The Supplement Science thread
Discussion
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.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?
I have used creatine and got NOTHING from it. BCAAs are no better than just using whey protein.
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!I have used creatine and got NOTHING from it. BCAAs are no better than just using whey protein.
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
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
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
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.
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.
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 itthe 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.
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
Halb said:
Digger said:
Going to give some ZMA a go! Will take an hour or so before bed.
Notice anything?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...
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!
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.
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!
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
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!
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.
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. 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!
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
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.
It would just be pure guesswork.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
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.
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?
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?
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...
The BCAAs are; Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branched-chain_amino...
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