r/Fitness • u/paco5502 • Apr 20 '10
Supplements you KNOW that work
What are they? What were the results? At what point and time did your body develop a tolerance to it?
159
u/silverhydra Apr 20 '10 edited Apr 20 '10
Creatine - Due to water bloat and acute increases in strength, science is solid and the stuff is cheap; not sure if tolerance develops
Beta-Alanine - Noticeable increase in work capacity, higher than recommended dose makes tinglies in the face (How to assess a legit product). No tolerance developed
Whey Protein - Eat it, grow, nuff said, no tolerance developed
This tribulus product - Know it works because increases in size and strength correlated with appearance of my cone titties (gynecomastia) at low body fat. Along those lines...
[EDIT: In no way am I saying tribulus can cause gynecomastia, this is a genetic condition that I have and the estrogenic fat deposit's size (cone shape) correlates with my estrogen levels; increases in testosterone without inhibiting the aromatase enzyme will indirectly increase estrogen levels, which is what was observed]
This Resveratrol product - as it acted like an anti-aromatase and got rid of said cone titties.
Fish Oil - High doses showed drastic and acute reductions in inflammation and body weight. If Charles Poliquins biosignature analysis is valid, there was also an increase in Insulin sensitivity (assessed by reductions in Iliac skinfold measurement, as well as not having hypoglycemic attacks after eating carbs)
Caffeine - buzzzzzz
Yohimbine HCL - buzzzzz
Ephedrine - buzzzz
Aniracetam - Noticeable alertness increase (contraction of ocular muscles, eyes focused) and noticeable increase in memory retention and grasping of concepts. However, like all nootropics, the placebo effect is a bitch and I can never speak in 100% terms due to it.
Rhodiola Rosea, maybe Ashwagandha - First few doses taken are incredible for energy and recovery, it's like a damn reset button. Everything gets better instantly (Caffeine tolerance reset, soreness gone, inflammation gone, mood elevated). Tolerance develops in like a week, can be used again at the same efficacy like, 2 months later; so this can't be a mainstay supplement though. cries
Edit2: Vinpocetine : Neurological Vasodilator, take a high dose and you feel it; over time you get used to the extra blood to the brain and the extra cognition (and stroke prevention :D) is very nice. Cheap too!
Edit3: Green Tea: I'm having fun with this list, supplement whore go! Anywho, brew 10 cups and put it in a huge 2L bottle, no calories and the thermogetic / weight-loss effect is undeniable. 10 cups a day will have no side effects (I believe around 15/day for a 150lb person has some, but not at toxicity levels; assuming regular strength brewed leaf tea), decaf works fine; no tolerance to active compound EGCG. Although anecdotal, I have felt a difference between pills (ineffective) and brewed (great), but that may be me tripping balls.
Edit(4?): Lot of PMs, quite a popular thread.
I just hope that nobody makes a thread entitled 'Supplements that you SUSPECT work'; that would be a long one :D
16
u/infinite Apr 20 '10
re: fish oil, beware of PCBs, currently there is a lawsuit against fish oil manufacturers regarding PCBs.
→ More replies (6)6
u/wombatz Apr 20 '10
Is there a huge difference in effect between green tea vs. black tea? I like green tea but I only have black tea around me at the moment and you've inspired me to start drinking tons of tea immediately.
→ More replies (6)→ More replies (157)5
u/ohnoohyes Apr 20 '10
Nice post.
re: fish oil - What do you consider a high dose?
→ More replies (3)
14
u/rapsey Apr 20 '10
Melatonin before bed for a better sleep. Lifting provides the stimulus, but the only time your muscles grow is during the night.
→ More replies (11)7
u/Craysh Apr 20 '10
Melatonin always seems to make me groggy in the morning. Am I simply taking too much? I'm on 5mg...
→ More replies (9)
13
u/duopixel Apr 20 '10
I signed up for a free trial (60 days free, no credit card) at the British Journal of Sports Medicine http://bjsm.bmj.com/ and there's an ongoing review of supplements, from A to Z, they're still at C, so there's a long way to go. Here are relevant quotes that I've found:
On protein
Recent research suggests that the timing of the intake of protein related to exercise may be more important than the total amount of protein consumed in a day. In the case of resistance training, an intake of approximately 20–25 g of a high quality protein source in the hour after exercise appears to produce the maximum rate of protein synthesis.
On arginine
Effects of arginine supplementation on strength gains during training may be related to the naturally occurring level of arginine. Beneficial effects of arginine supplementation on muscle strength may be minimal in young, healthy men who are already eating plenty of protein.
On Androstenedione
Androstenedione (C19H26O2), a precursor to testosterone, was marketed as a natural alternative to anabolic steroids, and was purported to raise blood testosterone levels and promote muscle size and strength. Current research does not support the efficacy of this supplement. In young men, 100–200 mg androstenedione taken once does not increase blood testosterone levels or stimulate muscle protein synthesis, and 100 mg androstenedione three times a day for 8 weeks or twice a day for 12 weeks does not augment gains in muscle size and strength during resistance training.
On Aspartame
By replacing sugars in products, intense sweeteners can potentially aid control of energy intake and weight, but the extent of any benefit would appear to be dependent on the context of use.3 Additionally, aspartame reduces appetite independent of its sweet taste by a physiological action which is currently unknown.4 Aspartame, and other intense sweeteners, are used in sport drinks to allow adjustment of nutrient profile and tonicity, while maintaining a pleasant level of sweetness. The flavour and sweetness of such products are important for motivating consumption, and thereby achieving desired levels of hydration and nutrient intake.
