What supplements are most effective?

[joyridder]

So I am on a four night a week workout routine. Currently I have adjusted to a complete diet that should compliment my routine as well as taking a complete multivitamin. I have also been taking "Purple K" a pill form Creatine.

Is there anything else I should consider taking to help push my strength/results that extra bit? I feel I am getting enough protein with my diet and I would like to only consider healthy and legal supplements.

[GQBalla]

Rest is key, if your looking for supplements you could look into nitric oxide and glutamine

[SteveMo600]

How long have you been working out?

If you're new to everything. I would suggest lots of water, lots of protein, lots of rest and taper your calories throughout the day.

Work hard and don't rely on supplements, most don't need them.

[pinoyhero]

8 hours minimum of sleep, 3 litres of water daily and a kick ass diet will get you to the next level. SKip the supps unless your diet is bang on and you still need more. What's it look like right now?

[joyridder]

Originally posted by SteveMo600
How long have you been working out?

If you're new to everything. I would suggest lots of water, lots of protein, lots of rest and taper your calories throughout the day.

Work hard and don't rely on supplements, most don't need them.

I have been working out for just over a month, and what do you mean by tapering calories?

Originally posted by pinoyhero
8 hours minimum of sleep, 3 litres of water daily and a kick ass diet will get you to the next level. SKip the supps unless your diet is bang on and you still need more. What's it look like right now?

I would say I am getting 8 hours of sleep and I drink a good 3 litres of water just during my workout.

My typical diet in one day:
morning: Alpen cereal/skim milk and Centrum multivitamin

during work: Two sandwiches, carrots, couple fruits and some trail mix

preworkout: Lean meat or fish, rice, vegetables

post workout: Fruits and maybe some cereal, trailmix

Now I do eat quite a bit in one day, however, I am a Stonemason by trade so I am very active during my work day as well.

[civic_rida]

I would go supplement free as long as you can if your making gains.

[Redlined_8000]

Ya, supps are not too important at your stage. The best thing you can do is make sure your are eating lots of clean food. Steak, fish, eggs, green veggies, fruit, oats... that kinda stuff. Eat smaller more frequent meals if you can, preferably every 3 hours ish.
If you did want some staple supps to start it would be these:
Protein powder - 1-2 scoops Post WO
a good multivitamin
Fish oil 2-3 tea spoons a day.

for whey protein
http://www.trueprotein.com/
one of these
http://www.bulknutrition.com/?products_id=1274
http://www.bulknutrition.com/?products_id=1192
and this is a great value for fish oil
http://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Omega3-...8925195&sr=8-1

Hope this kinda helps.

EDIT: also maybe you should post up your WO routine.

[SteveMo600]

Originally posted by joyridder


I have been working out for just over a month, and what do you mean by tapering calories?

You want to have your biggest meals earlier in the day with lighter meals later on in the day while trying to avoid eating right before bed (other than a slow digesting protein shake).

If you've been working out for a month, you REALLY do not need any supplements, other than a vitamin, protein and some fish oil.

Listen to what a lot of these posters have to say, I agree with pretty much everything.

Don't go buy Xyience cause you saw it on TV.

[kerry]

Steroids.... Hahahahaha

But for legal supplements the ones I found to work best for me in the order I take them and the amount are:

ISS Satur8 Rush (pre workout) 1.5 scoops
BioX Power Whey (post workout protein) 1.5 scoops
CMI Technologies B.I.G. (post workout/pre bedtime creatine) 1.5 scoops
BioX Power Whey (with milk after the B.I.G.) 1 scoop

The reason for the milk in my bed time shake is it causes the shake to be a slower digesting formula. I know you can use Syntha 6 for the same effect, but that stuff made me feel bloated and gross. My solution... Biox and Milk. Tastes amazing.

I'm a big dude so you might not want to intake as much as I do.

[kutt3r]

Originally posted by kerry
Steroids.... Hahahahaha

But for legal supplements the ones I found to work best for me in the order I take them and the amount are:

ISS Satur8 Rush (pre workout) 1.5 scoops
BioX Power Whey (post workout protein) 1.5 scoops
CMI Technologies B.I.G. (post workout/pre bedtime creatine) 1.5 scoops
BioX Power Whey (with milk after the B.I.G.) 1 scoop

The reason for the milk in my bed time shake is it causes the shake to be a slower digesting formula. I know you can use Syntha 6 for the same effect, but that stuff made me feel bloated and gross. My solution... Biox and Milk. Tastes amazing.

I'm a big dude so you might not want to intake as much as I do.

Just cuz you take it with milk will not slow the digestion of a good whey protien, you need casein which is a slow digesting protien and should last you through most of the night.

http://www.trueprotein.com/Product_D...?cid=22&pid=73

[BigShow]

Originally posted by civic_rida
I would go supplement free as long as you can if your making gains.

