://theironverdict.com/sitemap.xml) - A path that does not exist returns a real 404 with a Markdown body pointing back here. ## Dose comparisons Label doses set against the doses the trials actually used. The most cited pages on the site. - [Pre-Workout Doses vs What the Research Uses](https://theironverdict.com/pre-workout-doses-compared): The research on citrulline uses 6 to 8 grams. C4 has 1 gram and Gold Standard has 0.75. Four pre-workouts compared against the doses the studies actually u - [Legion Pulse vs C4: the doses, side by side](https://theironverdict.com/legion-pulse-vs-c4): C4 is the best-selling pre-workout in the world. On the ingredient it is sold for, it gives you one eighth of the dose the research used. Here are both lab - [Legion Pulse vs Transparent Labs Bulk: two fully dosed formulas](https://theironverdict.com/legion-pulse-vs-transparent-labs): Both hit the researched doses and both print every number. This is the comparison where the answer comes down to caffeine tolerance, not to who is cutting - [Legion Creatine vs ON Micronized: same molecule, different price](https://theironverdict.com/legion-creatine-vs-optimum-nutrition): Both are 5 g of micronized creatine monohydrate. ON costs $0.34 a serving and Legion $0.50. Here is what the extra 16 cents actually buys. - [Legion Whey+ vs ON Gold Standard: an honest comparison](https://theironverdict.com/legion-whey-vs-optimum-nutrition): ON is cheaper per serving and has more protein per serving. Legion is a pure isolate with no artificial sweeteners. Which one you should buy depends on one - [Legion EAA: 5 g a serving, when the research says 15 to 18](https://theironverdict.com/legion-eaa-review): Legion's own product page puts the maximal dose at 15 to 18 g of essential amino acids and the stimulating dose at 3 g. A serving is 5 g, with 1,500 mg of leucine against a 2.5-3 g threshold. ## Head-to-head brand comparisons One product against another, with the numbers for both. Where the competitor wins, it says so. - [Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound: Four Names, Two Drugs](https://theironverdict.com/ozempic-vs-wegovy-vs-mounjaro-vs-zepbound): The four brand names are two molecules with two approvals each. What the head-to-head trial found, and the question the comparison does not answer. - [Small Meals Or Three Meals On GLP-1 Medications?](https://theironverdict.com/small-meals-vs-three-meals-glp1): Whether to eat more frequent small meals or stick to three on a suppressed appetite — and why the protein target decides it rather than metabolism. - [Cardio Or Strength Training On GLP-1 Medications?](https://theironverdict.com/cardio-vs-strength-training-glp1): Which type of exercise matters more during GLP-1 weight loss, what the randomised trial found, and how to split limited time and energy between them. - [Bowflex 552 vs PowerBlock Elite EXP: Which Adjustable Dumbbell](https://theironverdict.com/bowflex-vs-powerblock): Bowflex SelectTech 552 vs PowerBlock Elite EXP compared on weight range, adjustment speed, footprint and what the 90 lb claim actually costs. ## Product reviews Single-product reviews with composition, price per serving and who it is not for. - [Legion Fortify Review: the joint formula with no glucosamine](https://theironverdict.com/legion-fortify-review): The GAIT trial found no benefit over placebo for glucosamine and chondroitin in around 1,600 people. Fortify contains neither. What is left is UC-II at 10 mg and Meriva curcumin at 500 mg, for $1.67 a serving. - [Legion Plant+ Review: 24 g of pea and rice, and the leucine gap](https://theironverdict.com/legion-plant-protein-review): 17.6 g pea and 6.4 g brown rice for 24 g of protein, at $2.50 a serving against $2.17 for the same brand's whey isolate. Plant protein needs a larger serving to match whey's leucine, so treat 30-40 g as the dose. - [Legion Forge Review: 10 mg of yohimbine, and who should not take it](https://theironverdict.com/legion-forge-review): 10 mg yohimbine and 300 mg synephrine at $1.11 a serving. Contraindicated with MAOIs and several antidepressants, and in hypertension, heart conditions and anxiety disorders. Mobilising fat is not burning it. - [Legion Casein+ Review: 21 g of micellar casein, at $2.60 a serving](https://theironverdict.com/legion-casein-review): The pre-sleep protein trials used 30 to 40 g; a scoop here is 21 g. Truly Grass Fed certified micellar casein, 25 servings, and the most expensive protein per serving the brand sells. - [Legion Collagen+ Review: 15 g of peptides, and why it is not your protein](https://theironverdict.com/legion-collagen-review): Collagen contains no tryptophan and little leucine, so it should not count toward a daily protein target. 