Highly recommended supplements?

[SehrBuenoKnop]

I have been taking my lifting seriously with the usual whey/creatine. I also take a multi vitamin after my lift for maximum healing/growth. I sometimes take fish oil and was just reading about it saying it is useful so Im gonna get into that more.

My friend was talking about glucosamine saying that he was going to get some because it helps with protein absorption or movement. So I was reading up on that and I guess chondroitin is also useful? Or is it glutamine that I am thinking of?

Is there anything you would recommend and doesnt have a high price. Not really looking for those name brands supplements that last like a month and cost 60+.

Also, should I worry about cholesterol? I love hard boiled eggs and today I ate 4 so far. But the cholesterol is in the yolk, which I dont eat all of because the texture is nasty without enough egg white.

THe occasional munchies from being a pothead and the same with drinking as I am I semi alcoholic hinder me slightly, otherwise I would have very minimal bodyfat, buts when your in your early 20s in college, what you gonna do?

My one friend told me to take Animal M-stak but I guess it only works once, not every time like creatine or something. And I keep seeing Yobimbe (sp) which is good for getting a six pack? I lost mine and now that I have a job and dont have every day free and able to drink, my calorie intake has gone down.

And now Im reading about Ribose and how it goes hand in hand with creatine? Any opinions?

 

[dokomo]

Not eating empty calories is good for getting a six pack, supplements aren't going to do that.

Fish oil is a good idea generally as it supports a variety of bodily activities.

If you're an alcoholic your main concern should be the health of your liver, so it wouldn't hurt to look into some Milk Thistle, n-acetyl-l-cysteine, s-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAMe), and soy lecithin.

To me, it seems like being concerned about increasing protein absorption and movement and other esoteric supplement routines is kind of pointless when you're not already maintaining a healthy lifestyle otherwise. Its not going to make a difference unless you address the other areas as well. Even if you quit drinking, I'd suggest a liver supplement routine for some time to help promote liver recovery and health.

 

[KingdomCome]

Check out flax seed oil, it's a great source for omega 3.

 

[Changed]

if you're looking for workout supplements, there's probably a thread for that.
if you're looking for nootropics, there's definitely a thread for that.
search

 

[KingdomCome]

Yeah that's a good question, what are you looking for?

 

[double ewe]

i use glucosamine and chondroiton for joint health . . haven't heard about them for protein absorption. definitely help with my knees though.

 

[SehrBuenoKnop]

if you're looking for workout supplements, there's probably a thread for that.
if you're looking for nootropics, there's definitely a thread for that.
search

Well I searched for "supplement" and my thread was the first one on the list
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/search.php?searchid=5261070

i use glucosamine and chondroiton for joint health . . haven't heard about them for protein absorption. definitely help with my knees though.

I think I was thinking of glutamine but sometimes even doing pushups hurts my wrists and Im only 20. So I guess looking into this stuff would be beneficial?

 

[doesntmatter]

Honestly, a diet consisting of the right whole foods is much more important (exponentially so) than what supplements you take.

That being said, to answer your question :Daily vitamin, Whey protein for a quick fix, omega-3s (epa, dha, ala...etc), maybe creatine.

You may see people talking about glycogen levels post workout. One tip that makes sense to me is to eat something higher up on the glycemic index (banana, mango, raisins....) right when you get out of the gym, and follow it with a protein shake or can of tuna. Then prepare a good meal.

If you really want to do some research, do it on diet. Research macronutrients and understand when to eat what, and in what ratios. A well balanced diet will yield results.

 

[raznaruk138]

really there are only a few worthwhile, you already mentioned whey protein, most important one imo,. CLA, is also very good, its a good fat most people are missing from even good diets,(partly due to the diet of livestock) and cod liver oil for vit d, a, iron and omegas. aside from these few, most of them i have found to be not worth the cost and dont live up to the hype.

 

[SehrBuenoKnop]

Honestly, a diet consisting of the right whole foods is much more important (exponentially so) than what supplements you take.

That being said, to answer your question :Daily vitamin, Whey protein for a quick fix, omega-3s (epa, dha, ala...etc), maybe creatine.