Agreed. Forget about the supplements, just train hard.

[Oz-]

Originally posted by kutt3r


Just cuz you take it with milk will not slow the digestion of a good whey protien, you need casein which is a slow digesting protien and should last you through most of the night.

http://www.trueprotein.com/Product_D...=22&pid=73

I just take mine with olive oil when I don't have any casein. Also taking it with milk might not work with everyone depending on their (in)tolerance of lactose.

[Darkane]

Decent Info here.

I'll add a little bit. Supps are HIGHLY overrated except a select few.

As mentioned before:

Whey, Fish oil, Multi vit will do all you need for a very long time.

And since you work an active job you need MORE food. You said you 'feel' you eat enough protein.. well you don't sorry.

How tall, heavy old are you?

Also DO NOT taper your cals if you train at night. You need solid post workout nutrition. Absolute last meal of the night should be cottage cheese or a Casien protein shake. If you can't have either have a whey shake with olive/fish oil and I also add some bran (fibre to slow absortption) in the whey.

Supps are stupid, they definitely are not a magic miracle or anything. Take steroids if you want that. Even then they suck unless you're diet and training are dialed in.

There are a few supplements other than what I mentioned that make a difference, but it's better suited to someone who has all their shit dialed in.

Log your food in here www.fitday.com If you don't log your cals, how do you know you're eating enough?

Edit: My post is kind of everywhere. Read some beginner articles on here: www.t-nation.com

Excellent information on that site. Again read the articles and skip their forums for a bit

[runnintarget]

My typical diet in one day:
morning: Alpen cereal/skim milk and Centrum multivitamin

I would get rid of the centrum...one of the worst multivitamins that you can use. They dont dissolve properly and you never get the full value from one of them.

Used one back when I was in college but cant remember the name, it was decent...im using truestar stuff now. You can get it online and theres one place I know of in Avenida where you can pick it up as well. All their stuff is clinical grade, much more pure than centrum.

[Forcefed]

Most effective you ask??? simple Juice or HGH

[kerry]

Originally posted by kutt3r


Just cuz you take it with milk will not slow the digestion of a good whey protien, you need casein which is a slow digesting protien and should last you through most of the night.

http://www.trueprotein.com/Product_D...=22&pid=73

Yes it does, you're a dummy. Just look on the internet a little and you'll find EVERYONE agrees that milk does slow the rate of digestion.

My guido orange 225lb shoulder shrugs say so biatch.

[Darkane]

Originally posted by kerry


Yes it does, you're a dummy. Just look on the internet a little and you'll find EVERYONE agrees that milk does slow the rate of digestion.

My guido orange 225lb shoulder shrugs say so biatch.

I would say if you are using Milk for slowed absorption, make sure it's homogenized.

[kutt3r]

Originally posted by kerry


Yes it does, you're a dummy. Just look on the internet a little and you'll find EVERYONE agrees that milk does slow the rate of digestion.

My guido orange 225lb shoulder shrugs say so biatch.

Wow... by your response it shows how much you know... and if you are judging strength by shrugs, you are truly lost...

Milk will not slow digestion, but milk is made up of 80% Casien and 20% whey, which gives you the best of both worlds a fast and slow release protien. Milk can also have fat....more on this later...

Mahe et al, who looked at the differences in digestion between casein and beta-lactoglobulin (which is the major subfraction in whey) found that casein clots in the acidic environment of the stomach, which delays gastric emptying, and results in a prolonged, steady released of amino-acids. Whey, in contrast, remains soluble in the stomach, and quickly makes its way further down the digestive track resulting in the characteristic rapid peak in blood amino levels.

Now explain how that slows the digestion of whey? The whey is processed seperately, but casien is slower....so in effect you get the best of both worlds, but it does not slow down the whey in any form.

Now Darkane brings up something interesting and worthy of conversation... homo milk is full of.... fat... fat has been shown to slow digestion as a whole... but I have yet to see any articles (and I am talking scientific, not some meat head on a forum) on the effect of fat vs. whey directly, seeing that whey is so soluble I would still take a casien based protien with homo milk (if you can afford the calories and can stomach it) for maximum slow digestion over night.

For fun: (1 cup servings)
Skim Milk - Total fat 0.4g
1% - 2.4g
2% - 4.8g
Homo (3.5%) - 8.6g

[Darkane]

^^ I'm sure Kerry was joking about the Shrugs lol.

[max_boost]

Anyone want a 2lb thing of AllMAX Isoflex Whey Isolate? Took 2scoops out but bought a new one. Paid $45+tax

PM if interested!