The Fitties Journal

Magnesium-rich foods on dark slate: pumpkin seeds, almonds, spinach leaves, dark chocolate and chia seeds

Magnesium for Sleep: The 4 Forms and What Each One Does

July 31, 2026Robert Martin

Pooled trials show magnesium shortens sleep onset by about 17 minutes, and the authors call that evidence low quality. Which form to take, how much, the 350 mg supplemental ceiling,...

Woman sleeping peacefully in bed with reading glasses set aside on the nightstand in soft low light

What Is 5-HTP? The Dose, the Evidence, and Who Should Skip It

July 29, 2026Robert Martin

5-HTP is the direct precursor to serotonin, sold for mood, sleep, and appetite. Here is what the human research found, the doses trials actually used, and the drug interactions that...

Lifter sitting on a gym bench between sets holding a shaker bottle, illustrating creatine side effects

Creatine Side Effects: 5 Myths and 3 Real Ones

July 25, 2026Robert Martin

Creatine has three side effects worth knowing about, and none of them are the ones the internet argues about. You may hold extra water in the first week or two....

Fit man in a gym looking to the side, holding a shaker of pink mixed berry drink

How Much Creatine Per Day? Dosing by Body Weight and Goal

July 21, 2026Robert Martin

How much creatine per day? For most healthy adults it is 3 to 5 grams of monohydrate daily. Here is how to size the dose to your body weight and...

Natural pre-workout shaker with banana, berries, honey and fresh mint on a bright kitchen counter

Natural Pre-Workout: 7 Real Options and How to Choose

July 20, 2026Robert Martin

A natural pre-workout is any energy-and-performance boost that skips the artificial dyes, synthetic sweeteners, and mega-stimulants packed into most tubs on the shelf. It can be a whole food, like...

Micronized creatine powder dissolving in a glass of water, stirred with a spoon

Micronized Creatine vs Monohydrate: Which Is Better?

July 18, 2026Robert Martin

Micronized creatine and creatine monohydrate are the same thing. Micronized creatine is monohydrate, just mechanically ground into smaller particles. That smaller particle size makes it dissolve more completely, so it...

Athletic woman mixing creatine powder into a glass of water in a morning kitchen

Does Creatine Break a Fast? 3 Things That Decide the Answer

July 17, 2026Robert Martin

Pure creatine monohydrate does not break a fast. It has effectively no calories and does not raise insulin, and those are the two things that actually end a fast. What...

Woman taking a magnesium capsule with a glass of water during her evening wind-down routine

Best Time to Take Magnesium: Morning or Night?

July 17, 2026Robert Martin

There is no single best time to take magnesium. The right time comes down to two things: your goal and the form you are taking. For calm, sleep support, or...

FitBoost+ creatine powder tub and creatine gummies on a stack of gym weight plates

Creatine Gummies vs Powder: Which One Delivers the Dose?

July 16, 2026Robert Martin

Powder reliably delivers a full 3 to 5 g creatine dose, while lab testing found many gummies fall short of their label. Here is how the two compare and how...

Woman winding down before sleep with a warm drink in a softly lit bedroom

Supplements for Sleep: 6 Ingredients Backed by Research

July 13, 2026Robert Martin

The six most researched sleep supplement ingredients: melatonin, magnesium, L-theanine, glycine, GABA, and 5-HTP. What each does, study doses, and the cautions.

Woman scooping FitWhey+ New Zealand grass-fed whey protein in a kitchen

Grass-Fed Whey Protein: Is It Better, and Worth the Money?

July 11, 2026Robert Martin

What grass-fed whey actually is, how it compares to conventional whey on protein and fat profile, and how to read a label to tell a real premium from marketing.

Woman at a bright kitchen counter holding a glass of water and loose capsules, deciding which magnesium form to take

Magnesium L-Threonate vs Glycinate: Which One You Need

July 08, 2026Robert Martin

Glycinate for evening calm and sleep, L-threonate for brain magnesium and cognition. How the two forms differ, doses, and how to use them together.

Athletic man in a kitchen mixing a shaker with an espresso and moka pot, illustrating taking creatine and caffeine together

Creatine and Caffeine: Can You Take Them Together?

July 08, 2026Robert Martin

Yes, creatine and caffeine work fine together. The cancellation myth traces to one 1996 study; a 2022 review found no real interference. Doses inside.

Closeup of a scoop of supplement powder on a plain background

Creatine Loading Phase: Do You Really Need It?

July 07, 2026Robert Martin

Loading buys speed, not results. 20-25g daily saturates muscles in about a week; 3-5g daily reaches the same place in about four. How to choose.

Pre-workout powder with a scoop and shaker bottle on a kitchen counter

Pre-Workout Without Beta-Alanine: Do You Need the Tingle?

July 07, 2026Robert Martin

The beta-alanine tingle is a sensory side effect, not proof it's working. Why the ingredient is optional and what actually drives a good pre-workout.

Closeup of a scoop of white supplement powder on a wooden tabletop

Creatine Monohydrate vs HCl: Which Form Actually Works?

July 06, 2026Robert Martin

Monohydrate wins for most people: the most studied form, the same results, a fraction of the price. When HCl is worth considering anyway.

Scoop of creatine monohydrate powder with a shaker and a glass of water on a kitchen counter

Does Creatine Expire? Shelf Life, Storage, and When to Toss It

July 05, 2026Robert Martin

Stored cool and dry, creatine powder often stays good one to two years past its printed date. The clumping, smell, and color signs that mean toss it.

Man in a gym scooping FitBoost+ powder into a shaker bottle

When to Take Creatine: Timing, Dose, and Rest Days

July 05, 2026Robert Martin

Consistency beats timing. 3-5g of creatine monohydrate every day, rest days included, with a slight research edge to post-workout. Details inside.