Do you take any workout supplements?
Replies
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BCAA pre-workout (fasted) and sometimes whey (post) if I might be short on protein (not meeting goal through food alone). Caffeine is a must.2
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trigden1991 wrote: »You don't know if it makes you stronger but you do know it improves "muscle hydration levels"? I'm intrigued as I'd say strength is very easy to measure, track and assess whereas I have not seen a "muscle hydration level" machine in my gym. Or do you perform biopsys on yourself each week?
yeah true . . . that was a pretty sloppy way of expressing it when it's totally experiential
but fwiw, here's the strictly-experiential deal: my muscles feel different. maybe having rheumatoid arthritis makes that especially relevant to me, maybe it's my age at 51. i have pretty full rom based on functional tests, but without creatine there isn't a movement of any kind i can make without getting some little stick or catch or twinge or sting. i remember being really hurt a few years ago when a massage therapist commented out of the blue that my muscles were 'dry'. i thought i was doing everything right - water, stretching, the whole bit. but she didn't even have to tell me - i could hear the gritch-gritch noises when she was working across fibres spindles in certain zones. i just thought it was normal, actually.
creatine takes that away. go figure, but i feel better on creatine than i ever did on any of the nsaids and dmards i'm supposed to take for the r.a. i assume it's because every atp molecule needs water molecules to bind to, but that's just a guess. empirically there's just no question of it. i move without clicks or snaps or catches, and even palpating the muscles feels different. the individual fibre spindles are still there, but they're fatter and springier. it absolutely is not just how much i'm drinking; i drink about the same amount all the time and i tried keeping the water and skipping the creatine back when i was uncomfortable with feeling like i 'need' something like this to feel good. all the gritching and sticking and grinding came back. now i just put the stuff up there with anything else that you take because it helps with some problem of yours.
as far as assessing my strength with or without, that's something i don't even try to do. it's not very reliable with me, since it fluctuates a fair bit day to day anyway. and creatine isn't really one of those instant-effect things anyway afaik. so i'm a moving target already. trying to assess how well a slow-moving bullet is tracking that target seems sort of futile to me.0 -
Just creatine, its the most studied/proven to be effective.
I used to take BCAAs but then i stopped, they did absolutely nothing except make my water taste better.0 -
Ok so BCCA's are amino acids, pre workout is for energy when you're not up for it, I think whey is to bulk up, right? But, it's not vegerarian friendly? And, what are creatines? There's so many products. I'm not training for anything, but there are some things I'd like to get to try out for myself to decide if I want to add them in my routine or not.0
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whey is to bulk up, right? But, it's not vegerarian friendly?
whey is not necessarily to bulk up. it's a good source of protein, that's all. and it's made from milk, not from meat, so it's vegetarian-friendly but presumably not good for vegans.
creatine is . . . stuff.
idek what it is, but honestly, if you're brand new to lifting or not even thinking of doing it i don't know how much you need any of this. i think a better approach is to see how it goes for you and if you can identify a specific lack, then look into whatever type of supplement might be useful. that's just throwing expensive *kitten* at a wall without even knowing if you'll realise which bits of it stick.
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Ok thanks0
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I've been taking 5g of creatine daily for 2 months but I can't tell if it's having any effect on my workouts or body at all. Don't feel I'm getting any great boost of energy from it lifting and, as far as I can tell, I haven't experienced any weight gain.
Since it doesn't seem to hurt or have any noticeable negative effects, I'm going to continue to use up what I bought and then see if I notice any effect after I stop using it, which won't be for quite awhile.
On the other hand, I've been using a variety of protein supplements (plus normal food) to maintain my high protein diet (40% macro) of about 180g/day or about 1.1g/pound on 1800 cals/day, which is within the generally accepted level to build or maintain muscle growth while losing fat, which is what I am still trying to do.
BTW, this is about 3x's the RDA for protein for males 18-64 BUT w/in the recommended level of 1-1.2 g/lb for seniors (like me) 65 and older. However, there are studies that say that senior athletes need even more protein -- up to 1.2-1.5 g/lb to enhance performance but I don't think that I am "so" athletic that I need to increase my protein intake even more.
Don't think I could include up to 250g (1k cals) of protein/day in my diet unless I increased my daily food intake to 2500 cals/day and started to bulk, which is not what I currently want to do.1 -
tillerstouch wrote: »Just creatine, its the most studied/proven to be effective.
Proven to do what?0 -
I'm usually exercising in the evening and before I've had dinner so I have a flapjack or the like beforehand to keep the energy levels up, might have a gel just before I start if I'm feeling a bit sluggish.
I drink coffee all day so no need for a specific pre-workout cuppa.