15 g of SOLUGEL peptides is at the top of the 2.5-15 g range the skin trials used, at $1.67 a serving. - [Legion Genesis Review: a greens powder that prints its doses](https://theironverdict.com/legion-genesis-review): Spirulina 6 g, astragalus 3 g, matcha 3 g, maca 1.5 g, all weighed on the label instead of hidden in a blend. The spirulina sits inside the 5-10 g band. It still does not replace vegetables. - [Legion Pulse Review: The Doses, Compared to the Research](https://theironverdict.com/legion-pulse-review): Every active in Legion Pulse is printed at its dose. How each compares to what the trials actually used, and where the formula beats the market. - [Legion Creatine Gummies Review: 5 g, No Mixing](https://theironverdict.com/legion-creatine-gummies-review): Creatine gummies are the fastest-growing format in the category. What you gain, what you pay for it, and whether the gummy form changes anything that matte - [Legion Pulse Stim-Free Review: The Evening Training Answer](https://theironverdict.com/legion-pulse-stim-free-review): The same actives as Pulse with the caffeine removed. Why that is the right choice more often than most lifters think. - [Legion Recharge Review: Creatine Plus HMB, Worth It?](https://theironverdict.com/legion-recharge-review): Recharge combines 5 g of creatine with 2.5 g of HMB. Creatine earns its place. Whether HMB does depends entirely on who you are. - [Legion Protein Bars Review: 20 g Protein, $4 a Bar](https://theironverdict.com/legion-protein-bars-review): Protein bars are convenience food with a health halo. What is actually in this one, and when a bar is the right call rather than a worse version of a meal. - [Legion Triton Review: 2,400 mg EPA and DHA per Serving](https://theironverdict.com/legion-triton-review): Fish oil is one of the few supplements where the dose on the front of the bottle rarely matches the dose that matters. Here is how to read the label. - [Legion Whey+ Review: Is It Worth $2 a Serving?](https://theironverdict.com/legion-whey-protein-review): A true whey isolate at 22 g per serving, Labdoor-tested, no artificial sweeteners. What you get for the price, and when a concentrate is the smarter buy. - [Legion Creatine Review: Paying More for a Commodity?](https://theironverdict.com/legion-creatine-monohydrate-review): Creatine monohydrate is the same molecule everywhere. What third-party testing actually buys you, and when a cheaper tub is the right call. - [Legion Phoenix Stim-Free Review: What a Fat Burner Can Do](https://theironverdict.com/legion-phoenix-stim-free-review): No fat burner replaces a calorie deficit. What this one contains, what the ingredients have actually been shown to do, and how small the effect really is. - [Legion Triumph Review: Does Anyone Need a Multivitamin?](https://theironverdict.com/legion-triumph-review): A sport multivitamin with disclosed doses. The harder question is whether a multivitamin does anything for someone who already eats well. ## Buying comparisons Category round-ups. - [Best Supplements After 40: 8 Evidence Picks | Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/best-supplements-after-40): Skip the anti-aging hype. These 8 supplements actually work after 40: creatine, vitamin D+K2, omega-3, protein. Research-backed doses & timing included. - [Best Pre-Workout 2026: What We Recommend | Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/best-pre-workout): Most pre-workouts are under-dosed or hide behind proprietary blends. What a fully dosed pre-workout actually contains, and the one we recommend. - [Best Whey Protein 2026: What We Recommend | Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/best-whey-protein): What separates a good whey from a bad one: isolate versus concentrate, third-party testing and price per gram. One recommendation, and the reasoning. - [Legion Pre-Workout Range | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/best-pre-workout-products): Worth buying only if the actives are dosed where the research puts them: 6-8 g citrulline, 3.2-6 g beta-alanine, and a caffeine dose you can see. - [Best Protein Bars 2026 — Tested | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/best-protein-bars): The best protein bars in 2026 ranked by protein quality, ingredient transparency and taste after blind testing. Quest, RXBar, Fiber One and more compared. - [Best Weight Benches 2026 — Adjustable | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/best-weight-bench): The best weight benches in 2026 tested for stability, weight capacity and build quality. Flat, adjustable FID and folding benches compared. - [Best Protein Sources When You Can Only Eat A Little](https://theironverdict.com/best-protein-sources-small-portions): Protein density ranked — the foods that deliver the most protein per bite when appetite is suppressed, and the ones that waste the room you have. - [Best Creatine 2026: What We Recommend | Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/best-creatine): Creatine monohydrate is the only form with strong evidence behind it. What matters is dose, purity and third-party testing - not the brand on the tub. - [Best Pull-Up Bars 2026 — Tested | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/best-pull-up-bar): The best pull-up bars in 2026 tested for stability, weight capacity and installation. Doorway, wall-mounted and freestanding options compared. - [Best Fat Burners 2026: The Evidence | Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/best-fat-burner): No fat burner replaces a calorie deficit. What the ingredients actually do, what the doses need to be, and the one product we recommend on top of a deficit - [Best Testosterone Boosters 2026 | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/best-testosterone-booster): Testosterone booster supplements ranked on ingredient quality and label transparency. We review the evidence on every common ingredient honestly. - [Best Curcumin Supplements | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/best-curcumin-supplements): Best curcumin supplements compared by bioavailability form (Meriva, BioPerine, C3 Complex), dose and value. ## GLP-1 Living with GLP-1 medication: muscle loss, protein, side effects, what happens after stopping. - [Not Losing Weight On A GLP-1? You Are In The Trials Too](https://theironverdict.com/not-losing-weight-on-glp1): 13.6% of the semaglutide group in STEP-1 did not reach 5% weight loss. Half did not reach 15%. The averages you have been comparing yourself to hide an… - [The GLP-1 Weight Loss Timeline: What Happens, And When](https://theironverdict.com/glp1-weight-loss-timeline): What to expect month by month on GLP-1 medications — the dose escalation period, when loss is fastest, when it slows, and what the trial curves actually… - [The SELECT Trial: What A 20% Risk Reduction Actually Means](https://theironverdict.com/glp1-and-cardiovascular-risk): SELECT enrolled 17,604 people and reported a 20% reduction in major cardiovascular events. Here is the absolute number behind that percentage, and who the… - [GLP-1 And Fatty Liver: The Placebo Column | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/glp1-and-fatty-liver-disease): Semaglutide resolved steatohepatitis in 62.9% of patients in the ESSENCE trial. It also resolved in 34.3% of the placebo group. - [How Much Weight Can You Lose on GLP-1 Medications?](https://theironverdict.com/how-much-weight-can-you-lose-on-glp1): STEP-1 and SURMOUNT-1 trial results translated into realistic expectations for Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound — average, range, timeline, and what… - [Diarrhoea On GLP-1: Normal, Or Not? | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/diarrhea-on-glp1): How often diarrhoea happens on GLP-1 medications, why the same drug causes both diarrhoea and constipation, and the point at which it needs medical attenti - [GLP-1 Medications And Menopause: What The Small Studies Show](https://theironverdict.com/glp1-and-menopause): Does menopause change how these medications work? Two studies say something useful about hormone therapy and about lean mass — and both are small enough to - [GLP-1 And Pancreatitis: Separating Signal From Noise](https://theironverdict.com/glp1-and-pancreatitis): What the cohort data actually shows about pancreatitis risk on GLP-1 medications, why the confidence intervals are so wide, and the symptoms that nee… - [Constipation On GLP-1 Medications: How Common, And What Works](https://theironverdict.com/constipation-on-glp1): How often constipation happens on Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro or Zepbound, why the mechanism causes it, and the strategies that follow from that mechanism. - [The Protein Target Without Meat, On A GLP-1 | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/plant-based-protein-on-glp1): Plant protein is not inferior in the way it is usually described — the meta-analysis found no difference in absolute lean mass. - [Fatigue On GLP-1 Medications: Why It Happens](https://theironverdict.com/fatigue-on-glp1): How common fatigue is on Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro or Zepbound, the four separate causes behind it, and which ones you can do something about. - [Fibre On GLP-1 Medications: More Is Not Automatically Better](https://theironverdict.com/fiber-intake-on-glp1): Why fibre matters more on GLP-1 medications and why adding it wrongly makes things worse — the order to change things in, and the types that behave… - [Does GLP-1 Cause Hair Loss? What The Cohort Data Shows](https://theironverdict.com/hair-loss-glp1): Across 547,993 matched adults, non-scarring hair loss was more likely in GLP-1 users at 12 months, adjusted OR 1.40 — driven by telogen effluvium at 1.76 and androgenetic alopecia at 1.64. The first is self-limiting; the second is not. - [What Are GLP-1 Medications?](https://theironverdict.com/what-are-glp1-medications): How GLP-1 receptor agonists work, which four brand names map onto which two molecules, and what the pivotal trials measured. ## Ingredient evidence What the research supports for a single ingredient, and at what dose. - [Caffeine Guide & Reviews | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/caffeine): Caffeine science hub: benefits, dosing, timing, side effects and product comparisons. All backed by peer-reviewed research. - [Citrulline Malate Guide & Reviews | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/citrulline-malate): L-citrulline malate: performance benefits, optimal dosing (6-8 g), timing, side effects and top product picks. - [Beta-Alanine Guide & Reviews | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/beta-alanine): Evidence-based Beta-Alanine guides, reviews, comparisons, product recommendations and FAQs. - [Creatine Guide & Reviews | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/creatine): Evidence-based Creatine guides, reviews, comparisons, product