Supplements, while important, only are beneficial if everything else is in line. They are the back-end of the plan. Used properly in conjunction with an overall sleep, diet and exercise plan that is properly balanced, they will give you that extra edge in your gains. Without a correct plan in place however, you're spending money for no real benefit. What else is crucial in a proper supplement plan is getting what you expect. High quality, properly tested, balanced blends that do what they say and aren't loaded with anything unexpected... which in many cases is usually expected.