As a registered dietitian and gym owner, I’m often asked about the best supplements for CrossFit training.

Honestly, I see a LOT of people wasting money on products that aren’t scientifically proven to be effective. In fact, some of them may even be harmful!

In this post, I’ll discuss a couple of supplements you may want to consider if you do CrossFit. And, spoiler alert: There aren’t very many.

What are the Best Supplements for CrossFit?

Of all the supplements that have become popular among CrossFit athletes, I only recommend two pretty much across the board.

Creatine

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is your muscles’ most readily available energy source during exercise.

And here’s something that may surprise you: You’ll use up all the ATP in your muscles after just a few seconds of intense exercise.

This is where creatine comes in handy.

Creatine is a substance that allows your muscles to generate more ATP, allowing them to work a little harder for a little longer during exercise. Taking it regularly can help you build muscle, increase strength, and improve your muscle-to-body fat ratio.

Recent studies also suggest that creatine supplements may help enhance cognitive function in people with acute or chronic conditions impacting the brain (such as aging, depression, and traumatic brain injury).

Omnivores can get creatine by eating animal proteins, but the best way to increase the amount of creatine in your muscles is to take a creatine supplement. Some studies have found that supplements can increase intramuscular creatine stores by as much as 40 percent.

Creatine has been extensively studied and has an excellent safety record, although it can sometimes cause bloating the first few days you take it.

Dosing in most studies has ranged from 3-5 grams daily of creatine monohydrate, although doses of up to 10 grams daily appear to be safe and well-tolerated in larger athletes.

I tell most of my athletes to take five grams daily, mixed with water or other liquids.

Protein Powder

If you want to build more muscle, you need to do two things: Lift heavy weights and eat plenty of protein.

There’s been some debate about how much protein is necessary for muscle growth. However, studies suggest it’s best to consume at least 0.73 grams of protein per pound of body weight daily (for example, at least 110 grams daily if you weigh 150 pounds).

If you can eat this much protein without using supplements, excellent! There’s no strong evidence that protein supplements are superior to whole foods. Food sources of protein usually provide a broader range of nutrients than supplements.

However, a protein supplement can help you maximize your CrossFit gains if you struggle to get enough protein from food.

If you eat dairy products, whey is your best option. Your body can break it down and use it more easily than other types of protein, and it’s higher in leucine (a highly anabolic amino acid) than other protein powders.

I recommend soy, pea, or hemp protein powder for vegans simply because they contain all nine essential amino acids.

How to Find the Best Supplements for CrossFit

Now that you know the best supplements for CrossFit athletes, let’s discuss how to find high-quality products. Because honestly, there’s a lot of crap out there.

The FDA lacks the authority to regulate supplements like food. Consequently, it is impossible to know if the product labels on many supplements are accurate.

This means:

• Your supplement may contain ingredients beyond what’s listed on the label.
• The nutrition facts may not be accurate.
• Your product could contain banned substances.

For this reason, I recommend buying products tested for safety and quality by an independent third party. These products have “NSF Sport” or “Informed Sport” logos on the label.

A Final Word on CrossFit Supplements

When it comes to supplements for CrossFit, less is more.

Using only high-quality, scientifically-backed products will keep you safe while saving you loads of money.

Bookmark this article for your next supplement purchase, and share it with a friend who takes ALL the supplements.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning we may receive a small commission from any sales originating from this post. There is no cost to you, and we only recommend products we use (and love) ourselves.