Supplementation for the Uninitiated

When you think about it, it's no wonder that people new to the gym
often don't take supplementation seriously.

I mean, you see such crap advertised on TV and in magazines,
making so many untrue, absurd, or misleading claims,
you could very easily conclude that all supplements are worthless.

And, some of them are - others are dangerous - still others just mediocre.

Even the fitness community itself is often divided on a particular supplement...
some trainers swear by ZMA..... others think it's a waste of money.

Gleaning the wheat from the chaff is what this little chapter is all about.

I'll be talking from my own personal experience, and of those I have trained and those I train with. I'm not selling supplements , or anything else for that matter. Just keep in mind the disclaimer at the bottom of the page..... 'cause you and me don't wanna fall out over a misunderstanding, do we?

Alrighty then... let's start where most people do - you hear a lot of products these days making claims about being fat burners.

Are there really products that will help you burn off excess fat?

Fat Burners

Back around World War I, researchers heard about a chemical compound
that was reputed to be an effective weight loss agent. And indeed it was.
The compound, a constituent of dynamite, had been discovered accidentally,
when workers in weapons plants utilizing it were found to be losing
weight and body fat. Doctors embraced the find as a boon to mankind..
and it was said to practically melt the fat off of people.

And it damn sure did. It was used in patients for almost a decade before
autopsies revealed that this same compound was actually cooking the people who
took it from the inside. I mean, scorched bones, charred flesh, the whole deal.

I mention this, on the off chance that you are one of those non believer folks
who thinks that 'it can't be done'. It can - and there are- products
that are very effective without the unintentional self-barbecuing effects of that
early compound. It also, quite clearly, I think, demonstrates the importance
of research and knowledge when it comes to choosing which supplements to take.

Some people would argue that the effects of Ephedra are similarly dangerous,
but I cannot agree. The Fed's main interest in removing Ephedra supplements
from the market has more to do with suppressing the illicit manufacture of Crank
than public health- (tried to buy Sudafed lately??) only those allergic/sensitive to
it and those who abuse/overdose it will likely see anything but benefit from its proper
use.

And when combined with white willow bark or aspirin and Caffeine,
it is indeed a potent fat-burner. Called ECA, it has been used for
several decades by millions of weightlifters, bodybuilders, and gym
rats around the world.

Caffeine by itself is a decent fat burner, and aspirin is used in ECA to
'buffer' the effect of the Ephedra over a longer period of time. If you can
take ECA, you really don't need any other fat burning product. Currently,
it is available, due to the FDA's ban being contested in Federal Court.

Buy plenty of it, though.. calm headed reason can't hold out forever.

If, on the other hand, you're sensitive to it or products like it, then a
product like ALR's Venom or MuscleTech's Hydroxycut Extreme might be your
next best choice. A lot of compounds on the market, like Cambogia Garcinia,
Octapamine, Citrus Aurantum, have little real research to back them up -
while still others like Yohimbe have plenty of potential for both positive
and (sometimes) less than desirable effects.

Just remember- these products all use your sympathetic and
para-sympathetic nervous systems to work- in other words, they're stimulants.
If you can't use stimulants, your choice in effective fat burners is pretty slim..
pretty slim, indeed.

Two of these might be CLA, and Chromium Picolinate, but I recommend neither.

But, fat-burners are only one type of supplement frequently used...
there are all kinds of pre-workout, recovery, meal replacement, protein,
energy, joint support, and androgenic products out there. Now, at this
point, you might be thinking I included "Steroids" in that group- I did not.

AAS

Although anabolic steroids (AAS) are only one group of steroidal substances,
they (AAS) are the ones usually referred to in this context. Derived from
substances natural to the human body (testosterone, nandrolone, and DHT),
they are Schedule III medicines, and as such are not considered supplements
at all, but medications, requiring a Doctor's prescription for them to be used
legally (in most Western countries, anyhow).

Without it, most of what the average gym user will come across isn't made by a
pharmaceutical company, but an illegal or underground laboratory.. or is made for
equine or bovine veterinary use, and not for human consumption, and thus, the
same problems arise as with any illicit compound... life or death issues of purity,
sanitation, and dosage - not to mention potentially serious, draconian
criminal penalities- should make one think twice before even considering
their use.

Effectiveness varies from compound to compound, and specific combinations
("stacks") are used to acheive different effects - 'cutting' (reducing
subcutaneous water and fat), 'mass building', or 'strength'. For instance,
the AAS 'Trenbolone' is often combined with a long acting Testosterone ester
like TestCypionate to gain size and mass.

