← All brands
Editorial · Evidence Base

Verified Reference Library

Sources underpinning the 300-article program. Each was located and confirmed against the published literature, and is attached to an article only where that article makes a claim the source actually verifies — shown inline beneath each AI-citation block.

27
Verified sources in use
264
Articles cited
725
Claim-specific citations
Verification policy: no citation is attached unless the source was confirmed and verifies a claim actually made in that article. Claims that cannot be verified by literature — product specifications and first-party survey figures — carry no citation and require internal substantiation instead.
Source & what it verifiesArticles
Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 20.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8 Verifies: Protein requirements for active adults (1.4–2.0 g/kg/day), per-meal doses, and protein–exercise synergy for muscle protein synthesis.
118
Helms ER, Aragon AA, Fitschen PJ (2014). Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 11, 20.
https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-11-20 Verifies: Elevated protein (≈2.3–3.1 g/kg lean mass) and a 0.5–1% bodyweight/week loss rate maximise lean-mass retention in a calorie deficit.
68
Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 18.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z Verifies: Creatine monohydrate efficacy, 3–5 g/day dosing, loading protocol, and long-term safety.
61
Kerksick CM, Wilborn CD, Roberts MD, et al. (2018). ISSN exercise & sports nutrition review update: research & recommendations. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 15, 38.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-018-0242-y Verifies: ISSN evidence tiers for supplements: which ergogenic aids are strongly supported, which are limited/unsupported, and how to evaluate claims.
55
Hall KD, Sacks G, Chandramohan D, et al. (2011). Quantification of the effect of energy imbalance on bodyweight. The Lancet, 378(9793), 826–837.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60812-X Verifies: Energy-balance dynamics: weight change is slow and non-linear; the static 3,500-calorie rule is wrong; expenditure falls as weight falls (plateau).
50
Guest NS, VanDusseldorp TA, Nelson MT, et al. (2021). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18(1), 1.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4 Verifies: Caffeine dosing (3–6 mg/kg), ~60 min pre-exercise timing, ergogenic effects, habituation and side effects.
39
Astbury NM, Piernas C, Hartmann-Boyce J, Lapworth S, Aveyard P, Jebb SA (2019). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of meal replacements for weight loss. Obesity Reviews, 20(4), 569–587.
https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12816 Verifies: Meal-replacement based diets produce greater weight loss at 1 year than comparators (23 RCTs, 7,884 adults; mean difference −1.44 kg).
38
Wing RR, Phelan S (2005). Long-term weight loss maintenance. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 82(1 Suppl), 222S–225S.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16002825/ Verifies: Long-term maintenance: ~20% of people sustain ≥10% loss for ≥1 year; NWCR maintainers use high activity, breakfast, self-monitoring and consistent eating.
37
Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, et al. (2018). A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(6), 376–384.
https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608 Verifies: Protein supplementation augments resistance-training gains in muscle mass and strength; benefit plateaus near 1.6 g/kg/day.
33
Kerksick CM, Arent S, Schoenfeld BJ, et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 33.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0189-4 Verifies: Nutrient timing: the post-exercise 'anabolic window' is far wider than 30 minutes; total daily intake outranks timing for body composition.
32
Bauer J, Biolo G, Cederholm T, et al. (2013). Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: a position paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 14(8), 542–559.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2013.05.021 Verifies: Older adults need more protein than younger adults (≈1.0–1.2 g/kg/day, higher with illness/exercise) to protect muscle and function.
25
Johns DJ, Hartmann-Boyce J, Jebb SA, Aveyard P (2014). Diet or exercise interventions vs combined behavioral weight management programs: a systematic review and meta-analysis of direct comparisons. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 114(10), 1557–1568.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2014.07.005 Verifies: Exercise-only programs are less effective for weight loss than diet-based or combined programs, in both the short and long term.
22
Buford TW, Kreider RB, Stout JR, et al. (2007). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: creatine supplementation and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 4, 6.
https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-4-6 Verifies: Original ISSN position that creatine monohydrate is the most effective ergogenic aid for high-intensity work and lean mass.
21
