The Supplements Thread

[AdrianK]

Thought it'd be a good idea to have a supplements thread, considering all of us are in the business of health, working out, and/or fighting.

So whether it be weight loss, weight gain, thermogenics, creatine, protein, testosterone, steroids or whatnot, share some thoughts and experiences, both good and bad, with us.

My experiences will be in the post below.

(I should note that i'm posting this here instead of the Kung Fu Training and Health forum, to get a response specific to what Southen Kung Fu stylists take)

[AdrianK]

I've played with a lot of different supplements. Mostly testosterone, nitric oxide and creatine. Protein shakes are great, who can dispute the effectiveness of consuming protein after working out?

Testosterone supplements are a mixed bag for me though - I'm definitely a lot more susceptible to getting sick(two weeks into it, without fail, six separate, consecutive times, i've gotten a bad cold), but it gives me some extra energy, and makes me a lot more aggressive, which is good... sometimes... :)

Creatine is something I've tried a few times but never really got into, so I don't have enough experience with it to say how good/bad it is. I've heard the results you get will decrease if you stop taking it, so I never really decided to give it a real go.

Nitric Oxide though, thats about one of the best supplements I've yet to find. The stuff is a good alternative to caffeine for me, as it gives me the same energy boost, throughout the day, suppresses my appetite and unlike caffeine I never feel dehydrated when working out. Its the opposite in that my body feels an almost non-stop supply of energy.

So, any other experiences, anyone would like to share? Even TCM stuff would be great to hear about.

[WinterPalm]

Greens+ should be taken by everyone...this supplement is excellent.

Protein is good.
I've had some results with stuff like Super CissusRX or whatever it is called.
Some creatine, designed for recovery, is good to mix in.
Otherwise I'd say just proper diet, lots of water, little to no hot dogs, and that's mostly all you need.

[AdrianK]

little to no hot dogs

But I love me some chili dogs! :p

[TenTigers]

my faveorite protien drink is Muscle Milk lite-25 grams of protien, and lactose free. The vanilla is really good, and if you mix it with Tang, it tastse like an Orange Julius. The Muscle Milk drinks don't bloat you or feel heavy.
I think the regular MM is about 35 gr protien. These protiens are easily assimilated.
MetRx Big 100 colossal meal replacement bar has 31g of protien. The crispy apple pie tastes like cake-too good to be good for you!

Noexplode is a great pre-workout drink-I only take a half dose, even less. Some people say it makes them jittery, or gives heart palpitations.

I take cellmass after-night time recovery and creatine drink

[SteveLau]

My regular nutrition supplements are not much spectacular. They are vitamin C, E and collagen-I pills. Also, there are other Chinese herbs and medical supplements I take not in a daily basis. My notion of these nutrition supplements is that they are supplements. That means if the food intake of the day happens to be sufficient for your need, then you can skip the take of these supplements. I have an opinion that the dosage and direction of use (like how many times one should take them per day) of these supplements is quite often more for the benefit of the supplier than that of the consumer. :mad:



KC
Hong Kong

[David Jamieson]

No supplements for this cat.

but...

1) eat whole foods

2) exercise daily for no less than 1/2 hr

3) practice good hygiene

4) hydrate

5) get good sleep cycles

[AdrianK]

That being said, have you ever tried supplements and compared the effects based on your normal diet?

[Dale Dugas]

Creatine: Good before workouts. As I get older and you eat less red meat you are not getting a lot of this. My strength has gone up while using it. I take 5 g daily

BCAA: if you are training and not using BCAAs or eating well after you train, you are going to lose muscle and not gain. This has helped me wake up and feel great after workouts.

Fish oil: great natural blood thinner and anti inflammatory. helped lower my BP, cholesterol and makes my brain happy. The good fats you need and there is not mercury in it unlike some of the fish you eat.

Whey Protein: I like All The Whey's chocolate Whey Isolate. I cannot eat enough protein and its nice to add some and make things taste better. The more active you are the more you need to up your intake

You cannot eat enough food when you are burning it at both ends, in grad school, teaching 8 hours a week and studying. It is not going to happen.

I disagree with David. You need to supplement or you are going to get weaker, sicker, compared to someone who does.

[Hardwork108]

No supplements for this cat.

but...

1) eat whole foods

2) exercise daily for no less than 1/2 hr

3) practice good hygiene

4) hydrate

5) get good sleep cycles

Agreed!:)

I am working on my sleep cycles, by the way.

Many years of nightclub work have played havoc with my sleeping schedule and still do. :(

[David Jamieson]

That being said, have you ever tried supplements and compared the effects based on your normal diet?

Yes I have.

Creatine - water retention and mild nausea. Stopped using it after 2 months of correct usage. It never really helped.

Whey Protien - ocaisionally will put this in a power shake. but doin't use it any more. Never got any results from it taht I couldn't get from eating whole foods.

Protien in bar form - few hit and misses here, overall, these are actually fattening and can cause leakage in your ho ho. stopped using them altogether.

In short, the caveman type of diet is in my opinion way better. Supplements are fine if you don't know how to or cannot get access to eat right I guess. I prefer to eat right. i'm not training to be a monster or a cage fighter. :)

[SteveLau]

Supplements are fine if you don't know how to or cannot get access to eat right I guess. I prefer to eat right. by David Jamieson.

I 100% agree with it. Modern day hectic way of life does not promote healthy eating. And that is when supplements are needed.



Regards,

KC
Hong Kong