The Supplement Science thread

The Supplement Science thread

Author
Discussion

HonestIago

1,719 posts

185 months

Wednesday 11th June 2014
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Digger said:
What's the current advice on cycling Creatine and BCAA's?

Obviously Google is my friend but, as usual, thought it best to keep knowledge within PH.

I've cycled Creatine twice since the beginning of the year but stayed on BCAA's throughout, but current "wisdom" suggests you don't need to cycle, as they are naturally occurring. My PT suggests cycling BCAA's every 12 weeks.

Thoughts?
My thoughts are stop wasting your money on either and just train properly whilst eating according to your goal.

I have used creatine and got NOTHING from it. BCAAs are no better than just using whey protein.

Digger

14,588 posts

190 months

Wednesday 11th June 2014
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Very helpful Honestlago! wink I suggest you start another thread dissing supplements. I'm fairly certain this one is for discussion for those who choose to take them. smile

N88

1,299 posts

178 months

Thursday 12th June 2014
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HonestIago said:
My thoughts are stop wasting your money on either and just train properly whilst eating according to your goal.

I have used creatine and got NOTHING from it. BCAAs are no better than just using whey protein.
Agree on BCAA's!

You couldn't be more wrong about creatine. Doesn't mean jot that you personally didn't notice anything.

Of course you know that, but then you wouldn't be able to bash your keyboard as hard would you wink

smile

Halb

Original Poster:

53,012 posts

182 months

Tuesday 7th October 2014
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Anyone use Garcinia Cambogia as an appetite suppressant?

smiffy180

6,018 posts

149 months

Tuesday 7th October 2014
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Halb said:
Anyone use Garcinia Cambogia as an appetite suppressant?
Get some sugar free jelly!
Next to no calories and you can eat if you're hungry wink

didelydoo

5,528 posts

209 months

Tuesday 7th October 2014
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Halb said:
Anyone use Garcinia Cambogia as an appetite suppressant?
Will power does it for me wink

BRMMA

1,845 posts

171 months

Tuesday 28th October 2014
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I train twice a day 5-6 days a week for much of the year and as such am always looking for supplements that will help me recover, give me energy, protect my joints etc without going down the steroids/HGH/peptides route. i've tried no end of stuff over the years, most of it ineffective, here's a summary of some of them

Cissus - probably the best thing i have used for joint pain, doesn't appear to give any lasting beenfits though as when i cycle off it the pain returns

Fish Oils - no noticable benefit though it's a staple for me

Multi-vits - not sure if they're of benefit or not, especially if diet is decent

Creatine - i find it gives me a slight strength increase, prefer it in CEE guise

Whey Protein - i only use this on days when i know i'm going to struggle to get enough protein from food sources or generally not get to eat well, not conviced on the benefits

leucine - i found this a good addition to protein shakes, seemed to make a small but noticable difference

glutamine/BCAA's - no noticable difference

Cordyceps - i took some cordygen5 and i could feel my chest expanding after taking them and a feeling like i was taking in more air even when not doing anything, didn't seem to make any difference to athletic performance though. i'm now taking normal cordyceps and experiencing nothing, won't bother again

beta alanine - didn't notice any benefit

citrulline mallate - on this currently, apparantly it helps with muscle soreness, again i've not really noticed much benefit, it may work in scientific studies but not by enough for me to notice

for me the most important things are keeping my diet good, training consistantly and ensuring i get enough rest. i still buy supplements though, i reckon it's mainly for the placebo effect as i kid myself that if i'm taking all this stuff it must be helping and i should take advantage of it by pushing harder




bluenosewrx

391 posts

114 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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Now im not condoning this and take it at your own risk, if you need to lose weight and havent go the willpower or energy but still eat healthyish and do exercise as well, a mate of mine strted taking chest eze you buy in boots, 2 x tablets in morning and 2 in afternoon.

the weight was flying off him but he said he felt his heart racing and anxious sometimes, done it for a month and lost 8-10 kg.

Not a fan of this stuff but just passing on to those who might feel they need it.

BRMMA

1,845 posts

171 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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bluenosewrx said:
Now im not condoning this and take it at your own risk, if you need to lose weight and havent go the willpower or energy but still eat healthyish and do exercise as well, a mate of mine strted taking chest eze you buy in boots, 2 x tablets in morning and 2 in afternoon.

the weight was flying off him but he said he felt his heart racing and anxious sometimes, done it for a month and lost 8-10 kg.

Not a fan of this stuff but just passing on to those who might feel they need it.
That will be due to the ephedrine in it, now that ephedrine as a stand alone product isn't available lots of people buy chest eze, baby asprin and 200mg caffeine tablets and make their own ECA stack. it won't be enough to make up for a bad diet and no exercise but it can definitely help alongside them, though i personally don't feel the side effects are worth it

Halb

Original Poster:

53,012 posts

182 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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What's in it to do that?

bluenosewrx

391 posts

114 months

Wednesday 29th October 2014
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Halb said:
What's in it to do that?
He just told you mate, ephridene !!! Lots of people used to take it in a stack, ephrirdrene, caffeine and aspirin gives you massive energy and suppresses appetite.

