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Recovery is the part of training people either overthink or ignore completely. There is no shortage of tubs that promise to fix a sore week, and most of them are doing far less than the label suggests.
The good news is that the list of things that genuinely help is short, cheap and boring. Below is how we sort it at the shop, what each group actually does after a session, and the products we keep on the shelf for each one.
The short answer
- Protein first. It is the only group here that a lot of people are genuinely short on.
- Water and salt next, because a flat, crampy session usually starts with hydration rather than a missing powder.
- Creatine if you lift. Five grams a day, every day, no timing games.
- EAA or BCAA drinks are a nice-to-have for long sessions, not a fix for a low protein diet.
- Sleep beats all of it. No tub replaces an extra hour in bed.
What actually helps
Protein. Training breaks tissue down and protein is the raw material for putting it back. Whether it comes from chicken, yoghurt or a shake matters far less than hitting a similar total most days. A powder just makes that easier on a busy day. If you are not sure how much a scoop is really giving you, our guide to protein per scoop and serving sizes breaks the label down, and how much protein per day covers the total.
EAA or BCAA. These are amino acid drinks you sip during a session. A full EAA product carries all nine essential aminos, while a BCAA only carries three. If your daily protein is already solid, an amino drink is mostly about flavour, something to drink while you train, and a bit of insurance on long or fasted sessions. We compare the two properly in EAA vs BCAA.
Electrolytes and magnesium. Sweat takes sodium and potassium with it, and both matter for how a session feels in the back half. Magnesium sits slightly apart: it is a mineral a lot of hard-training people run low on, and it is usually taken in the evening rather than around a workout. See magnesium glycinate vs citrate if you are picking a form.
Creatine. Creatine monohydrate is the most studied supplement on this list and one of the cheapest. It supports repeat efforts and hard sets, which is why it shows up in a recovery conversation at all: better quality work, session after session. Take it daily, training day or not.
Sleep basics. Nothing here replaces sleep, food and a sensible training load. If you are getting six broken hours a night, adding a fourth tub is not the lever to pull. Our post on magnesium for sleep is honest about what a mineral can and cannot do there.
What we stock
Protein
Macro Mike is our busiest plant range, so it leads this section. Every one of these is vegan, dairy free and gluten free.
- Macro Mike Peanut Plant Protein, Original Peanut Butter, 1kg gives 25.7 g of protein per 40 g serve from roasted peanut, faba bean and pea, with 25 serves in the bag. It is $89.85 as at 9 September 2026.
- Macro Mike Premium Almond Protein, Deluxe Chocolate, 400g runs 23.7 g per 40 g serve and 10 serves per bag, and it stays smooth in water rather than going chalky. $58.85.
- Macro Mike Luxe Peanut Protein, Toffee Vanilla, 520g drinks thicker at 22.0 g per 40 g serve, 13 serves, $54.85. There is also a sample pack if you would rather try flavours before committing to a bag.
Whey, blends and isolates all sit in the wider protein collection.
EAA and BCAA
- Raw Nutrition EAA, Kiwi Blueberry covers all nine essential aminos with 3 g of L-leucine leading the formula, 25 serves, $58.95.
- Xtend EAA, Watermelon is a 5 g EAA blend with sodium from pink Himalayan salt and potassium from potassium citrate, 40 serves per tub at $49.85. That salt content makes it the most hydration-friendly of the three.
- Ghost BCAA V2, Sour Strip Rainbow Candy is the three-amino option: 7 g of vegan fermented BCAAs in a 2:1:1 ratio, 30 serves, $49.95.
More sit in the EAA collection and the wider amino and recovery range.
Electrolytes and magnesium
- Ghost Intra, Lemon Lime is the all-in-one of the group: 10 g of essential aminos with a proper electrolyte blend, 20 serves, $67.95.
- Pillar Performance Triple Magnesium Powder, Berry, 400g carries 310 mg of elemental magnesium per 5 g scoop from citrate, amino acid chelate and glycinate. It is Informed Sport certified and gives 80 serves for $77.85. The 60 tablet version is $35.96 if you would rather not mix a drink.
- Nexus Triple Magnesium, Unflavoured is the cheaper powder at $48.85 for 50 serves, using citrate, bisglycinate and chelate. The label lists the three forms by weight rather than an elemental magnesium figure, so read the panel if you are comparing it to Pillar on that basis.
Sachets and tabs live in electrolytes.
Creatine
- Raw Nutrition Premium Creatine, White Cherry is micronised creatine monohydrate at a flat 5 g per serve, 30 serves, $31.85. Nothing else added.
That is the only creatine in our recovery range, so the rest of the monohydrate, the flavoured tubs and the gummies sit in the creatine collection.
How the five groups compare
| If you want | Go for | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The one thing to fix first | Protein | Easiest gap to close, hardest to fake with food on a busy week |
| Something to sip while you train | EAA or BCAA | Flavour and aminos during the session, not a protein replacement |
| Fewer flat, crampy sessions | Electrolytes | Replaces what you sweat out, especially in summer |
| A calmer evening routine | Magnesium | Evening mineral, taken daily rather than around training |
| Better quality hard sets | Creatine | 5 g a day, cheapest proven option on the list |
Two honest notes. First, most people do not need all five: protein, water and creatine covers the majority of lifters. Second, price per serve is what matters, not the price on the tub. An 80 serve magnesium and a 30 serve tub are very different things at the same shelf price.
Where NZ Supps fits
We are a Kiwi-owned shop in Palmerston North, and the whole recovery range sits in one place if you would rather browse than read. Prices in this post run from $31.85 to $107.95 as at 9 September 2026, and NZ shipping is free over $70.
If you want to go deeper on one group, do you need an intra workout covers the during-session drinks, and best electrolyte sachets NZ covers hydration on its own.
FAQ
What is the best recovery supplement to start with? Protein, in most cases. It is the one thing that is hard to fix with willpower alone if you train often and eat on the run. Once your protein is steady, add water and salt, then look at creatine.
Do I need EAA or BCAA if I already drink protein? Not really, if your protein is already high. A full protein serve covers all nine essential amino acids. EAA or BCAA drinks are mostly about sipping something during a long session rather than adding anything your shake missed.
Should I take magnesium at night or in the morning? Most magnesium powders and tablets are labelled as evening products, and that is how Pillar Performance and Nexus describe theirs. Timing matters less than actually taking it on a regular basis.
Is creatine a recovery supplement or a strength supplement? Both, in practice. Creatine monohydrate is best known for strength and repeat efforts, and it is taken every day rather than only on training days. Raw Premium Creatine runs 5 g per serve, which is the standard dose.
Do you ship recovery supplements around New Zealand? Yes. We are based in Palmerston North and send orders NZ wide, with free shipping over $70. If you are unsure what to pick, message us and tell us what your training week looks like.
