Austinite's Amino Acids, Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs and more.

[basketballfan22]

There is the update I have been waiting for. Thanks a bunch! With the amount of money I am already planning on spending on the other supplements, I think I will hold off on this one.

[austinite]

Pycnogenol

Alright. So I've been supplementing with this compound for a short while now. This is by far the most expensive compound in my OTC supplement list. You get what you pay for, right? Let's find out...

The reason this compound is expensive is because it comes from the French Maritime Pine tree. It's bark extract. Apparently its bark is far superior and more consistent than any other, making it unique and in high demand. Processing seems to be a very difficult task as well. The going price $3,700 for about 2 lbs. There's also a patent in there somewhere, so everyone has to get paid. Ridiculous, but that's why it's so expensive.

So what are the advertised uses for Pycnogenol?

please note: There are more benefits, I'm only listing the ones that concerned me.

- Circulation Related Issues
- High Blood Pressure
- Muscle Soreness
- Erectile Dysfunction

How does Pycnogenol work?

Pycnogenol binds to collagen. It increases oxygen delivery and decreases carbon dioxide. This gives you much healthier, more elastic and less wrinkled skin. The main thing they pitch however, is it's ability to increase circulation by increasing vessel diameter; allowing blood to flow better and inevitably delivering more nutrients.

My experience with Pycnogenol:

I started and finished 2 bottles. In total, 100 capsules at 60 mg each. My dosing protocol was 2 in the morning, and 2 before bed, for a total of 240 mg daily. I started over a month ago and finished a week or so ago. The reason I haven't updated was because I wanted to see what happens when I come off of it. Well, nothing happened. No changes to the skin, no decreased vascularity and no drop in my Nitric Oxide levels. And there was no huge changes in my blood pressure.

I also came off of Magnesium (my preferred muscle relaxer) for one week during this experiment, to see if my post workout soreness was relieved or shortened to some degree. This was not the case. The only thing I noticed was the lack of magnesium and I was very happy to jump back on it. So I give it a zero for muscle related relief.

I chose not to come off of cialis an everything else I take that aids with my erectile dysfunction. Mainly because I understood exactly how Pycnogenol would help me in that area, and it's no different than what I'm already doing. Would it work, however? Absolutely, but I doubt it if doses were considerable, making it quite the expensive fix.

Now, I understand that benefits to the skin can take some time to build up, but its circulation properties are supposed to be almost immediate. I am absolutely confident that this drug can and most likely will benefit most users. But it does nothing for me. My NO levels are through the roof due to my current protocol. My blood pressure and erectile dysfunction are both under control without this drug. So why did I really take it? Well, the same damn reason I take Amino Acids, for increased vascularity and better pump. No gains there.

The max recommended dose is 180 mg. I knew I had to increase it if I wanted to see anything from it considering what I already take. So I pretty much wasted my time with this compound. I really hate to say that I don't have long term experience with it because, who knows, maybe long term use will yield more benefits. But for now, I'm sticking to my reliable friend: Cialis.

Who do I recommend this for?

Women. Women can benefit from Pycnogenol with relief from the following:

- Menopausal Symptoms
- Cramping from Menstrual Periods
- Reproductive System Issues

The skin and circulation benefits obviously are on the list above for women.

I also recommend this for folks who would like the skin-related anti aging benefits, because it is quite unique in that area and binds to collagen like no other. My experience was probably too short to validate this but I'm putting my trust in the studies and a dermatologist's (friend of mine) endorsement.

I also recommend this for those who are acne prone.

There you have it. Hopefully this helps you make a more informed decision. For me, I simply can't justify the price.

Protocol on front page udpated...

[austinite]

There is the update I have been waiting for. Thanks a bunch! With the amount of money I am already planning on spending on the other supplements, I think I will hold off on this one.

Sure thing, buddy. Thanks for tuning in

[basketballfan22]

Are you going to discuss resveratrol? I know I have asked that before, and you mentioned that you take it with your fish oil.

