| Ingredient | Studied for | Evidence in short | Usual form |
|---|---|---|---|
| BCAA and EAA | Muscle protein synthesis after resistance exercise | Human trials find BCAA alone stimulates less muscle protein synthesis than a complete protein source | Powder, drink, tablet |
| Beetroot nitrate | Exercise performance in recreationally active adults | Modest overall effect across meta-analyses; not consistent in women-only or well-trained groups | Juice concentrate, powder, capsule |
| Beta-alanine | High-intensity exercise performance | Position stand from a sports-nutrition society: consistent for short high-intensity efforts | Tablet, capsule, powder |
| Caffeine | Exercise performance and alertness | Position stand from a sports-nutrition society: consistent for most exercise types; EU safety opinion sets intake limits | Tablet, capsule, powder |
| Citrulline | Exercise performance; muscle soreness after training | Mixed: 2026 meta-analysis found a small effect; earlier reviews split on aerobic performance and soreness | Powder stick, drink, capsule |
| CoQ10 | Exercise-related fatigue and absorption | Mixed: absorption depends on form and age; exercise trials in healthy adults show small, inconsistent effects | Soft (softgel) capsule with an oil carrier |
| Cordyceps | Exercise tolerance and metabolic thresholds during exercise | Small trials, mixed; improved in a young-adult trial over 3 weeks, unchanged in an older-adult trial | Capsule, tablet, powder |
| Creatine | High-intensity, short-duration exercise performance | Strong ISSN evidence for high-intensity exercise; mainly monohydrate, EU claim needs 3 g a day | Powder, stick sachet |
| HMB | Muscle mass and strength during training, ageing or bed rest | Modest, limited results in older adults and bed rest; no added benefit in trained athletes | Capsule, tablet, powder |
| Imidazole dipeptides | Everyday fatigue from physical exertion and daily activity | Small Japanese RCTs, often industry-linked; hard to find in international databases | Capsule, tablet, drink, powder stick |
| Maca | Physical performance and exercise-related fatigue markers | Mostly animal data; the one human crossover trial found no benefit over placebo | Powder, capsule, tablet |
| Ornithine | Fatigue after physical exertion; perceived sleep quality | Two small Japanese RCTs (17 and 52 people); fatigue result versus placebo in women only; evidence limited | Powder, capsule, tablet, drink |
| Panax ginseng | Everyday tiredness and fatigue | Mixed and mostly small; much of the evidence comes from people with a condition | Hard capsule, tablet, drink |
| Taurine | Exercise performance in international trials (isolated form is a medicine in Japan) | Modest positive effect internationally; not usable as an isolated ingredient in Japanese-made foods | Not permitted as an isolated ingredient in Japanese foods (treated as a medicine) |
| Tongkat ali | Testosterone levels and vitality in ageing men | Randomised trials and a meta-analysis report increases in testosterone; most trials industry-linked extracts | Capsule, tablet, powder |
| Whey and soy protein | Muscle strength and lean mass alongside resistance training | Position stand plus meta-analyses: both support strength gains; effects on lean mass are less consistent | Powder, drink, bar |
Japan-made supplement OEM
Energy and sports supplements made in Japan
Sports nutrition covers some of the best-researched supplement ingredients, such as creatine and protein, alongside ingredients with small or mixed evidence. Japan adds its own, such as imidazole dipeptides from chicken breast and ornithine.
Some ingredients that are sold freely elsewhere are treated as medicines in Japan when isolated, such as taurine. The guides below explain which ingredients can be made as foods in Japan and which cannot.
Energy and sport ingredients at a glance
What each ingredient has been studied for, how strong the published evidence is, and the usual dosage form.
“Studied for” describes research on healthy functions. It is not a claim that any product prevents, treats or cures a disease.
Before you choose a formula
Dosage form selection How tablet, capsule, softgel, powder, jelly, drink and gummy compare for a Japan-made supplement Export labelling and documents Japanese vs destination-market labels, over-labelling, country-of-origin rules, and factory documents to request Food-medicine boundary (食薬区分) How Japan's shoku-yaku kubun system decides food versus medicine status, and what it means for an export OEM order Starting a Japan-made supplement brand The steps from concept to launch for a brand that wants a supplement made in Japan
Frequently asked questions
Which sports ingredients have the strongest evidence?
Creatine for high-intensity exercise and protein for muscle gains with resistance training have the most consistent research, including position stands from sports nutrition societies. Each guide cites them.
Can taurine be used in a Japan-made supplement?
Isolated taurine is treated as a medicine in Japan, so a Japanese factory cannot use it as a food ingredient. The taurine guide explains the alternatives.
What dosage form suits sports supplements?
Gram-level ingredients such as creatine, protein and amino acids suit powders and stick packs. Milligram-level ingredients such as CoQ10 suit capsules.
Contact
Tell us what you want to buy or sell — in Vietnam or Japan
Selling into Vietnam or Japan, sourcing from either, or a product made under your own brand. One Japanese-managed team in Ho Chi Minh City, working in English, Japanese and Vietnamese.