GLOSSARY

Adverse Effect is an unwanted effect associated with an intervention when the causal relationship is supported, interpreted by severity and context.

Supplement safety depends on ingredient, dose, duration, health status and other exposures. Natural origin does not guarantee safety, and absence of a reported adverse event in a small trial does not establish long-term safety. Medication interactions, pregnancy, age and kidney or liver disease can change the decision. Distinguish an event occurring during use from a causally established adverse effect. New or severe symptoms require stopping the suspect exposure and appropriate assessment rather than increasing the dose to overcome poor tolerance.

The dose refers to the amount of the relevant active ingredient, not necessarily the mass of powder or the number of scoops. A single dose, daily total and body-mass-relative dose describe different quantities. Larger amounts can increase adverse effects without improving performance. Loading, maintenance and acute timing are ingredient-specific strategies rather than universal rules. Check all products used together so that repeated ingredients do not create an unintended total intake.

Combining supplements does not guarantee that their individual effects add together or produce synergy. Shared ingredients can increase total exposure, while interactions may alter tolerance, metabolism or the intended response. Evidence for each ingredient alone is different from evidence for the actual combination. Start with a clearly defined purpose and a simple, reviewable plan. Introduce changes under suitable training conditions, record the exact products and outcomes, and reconsider combinations that complicate sleep, gastrointestinal comfort, cost or anti-doping risk.