[austinite]

Are you going to discuss resveratrol? I know I have asked that before, and you mentioned that you take it with your fish oil.

crapola. Forgot about that one, sorry. Yes, I'll add it with the Carnitine update.

[basketballfan22]

crapola. Forgot about that one, sorry. Yes, I'll add it with the Carnitine update.

"Sorry," that's funny. I am the one that should be apologizing for pestering you so damn much!

[Java Man]

Nice write up on the stuff that starts with a p. Lol. Not gonna try to spell that.

[cj111]

Austin, you take AAKG at all ? Instead of just arginine?

[austinite]

Austin, you take AAKG at all ? Instead of just arginine?

I have AAKG powder, but before I ordered it I had already mixed a large batch of Arg/Cit , so I'm going through that. I've used AAKG and it's good stuff. I don't know that I really noticed much difference compared to plain ol arginine, but it certainly works!

[basketballfan22]

I have AAKG powder, but before I ordered it I had already mixed a large batch of Arg/Cit , so I'm going through that. I've used AAKG and it's good stuff. I don't know that I really noticed much difference compared to plain ol arginine, but it certainly works!

Seeing as you have not noticed much of a difference between the two supplements, this question may be futile; but I will ask it anyway. If you had to choose between micronized arginine and AAKG, which one would you pick?

[austinite]

Seeing as you have not noticed much of a difference between the two supplements, this question may be futile; but I will ask it anyway. If you had to choose between micronized arginine and AAKG, which one would you pick?

arginine is cheaper, so Id go with that

[Dougiefresh7707]

Do you have a good site you order all these from I'm particularly interested in your vascularity sups?

[austinite]

^ google search, lots of places. Mostly amazon.

[austinite]

Original post updated. Was unable to add Resveratrol because I reached the maximum character limit. But talking to Admn now to see about increasing that, otherwise I'll post it here.

[Dougiefresh7707]

^ google search, lots of places. Mostly amazon.

Thanks

[basketballfan22]

Original post updated. Was unable to add Resveratrol because I reached the maximum character limit. But talking to Admn now to see about increasing that, otherwise I'll post it here.

Great.

[FONZY007]

What are your thoughts of Berberine?


Reading about it, seems promising !!

[austinite]

What are your thoughts of Berberine?

Reading about it, seems promising !!

No idea. I'll read up on it and give my opinion soon. Thanks for bringing it up!

[austinite]

What are your thoughts of Berberine?


Reading about it, seems promising !!

Hmm. What exactly are you trying to accomplish with this?

[austinite]

Resveratrol
Let's get an old wives tale out of the way. Resveratrol does not extend your life. This can be found in wine in small amounts and one of the reasons that lots of folks drink a glass or two of wine a day. But again, that's a myth as there is no evidence.

The reason I began supplementing with this drug was to regulate blood flow and to help lower my Arimidex dose. It works in some ways like Chrysin; an OTC AI. However,

To take advantage of better blood flow from this drug you would need to run it in excess of 250mg. This is also a good drug to take if you're having trouble keeping your Triglycerides under 150.

The Decision to Drop Resveratrol from my Protocol
I completely failed to do enough research before taking this drug. It's amazing what indepth research or more studies that are done after you take a drug will present. I think I've been on it since 2010, but only a few days ago decided to drop it after an email I got from a member here.

A study was done that I wasn't aware of that has made me decide to drop Resveratrol. Apparently this drug inhibits mTOR activators. mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) is the system that regulates our cell growth and metabolism.

So what activates mTOR? Amino Acids. But there is one Amino Acid that is the biggest activator... Leucine. As discussed in the recent audio session, Leucine is abundant in our diets and there is no need for mass supplementation as it will go to waste. But what we get from food is plenty to activate mTOR. Personally, I'll take that over the benefits of Resveratrol.

