Right, supplements. This is a topic where the marketing budget is about ten times larger than the research budget, and that makes it a minefield for cyclists trying to spend their money wisely. I have wasted more than my fair share on tubs of powder that promised the world and delivered absolutely nothing, so I wanted to put together an evidence-based look at what actually works.
I went through the supplements that come up most often in conversations with sports scientists and nutritionists on this podcast, and the list of things with proper evidence behind them is surprisingly short. Caffeine sits right at the top — the research is rock solid and the effect is meaningful. Creatine is probably the one that surprises people the most because we associate it with bodybuilders, but the data for endurance athletes is getting stronger, particularly around repeated efforts and recovery. Then you have got the deficiency correctors — vitamin D and iron — which are not performance boosters in the traditional sense but if your levels are low, fixing them removes a handbrake you did not know was on. Beta-alanine has some evidence for efforts in the one-to-four minute range but the effect size is small and the tingling side effect puts a lot of people off.
Beyond those, it gets thin very quickly. The cycling-specific blends you see advertised everywhere are mostly just combinations of these same ingredients packaged up with a bigger price tag and a professional rider on the label. Save your money, buy the individual ingredients at the right doses, and spend the difference on actual food.
Key Takeaways
- Caffeine (3-6mg/kg, 30-60 mins pre-effort) is the strongest evidence-backed supplement for cycling performance
- Creatine (3-5g/day) supports repeated high-intensity efforts, recovery, and potentially cognitive function during heavy blocks
- Vitamin D and iron are worth testing via blood work — low levels quietly limit performance, especially in winter or with high training loads
- Most branded cycling supplement blends are overpriced — buy individual ingredients at evidence-based doses instead
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