Is Whey Protein necessary?

No. It is just food. If you can eat 200g of chicken breast, you don't need whey. But whey is convenient, cheap, and has high bioavailability, making it S-Tier for practicality.

Are BCAAs good for fasted training?

Not really. If you take BCAAs, you are no longer fasted (they have calories). You are better off taking EAAs (Essential Amino Acids) or just Whey Protein, which contains all the BCAAs naturally.

The Supplement Tier List

The supplement industry is a multi-billion dollar machine built largely on marketing, not science. We are here to save you money.

This tier list is based on Strength of Evidence.

S-Tier: The "Big Three" (Proven & Effective)

Evidence: Overwhelming meta-analyses support these.
Cost-Benefit: Excellent.

Supplement	What it Does	Dose
Creatine Monohydrate	Increases power output, muscle hydration, and cognitive function.	5g daily. Anytime.
Caffeine	Potent stimulant. Reduces perceived effort and increases force production.	3-6mg/kg (approx 200-400mg) pre-workout.
Whey Protein	Convenient, high-quality protein to hit daily macros.	20-40g post-workout or as needed.

A-Tier: Useful for Specific Goals

Evidence: Strong, but benefits are situational.
Cost-Benefit: Good.

Citrulline Malate: Increases blood flow (pump) and endurance. Great for high-volume bodybuilders. (Dose: 6-8g).
Beta-Alanine: "The tingle stuff." Buffers acid in muscles. Only helps for sets lasting >60 seconds (15+ reps). (Dose: 3-5g daily).
Electrolytes (Sodium/Potassium): Critical if you sweat heavily or train for long durations. (Dose: to taste).

B-Tier: The "Maybe" Pile

Evidence: Mixed or minor.
Cost-Benefit: Low.

Multivitamins: An "insurance policy" for bad diets, but whole food is better.
Fish Oil: Good for general health/joints, but won't directly build muscle.
Ashwagandha: Can lower cortisol and mildly boost testosterone in stressed individuals.

F-Tier: The Garbage Bin (Do Not Buy)

Evidence: Disproven or unsafe.

BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids): Completely useless if you eat enough protein. You need all 9 essential amino acids to build muscle, not just 3.
Testosterone Boosters: Usually herbal blends (Tribulus, Fenugreek) that boost libido but have zero impact on actual free testosterone levels or muscle growth.
Fat Burners: Mostly just expensive caffeine with pepper extract. The only things that truly burn fat are illegal or a calorie deficit.

The Bion Philosophy

Supplements are the top 1% of the pyramid.

90%: Training & Caloric Surplus.
9%: Sleep & Recovery.
1%: Supplements.

Bion focuses on the 99%—tracking your progressive overload and managing your fatigue. Master that first.

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Currently: D-Tier. The animal data looks promising, but human trials have failed to show any significant muscle building effect over placebo. Save your money until more evidence exists.