So for me, Resveratrol is out. I have 3 bottles, any takers??

Moral of the story is, if you're supplementing with something for years, it's not bad idea to check for any recent studies and/or changes in its profile.

[Java Man]

Awesome, great to hear Java Man! PLEASE keep me posted right here, I want to hear about your progress. Sound like you're doing great so far. And thanks for the plugs! haha. Much appreciated.

OK here's a better pic that my daughter took with her phone which of course is better than mine!
This one is at the gym and still not the best quality (low lighting) but some vascularity is evident and if you saw what I looked like in December '12 (2nd pic) this is a massive improvement. I had taken 8-10 yrs off I don't know exactly when I stopped training, dieting, and started drinking a lot but it was 8-10 yrs ago. I'm bigger now (205ish at ~10-12% bf 2002 vs. 227 as of tonight but with bf probably 16-18%? I honestly have no idea what my bf% is. This is after 6 weeks pct. Just about done with that. This is not my thread so I don't want to post too much but you said you wanted me to post my progress here. I'm glad you're honestly interested in it. Thanks for the encouragement!

Attachment 139399Attachment 139401

[austinite]

OK here's a better pic that my daughter took with her phone which of course is better than mine!
This one is at the gym and still not the best quality (low lighting) but some vascularity is evident and if you saw what I looked like in December '12 (2nd pic) this is a massive improvement. I had taken 8-10 yrs off I don't know exactly when I stopped training, dieting, and started drinking a lot but it was 8-10 yrs ago. I'm bigger now (205ish at ~10-12% bf 2002 vs. 227 as of tonight but with bf probably 16-18%? I honestly have no idea what my bf% is. This is after 6 weeks pct. Just about done with that. This is not my thread so I don't want to post too much but you said you wanted me to post my progress here. I'm glad you're honestly interested in it. Thanks for the encouragement!

Wow, Java! that is some serious transformation man! Outstanding job. Hard work is really showing there. Your starting BF is closer to 30% my friend. Thanks for the update and I can see that you're on the way to vascularity, already showing!!

[Java Man]

Wow, Java! that is some serious transformation man! Outstanding job. Hard work is really showing there. Your starting BF is closer to 30% my friend. Thanks for the update and I can see that you're on the way to vascularity, already showing!!

Thank you. I meant 205ish 10-12% back in 2002. That before pic above I was over 240. I thought my bf was probably over 30. Quit being a nice guy

[FONZY007]

Hmm. What exactly are you trying to accomplish with this?

Well a study stated it raises your good cholesterol by 18% and lower your bad by 20%

It's stating you can get off a statin due to the sides and is a great alternative

[austinite]

Well a study stated it raises your good cholesterol by 18% and lower your bad by 20%

Yeah, I've been reading up on it, looks like it's a good thing to keep sugar under control. This might be something I'll consider. I've been looking for something that might help get me off of Metformin. Thanks again.

[FONZY007]

Yeah, I've been reading up on it, looks like it's a good thing to keep sugar under control. This might be something I'll consider. I've been looking for something that might help get me off of Metformin. Thanks again.

Cool, it's not to expensive either, I was looking at it.. Could use it while on cycle so your cholesterol doesn't take a huge hit!!

[FONZY007]

On a side note, I notice you stated you take albuterol and can't handle the sides of Clen ..

I know Clen effects metabolism 25% is albuterol the same?

Sorry for the question!! Cuz Clen sides are harsh after a week I'm drained...

[songdog]

Good job bro I use to take a bunch of stuff.I also cut it way back.Handful of multi's fish oil and I end it there.I got tired of seeing my money turn yellow.Then get flushed down the toliet.

[basketballfan22]

Hey austinite, AnabolicDoc recently posted a link to a thread he started a few months ago in gb's thread "Too many pills" (Article: Arginine and Growth Hormone hGH). He and the article suggest taking 5 - 9 grams of arginine. Now I know you have said that 9 grams used to get you sick, but is 5 grams too much too? Does the conversion of citrulline to arginine mean that your recommended doses will also lead to the increase in HGH response that the article talks about?

