What supplements do you feel are a MUST?

[ascendant]

Just wondering what you guys out there think are vital to including into your diet, both off and on gear? We all know there are a million things on the market that don't work, but of those that do, what do you think are really worth the $ and should be taken habitually?

I'll start this off with what I personally feel are a must...

1) Multi-Vitamin - A decent multi-vitamin should be on anyones list for obvious reasons.

2) Flax and/or Fish Oils - Oils such as flax or fish oil should be on anyones supplement list IMO. They're great for keeping good cholesterol up, bad cholesterol down, and play a vital role in hormone production.

3) Zinc and Magnesium (bedtime) - Supplementation with zinc and magnesium right before bed is great as well. Though not necessarily a must, i'd highly recommend it. I wake feeling more rested, and it definitely helps me recuperate more efficiently. Just started using it agian and I've noticed such a difference I'll be keeping it from now on.

4) Whey Protein - Not a necessary supplement, but vital for a high quality protein intake IMO. The better ones should always have a full-spectrum amino-acid profile. Currently, I use Dymatize Elite Whey Proteins.

5) A High-Quality Weight Gainer - Though not being a must, is a great addition for a bulking diet and for PWO. If not a gainer, some kind of high-quality liquid meal should at least be included for PWO for fast absorption. Currently, I use Cytogainer.

For all those of you wasting your money on ZMA, you're taking in zinc and magnesium just as I am, only you're spending quadruple (if not more) than what I am. ZMA is a scam, they simply add the aspartate onto each of them cause it increases absorption, but you can take in regular zinc and magnesium at about 50% more than usual to compensate and still save yourself a ton of money.

While on cycles, I don't add much, but here's what I got on my end...

1) Milk Thistle - definitely a must for cycles that include orals for the protection and cleansing of the liver

2) Additional Flax or Fish Oils - increasing the intake of more flax or fish oils are also a must IMO. typically, i'll double the amount listed on my bottle, which helps keep my cholesterol in check while on gear.

I know some of you may suggest creatine supplementation on your lists, but I won't simply cause I just never got much from creatine supplementation personally. Even if it did help marginally, the cost versus effectiveness makes it just not worth me bothering with, but if you truly feel it gives you addtional results, lets hear it.

Well, that's all I have on my end here, so lets hear what else you guys think should be a vital part of your supplementation in your diets?

[Zanelike]

Flax seed oil, multi vitamin, whey protein, glucosamine for the joints and I also take glutamine with my PWO shake to help with recovery.

[HURRICANEl87]

cee creatine if ur not on the juice

[bazerk]

I don't drink enough milk so I take a CALCIUM pill with Manesium and Zinc. The 3 pill dose has 400mg of manesium an 15mg of zinc. Do you guys think this is adequate? I take them before bed.

[kloter1]

Protein powder, if your not getting enough from real foods
creatine
flax/fish oils

thats the extent that i take. it would be a little different if i was on aas.

[boondockSAINT]

Protein, #1.

What sort of zinc/magnesium dose is recommended before sleeping?

[chest6]

Im a fan of R ALA

[StateChamp]

Protein, #1.

What sort of zinc/magnesium dose is recommended before sleeping?

I totally agree #1, without this your body can't produce MUSCLE!!

[Squatman51]

ill add some BCAA's, glutamine, ALC, creatine and trib to the list

[Katelette81]

OK, what is this R ALA stuff? What are the benefits and how important is it to cutting? I'm starting to think I should be taking it.

I never wanted to be one of those people who takes a thousand suplements everyday, but now i have a shlef in my kitchen dedicated to this stuff!
Glucosamine, Protein, multi-vitamin, dextrose (PWO shake), Stress B&C, and Taurine... think I'm going to add R-ALA and Milk Thistle and Zinc/Magnesium now.

[EcToMoRpHiAn]

I don't drink enough milk so I take a CALCIUM pill with Manesium and Zinc. The 3 pill dose has 400mg of manesium an 15mg of zinc. Do you guys think this is adequate? I take them before bed.

Hate to burst your bubble, but according to several threads I read on here, any significant amount of Calcium within 2 hours of taking ZMA ruins the effects of the ZMA (increasing test production, sleep aid, etc.). Try leaving out the calcium and taking 25 mg of zinc with 400 mg magnesium.

[ascendant]

Hate to burst your bubble, but according to several threads I read on here, any significant amount of Calcium within 2 hours of taking ZMA ruins the effects of the ZMA (increasing test production, sleep aid, etc.). Try leaving out the calcium and taking 25 mg of zinc with 400 mg magnesium.

not sure how significant of an effect that calcium has, saying as i have 2 cups worth of skim milk with my whey right before bed along with my zinc and magnesium and i still get the zinc/magnesium effect.

as far as that 25mg zinc and 400mg magnesium, is that the recommended amount for the zma or for actual zinc and magnesium? to be honest, i didn't know exactly how much i should be taking, so i just take 200% of the rda of both. seems like i was right about on key though.

[jef]

all the above: anyone know much about glucorell R or just r-ala combined with biotin?

[IBdmfkr]

Hate to burst your bubble, but according to several threads I read on here, any significant amount of Calcium within 2 hours of taking ZMA ruins the effects of the ZMA (increasing test production, sleep aid, etc.). Try leaving out the calcium and taking 25 mg of zinc with 400 mg magnesium.

