Supplements

By Tom Francis·Updated 2026-09-03·Editorial policy

All pages

• Supplements for rugby playersAn honest run through supplements for UK club and amateur rugby players: what carries an authorised claim, what does not
• Banned substances and batch testing in rugbyWhat batch certification actually means, why lab tested for purity is not the same thing, and how a UK rugby player shou
• How to read a supplement labelA step by step method for reading a UK supplement label, from finding the real active content to working out cost per da
• Supplements by rugby positionWhether position changes what a rugby player should take, covering front row, back row, halves and outside backs, with t
• Supplements through the rugby seasonHow supplement needs shift across a rugby season, from pre season and two a day sessions through match weeks to the off
• Do rugby players take creatine?Whether rugby players take creatine, what its authorised claim actually says, and the practical considerations for a clu
• How much protein does a rugby player need?The actual protein figures for a rugby player by body weight, what food provides, and why most club players reach the ta
• Is my supplement banned in rugby?How a rugby player can actually check whether a supplement is a problem, what the answer depends on, and who to ask.
• A supplement stack for rugby, built honestlyHow to build a supplement stack for rugby by claim strength rather than by marketing, what each layer costs, and where t
• Informed Sport supplements for rugby playersWhat Informed Sport and Informed Choice certification actually cover, how to check a batch, and what a rugby player shou
• What a club rugby player should spend on supplementsWhat supplements actually cost a club rugby player per day, per season and per year, and where a sensible ceiling sits.
• A rugby player's daily supplement routineWhat a workable daily supplement routine looks like for a club rugby player, and why simplicity beats optimisation.
• Do rugby players need a B12 supplement?Whether a rugby player needs vitamin B12, who genuinely does, and what the authorised claims cover.
• Do rugby players need a calcium supplement?Whether a rugby player needs calcium, who genuinely does, what food provides, and what the authorised claims cover.
• Do rugby players need a zinc supplement?Whether a rugby player needs zinc, what the claims cover, and why it is the mineral most often duplicated across a stack
• How to check whether a supplement is batch testedA step by step method for checking whether a specific tub is batch tested for banned substances, and why a logo on the p
• How to check a supplement against the banned listHow to check ingredients and medications against the prohibited list, what a player can and cannot verify, and who to as
• How to build a supplement routine around a rugby weekHow to design a supplement routine that survives a real club rugby week, and why anchoring to training is the mistake ev
• How to spot a proprietary blendHow to recognise a proprietary blend on a supplement label, what it hides, and why it is a reason not to buy rather than
• How to compare two supplements on the label aloneA head to head method for comparing two supplements using only what is printed, with a worked example across two product
• How to track whether a supplement is doing anythingHow to run an honest personal trial on a supplement, what to measure, how long to give it, and why most self assessments
• How to avoid wasting money on supplements as a club playerThe specific ways club rugby players waste money on supplements, and the checks that prevent each one.
• Informed Choice, Informed Sport and the other certification schemesThe difference between the main supplement certification programmes, what each actually screens, and which matters for a
• How to use a certification checker properlyHow the certification lookup tools work, what to search for, and the mistakes that make a check worthless.
• Does sport certification test for heavy metals?What sport certification programmes actually screen for, why heavy metals are a separate check, and which test covers wh
• Is sport certification worth trusting?Whether certification programmes are credible, what they genuinely deliver, and their limits.
• How anti-doping rules apply to a club rugby playerHow the anti-doping system works in practice for an amateur rugby player, who administers it, and what a player is actua
• The certification marks, and what each one meansThe different certification and quality marks that appear on supplements, what each actually covers, and which are meani
• Is a certification mark on a pack enough?Why a certification logo is not the same as a verified product, and what to check instead.
• Can certification programmes be trusted?Whether certification programmes are independent and credible, and what their limits are.
• What does sport certification actually mean?What a sport certification mark on a supplement means in practice, and what it does not.
• Which supplement is actually worth taking?How to rank supplements by what can actually be claimed rather than by how hard they are marketed.
• How to judge a manufacturer's testingHow to compare what manufacturers actually test for, without relying on brand reputation.
• What supplements go together for a rugby player?Which combination makes sense for a club player, ordered by claim strength rather than marketing.
• If you take one supplement, which one?Which single supplement is the most defensible purchase for a club rugby player.
• How to judge a supplement brandHow to assess a supplement manufacturer on things you can actually verify from the pack.
• How to avoid a contaminated protein powderWhat the heavy metal concern in protein powders actually is, and how to reduce the risk.
• How to read a vitamin labelWhere the useful information sits on a vitamin label and what each part tells you.
• How to tell whether a supplement is genuinely testedHow to distinguish a real testing statement from a marketing one.
• What to avoid on a supplement labelThe specific things on a supplement label that should make a buyer put it down, and why each one matters.
• What a good supplement label statesThe things a well written supplement label tells you, and why each one matters.
• What a supplement label is not allowed to sayThe claims a food supplement cannot legally make in the UK, and why the rules exist.
• Is there an effective joint supplement?Which joint supplements carry authorised claims, what the register actually permits, and what the whole category rests o
• What makes a supplement company trustworthy?The specific things that distinguish a trustworthy supplement manufacturer, all of which can be checked without naming a
• What does IU mean on a supplement label?What international units are, how they convert to micrograms and milligrams, and why two units for the same nutrient cau
• What a supplement label is not required to tell youThe information a supplement manufacturer can legally leave off a label, and why volunteering it is the strongest qualit
• Should under 18s take supplements?Why this site does not give supplement guidance for players under 18, who should be asked instead, and what actually mat
• About Sharper RugbyWho writes Sharper Rugby, who it is for, and how the claims on this site are handled.
• Editorial policyHow Sharper Rugby handles health claims, sources, product recommendations and corrections.
• PrivacyWhat data Sharper Rugby collects, which is very little, and how affiliate links work.
• Tom FrancisWho writes Sharper Rugby, what he is and is not qualified to tell you, and the method every page on the site follows.