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When you hit the gym hard, it can be tempting to load up on every shiny tub of mysterious purple powder you can get your hands on in hopes it’ll turn you into vintage Schwarzenegger overnight. But rather than loading up on some generic “best supplements” just because they’re popular, it makes sense to identify your specific needs as an athlete, then address those issues first.
Are you a hardcore powerlifter? A physique-focused bodybuilder? A long-distance cyclist? All those endeavors require slightly different nutrient profiles—but it’s important to start with the fundamentals.
“The average guy doesn’t always need to take anything crazy,” says Kylene Bogden, M.S., a board-certified sports dietician at the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine. “If your diet is great and you’re sleeping well, it’s rare you’d need anything besides these select supplements.”
Oh, and one more thing: If you’re subsisting on late-night fries and couch pizza, fix that problem first. “Our rule is ‘food first,’” says Damon McCune, M.S., the director of performance nutrition for the athletics program at the University of Nevada–Las Vegas and a consultant to physique athletes and bodybuilders. “The number one thing I see across the board is people aren’t eating enough. This means they’re deficient in one or more nutrients because of that.”
So before you blow your next paycheck on some rattlesnake venom that promises to increase your bench press max (hint: it won’t), make sure you’ve got your nutrition plan down. If you’re still feeling sluggish in the morning or run-down after workouts—and your doctor gives you the go-ahead—consider taking these seven nutritionist-recommended supplements to get what you need. More

Maybe you were up every other hour with your newborn, or you pulled an all-nighter for the company’s annual report. Or maybe you just spent the night tossing and turning for no good reason. Whatever the case, when your alarm goes off at 6 a.m., you need help or you’ll never make it through the day. Instinctively, you brew yourself a cup of coffee—nature’s perfect antidote to feeling like death warmed over. But it turns out, while it may give your system a jolt, it’s weighing pretty heavy on your long-term health.

 
A report in the British Journal of Nutrition found that a night of poor sleep followed by a morning cup of black coffee caused blood sugar levels to spike 50 percent in otherwise young and healthy study participants. One suspected reason: Caffeine may contribute to insulin resistance, says lead study author Harry Smith at the Centre for Nutrition, Exercise & Metabolism at the University of Bath in the UK.

“Caffeine has a negative impact on sensors in our muscles that help the muscle take glucose out of the blood, hence why we saw the elevated blood glucose in the coffee condition,” he explains.
Since high blood sugar is the first step toward diabetes and other heart issues, it’s best to avoid it. One solution, suggests Smith, is to drink your coffee after breakfast, rather than before, which can help negate some of the effects of caffeine on blood glucose control.
Another fix: “Physical activity is a great way to control blood glucose levels and it is entirely possible that some morning exercise could be enough to negate the effect of caffeine on blood sugar levels as well,” he says, also noting that moderate coffee consumption has been linked with other positive health effects so there’s no reason to ditch the java entirely, especially if you pull an all-nighter.

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By this stage you’ve probably seen athletes of all walks running around with a big black dot on the back of their arm. It’s a wearable—a sensor, actually—called Levels ethat helps you understand how your body utilizes carbs (more on this below).

It used to be that you could only get specialized health tests on a doctor’s orders—now, you can mail in blood, saliva and urine tests without ever putting pants on. This shift from outpatient to at-home testing is thanks to advances in sample collection. Whether you’re sending in your samples or going to Quest Diagnostics, the science is basically the same, says Kamal Obbad, co-founder and CEO of Nebula Genomics.
The issue is in interpreting the results. When your doc orders a lab test, they know your history and review your data with that in mind. But when an algorithm spits out recommendations in an app (with oversight from a physician you’ve never engaged with), “be carefeeul about considering that information diagnostic.” Translation: Don’t make any medical decisions based on an at-home test. “Talk to an expert about your results whenever possible.”