Davis SR, Castelo-Branco C, Chedraui P, et al. (2012). Understanding weight gain at menopause. Climacteric, 15(5), 419–429.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22978257/ Verifies: Menopause transition is associated with increased total and abdominal (visceral) fat; weight gain per se tracks with ageing.
21
Sawka MN, Burke LM, Eichner ER, Maughan RJ, Montain SJ, Stachenfeld NS (2007). American College of Sports Medicine position stand: exercise and fluid replacement. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39(2), 377–390.
https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e31802ca597 Verifies: Fluid replacement: pre-hydration, sweat-loss replacement, sodium/electrolyte needs, and performance decrement with dehydration.
18
Bhasin S, Brito JP, Cunningham GR, et al. (2018). Testosterone therapy in men with hypogonadism: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 103(5), 1715–1744.
https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/103/5/1715/4939465 Verifies: Diagnosis and management of male hypogonadism: symptoms plus consistently low testosterone; therapy indications and monitoring.
17
Lally P, van Jaarsveld CHM, Potts HWW, Wardle J (2010). How are habits formed: modelling habit formation in the real world. European Journal of Social Psychology, 40(6), 998–1009.
https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.674 Verifies: Habit formation takes a median ~66 days (range 18–254), not 21 days; automaticity builds with consistent repetition in a stable context.
17
National Health and Medical Research Council & New Zealand Ministry of Health (2006). Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand: Iron (RDI 18 mg/day for women 19–50; 8 mg/day for men and post-menopausal women). Canberra: NHMRC.
https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/nutrient-reference-values/nutrients/iron Verifies: Australian iron requirements: RDI 18 mg/day for pre-menopausal women vs 8 mg/day for men and post-menopausal women.
12
Trexler ET, Smith-Ryan AE, Stout JR, et al. (2015). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: Beta-Alanine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 12, 30.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-015-0090-y Verifies: Beta-alanine: 4–6 g/day for 2–4 weeks raises muscle carnosine; benefits 1–4 min efforts; paraesthesia (tingling) is the main side effect.
11
Sport Integrity Australia (2025). Supplement risk analysis. Australian Government.
https://www.sportintegrity.gov.au/what-we-do/anti-doping/substance-education/supplement-risk-analysis Verifies: Supplement contamination and doping risk in Australia; batch-testing (HASTA/Informed Sport) lowers but does not eliminate risk.
10
Wu T, et al. (2009). Long-term effectiveness of diet-plus-exercise interventions vs. diet-only interventions for weight loss: a meta-analysis. Obesity Reviews, 10(3), 313–323.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2008.00547.x Verifies: Diet-plus-exercise produces greater long-term weight loss than diet alone (meta-analysis of 18 RCTs).
7
Barker L, et al. (2025). Sports supplement analysis survey for the prevalence of WADA prohibited substances in the Australian online marketplace. Drug Testing and Analysis.
https://doi.org/10.1002/dta.3893 Verifies: Australian marketplace survey: >1 in 3 non-batch-tested supplements bought online contained WADA-prohibited substances, mostly undeclared.
4
Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (2026). Australian 24-hour movement guidelines for adults (18 to 64 years) and older adults (65+ years). Canberra: Australian Government.
https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/australian-24-hour-movement-guidelines-for-adults-18-to-64-years-and-older-adults-65years Verifies: Australian 24-hour movement guidelines: moderate/vigorous activity targets, muscle-strengthening 2+ days/week, and sleep recommendations.
3
National Health and Medical Research Council & New Zealand Ministry of Health (2006). Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand: Dietary fibre (Adequate Intake 25 g/day for women; 30 g/day for men). Canberra: NHMRC.
https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/nutrient-reference-values/nutrients/dietary-fibre Verifies: Australian dietary fibre targets: Adequate Intake 25 g/day for women, 30 g/day for men.
3
National Health and Medical Research Council (2013). Australian Dietary Guidelines. Canberra: NHMRC.
https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/adg Verifies: Australian Dietary Guidelines: five food groups, serve sizes, and limits on saturated fat, added sugar, salt and alcohol.
1
World Health Organization (2023). Use of non-sugar sweeteners: WHO guideline. Geneva: World Health Organization.
https://www.who.int/news/item/15-05-2023-who-advises-not-to-use-non-sugar-sweeteners-for-weight-control-in-newly-released-guideline Verifies: WHO conditional recommendation against using non-sugar sweeteners for weight control (low-certainty evidence).
1
Khan TA, Lee JJ, Ayoub-Charette S, et al. (2023). WHO guideline on the use of non-sugar sweeteners: a need for reconsideration. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 77(11), 1009–1013.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-023-01314-7 Verifies: Published critique of the WHO non-sugar-sweetener guideline, arguing the evidence base warrants reconsideration (cited alongside WHO for balance).
1