I've also heard that from various sources.. Don't have articles though, just hear-say.

[sooners04]

OK, what is this R ALA stuff? What are the benefits and how important is it to cutting? I'm starting to think I should be taking it.

I never wanted to be one of those people who takes a thousand suplements everyday, but now i have a shlef in my kitchen dedicated to this stuff!
Glucosamine, Protein, multi-vitamin, dextrose (PWO shake), Stress B&C, and Taurine... think I'm going to add R-ALA and Milk Thistle and Zinc/Magnesium now.

R-ALA helps keep insulin spikes down when you eat food. Milk thistle might not be necessary unless your taking an AAS. Zinc/magnesium sounds great.

[KBZ]

Multi Vitamin, Tribulus, ZMA, protein powder. creatine and akg too, those I'd say are the best base to go with.

[bazerk]

Hate to burst your bubble, but according to several threads I read on here, any significant amount of Calcium within 2 hours of taking ZMA ruins the effects of the ZMA (increasing test production, sleep aid, etc.). Try leaving out the calcium and taking 25 mg of zinc with 400 mg magnesium.

The calcium, zinc, and magnesium is all in one pill. So my question is, why would they produce it like that? I will research this.

[NewBreed]

ALCAr and L-Carntine is a must for me -one mental well-being, other dilate veins! :-)

ALA -great stuff! B-Vits and Vit C doesn´t hurt either.

High quality Proteins, best with hydrolisates, Peptides etc. they do the trick!

Taurine -underestimated imho,

Caffein,

Yohimbine Ephedrin

Orotats in any form, escpially with Mg -will, try Orotine, when I´getting the money.

[ascendant]

great info guys. good to see what people consistently use like this so you know what things are worth looking into. when i have a chance, i gotta check a few of those things out that aren't on my list yet. great contributions guys, keep it coming!

[NewBreed]

exactly my thoughts, bro, citruline malate comes to mind, plain Arginine after w/o really made my veins pop out at 3+grams.... .

[*Narkissos*]

I don't think they are any supplemental 'musts'.

[Giants11]

The calcium, zinc, and magnesium is all in one pill. So my question is, why would they produce it like that? I will research this.

Exactly. I've seen many Calc/Zinc/Mag pills.

I myself take the vitamin shoppe brand.

Now if someone can produce some real evidence as to the "fact" that calcium inhibits the absorbtion of the other two. Then I'll glady change my methods.

[bmg]

I don't think they are any supplemental 'musts'.

neither do i.

[novastepp]

Megadosing VITAMIN C !!!

[ascendant]

Megadosing VITAMIN C !!!

know what bro, i'm doing that right now, and it's seriously helping my joints. an idea from johan after he experienced the same thing, and after he posted about it we soon found several others had experienced the same.

he believes the joint repair from the magadosing of the vit c has something to do with it increasing collagen synthesis, but it's still not exactly known. what we do know is that megadosing it (10-15grams a day) for a good month or so will help repair joint injuries.

i had rotator cuff problems since i was 14 and started lifting. with the vit c, though i'm still not completely repaired yet (only been about 2 weeks now), my rotators pop and click far less when i move my shoulder certain ways. i could hardly believe it would work at first with how long i've had these problems, but i can say from personal experience it does.

i don't think megadosing vit c needs to be a year round thing though. might however be good while on cycles to help joint adaptation to the muscle growth considering connective tissues do grow slower.

[novastepp]

nahh, year round for me.

[NewBreed]

I don't think they are any supplemental 'musts'.

true, but they do work and a lot better if supplementing them while "on".

being off, nearly a waste of money but on I feel it´s well spent.

[Jakt]

i'm lost, what does mag and zinc do?

[novastepp]

do a search for ZMA.

[DirtyDog7]

Must?

I'd say protein, multi vitamin, fish oil, vitamin c, other efa's 100% of the time and everything else is rotated.

There are other musts but just not full time. Creatine, beef liver pills, hawthorn berry, red rice yeast, milk thistle, etc are a coulple examples for me.

And of course time on plus pct equals time off for other things. So there are other time on musts.

Oh, I can not believe I forgot water which leads me to believe I have forgot more.

[Mizfit]

I don't think they are any supplemental 'musts'.

Well put

What i take is a multivitamin, glutamine, protein powder to supplement my diet, iron, vitamin c, Larginine, and sometimes r-ala.

[Panzerfaust]

Multivitamin
Glutamine
ON Whey Protein
R-ALA supplemented w/ Biotin
Flax Oil
ECA
Coffee

Need to add some Vit C and ZMA

[LetsGetItOn]

Multi-vitamin
Fish/Flax oils
Whey protein
Glutamine
Creatine
Lots of Water :-)

[quaker48]

other than a good MRP and Flax/Fish oils. maybe creatine depending on goals other supplements are total waste of money. I feel most people buy various products just because its more of a mental thing than anything else. they feel these products are giveing them some type of edge. Just rember this if any supplement enchances your perfornace and works its banned if its not it will be shortly or is just plan junk!!!(placebo effect) Safe your money and buy juice the real thing.

[SVTMuscle*]

Im a fan of R ALA

Im a fan of your sister.





But anyways haha



Like everyone else has been saying
"Musts" are pretty much exactly what you posted in the first post. Anything on top of those are icing on the cake.

[PeteyK]

green tea mother****ers!

[ascendant]

green tea mother****ers!