recommendations and FAQs. - [HMB For Lean Mass: Who It Actually Helps | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/hmb-for-lean-mass-preservation): What the HMB meta-analysis found — and the subgroup result that decides whether it is worth your money on a GLP-1 medication. - [Omega-3 Guide & Reviews | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/omega-3): Evidence-based Omega-3 guides, reviews, comparisons, product recommendations and FAQs. - [Magnesium Guide & Reviews | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/magnesium): Evidence-based Magnesium guides, reviews, comparisons, product recommendations and FAQs. - [Vitamin D Guide & Reviews | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/vitamin-d): Vitamin D evidence hub: deficiency, optimal dosing, D3 vs D2, co-factors and supplements ranked by quality. - [Ashwagandha Guide & Reviews | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/ashwagandha): Evidence-based Ashwagandha guides, reviews, comparisons, product recommendations and FAQs. - [Best Probiotics Products | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/probiotics): Evidence-based review of probiotics: strains, dosing, gut health benefits and which products are actually worth buying. - [How To Stop Hair Loss: What Has 89 Trials, And What Has Two](https://theironverdict.com/how-to-stop-hair-loss): Minoxidil has 89 randomised controlled trials and finasteride 48; both are FDA-approved. Biotin has two, and the review found all 18 reported cases had an underlying deficiency. Niacin, the original NAD+ precursor, has 559. Counts run against PubMed with the queries printed. - [NAD+ Supplements: 32 Trials, And Four That Measured You](https://theironverdict.com/nad-supplements-evidence): Nicotinamide riboside has 32 randomised trials. Thirteen measured NAD+ levels in blood; four measured a functional outcome. The 2025 review in J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle calls the evidence in older adults "inconclusive". Intravenous NAD+ has 21 trials, fewer than the oral route. - [Does Creatine Cause Hair Loss?](https://theironverdict.com/does-creatine-cause-hair-loss): No published study has shown creatine causes hair loss in humans. One 2009 RCT in 21 rugby players showed a rise in DHT and did not measure hair. It has never been replicated. ## Calculators Protein, creatine, caffeine, calorie deficit and body composition. - [Fitness Calculators | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/calculators): Free evidence-based fitness calculators: calories, macros, protein, body fat, creatine dosage, and caffeine. All backed by research. - [Protein Intake Calculator | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/protein-intake-calculator): Calculate daily protein targets for muscle gain, fat loss or maintenance. - [Creatine Dosage Calculator | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/creatine-dosage-calculator): Calculate a practical creatine monohydrate dose for loading, maintenance and body-weight based supplementation. - [Caffeine Intake Calculator | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/caffeine-intake-calculator): Work out your safe daily caffeine ceiling from bodyweight, then see how a coffee, an energy drink and a pre-workout add up against it. - [Calorie Deficit Calculator | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/calorie-deficit-calculator): Calculate the calorie deficit that produces the rate of fat loss you want, with the maintenance figure it is measured against and a realistic weekly target - [FFMI Calculator | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/ffmi-calculator): Calculate your fat-free mass index from weight, height and body fat, and see where it sits against the range considered achievable without drugs. - [Intermittent Fasting Calculator — Find Your Eating Window](https://theironverdict.com/intermittent-fasting-calculator): Free intermittent fasting calculator. Select your protocol (16:8, 18:6, 20:4, OMAD), enter your last meal time, and get your exact fasting and eating windo - [Lean Body Mass Calculator | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/lean-body-mass-calculator): Calculate lean body mass from weight and body fat percentage, then use it to set a protein target in grams per kilogram of lean tissue rather than total we - [Water Intake Calculator | The Iron Verdict](https://theironverdict.com/water-intake-calculator): Estimate daily fluid needs from bodyweight, training volume and climate, with the electrolyte losses that plain water does not replace. ## Optional - [Methodology](https://theironverdict.com/methodology): how products are scored and what disqualifies one - [About](https://theironverdict.com/about): who writes this and how it is funded - [Affiliate disclosure](https://theironverdict.com/disclosure): the commercial relationships in full - [The Peptide Guide: Every Compound, Every Trial Count](https://theironverdict.com/peptide-guide-book): BPC-157 has 226 papers on PubMed and zero randomised human trials. Cagrilintide has 14, thymosin beta-4 seven, epithalamin six. The book prints the count for nineteen compounds with the exact PubMed query for each.