Chest eze is cheap and only thing missing is aspirin, ephridene is banned here and US for sale on its own as a supplement

chris watton

22,477 posts

259 months

Thursday 30th October 2014
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Halb said:
Digger said:
Going to give some ZMA a go! Will take an hour or so before bed.
Notice anything?
I had this - 240 capsules, 3 taken about a hour before bed.

For me, they did nothing at all.

I am beginning to realise that a lot of the supplements are just ways to burn money. I just have creatine, BCCA powder (which is rank, to be fair..)and a multivitamin capsule, and of course, a healthy diet.

The money you can spend on utter rubbish in the form of health supplements is quite astonishing...

Digger

14,588 posts

190 months

Wednesday 14th January 2015
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Halb et al. Anyone have any idea what period of time (half-life?) a standard serving of BCAA's last for? In my case 3 tabs of MyProtein's BCAA+

I ask because typically I take a standard serving of three 10-15 minutes before a fairly vigorous 30 minute xtrainer "warm-up", then go and throw some metal about for 30 mins+, followed by a further 30-90 minutes cardio and intervals.

I've been advised to ditch the post-workout BCAA's and for the last month or so take them just before the second period of 30-90 cardio.

I was hoping the initial dose would still be effective throughout the whole workout?


Any links to pertinent articles would be great! smile


Oh, and just to try and negate any naysayers, I'm quietly confident BCAA's have helped reduce any muscle catabolism, as I'm more than happy with my 'lean gains' (sorry!) so far, and far from wasting away, with all the cardio.

Edited by Digger on Wednesday 14th January 16:01

MURRAY007

530 posts

194 months

Wednesday 14th January 2015
quotequote all
smiffy180 said:
Halb said:
Anyone use Garcinia Cambogia as an appetite suppressant?
Get some sugar free jelly!
Next to no calories and you can eat if you're hungry wink
Mix the Sugar Free Jelly with half Hot water and the other half Sprite Zero.

Jelly with a fizz and still sugar free.

Art0ir

9,401 posts

169 months

Wednesday 14th January 2015
quotequote all
Digger said:
Halb et al. Anyone have any idea what period of time (half-life?) a standard serving of BCAA's last for? In my case 3 tabs of MyProtein's BCAA+

I ask because typically I take a standard serving of three 10-15 minutes before a fairly vigorous 30 minute xtrainer "warm-up", then go and throw some metal about for 30 mins+, followed by a further 30-90 minutes cardio and intervals.

I've been advised to ditch the post-workout BCAA's and for the last month or so take them just before the second period of 30-90 cardio.

I was hoping the initial dose would still be effective throughout the whole workout?


Any links to pertinent articles would be great! smile


Oh, and just to try and negate any naysayers, I'm quietly confident BCAA's have helped reduce any muscle catabolism, as I'm more than happy with my 'lean gains' (sorry!) so far, and far from wasting away, with all the cardio.

Edited by Digger on Wednesday 14th January 16:01
I got some for free with a protein order and tried it for the first time on Monday. Drank it before I left for the gym and felt like I'd done a gram of peruvian marching powder driving there.

Halb

Original Poster:

53,012 posts

182 months

Wednesday 14th January 2015
quotequote all
Digger said:
Halb et al. Anyone have any idea what period of time (half-life?) a standard serving of BCAA's last for? In my case 3 tabs of MyProtein's BCAA+

Oh, and just to try and negate any naysayers, I'm quietly confident BCAA's have helped reduce any muscle catabolism, as I'm more than happy with my 'lean gains' (sorry!) so far, and far from wasting away, with all the cardio.

Edited by Digger on Wednesday 14th January 16:01
It would just be pure guesswork.

On a sidenote, when I started using BCAAs in mid 2013 when I started training fasted on my foray into 16/8, I do believe they helped me maintain and grow muscle. I dropped so much fat and looked so much better that people asked if I was on steroids. In that same time period I added lean muscle.

didelydoo

5,528 posts

209 months

Wednesday 14th January 2015
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I got some BCAA's recently, don't use them a whole lot tbh, but may start taking them to the gym now and then

N88

1,299 posts

178 months

Thursday 15th January 2015
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I was under the impression BCAA's are a waste of time if you already have a high protein diet? Quite expensive compared to standard whey too.

joshcowin

6,775 posts

175 months

Thursday 15th January 2015
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My understanding is that BCAA's are to be taken intra and post workout, currently these are the only supp I take, I have the time to eat food pre and post workout, I believe that the BCAA's do improve energy levels mid workout.

I've never heard about cycling BCAA's though, is this necessary? Thought the idea about cycling certain supps is in order for our bodies to continue producing the substance, am I right in saying we consume BCAA's and don't produce them?

Halb

Original Poster:

53,012 posts

182 months

Thursday 15th January 2015
quotequote all
The human body doesn't produce the essential amino acids, we get them from food.
The BCAAs are; Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branched-chain_amino...