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Supplements -
Supplement Research
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Written by jglickfield
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Tuesday, 22 September 2009 10:36 |
Tremendous developments have been made in exercise science in the past 50 years. How to train, when to train, what to eat and how much to sleep has gone from bodybuilder-trial-and-error to a cutting edge, research driven field. While training methods have certainly been updated, and we know much more about nutrition in general, there is no segment of the weight trainers repertoire which has changed as much as supplementation. In the early days, there was virtually nothing available, but as the number of gyms in America exploded, so did the development of what would become known as nutritional supplements. With more demand came more research, and the latest products are more effective than the ones from as recent as the previous year.
But unfortunately, this leaves the consumer with a problem. With hundreds of products, dozens of brands, and a limited budget, what are the most important supplements to buy? Which will be the most effective? The answers are not simple. For the purpose of this post, I will be assuming that a person's goal is either building lean muscle mass or losing body fat and provide supplementation advice which will lead to one of those two outcomes, but I will begin with supplements which will help everyone, regardless of their goal.
Supplements for EveryoneMultivitaminThere is no more basic supplement than a good multivitamin. Because it is impossible to truly understand the importance of having the proper vitamin and mineral supplies, I would say that a good multivitamin is also the most underrated supplement. Workout enthusiasts tend to rush for the latest, fanciest label on the shelf and sometimes miss out on the basics. I will now expand more upon the importance of supplementing with a good multivitamin.
Although the average couch potato typically has no vitamin deficiencies, a strength athlete has different needs. Someone working out with weights needs more vitamins in their diet in order to be able to complete their workouts energetically and recover properly. It is very difficult to get all of the necessary micro-nutrients (vitamins and minerals) that you need from food alone, which is why this supplement is so helpful. Research has shown that even small deficiencies in Vitamin C, B6, riboflavin and thiamine causes a noticeable decrease in performance (1). Therefore, a good multivitamin is an essential supplement for anyone who works out. Also, most of these micro-nutrients are water-soluble, which means that if the body happens to have enough of one of the vitamins in your pill, the extra will simply pass through your system harmlessly. I use a Twinlab daily multivitamin with high doses of vitamins C, B6, B12 and potassium. Universal's Animal Pak is very popular and many people I know have reported good results, but basically every other reputable supplement brand produces at least one similarly effective product. They are all typically reasonably priced and will guarantee results.
Whey Protein PowderWhether you are trying to gain muscle or lose fat, whey protein is a great way to supplement your diet. If you are trying to lose weight, it is a low calorie source of protein which will help you hold on to the muscle mass that you already have. If you are trying to grow, it is a convenient way to add more food to your diet. The only difference is how you take it. A person who wants to lose weight should mix the powder with either water or skim milk, and the person who wants to gain should mix it with whole milk, fruit, honey and/or juice. Also, there are many great "weight gainer" products on the market which are made of whey protein with other macro-nutrients (fats and carbohydrates) already added for you. But to those trying to lose weight, please be aware that research has shown that protein drinks are not absorbed efficiently without carbohydrates, so unless you are planning to use protein for energy (in lieu of carbs) it may be advisable to eat some carbohydrates with one of these drinks to increase protein synthesis (2).
Another advantage of whey powder is that it has a lot of Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) in it. The BCAAs are leucine, isoleucine, and valine. BCAAs are helpful in muscle growth and recovery. On a side note, whey protein is a great source of cysteine, a building block of the prostate cancer fighting agent glutathione (3). Other research has shown them to provide more ATP for the muscles than glucose. There are many great products containing whey protein, ranging from simply flavored whey protein isolate to complex "gainer" products with extra calories and sometimes creatine and glutamine. On's Gold Standard and Cytosport products have given me good results, and I have seen others benefit from products like Muscletech's Nitrotech Hardcore as well. Just check the label to make sure that the caloric content is suitable for your fitness goals. Some of these drinks have as many as 1500 calories per serving, and this is not good for everyone's diet.
Supplements to Gain Muscle MassCreatineCreatine is an amino acid derivative that provides energy for muscle cells. Creatine helps to maintain the intracellular levels of ATP (the main source of energy for the cells). Creatine is regarded as a necessity by most bodybuilders (4). It has been shown to not only increase strength and immediate muscle recovery, but may also support protein synthesis (5). There is no supplement which has been showed as immediately and obviously effective (in virtually everyone who uses it) as creatine. It is cheap and easy to use with no adverse side effects. In fact, the only common side effect is water retention, most of which ends up in the muscle cells themselves which produces a more filled out look and is called bio-volumization. It will make you stronger, which lets you lift heavier and longer, getting better workouts and growing more lean mass.