[austinite]

Hey austinite, AnabolicDoc recently posted a link to a thread he started a few months ago in gb's thread "Too many pills" (Article: Arginine and Growth Hormone hGH). He and the article suggest taking 5 - 9 grams of arginine. Now I know you have said that 9 grams used to get you sick, but is 5 grams too much too? Does the conversion of citrulline to arginine mean that your recommended doses will also lead to the increase in HGH response that the article talks about?

Yes, an excerpt was posted in the original post referencing this. 5 grams is not too much, and yes Citrulline will result in the same effects. This is in reference to resting HGH, not to be confused with exercise-induced growth hormone response. In fact, if you workout late in the day, it's a good idea to take Cit or Arg prior to bed because training will actually decrease resting hGH.

[kelkel]

OK here's a better pic that my daughter took with her phone which of course is better than mine!
This one is at the gym and still not the best quality (low lighting) but some vascularity is evident and if you saw what I looked like in December '12 (2nd pic) this is a massive improvement. I had taken 8-10 yrs off I don't know exactly when I stopped training, dieting, and started drinking a lot but it was 8-10 yrs ago. I'm bigger now (205ish at ~10-12% bf 2002 vs. 227 as of tonight but with bf probably 16-18%? I honestly have no idea what my bf% is. This is after 6 weeks pct. Just about done with that. This is not my thread so I don't want to post too much but you said you wanted me to post my progress here. I'm glad you're honestly interested in it. Thanks for the encouragement!

Attachment 139399Attachment 139401

Really outstanding progress Java!




And this thread continues to be impressive austinite!

[austinite]

^ Thanks kel! Traffic always goes up when you come around!

[kelkel]

^ Thanks kel! Traffic always goes up when you come around!

If that's true then they're just aiming low to avoid disappointment!

[Java Man]

Hey austinite, AnabolicDoc recently posted a link to a thread he started a few months ago in gb's thread "Too many pills" (Article: Arginine and Growth Hormone hGH). He and the article suggest taking 5 - 9 grams of arginine. Now I know you have said that 9 grams used to get you sick, but is 5 grams too much too? Does the conversion of citrulline to arginine mean that your recommended doses will also lead to the increase in HGH response that the article talks about?

I'm currently using 3g cit, 2g arg 3x/day morn, pre-workout, bed. 9g cit, 6gr arg total daily. I'm not too picky though, sometimes I take 3g of each if I feel I need more.

[Java Man]

Really outstanding progress Java!

Thanks kelkel. I did that in a single day. You should see the puddle on the gym floor!

[austinite]

Also note that when I said taking 9 grams wasnt good for me, that means at once. I can handle 15 grams a day, maybe more. So long as it's not in one dose.

[areichert]

Austinite, do you ever get a b12 shot on top of your daily b12 vitamin intake?

[austinite]

Austinite, do you ever get a b12 shot on top of your daily b12 vitamin intake?

Yes, as outlined in the protocol in the original post, I inject 1000mcg weekly when I am not cycling. I don't take B12 supplement daily.

[basketballfan22]

Yes, an excerpt was posted in the original post referencing this. 5 grams is not too much, and yes Citrulline will result in the same effects. This is in reference to resting HGH, not to be confused with exercise-induced growth hormone response. In fact, if you workout late in the day, it's a good idea to take Cit or Arg prior to bed because training will actually decrease resting hGH.

Oh damn. I am sorry. I need to re-read this entire thread from time to time because I forget everything that has been talked about. The next time I ask about something that has been discussed just tell me, and I will search for it in the thread. Thanks for clarifying the point about resting and exercise-induced HGH.

[austinite]

lol, just making sure others see so they can read. great question btw!