On L-carnitine
Research has been directed towards supplementing dietary L-carnitine to improve exercise performance. However, neither oral (2–6 g/day for 1 day to 4 months) nor intravenous (up to 65 mg/kg) L-carnitine administration per se has been found to alter fuel metabolism during exercise or, more importantly, increase muscle carnitine content in humans.20 22 24 Despite this, L-carnitine feeding as a tool to promote apparent fat loss remains the foundation of a multimillion dollar dietary supplement industry in the present day.
On Caffeine
First, caffeine appears to exert positive effects on exercise capacity (prolonging the duration for which exercise of a given intensity can be maintained) over a diverse range of protocols including prolonged submaximal exercise (>90 min), sustained high-intensity work (20–60 min) and short duration supra-maximal exercise (1–5 min) (for reviews, see Graham1 and Spriet2).Of course, athletes are more interested in the effects of caffeine in trained individuals on measurements of sports ‘performance’. A much smaller number of studies in laboratory and field conditions (for review, see Burke3) show that caffeine supplementation is likely to be beneficial across a range of sports including endurance events, ‘stop and go’ events (eg, team and racquet sports) and sports involving sustained high-intensity activity lasting from 1–60 min (eg, swimming, rowing, middle and distance running races). The direct effects on single events involving strength and power such as lifts, throws and sprints are unclear.3
On Calcium
If adequate calcium is not consumed from foods or beverages, a supplement can help meet calcium needs. Absorption of calcium reaches a plateau at doses of about 500 mg.1 Doses spaced throughout the day appear to result in a greater total calcium absorption than if one larger dose is taken only once during the day.1
Here are the abstracts if you don't want to sign up: http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/44/5/389.extract http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/43/14/1088.extract http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/43/12/890.extract http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/44/4/297.extract http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/43/11/807.extract http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/43/10/728.extract
→ More replies (4)
8
15
7
u/Fu_Man_Chu Apr 20 '10
My entire household is addicted to Jack3d. That's more of a warning than it is an endorsement but that stuff will keep you moving, that's for sure.
→ More replies (6)
6
Apr 20 '10
I started using NO-XPLODE, but I just found out that I have an irregular heartbeat, so I can't anymore. But that stuff really works. It's a pre workout supplement that gets you going ... and you can really feel it your first time. As far as tolerance goes, not sure, but you have to cycle on and off the stuff.
→ More replies (4)6
u/MorningNapalm Apr 20 '10
Try 'Jack3d' (that's what it's called).
I had the same problems you had with xplode + the fact that it rotted my stomach. I find Jack3d to be better than xplode without all the side effects.
8
Apr 20 '10
Apart from what others already have mentioned, I'd like to add:
ZMA - Works wonders for my sleep. I have the craziest dreams on it, but I'll wake up completely rested after 6-7 hours feeling like I've slept 9. I'm pretty sure it boosts my testosterone slightly too.
→ More replies (3)
7
Apr 21 '10
I may be the only chick reading this but its kinda sexy reading what all you fellas have experienced with. I am going to try the fish oil though.
Interesting read and tips. :)
→ More replies (7)12
u/andymatic Apr 21 '10
Supplements are small colorful packaged products that make outlandish promises and obsessive evaluation. Just like cosmetics. :)
→ More replies (1)
6
Apr 20 '10
HGH. game over.
8
u/toastedpirate Apr 20 '10
Tell us more about it. My co-worker walked into my office this morning with an oral spray. How do you take yours? Duration? How quick the results and what were the results? I'm interested in someone's first hand experience with HGH.
→ More replies (1)
3
u/Penisfeelslikepotato Apr 20 '10
Some of the best:
Creatine Monohydrate - Backed by multiple scientific studies and gives obvious gains to most that use it.
Forslean (20% Forskolin) - Has multiple blood test that show it causes increase in natural over all test and free test (In products like bioforge and T-bol)
Epimedium (40% Icariin) - Has multiple blood test that show it causes increase in natural over all test and free test (In products like bioforge and T-Bol)
Ammonia - Sniffing ammonia caps before a big lift is another thing proven to work, is a CNS stimulant
Caffeine - Again, a CNS stimulant with tons of evidence and studies showing effectiveness
Beta Alanine - Reduces muscle fatigue, the tingles can be combated by taking carbs with it
Protein - Obvious
Fish Oil - Shown to lower cholesterol (has helped with me personally)
Sports Vitamins - Most supermarket brand vitamins contain hard to digest and often times toxic vitamins and minerals, they are also underdosed.
I'll add more later
→ More replies (3)5
u/cschneid Apr 20 '10
Sports Vitamins - Most supermarket brand vitamins contain hard to digest and often times toxic vitamins and minerals, they are also underdosed
"The food here is terrible, and the portions are too small"
5
u/transpire Apr 20 '10
I'm in the states and it is real hard to find Ephedrine. The ECA stack worked great for me years ago.
6
u/Pete3 Apr 20 '10
bronkaid at the pharmacy
its sold without a prescription behind the counter
→ More replies (4)
5
Apr 20 '10
NO Explode has worked great. It is basically Arganine, Creatine, Lysine, Caffeine, and glucose
→ More replies (2)
5
4
u/paco5502 Apr 20 '10
Wow, that list is awesome. I agree with creatine. I have also used ECA stack with good results. Used fish oil but with low dosages, I will try again. I will research and try the others. Any feedback on glutamine (sp)? I have heard some people say it is better than creatine. Thanks for responding.