Supplements used for lifting

[Drofeyes21]

I'm curious what supplements the weight lifters here use. I've only been lifting a little over a year but have made decent newbie gains in strength and size. After reading nearly everything could from the weight lifting websites I decided on taking only the following: BCAA, HMB (I'm 45), glutamine, taurine, beta alanine, creatine, and ZMA, and of course whey protein. I try to eat decently and maintain approx. 3000 calories/day weighing in at 240. I take the BCAA, HMB, and glutamine twice daily. The taurine, beta alanine, and creatine go in my morning protein shake. The ZMA is for sleep/recovery, can't sleep without it. Any recommendations to add or remove? I've seen where several guys have stack formulations they like to use. I just want to make sure that I'm utilizing my protein intake and maintaining my nutrition the best I can. If I wind up looking like Arnold, great, if not, no sweat.

 

[fifty]

Testosterone, creatine, and hmb should do you good.

 

[Drofeyes21]

I forgot to mention the T of course. I also take an omega 3, 6, 9 complex capsule twice daily.

I'm looking to be more conservative if I can. All that crap adds up after a while. I don't mind taking it, I just don't want to be throwing cash out the door.

 

[Guided_by_Voices]

There's a lot that could be said on this topic, but to keep it brief, I think the best thinking now is that EEAs are preferable to BCAAs, although the BCAAs could be added to a meal that has lower quality protein. Very few seem to find that HMB is very effective at all, let alone worth the cost. Be careful about developing a food sensitivity to whey protein. I would limit that to two servings a week. I would add glycine as a general connective tissue and anti-aging supplement.It also depends a lot on what specific issues you are trying to address such as fat loss or energy for workouts.

 

[Rabbit91476]

Creatinine and caffeine for pre work out. Mabey a little pornhub. I’m just a average joe and a believer that most people don’t lift hard enough to need more than that.

 

[Guided_by_Voices]

When considering something, I like to use Suppversity and examine.com as first steps to validate. As you make progress and as gains are harder to come by, supps become more important, although quality food and plenty of it is always supp number one. Not eating enough is a very common mistake.

 

[Nashtide]

There's a lot that could be said on this topic, but to keep it brief, I think the best thinking now is that EEAs are preferable to BCAAs, although the BCAAs could be added to a meal that has lower quality protein. Very few seem to find that HMB is very effective at all, let alone worth the cost. Be careful about developing a food sensitivity to whey protein. I would limit that to two servings a week. I would add glycine as a general connective tissue and anti-aging supplement.It also depends a lot on what specific issues you are trying to address such as fat loss or energy for workouts.

I’ve been using whey protein powder every day for almost four years, sometimes multiple times a day and I have not experienced any food sensitivities.

 

[Drofeyes21]

Do you think the glutamine is necessary for recovery? I haven’t lifted without using any of the above supplements since I started last year. I’ve had little to no issues with DOMS or any injuries that have kept me from lifting more than a week or two. I don’t know if it’s been the supplements or trying to obtain strict good form that’s helped more.

 

[Drofeyes21]

The biggest gains I made in mass were Pre-T. I know they were mostly newbie gains but I put on 2 inches of mass in my biceps and thighs and 3 in my chest. Unfortunately, my waist is still the same. I am trying to get my hormones dialed in and will have labs drawn this weekend.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Creatine Monohydrate 5 grams per day. One teaspoon in coffee. That is all I take for the gym.

 

[Vince Carter]

I think you can drop the added BCAA, Whey is loaded with them and if you feel like you need BCAA just add an extra scoop of whey.
I concur with Caffeine but limited to 100-200mg at a time, I can't tolerate more than that, maybe you can. Most of the commercial preparations of a pre-workout are loaded with 350mg or higher.
I would also recommend Citrulline, 5g pre-workout. Creatine is best in a micronized powder, 5g as Nelson stated.

I make my own PWO...Citrulline, Beta Alanine, Caffeine, 1 scoop of Whey, and a shot of Gatorade G2 powder.

 

[Pursuit_Sanus]

I'm curious what supplements the weight lifters here use. I've only been lifting a little over a year but have made decent newbie gains in strength and size. After reading nearly everything could from the weight lifting websites I decided on taking only the following: BCAA, HMB (I'm 45), glutamine, taurine, beta alanine, creatine, and ZMA, and of course whey protein. I try to eat decently and maintain approx. 3000 calories/day weighing in at 240. I take the BCAA, HMB, and glutamine twice daily. The taurine, beta alanine, and creatine go in my morning protein shake. The ZMA is for sleep/recovery, can't sleep without it. Any recommendations to add or remove? I've seen where several guys have stack formulations they like to use. I just want to make sure that I'm utilizing my protein intake and maintaining my nutrition the best I can. If I wind up looking like Arnold, great, if not, no sweat.

