Scope: Label literacy · seed /go/ only.
TL;DR
- Read the nutrition panel, not the vibe.
- Hard skips: proprietary dose-hiding, front-claim ≠ panel, hormone/PCT/AAS cosplay, disease-cure marketing.
- Run AUD per effective dose (protein / creatine / EPA+DHA / elemental Mg).
- When unsure → food/training framing and a boring legal sports-nutrition pick — not a gear storefront.
Hub: Start here · Stack: Beginner stack
Red flag table
| Flag | Why it fails | See also |
|---|---|---|
| Proprietary blend with no breakdown | You’re guessing doses | Proprietary blend pre-workout |
| Front “30 g protein” vs panel 22 g | Maths lie | Protein per scoop |
| Tiny scoop + huge serve count | Fake cheap | Cheapest protein |
| “Fish oil 1000 mg” hiding low EPA+DHA | Vanity mg | Omega-3 for lifters |
| Magnesium compound weight ≠ elemental Mg | Wrong AUD maths | Magnesium for lifters |
| Steroid-mimic before/afters from powder alone | Misleading | Brand kit ban list |
| AAS / SARM / cycle / PCT funnel language | Hard ban | Disclosure + About |
| “Cures / treats / replaces TRT” | Therapeutic risk | Skip brand |
| “Lab tested by us” with no proof | Trust tax | Ask for real receipts or move on |
| US hype + silent AU freight | Landed price lies | Prefer AU stockists |
Category cheatsheet
| Category | Catch this |
|---|---|
| Creatine | Clear monohydrate grams; skip mystery matrices — Best creatine |
| Protein | Protein/serve + AUD/25 g — Best protein |
| Pre | Caffeine mg listed; no blend tax — Pre vs coffee |
| Intra | Sodium/carbs listed — Intra electrolytes |
| Basics | Conservative claims only — Vitamin D · Mag · Omega |
What “good enough” looks like
- One primary job per product
- Numbers you can audit
- AUD honesty including shipping
- No banned Yeh Bro claims
Soft stack: creatine /go/creatine-true · protein /go/protein-true · labelled pre browse /go/pre-sm · beginner list /go/stack-beginner-sm
FAQ
Are all US brands bad?
No — but AU shipping/duties and claim culture still need a cold read.
Is “clinically dosed” enough?
Only if the panel shows the doses.
Women’s products?
Same flags. Pink tax isn’t a quality metric.