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Woah, ok cool. You're like the little engine that could then haha 0
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Ok so BCCA's are amino acids, pre workout is for energy when you're not up for it, I think whey is to bulk up, right? But, it's not vegerarian friendly? And, what are creatines? There's so many products. I'm not training for anything, but there are some things I'd like to get to try out for myself to decide if I want to add them in my routine or not.
Don't even bother with supplements until you have nutrition and training worked out, with the exception of a protein powder if you are falling short.0 -
trigden1991 wrote: »tillerstouch wrote: »Just creatine, its the most studied/proven to be effective.
Proven to do what?
Not sure if this is a serious question, but: https://examine.com/supplements/creatine/
It really is one of the most studied supplements and proven to increase strength.1 -
Ok so BCCA's are amino acids, pre workout is for energy when you're not up for it, I think whey is to bulk up, right? But, it's not vegerarian friendly? And, what are creatines? There's so many products. I'm not training for anything, but there are some things I'd like to get to try out for myself to decide if I want to add them in my routine or not.
Don't even both with supplements until you have nutrition and training worked out, with the exception of a protein powder if you are falling short.
What do you mean don't even both with supplements? I'm already using certain vitamins, but I don't think I will add in any proteins powders or other supplements in until Ive had a couple months experience of a continous workout routine. In which case, I plan on getting BCAA's for sure and I may try out new bars or something from time to time. I've been told wheat grass shots are great for working out, but it tastes awful.0 -
astrocosmiczoom wrote: »I take BCAAs because they're literally just amino acids. They're good for muscle growth and post-workout muscle recovery. Other than that, I do a protein shake afterward. I used to do preworkout (C4/Noxplode), but it makes me too itchy.
Out of curiosity, why do you do both BCAA and a whey shake? Every whey shake I know of has equivalent levels of BCAA in them. Seems a little redundant.
I cook with whey, but I don't take pre -, post -, or peri - workout supplements.
I just want to say that (depending on your bcaas and protein powder of course) it may NOT be redundant as far as aminos go. Leucine is the amino acid responsible for increasing muscle protein synthesis and driving muscle growth.
Three grams is the potential threshold amount needed to maximize the rate of muscle protein synthesis in humans.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4033492/
My BCAAs (5 g serving) has about half this, and my protein powder has about half of this as well.1 -
Not a thing
I'm not a pro body builder, nor stuck on strength gains ...I just want to look good in and out of my jeans
That said, sometimes I have an electrolyte and vitamin drink if I'm feeling exhausted
And I take regular caffeine for the preservation of those around me1 -
rainbowbow wrote: »astrocosmiczoom wrote: »I take BCAAs because they're literally just amino acids. They're good for muscle growth and post-workout muscle recovery. Other than that, I do a protein shake afterward. I used to do preworkout (C4/Noxplode), but it makes me too itchy.
Out of curiosity, why do you do both BCAA and a whey shake? Every whey shake I know of has equivalent levels of BCAA in them. Seems a little redundant.
I cook with whey, but I don't take pre -, post -, or peri - workout supplements.
I just want to say that (depending on your bcaas and protein powder of course) it may NOT be redundant as far as aminos go. Leucine is the amino acid responsible for increasing muscle protein synthesis and driving muscle growth.
Three grams is the potential threshold amount needed to maximize the rate of muscle protein synthesis in humans.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4033492/
My BCAAs (5 g serving) has about half this, and my protein powder has about half of this as well.
Yes, I do recognize the benefits of leucine. Personally, instead of using both a pre and post workout, it may be more beneficial to find a better protein powder or just use BCAA's if MPS is your only goal, like Carbon which has 3.5g leucine I believe.0 -
Ok so BCCA's are amino acids, pre workout is for energy when you're not up for it, I think whey is to bulk up, right? But, it's not vegerarian friendly? And, what are creatines? There's so many products. I'm not training for anything, but there are some things I'd like to get to try out for myself to decide if I want to add them in my routine or not.
Don't even both with supplements until you have nutrition and training worked out, with the exception of a protein powder if you are falling short.
What do you mean don't even both with supplements? I'm already using certain vitamins, but I don't think I will add in any proteins powders or other supplements in until Ive had a couple months experience of a continous workout routine. In which case, I plan on getting BCAA's for sure and I may try out new bars or something from time to time. I've been told wheat grass shots are great for working out, but it tastes awful.
Sorry, you got me before I made my edit. I mean don't bother with supplements.0 -
rainbowbow wrote: »astrocosmiczoom wrote: »I take BCAAs because they're literally just amino acids. They're good for muscle growth and post-workout muscle recovery. Other than that, I do a protein shake afterward. I used to do preworkout (C4/Noxplode), but it makes me too itchy.
Out of curiosity, why do you do both BCAA and a whey shake? Every whey shake I know of has equivalent levels of BCAA in them. Seems a little redundant.
