With so many different supplement brands on the market it's hard for those like me, who are NOT in the know, to figure out what the differences are between the brands (apart from price!)

A method I usually use to assess products is to READ THE LABEL, and try to determine the % of active ingredients in each one.  If you are buying a protein supplement for instance, compare them to see which one has a high level of protein.  This can involve a bit of maths sometimes as some manufacturers specify the amount of protein in one serve (serving sizes can vary significantly), and do not have a 100g breakdown.

More important than the amount of protein in a supplement however is the quality of the protein, so something to look for is the type of protein. Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC) has the highest functionality of all proteins (and the highest biological value), while Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) and Soy Protein Isolate both provide excellent protein nutrition. The scientific community rate proteins by their PDCAAS (Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score), with a score of 1.0 being the highest possible. WPC, WPI and Soy Protein all have a PDCAAS of 1.0.

 

The amount of sugars to total carbs is another ratio to be mindful of, particularly in "low fat" supplements.

 

Also watch the calories per serve. A high calorie count is good for weight gain, but could be counterproductive if you are trying to lose fat. However in doing this, be aware that some products show a larger serving size to appear to be delivering more protein.

 

Your best bet is to educate yourself on the ingredients in the type of supplement you are buying and evaluate the products based on this.