My guest in today's podcast, Shawn Wells, MPH, RD, CISSN, has probably forgotten more about supplements than most people will ever know. His brain contains an extremely unique blend of time spent in the science trenches and a formal education in the fields of performance nutrition and supplementation. Shawn attended UNC-Chapel Hill, earning a Master’s degree in Nutrition and minor in Exercise Science. His education also includes credentials of Registered Dietitian, Certified Sport Nutritionist (CISSN), and board member of the ISSN. His role as CEO of Zone Halo Research, a consulting group for supplement formulations, and CSO of Biotrust, along with extensive experience in formulating supplements for big companies (likely some of the ones you’ve tried in the past few years) distinguish him as an expert in sports nutrition and supplementation. If you’re into supplements, you will love this interview with Shawn Wells. We discuss: -How Shawn went from being a practicing Chief Clinical Dietitian to being in the thick of the supplement industry, and some of the most helpful books he read along the way... -The most important factors that differentiate a high-quality supplement manufacturer from a low-quality one... -The deceptive practice of "fairy-dusting" and why many, many supplement manufacturers do it... -How to know if taking different supplements together (e.g. stacking) can be dangerous, or on the flipside, more efficacious than taking one at a time... -Why a supplement can rapidly degrade as soon as you put it into your refrigerator or pantry... -Why everything from solubility to flavor additives can make or break the absorption and efficacy of supplements like whey protein... -Why you could be getting 600mg of caffeine (6 cups of coffee!) in an average "energy" supplement that says it only has 100mg... -The surprising development that Shawn things is the next big thing in the world of supplements and nutrition... -And much more! Resources we discuss during this episode: -Book "" -Book "" - - - -BioTrust Do you have questions, comments or feedback about how to know supplement ingredients or anything else Shawn and I discuss? Leave your thoughts at .