Once you're optimized.... black coffee and a creapure creatine. Try to get everything else from food.

 

[Oz]

Creatine Monohydrate 5 grams per day. One teaspoon in coffee. That is all I take for the gym.

Nelson do you do a 'bulk' and 'cut' in regards to calorie intake and cardio or do you typically eat and train the same year round?

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Nelson do you do a 'bulk' and 'cut' in regards to calorie intake and cardio or do you typically eat and train the same year round?

I stay pumped all year. I do not change my diet, medications, and supplements at all after learning by trial and error since 1994.

The main focus I have now is to get rid off 1 inch of waist. I have deep visceral fat (but hardly any subcutaneous) due to HIV lipodystrophy. I have been positive for over 37 years.

Here is a one slice CT scan (L4-L5) I got to see visceral fat. You can see it as the black area around the organs. This fat is very hard to reduce unless you starve yourself to death. We have tesamorelin approved for it but it takes many weeks for it to reduce 1 inch after daily injections.

 

[JohnTaylorHK]

HIV lipodystrophy[/URL]. I have been positive for over 37 years.
/QUOTE]

I have been diagnosed as high LDL for the last 20 years (not the same as your deep visceral issue, I know, but bear with me). This year I decided to experiment and do something about it when LDL reached twice the max level. All I found I needed to do was reduce sat fats as much as possible. I used to eat 300g beef every day, now once every 3 days. I replaced the beef with the same amount of whole chicken, which is significantly lower in SFA and higher in PUFA. I junked the coconut oil (!) which I used for cooking and replaced it with chicken fat from rendered chicken skin that I buy at the local supermarket. I get the recommended daily portions of veg/fruits from diced raw cabbage (with red wine vinaigrette), bananas and apples. Within one month, my LDL had halved. Tomorrow is the end of the second month of this protocol, and I will again get a lipid profile done. There are many studies showing that SFA increases LDL (and, incidentally, HDL), I never expected such a marked change would occur by this protocol alone. Namaste.

 

[Oz]

I stay pumped all year. I do not change my diet, medications, and supplements at all after learning by trial and error since 1994.

The main focus I have now is to get rid off 1 inch of waist. I have deep visceral fat (but hardly any subcutaneous) due to HIV lipodystrophy. I have been positive for over 37 years.

Here is a one slice CT scan (L4-L5) I got to see visceral fat. You can see it as the black area around the organs. This fat is very hard to reduce unless you starve yourself to death. We have tesamorelin approved for it but it takes many weeks for it to reduce 1 inch after daily injections.

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Thank you for your reply Nelson. Out of interest what sort of training and diet do you follow?

 

[TorontoTRT]

Karbolyn 25-50 g half hour before your workout. Pumps, pumps, pumps. Add in creatine, betaine, citruline, caffeine, and a few grams of glycerol. EAA's during your workout with another 25 grams of karbolyn.

 

[madman]

Karbolyn 25-50 g half hour before your workout. Pumps, pumps, pumps. Add in creatine, betaine, citruline, caffeine, and a few grams of glycerol. EAA's during your workout with another 25 grams of karbolyn.

I would take Vitargo over Karbolyn!


Been using intra/post workout for over 10 years.


Vitargo Sports Drink | Fastest Sports Drink from Mouth to Muscle

Regardless of taking carbs intra/post workout.....a diet higher in complex carbs as in 400-600 grams/day will result in not only better pumps in the gym but increased muscle mass/strength, bigger fuller harder muscles, increased endurance/intensity and top it off with better recovery!

I have always eaten a diet high in complex carbs (500 grams/day), moderate protein, lower fat and made my best mass/strength gains eating this way.

Depending on ones genetics/insulin sensitivity one will find what level of carbohydrate in the diet is needed.

6 months ago I increased my carbs to 600 grams/day!

 

[TorontoTRT]

Vitargo in my opinion is inferior to karbolyn. I use a blood sugar monitor before and after loading with karbolyn. Vitargo just clumps up in your stomach. Vitargo fell off the map years ago. But everyone’s bodies respond differently to different things.

 

[T.O.firefighter]

Don’t waste your money on all those supplements. Take protein powders (if you’re not getting enough protein in your diet) and creatine......maybe ZMA. The other supplements won’t do much for gaining lean mass.