There are various types of creatine. Many people take simple creatine monohydrate. Others take the more advanced creatine ethyl ester. There are also other products which have creatine mixed with other growth inducing ingredients, such as BSN's cell mass, Gaspari's Size-On, and Muscletech's Cell-Tech Hardcore. These products are specially engineered to combine creatine with other agents to make it more effective and get better results.
L-Arginine
L-Arginine is a precursor to the production of nitric oxide (NO). NO aids in muscle growth because it is a hemodilator, which means that it enlarges the blood vessels, improving blood flow and nutrient transmission. Increased flow of blood and oxygen to the muscles helps to enhance pumps and make the muscles look bigger. Increased blood flow should also increase endurance. L-arginine supplementation has also been shown to increase growth hormone levels (6). Aside from supplementing it on its own, there are various products which all use L-arginine well.
Another advantage of NO supplementation is psychological. Aside from the biological effect of better blood flow and more endurance, it certainly never hurts to have a great pump during your workout. There is nothing that strengthens a person's resolve to work hard like feeling that they are bigger NOW. The first time that I took NO Explode, the pump I got was so unusually big that it gave me stretch marks in my chest. I didn't believe that such a thing was possible until I saw it with my own eyes... L-arginine supplementation really works wonders. Aside from NO Explode, which is very popular, Gaspari Nutrition's SuperPump 250 has also given me excellent results. Muscletech's Nano Vapors, BSN's NO pill Nitrix, and VPX NO Shotgun were also all very well received by the bodybuilding community.
Supplements for Fat LossThermogenicsThese supplements use stimulants to boost the metabolism and provide extra energy to power the fast paced lifts and grueling aerobic regiments which are necessary for serious fat loss. But not all thermogenic fat loss supplements are created equally. When I suggest them as being in the category of "most important" I only mean the good ones. Everyone is looking for a quick fix when it comes to weight loss, and the weight training community is no exception. It is best to find ones that rely on other ingredients in addition to stimulants (usually caffeine). I have tried Twinlab's Lipo-6x and Muscletech's Hydroxycut Hardcore. They both work well, and if you limit caloric intake and increase your cardio, you will see great results in your cutting phases.
GlutamineGlutamine is an amino acid which your body needs to manufacture new cells. It is the most commonly found non-essential amino acid in the body, and the only one which crosses the blood-brain barrier. It helps with protein synthesis and promotes a healthy immune system. It also has anti-catabolic (muscle sparing) properties which prevent muscle from being broken down for energy in periods of caloric deficit (fat loss cycles) (7). After all, it's the fat we want to lose right? What sort of bodybuilder wants to lose muscle? Glutamine is a crucial component of any serious bodybuilders supplement regime, and is found on its own as a free form powder or pills, or can be bought as a part of more complex supplements (usually taken post-workout).
Final Notes on Stacking and Purchasing SupplementsThe common term in the bodybuilding community for taking a combination of different supplements is "stacking." Stacking is extremely effective, but only when the products are taken in the proper order and at the right times. Most of these rules are obvious, such as not taking a "weight gainer" shake while trying to lose fat using thermogenics, but some are less so. Taking creatine, glutamine and l-arginine are a great stack. Take creatine/arginine before the lift, then creatine/glutamine after. Typically you can just read the back of the bottle for explanations of how and when to use the supplements. It is important to do this because if you take two supplements with contradictory effects (such as combining NO which is a vaso-dilator with caffeine which is a vaso-constrictor) your results will be limited and you will be frustrated with your training program.
Now that we have established which supplements are most important, and how to take them for best results, it is necessary to mention that the various other supplements out there (free form BCAAs, ZMA, flax seed oil, L-carnitine, etc) are by no means bad, they are just not as basic or important as these. The ones that I mentioned are basically necessities for anyone who wants to succeed in weight training. But to the consumer, this all adds up to a much heftier grocery bill than just eggs and tuna fish. This is why I suggest buying your supplements at the A1Supplements.com store where the prices are often half what they would be in retail stores.
Works Cited:1. Depeint F, Bruce WR, Shangari N, et al: Mitochondrial function and toxicity: role of B vitamins on the one-carbon transfer pathways. Chem Biol Interact 2006; 163: 113-132.
2. Schwarzenegger A, Dobbins B; The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding; Simon and Schuster 1998; pgs 709-10.
3. Zinczenko D, Spiker T; The Abs Diet; Rodale 2004; pg 73.
4. Schwarzenegger and Dobbins; pg 765
5. Ibid.
6. Schwarzenegger and Dobbins; pg 764
7. Haussinger D et al. Cellular hydration state: An important determinant of protein catabolism in health and disease. Lancet 341:1330-1332.1993.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 29 September 2009 11:33 |
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