The Letterman Standard Parent Guide

Help your athlete make an informed choice.

Understand what creatine and carbohydrate-and-electrolyte drinks do, when they may fit, and what to check before choosing Varsity Creatine or Half-Time.

Start with food, fluids, sleep and training. Use this guide to understand where each product may fit an adult athlete’s routine.

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October 2026 edition · Sources included

Start with the day. Then consider the product.

Before adding something new, ask three questions:

Are the basics covered? Enough food, regular meals, fluids and time for rest.
What does this session require? A short practice and a long tournament day can call for different plans.
Is this product appropriate? Consider the athlete’s age, health, product label and sport rules.

Sports-nutrition products can serve a specific purpose. They cannot replace adequate food and hydration. [1]

Two products. Different purposes.

Varsity Creatine Monohydrate

For an appropriate athlete, creatine serves a specific role in a consistent training routine. In healthy adults, creatine monohydrate can support performance during repeated, brief, high-intensity efforts such as lifting and sprinting. Results vary. [1]

Varsity Creatine’s formula is straightforward: 100% NNB Pürest Creatine™ monohydrate, with 5 g per serving and 60 servings per 300 g tub.

Creatine does not replace carbohydrate fuel, fluids, food, or sleep. Adult research does not establish the same benefits or long-term safety for adolescents. The product-use guidance in this guide is for adults 18 and older.

Explore Varsity Creatine

Half-Time Fuel + Hydration

Half-Time brings carbohydrate fuel and electrolytes together in a drink mixed with water. It is designed for longer or repeated demanding activity when additional fuel and fluids fit the athlete’s plan—particularly when opportunities to eat are limited. [3]

Proposed Lemon Lime formula: approximately 30 g carbohydrate per serving and 20 servings per tub. Confirm the final formula and directions on the product label.

For many shorter or easier sessions, regular meals, snacks, and water cover the need. Choose according to the activity and the athlete’s overall fueling plan.

Explore Half-Time

Creatine belongs to a consistent routine. Half-Time is for sessions that call for extra carbohydrate fuel and fluids.

Why we chose NNB Pürest Creatine™

One ingredient, with a named source.

Varsity Creatine uses NNB Pürest Creatine™ monohydrate. NNB reports independent purity testing of every Pürest creatine ingredient batch and screening for lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury. [6]

NNB’s High Purity Creatine Monohydrate is listed by Informed Ingredient, a program that screens ingredients for banned substances. College athletes should review Varsity Creatine with their athletics staff before use. [7]

Explore Our Testing & Quality Information

For adult athletes and their families

This guide’s product-use guidance is intended for adults 18 and older, including college athletes. We do not provide product-use recommendations or dosing guidance for athletes under 18.

Considering creatine?

For healthy adults participating in strength training or repeated high-intensity activity, creatine monohydrate may be a useful addition to an established routine. It is optional, and results vary. Food, fluids, sleep, and training remain the foundation.

Creatine can increase body weight, partly through water retained in muscle, and may cause digestive discomfort. Consider whether these effects matter for your sport or individual circumstances. [1]

Before using either product, review the complete label, ingredients, allergens, directions, and warnings. Discuss medical conditions, medications, and other supplements with a qualified healthcare professional.

For athletes under 18

This guide does not recommend product use or provide dosing guidance for athletes under 18. If you are considering a product for a younger athlete, discuss the complete label with their pediatrician or treating physician before use. Follow all label age restrictions and applicable purchase restrictions.

For college athletes

Review the exact product with your athletic trainer or designated athletics staff before use, and follow your program’s rules.

The NCAA does not approve dietary supplements. Testing and certification cannot eliminate every risk or guarantee eligibility. [5]

From classes to practice.

A little preparation helps when the schedule gets crowded:

Before classes: Make room for breakfast and pack a water bottle.
During the day: Plan lunch and a familiar snack for the gap before practice.
After training: Have a meal or snack available, especially when dinner is still hours away.
On tournament days: Pack food, drinks and a cooler when needed. Check when the athlete will actually have time to eat.

Choose familiar foods that suit your athlete’s appetite, preferences and allergies. A workable plan is one your family can repeat. [2]

Read beyond the front label.

Before using a product, check:

The full ingredient list and amounts per serving.
Serving size, mixing directions and maximum recommended use.
Allergens, age restrictions and other warnings.
Whether it duplicates ingredients in another product.
What testing information is available for that product or batch.

Follow the serving and mixing directions on the product you use.

Questions about product testing?

See why we chose Pürest creatine and read NNB’s published ingredient-testing information.

Have a question before buying? We can help with ingredients, labels and product information.

For a concern about a tub you own, include its lot number when you contact us.

Explore Testing & Quality · Ask a Product Question

Have the conversation before making the purchase.

Ask your athlete:

“What are you hoping this will help with?”

Then work through the practical questions together:

Could a change to meals, snacks or the daily schedule address that need?
Does the product fit the athlete’s age, health and sport?
Who should review the label?
What would appropriate use look like?

A clear reason is a better starting point than a teammate’s routine or a claim on social media.

Have a question about a Letterman Standard ingredient, label or product?

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This guide provides general education. It does not replace individual medical or nutrition advice.

Sources & further reading

Sources for the nutrition, ingredient and sport-rule information in this guide.

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