You may see people talking about glycogen levels post workout. One tip that makes sense to me is to eat something higher up on the glycemic index (banana, mango, raisins....) right when you get out of the gym, and follow it with a protein shake or can of tuna. Then prepare a good meal.

If you really want to do some research, do it on diet. Research macronutrients and understand when to eat what, and in what ratios. A well balanced diet will yield results.

I have looked into that. I try to keep my diet as healthy as possible but it just isnt always feasible when you love to get messed up...

 

[sdripper]

I have looked into that. I try to keep my diet as healthy as possible but it just isnt always feasible when you love to get messed up...

loving to get messed up and being healthy is a task that is accomplished by something like 1% of the worlds pop?? lol just a guess, no i didn't read that somewhere. But I'd say it's a very accurate guess.

Good luck to you friend

 

[delta_9]

My stack looks a little like this at the moment(It's ever-changing and I'm always looking for new things to add/subtract based on the science)

---Upon rising(~45 min before breakfast)
15 minutes(or more) meditation
1 Cup japanese matcha green tea
1 Multivitamin/Multimineral. Make sure it's a good formula or don't even bother. Right now I take Now foods ADAM but when this runs out I'm going with AOR Ortho-Core(Best formula I have found)
200mg Grapeseed extract(~98.7% proanthocyanidins)
150mg Green Tea extract(~98% polyphenols/~40% EGCG)
250mg Alpha Lipoic Acid
750mg-1000mg Acetyl-L-Cartinine
2 EPA/DHA softgels
1 tbsp olive oil(to increase absorption of the following)
2,000 IU Vit D3 + 90µg Vit K2
1 Vit E complex(mixed tocopherols)


---Night(~20 mins before bed)
200mg-300mg L-Theanine
300µg Melatonin
400mg Magnesium Malate(My favorite form of magnesium as it's one of few compounds that can chelate aluminum and remove it from the body :D)
200mg Grapeseed extract
150mg Green Tea extract

Everything here has some serious science behind it and is pretty much proven to extend/better human life.

Is there anything you would recommend and doesnt have a high price. Not really looking for those name brands supplements that last like a month and cost 60+.

Don't even bother with supplements is this is how you feel.

 

[SehrBuenoKnop]

loving to get messed up and being healthy is a task that is accomplished by something like 1% of the worlds pop?? lol just a guess, no i didn't read that somewhere. But I'd say it's a very accurate guess.

Good luck to you friend

I am a very complex person. I feel like for the amount of shit I do, I am rather fit, I am stronger than ever, and I have been athletic all my life. I have slowed down on activeness (sports, hobbies, etc) as I am not in high school anymore.

Since I live with my parents again and am not at college, I dont have the opportunity to drink whenever I want and do whatever I want. Its one of those "its good for my body but boring for my mind" things...

My stack looks a little like this at the moment(It's ever-changing and I'm always looking for new things to add/subtract based on the science)

---Upon rising(~45 min before breakfast)
15 minutes(or more) meditation
1 Cup japanese matcha green tea
1 Multivitamin/Multimineral. Make sure it's a good formula or don't even bother. Right now I take Now foods ADAM but when this runs out I'm going with AOR Ortho-Core(Best formula I have found)
200mg Grapeseed extract(~98.7% proanthocyanidins)
150mg Green Tea extract(~98% polyphenols/~40% EGCG)
250mg Alpha Lipoic Acid
750mg-1000mg Acetyl-L-Cartinine
2 EPA/DHA softgels
1 tbsp olive oil(to increase absorption of the following)
2,000 IU Vit D3 + 90µg Vit K2
1 Vit E complex(mixed tocopherols)


---Night(~20 mins before bed)
200mg-300mg L-Theanine
300µg Melatonin
400mg Magnesium Malate(My favorite form of magnesium as it's one of few compounds that can chelate aluminum and remove it from the body :D)
200mg Grapeseed extract
150mg Green Tea extract

Everything here has some serious science behind it and is pretty much proven to extend/better human life.

