Supplement Hype reports the state of evidence and grades claims. It is not a substitute for a doctor or pharmacist and does not diagnose, treat, or cure anything. Read the full disclaimer →
By goal
Ranked by the strength of human evidence — not popularity. 22 entries touch this goal. Each is graded claim by claim, because the same supplement can be strong for one use and weak for another.
the one that actually works
Among the most evidence-backed supplements there is. The rare case where the science is ahead of the hype.
Marketing intensity 65 of 100. Evidence strength 90 of 100. Verdict: Better than its hype.
the legal performance drug
One of the most reliably effective legal performance aids. The catch isn't whether it works - it's timing.
Marketing intensity 60 of 100. Evidence strength 88 of 100. Verdict: Better than its hype.
the underrated endurance and blood-pressure trick
Quietly effective and under-marketed. The nitrate in beetroot genuinely lowers blood pressure a little and improves endurance - a rare case of substance over hype.
Marketing intensity 45 of 100. Evidence strength 70 of 100. Verdict: Better than its hype.
the tingly one that quietly works
An under-hyped supplement that genuinely works for one narrow thing: high-intensity efforts lasting 1-4 minutes. The famous tingle is harmless.
Marketing intensity 52 of 100. Evidence strength 62 of 100. Verdict: Better than its hype.
essential if low, risky if you guess
Genuinely fixes fatigue when you're iron-deficient. But taking it without a blood test is a real mistake - excess iron is harmful and there's no easy way to get rid of it.
Marketing intensity 60 of 100. Evidence strength 55 of 100. Verdict: Hype ≈ evidence.
an energy fix only if you're actually low
Essential and genuinely energising if you're deficient. The 'B12 for energy' shots and gummies do nothing measurable if your levels are already normal.
Marketing intensity 75 of 100. Evidence strength 55 of 100. Verdict: Slightly overhyped.
the memory herb that needs patience
One of the better-supported nootropic herbs for memory - but it works slowly over weeks, not as an instant focus hit, and the gut side effects are real.
Marketing intensity 62 of 100. Evidence strength 52 of 100. Verdict: Slightly overhyped.
smartly packaged salt
Genuinely useful when you're sweating a lot for a long time. The 'everyone needs electrolytes all day' trend is mostly selling you flavoured salt.
Marketing intensity 78 of 100. Evidence strength 50 of 100. Verdict: Overhyped.
the calm half of your coffee
Best-supported paired with caffeine for smoother focus. As a standalone anti-anxiety or sleep cure, the evidence is thinner than the nootropic marketing suggests.
Marketing intensity 68 of 100. Evidence strength 50 of 100. Verdict: Slightly overhyped.
best case is for statin users and heart failure
A reasonable add-on for statin muscle aches and heart failure, where the evidence is mixed-to-promising. As a general 'energy and anti-aging' pill for healthy people, it's weak.
Marketing intensity 70 of 100. Evidence strength 45 of 100. Verdict: Overhyped.
for stress and sleep loss, not everyday focus
Genuinely helpful for holding cognition together under acute stress or sleep deprivation - but largely useless as an everyday 'focus' pill when you're rested.
Marketing intensity 55 of 100. Evidence strength 45 of 100. Verdict: Slightly overhyped.
the podcast testosterone herb
More real evidence than most 'test boosters' - it does nudge testosterone, mostly in men who are already low. The TikTok 'alpha' framing is way ahead of the data.
Marketing intensity 80 of 100. Evidence strength 45 of 100. Verdict: Overhyped.
the nootropic mushroom
A genuinely interesting mushroom with promising animal data and a few small, mixed human trials. The 'grow new brain cells' marketing is far ahead of what's been shown in people.
Marketing intensity 80 of 100. Evidence strength 40 of 100. Verdict: Overhyped.
the adaptogen for fatigue, on shaky trials
Promising for stress-related fatigue, with a few decent trials - but the literature is contradictory and most studies have a high risk of bias.
Marketing intensity 68 of 100. Evidence strength 40 of 100. Verdict: Overhyped.
the energy-drink amino acid that went viral for aging
A 2023 mouse study lit up the longevity world - then a 2025 human study undercut the core premise. For exercise there's a small, real signal; for living longer, it's unproven.
Marketing intensity 70 of 100. Evidence strength 40 of 100. Verdict: Overhyped.
the mitochondria supplement with actual RCTs
Better evidenced than most longevity supplements - real RCTs show small gains in muscle strength and mitochondrial markers. Caveats: effects are modest, trials are small and industry-funded.
Marketing intensity 76 of 100. Evidence strength 38 of 100. Verdict: Overhyped.
an expensive multivitamin with influencers
A pricey powdered multivitamin with great marketing. The handful of trials are mostly run by the makers, and none show it does what the podcast ads imply.
Marketing intensity 88 of 100. Evidence strength 35 of 100. Verdict: Severely overhyped.
the 'brain magnesium' with thin, industry-funded data
Marketed as the magnesium that reaches your brain. The human evidence is one or two small, industry-funded trials - promising, nowhere near proven, and priced at a steep premium.
Marketing intensity 80 of 100. Evidence strength 35 of 100. Verdict: Severely overhyped.
the longevity influencer's favourite
It reliably raises NAD+ in your blood. Whether that does anything for human aging is unproven - and in the US the FDA no longer allows it to be sold as a supplement.
Marketing intensity 90 of 100. Evidence strength 30 of 100. Verdict: Severely overhyped.
the autophagy-longevity bet, early in humans
A compelling longevity mechanism (it triggers autophagy) with encouraging animal data - but the human cognition trials are small and mixed, not the proven memory aid it's sold as.
Marketing intensity 72 of 100. Evidence strength 25 of 100. Verdict: Severely overhyped.
the widest hype gap on this list
A century-old medical dye with interesting mechanisms, almost no long-term human evidence for the biohacker claims, and real, specific dangers if you take antidepressants.
Marketing intensity 95 of 100. Evidence strength 20 of 100. Verdict: Severely overhyped.
tar from a rock, sold as testosterone
A Himalayan resin with a couple of tiny testosterone studies and a big TikTok budget. The heavy-metal contamination risk is the part the videos never mention.
Marketing intensity 85 of 100. Evidence strength 20 of 100. Verdict: Severely overhyped.
Based on human evidence, the best-supported options here are Creatine monohydrate, Caffeine, Beetroot / dietary nitrate. Each is graded claim by claim — open a card for the sources.
Watch out for Greens powder (AG1 etc.), NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide), Spermidine, Methylene blue, Shilajit — the marketing runs well ahead of the human evidence for these.