I cook with whey, but I don't take pre -, post -, or peri - workout supplements.
I just want to say that (depending on your bcaas and protein powder of course) it may NOT be redundant as far as aminos go. Leucine is the amino acid responsible for increasing muscle protein synthesis and driving muscle growth.
Three grams is the potential threshold amount needed to maximize the rate of muscle protein synthesis in humans.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4033492/
My BCAAs (5 g serving) has about half this, and my protein powder has about half of this as well.
Yes, I do recognize the benefits of leucine. Personally, instead of using both a pre and post workout, it may be more beneficial to find a better protein powder or just use BCAA's if MPS is your only goal, like Carbon which has 3.5g leucine I believe.
I certainly can't speak for everyone (and you're right) but i'm lactose intolerant and i'm not brave enough to buy a big jug of carbon (or other isolates) yet. I wish i could buy samples! In my case atleast i drink a soy protein for this reason.
OP- I take BCAAs and soy protein because i'm vegetarian and it helps me reach my goals.
On occasion i might have a red bull as a pre-workout.1 -
rainbowbow wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »astrocosmiczoom wrote: »I take BCAAs because they're literally just amino acids. They're good for muscle growth and post-workout muscle recovery. Other than that, I do a protein shake afterward. I used to do preworkout (C4/Noxplode), but it makes me too itchy.
Out of curiosity, why do you do both BCAA and a whey shake? Every whey shake I know of has equivalent levels of BCAA in them. Seems a little redundant.
I cook with whey, but I don't take pre -, post -, or peri - workout supplements.
I just want to say that (depending on your bcaas and protein powder of course) it may NOT be redundant as far as aminos go. Leucine is the amino acid responsible for increasing muscle protein synthesis and driving muscle growth.
Three grams is the potential threshold amount needed to maximize the rate of muscle protein synthesis in humans.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4033492/
My BCAAs (5 g serving) has about half this, and my protein powder has about half of this as well.
Yes, I do recognize the benefits of leucine. Personally, instead of using both a pre and post workout, it may be more beneficial to find a better protein powder or just use BCAA's if MPS is your only goal, like Carbon which has 3.5g leucine I believe.
I certainly can't speak for everyone (and you're right) but i'm lactose intolerant and i'm not brave enough to buy a big jug of carbon (or other isolates) yet. I wish i could buy samples! In my case atleast i drink a soy protein for this reason.
OP- I take BCAAs and soy protein because i'm vegetarian and it helps me reach my goals.
On occasion i might have a red bull as a pre-workout.
Trust me, I do, too. I have followed his stuff for awhile, and Layne Norton is super knowledgeable, but $60 a container is steep!
Have you tried any isolates?
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rainbowbow wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »astrocosmiczoom wrote: »I take BCAAs because they're literally just amino acids. They're good for muscle growth and post-workout muscle recovery. Other than that, I do a protein shake afterward. I used to do preworkout (C4/Noxplode), but it makes me too itchy.
Out of curiosity, why do you do both BCAA and a whey shake? Every whey shake I know of has equivalent levels of BCAA in them. Seems a little redundant.
I cook with whey, but I don't take pre -, post -, or peri - workout supplements.
I just want to say that (depending on your bcaas and protein powder of course) it may NOT be redundant as far as aminos go. Leucine is the amino acid responsible for increasing muscle protein synthesis and driving muscle growth.
Three grams is the potential threshold amount needed to maximize the rate of muscle protein synthesis in humans.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4033492/
My BCAAs (5 g serving) has about half this, and my protein powder has about half of this as well.
Yes, I do recognize the benefits of leucine. Personally, instead of using both a pre and post workout, it may be more beneficial to find a better protein powder or just use BCAA's if MPS is your only goal, like Carbon which has 3.5g leucine I believe.
I certainly can't speak for everyone (and you're right) but i'm lactose intolerant and i'm not brave enough to buy a big jug of carbon (or other isolates) yet. I wish i could buy samples! In my case atleast i drink a soy protein for this reason.
OP- I take BCAAs and soy protein because i'm vegetarian and it helps me reach my goals.
On occasion i might have a red bull as a pre-workout.
Trust me, I do, too. I have followed his stuff for awhile, and Layne Norton is super knowledgeable, but $60 a container is steep!
Have you tried any isolates?
I've tried foods that have isolates in them and i've been fine (protein muffin, protein brownie). And I can tolerate Muscle Milk brand (99% lactose free). Because i'm in Denmark though and we don't have cheap shipping I haven't been able to try any others. I didn't develop lactose intolerance until this year so I have no clue what i can and can't tolerate any more.
edit: this is to say that i've tried many different types of proteins when i was still living in the US and could go to my local vitamin shop or order from bb.com. Which of those I can now tolerate, though? Who knows!!0
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