Low Bar: Supplement Standards, Price Markups, and Better Alternatives
Reader problem: supplements keep getting more expensive while delivering less. The market rewards hype, not value. This page shows transparent, side-by-side comparisons so you can buy on facts: dose, price per gram, and what’s actually in the jar.
What “low bar” looks like
Budget ingredients dressed up as “premium.” Underdosed formulas. Big markups to fund influencer spend. When you look under the label, value often disappears. Below are real examples with links to sources and our alternatives so you can choose on data, not hype.
Amino Acids: “Life” vs FUNDAMINOS™
Claim observed: “Life is a patented blend of essential amino acids…” at a premium price. The issue isn’t amino acids; it’s cost versus dose.
| Product | Serving/Dose Notes | Jar Size | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| “Life” EAA (third-party brand) | Artificially flavored EAAs | 108 g | $95 | (Brand page per your screenshot) |
| FUNDAMINOS™ | Vegan EAAs + BCAAs (athlete-designed) | 300–390 g (current listing: 390 g) | $69 | Product page |
Takeaway: if you want essential amino acids for energy, recovery, and muscle protein synthesis, price per gram matters. FUNDAMINOS™ provides a full EAA/BCAA spectrum at a substantially lower cost per gram based on your provided figures.
Kion Aminos vs FUNDAMINOS™
| Product | Format | Jar Size | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kion Aminos (packets) | Packets | — | $80 | getkion.com/products/aminos-packets |
| Kion Aminos (powder) | Powder | 225 g | $45 | getkion.com/products/aminos-powder |
| FUNDAMINOS™ | Powder | 390 g | $69 | Product page |
Takeaway: according to the numbers you provided, FUNDAMINOS™ delivers substantially more grams per dollar.
DFH “PurePaleo” cocoa protein vs PURECLEAN PROTEIN
You noted identical contract pricing on a comparable base and a large retail markup elsewhere.
Reference: wildsuperfoods.com listing
Alternative: PURECLEAN PROTEIN at $37.00 (vanilla; your current product page)
Takeaway: if the base is comparable, the retail delta is the whole story.
AG1 greens vs CHOCOBERRY BLAST™
| Product | Per-Serving Notables | Total Jar | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AG1 | ~12 g/serving, greens-heavy blend | 360 g | $110 | athleticgreens.com |
| CHOCOBERRY BLAST™ | ~16 g/serving, beets + berries + cacao flavonoids | 480 g | $69 | Product page |
Takeaway: you called out “almost 300% more expensive.” Whatever the exact math on any given day, the direction is clear: higher dose per serving and more total grams at a lower price point improves value density.
Mushroom Coffee: Four Sigmatic vs UNBEETABREW™
| Product | Mushrooms/Caffeine | Jar Size | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Four Sigmatic Instant Mushroom Coffee | ~500 mg (2 mushrooms) + ~50 mg caffeine/serv. | 75 g | $35 | Product page |
| UNBEETABREW™ | ~1500 mg (5 mushrooms) + ~75 mg caffeine/serv. + ~5000 mg beet juice | 330 g | $69 | Product page |
Takeaway: higher functional actives per serving and a larger jar size change the value equation.
Beet Powders & Chews: HumanN vs PURECLEAN
Powders:
| Product | Beet Dose per Serving | Total Jar | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HumanN (SuperBeets Superfood) | ~5 g beet per serving (per your notes) | 150 g | $36 | humann.com |
| PURECLEAN BEET™ | ~10 g beet juice per serving; third-party batch certificate | 300 g | $49 (see page) | Product page • 3rd-party certificate |
Chews:
| Product | Actives per Serving | Count | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HumanN beet chews | ~500 mg beets + small amount grapeseed oil (per your notes) | 30 | $36 | humann.com |
| BEETUMS™ | ~3 g actives starting with beet juice powder; third-party beet strength certificate; oral delivery system designed to enhance effects | 30 | $49 | Product page • 3rd-party certificate |
Why we’re still here
There’s no reason a company survives 16 years by charging fair prices unless the products work for real people. Our stance is simple: dose what matters, prove it batch-to-batch where relevant, and price to deliver value—not hype.
The Highest Bar. Life Elevated. PureClean Performance
Plus PureClean Performance has no additives