Don't even bother with supplements is this is how you feel.

I feel like some supplements are overhyped and what not. I just need to find the right one for me. Im fine with the monohydrate stuff. But I think I am going to invest in some glutamine and look into ribose and green tea extract. Does melatonin really help you sleep? I have been having sleep problems as I am adjusting from night shift (never do that, ever!) and I am trying to smoke less bud (my sleep cure).

 

[delta_9]

I don't use melatonin for sleep myself(the dose I take is quite low), although it is definitely used for this purpose by many people. I use it because it has shown to protect the pineal gland from oxidation/other damage and is a true flagship "anti-aging" supplement if I've ever seen one. :D

Although a true skeptic would say the only REAL anti-aging therapy is calorie restriction. However in my mind and in the minds of plenty of others interested in life extension, there is more than enough evidence to show that life can be significantly extended/improved in mammals with optimum intake of certain supplements along with proper diet.

You're correct in assuming that many supplements are not what they're cracked up to be or advertised as(some nootropics, for example), however everything in my current stack is backed by ample scientific evidence. If they weren't, I wouldn't be taking them.

Also important is the reputation/credibility of the supplier(I touched on this earlier). If you're buying generic and discount supplements you're likely a) not getting the amounts of nutrients advertised, b) getting a formula with doses of said nutrients way out of wack, c) the least bioavailable forms of said nutrients, and d) possibly other compounds which antagonize said nutrients in vivo.

But please don't take my word for it. Do your own research and find out what supplements interest you.

 

[Space invader]

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/supplements-part-1.html http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/supplements-part-2.html

This is all you will ever need to know about supplements. The only guy id trust on this subject.

 

[delta_9]

I just skimmed that article so I didn't read everything but they seem to be a bit confused w/regards to calcium -
Before one even thinks about supplementing calcium, one needs their D3 and K2 levels in order. After that, 500-600mg/per day should be fine. When using using proper chelates, this is a non issue. However, for men who eat dairy or meat and supplement D3/K2, calcium deficiency is unheard of. Barring the elderly and those with other medical issues of course.
Calcium and magnesium have been known to antagonize each other, but as far as I know, this is only an issue with inorganic salts like carbonate and oxide.

The rest looks ok I suppose, I would up the dose of Vit D to 4000 IU+ per day, but no big deal.

However that is hardly everything you will ever need to know about supplements. Far, far, far from it.
The entire scienentific community dosen't even know everything about supplement use in humans, why the hell do you think we still do studies and experiements? 8(

 

[Nirk]

After years of messing about trying different supplements etc. the ones I would reccomend are :

GOOD DIET - MOST IMPORTANT.

Sam-E - Good for your mood, joints and liver.

Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamins C + D. - These are the things I dont get much of from my diet so I supplement with them.

Thats about it the most important thing is GOOD DIET, vitamins etc. from real foods are much better than vitamin supplements.

If you want to lose weight then drop the beer.... its the worst thing for losing fat... basically after you have had a beer or 2 anything else you eat or drink afterwards is almost certainly going to be stored as fat.

 

[JayJohnson]

Nobody mentioning a nitric oxide pre-workout for someone who says he's into lifting? Myself (and a couple trainers I know) are big on it for helping get that extra energy and pump out of every workout. No-Xplode, Nano-Vapor, etc. I won't recommend any one in particular because peoples opinions on how each one works for them differ. Its a trial and error thing so it can be spendy - unless you have friends who use it also, then you can get a sample off them!

But yeah, nitric oxide boosters FTW.

 

[Km013]

arginine/aakg
creatine
beta alanine
bcaas
whey
fish/flax oil
glutamine

have had good experiences with these, but as others have said a good diet is the vast majority of being healthy and in shape

 

[WSB15]

Multivitamin: Crucial
Omega-3: They have approximately 1,000,000 health benefits!
Gingko Biloba: Useful for memory formation, learning retention. A must if you're studying for an exam.
Zinc: Important for testosterone production
Protein powder: Great not only for muscles, but for the brain. Neurotransmitters are synthesized from amino acids.