Another reason for 'stacking' is to counter potential size effects generated
by the individual product.. for instance, Gynomastia (bitch tits) could be a problem
with AAS's having a high rate of Estrogen conversion- so adding a product that
counters the effect might be one reason.

Side effects of AAS compounds can range from very mild to very severe,
depending on dosage, stack, gender of user, etc. AAS's are said to have
Androgenic and/or Anabolic affinities - that is, Androgenic properties
are masculinizing effects - body hair, higher bone mass & density, etc.

Anabolic properties are muscle and strength building effects.
Females using AAS's frequently encounter unwanted androgenic side effects,
like an enlarged clitoris, facial hair, etc, and thus, would usually want
to avoid products that have a high androgenic affinity- but, the truth is
that all AAS's have some androgenic effect.

In general, AAS's derived from DHT are the most androgenic, Nandrolone the least.

The safety of using AAS's have been a media controversy for several years,
and one health concern in particular is regularly mentioned - that of liver
damage. Orally administered AAS's are usually very difficult for the liver
to handle (due in large part to the process of protecting the steroid
from 'first pass' elimination through something called 17a-alkalation)
and consequently, these are usually the culprits when liver damage occurs.

Injected AAS's have little potential for being the causative agent for
serious health issues, assuming that one is using legitimate Pharmaceutical
products as directed under a physicians supervision. The problem is, as
mentioned at the top of this section, illicit use meets none of these criteria.

Though not steroidal in nature, HGH- 'Growth Hormone' is also a commonly
used illicit material, and often characterized as an AAS by a hostile,
ignorant press. Despite the numerous studies indicating positive anti-aging,
anti-catabolic (muscle breakdown) effects, this has also been targeted as
part of the ubiquitous 'war on drugs'.. and thus, the same problems of
purity, dosage, and production sanitation plague the street versions of this
substance.

Federal and State authorities, pursuing a misguided (some would say even
malicious) policy in the guise of public health, have to bear much responsibility
themselves when it comes to driving both AAS's and Growth Hormone
underground, creating a much larger health problem than it was intended to solve.

There are also substances called "Prohormones".. these are precursor
chemicals that, theoretically at least, are broken down by the body into
hormonal, AAS-like substances. The lines around these substances are much
less clearly drawn, they might be legal today, and not tomorrow. Many of
these oral substances are as toxic as their AAS oral counterparts- (look
for alkalation at the 17th alpha position in the ingredients- for instance,
17a-methyl-etioallocholan-2-ene.. )

A few (not THAT example, though) of these have actually passed through
Governmental reviews enough times to be considered legal supplements,
(examples: DHEA, 6-OXO) not subject to the Controlled Substances Act,
but their safety and efficacy is another question again. Caveat Emptor.

Muscle Building/Strength/Recovery Supplements

One shouldn't think that just because AAS's are 'scratched',
that there is no way of helping your body grow and get stronger..
yes, there are numerous effective supplement ingredients and products
available, and this can make shopping for them quite overwhelming.
You should consider staying with the products of a major manufacturer
with a history of producing quality supplements.. EAS, MuscleTech,
MHP, NOW, Optimum Nutrition, Gaspari, and BSN are some examples.

(Find a supplement store with knowledgeable folks first thing.)

I will list the most effective ingredients, and you can shop for
them individually or as a part of a supplement product.

Note that they are rated ++++ or unrated...

the ++++ are highly recommended, and the unrated ones may, or may not
be worth a try. In any case, before adding any supplement or workout
program, get a checkup first, and talk to your doctor.


L-Arginine: a popular ingredient in many pre-workout products like
NAnoVapor, SuperPump, and NoXplode, it enhances blood-flow, promotes
the release of growth hormone, and can improve immune and sexual function.
(++++ when combined with Ornithine)

Beta-Alanine: a cutting edge supplement, a precursor of Carnosine,
good for strength gains, and improving training to fatigue ratio.
Like L-Arginine, it is an amino-acid, a natural component of protein.
(++++ definitely!)


HMB: a metabolite of the amino acid Leucine, this was a very
popular product a couple years ago.. it was said to contribute to
muscle growth and recovery, but there have been contradictory
study results, and much of the furor this supplement caused
has died down. No doubt Leucine is a very anabolic amino-acid,
but the expensive processing of it into HMB has never really been
proven to be worthwhile. Still, if you can afford it, it might well prove
effective for you. (unrated)

BCAA: these are the Branched Chain Amino Acids, Leucine, Iso-leucine,
and Valine.. they are anti-catabolic, pro-recovery, pro-anabolic, and even
good for extra energy during a workout. This is probably the best, most
cost effective way to get plenty of Leucine, too.
(++++ oh yes, indeedie.)