What you can use these at-home tests for is optimizing diet and fitness so you feel and perform better.
Courtesy Image1. Levels: Best for Optimizing Diet
Glucose—which comes from carbs—is your body’s fastest, most accessible form of fuel. Head into a workout without enough in your system and you’re likely to bonk. This biowearable uses a small sensor (stuck on your upper arm) to monitor blood sugar levels 24/7 for two weeks at a time. Manually log workouts and meals via its app, and you’ll see live feedback as to how those impact your glucose so you can tweak habits to feel and perform your best.
[$399 for one month; levelshealth.com]
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Inside Tracker Courtesy Image2. Inside Tracker: Best for Fitness and Performance Insights
This blood test (go to a lab or have a technician come to your home) analyzes up to 43 biomarkers involved with energy, metabolism, strength and endurance. Tack on the DNA test to see how 261 genetic markers influence your athletic potential. From there, the app flags problem areas and delivers custom interventions—“have one serving of probiotics each day” or “aim for three 20-minute HIIT workouts per week”—that can help you level up.
[From $179; insidetracker.com]
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Everlywell testosterone test Courtesy Image3. Everlywell: Best for Testosterone
The right amount of testosterone coursing through you can mean the difference between feeling like a stallion versus a mopey zoo lion. High or low T can lead to symptoms like fatigue, depression and decreased muscle mass because it influences metabolism, sex drive, muscle production and fat loss. Spit in a tube, mail your sample to the certified lab, and an independent, board-certified physician in your state will weigh in on whether your level is normal. If it’s not, see your own doc about next steps.
[$49; everlywell.com]
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Rootine Courtesy Image4. Rootine: Best for Nutrient Deficiency
Fill out a 10-minute online quiz about your health and fitness habits, then take an at-home DNA or blood test (or upload data from ancestry.com or 23andMe). Rootine’s medical-grade genetics lab will analyze 52 genetic markers that have been shown in studies to impact how your body processes nutrients. Based on your genetic needs, the company will whip up a custom micronutrient formula with up to 18 vitamins and minerals. Just remember, supplements shouldn’t be used in place of healthy eating.
[$69 per month for 3 months; rootine.co]
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5. Thorne: Best for Fertility
Out-of-whack reproductive hormones can cause unexplained weight gain, sleep issues, mood changes, fatigue, and more—issues that affect people beyond those trying to conceive. Mail in your saliva swab and blood test, and certified labs will analyze hormone levels, thyroid function, and stress responses to provide you with a personalized health plan based on your results (think tips like “focus on resistance training in the morning” or “choose a Mediterranean diet”). Be wary of supplement recommendations; since those aren’t federally regulated, you should always discuss them with your doctor.
[$300; thorne.com]
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Toothpaste has come a long way since the late 19th century, when it first saw wide use. Nowadays, the market has grown beyond the many indistinguishable drugstore varieties to include natural alternatives, unique flavorings, and more. Choosing the best toothpaste involves parsing a lot of options—here’s what to look out for.

To Fluoride or Not to Fluoride?
Many of the new oral care brands tout their fluoride-free formulations as a selling point. But is fluoride really a bad thing? Because of its ability to prevent tooth decay, fluoride is typically added to both oral care products and tap water. But some people fear potential long-term effects of fluoride exposure, and brands have begun to offer fluoride-free alternatives.
Fluoride-free formulas won’t offer the same prevention against tooth decay as traditional ones, but that may not matter much: The brushing action of your toothbrush is more crucial in oral hygiene than the toothpaste you use. Using toothpaste offers other benefits, however, such as teeth whitening and breath freshening.
If you’re looking to upgrade from the usual drugstore tubes, new toothpaste brands offer perks like unique flavors, natural ingredients, and sustainable packaging. To help you in your search, we’ve rounded up some of the best natural and notable products on the market.

Buly 1803 Opiat Dentaire Mint Coriander Cucumber Courtesy Image
Buly 1803 Opiat Dentaire Mint Coriander Cucumber
French brand Buly 1803’s Opiat Dentaire is hard to resist just for its stylish, plastic-free packaging alone. But the fluoride-free formula also incorporates thermal spring water from the Castéra-Verduzan region of southwestern France, which is famed for its ability to treat periodontal maladies.
[$20; buly1803.com]
Get it Hello toothpastes Courtesy Image
Hello Activated Charcoal Epic Whitening Fluoride Toothpaste
Hello’s vegan, cruelty-free ‘pastes are made in the USA and stand out for offering both fluoride and fluoride-free options. For an extra boost of whitening, try the activated charcoal variety, which is made with mint and coconut oil for fresher breath.
[$6; hello-products.com]
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Marvis Whitening Mint Toothpaste Courtesy Image
Marvis Whitening Mint Toothpaste
Hailing from Florence, Marvis has been beloved for years for its colorful packaging and delectable flavors, ranging from jasmine to liquorice. Although it’s not all-natural, the Italian brand’s fluoride-free whitening toothpaste is particularly popular for eradicating stains from too many glasses of vino.
[$14; bigelowchemists.com]
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byHumankind Toothpaste Tablets Courtesy Image
byHumankind Toothpaste Tablets
byHumankind offers a new way to shop for personal care products (and cuts down on packaging waste) by selling refillable containers and all-natural formulations. Its toothpaste tablets, made with fluoride and microcrystalline cellulose to polish the teeth, are no different: Choose your container and purchase a one-time set of tablets or subscribe for discounted refills. To use them, just chew one and start brushing—no squeezing from a tube required.
[$15; byhumankind.com]
Get it Aesop Toothpaste Courtesy Image
Aesop Toothpaste
Certified B-Corp company Aesop has won fans the world over thanks to its high-quality skincare products, and the Australian brand brings its same mix of natural, luxurious formulations to its oral care line. This product offers a distinct mint and anise flavor, and there’s a matching mouthwash available for added freshness.
[$17; aesop.com]
Get it Davids Premium Natural Toothpaste Courtesy Image
Davids Premium Natural Toothpaste
Eric David Buss launched Davids in 2015 with the goal of making the best natural toothpaste on the market. The result? This fluoride-free formula with baking soda for whitening. The brand also includes a metal tool with purchases to help you get the last drop out of the recyclable metal packaging.
[$30; davids-usa.com]
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