Glutamine: L-Glutamine is a powerful amino-acid, primarily used by the
gastro-intestinal and immune systems, it is great for improved muscle
recovery, and is anti-catabolic.
(++++ um hmmm....)

Creatine: here's a supplement that will make you stronger
in a very short time of use. How it works is by drawing more water
into the muscle cells and holding it there... since muscles are about 3/4
water, this makes the muscle fuller and stronger. Inexpensive, effective,
and usually no side effects, makes Creatine a MUST for strength athletes.
Brand recommendation - EAS's Phosphagen HP.
(+++ a must, I say... )

Whey protein: this is another one of those must-haves for people
serious about working out. It's essential for building and keeping muscle.
Most people just don't get enough protein in their diet to support muscle
synthesis.
(++++ whey, whey up there.)

DHEA: they call this the 'mother hormone', because it is the precursor
hormone for the body's own steroid production. So, in theory, if you have
more DHEA, you make more of that other stuff.
(yes, technically, it is a legal prohormone.. ) The problem is,
if you're a male, you'll probably just end up with more estrogen..
not what you really want. (unrated)

But, never fear...

there are some things that will get you there........

Test Boosters/Libido/Mens Health

A lot of guys will tell ya that you can't have enough testosterone..
and I'm one of em. And, there's a couple ways you can go with this...

You can try to boost your endogenous (body's own) t-levels,
you can suppress the conversion of free testosterone to DHT or Estrogen,
increase the number of T receptors in your muscles,
or you can boost the supply of precursor hormones.

Carnitine: A study at the University of Connecticut found that L-Carnitine
Tartrate increased the number of androgen receptors in muscle tissues.
While this study is exciting, more than one positive study is required
before I give it a ++++.

Tribulus: The active chemical in tribulus is called protodioscin, which
stimulates the pituitary gland to produce luteinizing hormone, which in
turn stimulates the testes to produce the big T.
(++++ when combined with fenugreek)

Saw Palmetto: This stuff is great for keeping your prostate healthy
and slowing the conversion of testosterone into DHT. Combine this
with ZMA and DIM (diindolylmethane) and you'll end up with more
free (available) testosterone.
(++++ good for the yang.)

Longjack (Eurycoma longfolia): increases T-levels and good for libido, too.
(++++ what's not to like? )

Joint Health

There's two things you should definitely consider taking for joint health.
One is a combination of the ingredients Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM, in
a sulfate form, and the other is an Indian Herb: Cissus quadrangularis. The first
will protect and rebuild cartilage, and improve flexibility, the second is a
potent natural anti-inflammatory and joint repairer.

Da Few-chure

Of course, there's always something new on the horizon when it comes
to supplements, and the most exciting coming attraction may be something
called a SARM. SARM is an acronym for Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator...
and what they're supposed to do (when they are finally released) is generate
steroid-like androgenic effects in desired body muscle areas (arms, legs, chest, back)
without effecting those parts of the body where it is not desirable (prostate, genitalia,
hair follicles).

This is still a couple years off, and not to be confused with a MHP product
called "Sarm-x", which is nothing of the kind.

Another hot supplement that is right around the corner are Myostatin Inhibitors.
Myostatin is a chemical in muscle tissue that prevents the muscle from getting too big.

By inhibiting it's action, well.... you guessed it. Marcus Ruhl, move over.

Once this stuff hits the market in an effective form, there'll be a new class of
mass monsters. Is it a good thing? Will it work out to be a wonder or a waste
of time and money? What about the joints supporting those oversized muscles?

Who can say.

But one thing's for certain...

The science of supplements marches on.


And so do I..... adios, mu chacho. Time for my cardio.



If you missed my Gym Primer Post, go back and read it, whydontcha?
http://weblog.xanga.com/carolinamuscle/687904321/working-out-new-years-resolutions.html


also see:  http://hubpages.com/hub/review-hot-supplements



Disclaimer, and various legal crap to keep my walnuts outta the fire:

The following post and any other posts of mine are strictly for entertainment-information purposes only, and are not to be taken as medical advice or any other kind of advice for that matter; the information expressed are the opinions of the author, who is not a Doctor. ( but wishes he had that kinda spending money. )
See your doctor before entertaining any ideas of using any of this entertainment for your own entertainment. Get it? Got it? Good.