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What they are, how they work, and how to take them
In the world of natural bodybuilding, there really isn't much that actually has a noticeable effect except for causing your wallet to lose weight. There are, however, a few that really do work and have been proven over and over again to be beneficial. Below are the ones I have tried and found to be beneficial, or at least to have a noticeable effect. I have tried many others without results but these few here have proven themselves.
Creatine
Monohydrate
Vanadyl Sulfate
Whey Protein
Meal Replacement
ECA stack (Ephedrine, with
Caffeine and Aspirin)
If there are any other (natural) supplements
that you want info or instructions on, e-mail me or ask it on the message board for a
quick reply.
What it is: Creatine Monohydrate (CM) is a naturally occurring compound found mostly in the muscle. The body can synthesize CM from the amino acids glycine, arginine and methionine. It is also found in meats, especially red meats. CM helps with the energy cycle of the muscle and more CM allows more ATP (adenosine triphosphate, the energy source of the muscle) to be created faster.
How to take: When you first start taking CM, you should do a loading phase followed by a maintenance phase for best results. Take 1 teaspoon 5 times a day for 5 days to load, then cut back to 2 teaspoons a day for maintenance. Mix it into a simple carbohydrate drink (grape juice is considered the best but any juice is okay). The best times to take CM is before and after your workouts as that is when you will really need it. On the off days, you can take it anytime, preferably on an empty stomach.
What it does: During the loading phase, the creatine saturates the muscles and builds up the ATP levels, and the maintenance dose maintains these higher levels. The creatine gets absorbed, along with some water into the inside of the muscle cells, which makes the muscles fuller and larger. CM has been proven to increase size, strength, endurance, and decrease lactic acid build-up and recovery times. Works for almost everyone!
What it is: Vanadyl Sulfate is believed to mimic insulin by increasing glucose transport to the muscle and improve glycogen storage and the absorption of protein.
How to take: V.S. Should always be taken with a meal and the dose varies depending on body weight. If you are 120lbs. or less, take 2 tablets a day; 150 lbs.= 3/day; 180 lbs.= 4/day; 210 lbs.= 5/day; 240 = 6/day; 270 = 7/day;300 = 8/day. These should be taken for about 3 months on and 2 weeks off . Take one tablet at a time with a meal or with a carbohydrate drink or protein/carb mix, and always take one with your protein after training. Another way to take this is all the tablets at once, plus one, right after training, only on training days. Try both ways an see which is better for you.
What it does: You should notice harder muscles and a better pump when training, as well as a bit of strength and size. Vanadyl sulfate works very well stacked with creatine monohydrate.
What it is: Ion exchanged whey protein has the highest BV (biological value) of any protein source. Eggs are 100 on the scale and whey protein is 157. For your information, here are some other BV's: The numbers used to be percentages with eggs being the highest until new advances led to "ion exchanged, predigested, undenatured, lactose reduced whey protein. This means that whey protein is the most easily absorbed and used protein available. Most other sources of protein are well below 100 BV.
How to take: Try to get at least 1 gram of total protein per pound of bodyweight per day. Whey protein is best taken first thing in the morning, within an hour after weight training, and about 45 minutes before bed. Some even take a serving in the middle of the night, just to be sure. The body can only absorb 30-40 grams of protein at a time so take that much (usually 1 1/2 scoops)1-4 times a day.
What it does: Protein is basically what muscles are made of and is used to build and maintain muscle. If you do not have enough protein in your diet you won't build much muscle. A high protein diet also helps to lose fat.
- What they are: Meal replacement shakes and bars contain protein, complex and simple carbohydrates and sometimes a bit of fat, along with multiple vitamins and minerals in an attempt to replace a full meal conveniently and with low fat. They are not made to live on, but to replace one meal a day (usually breakfast), if losing fat is desired, or to add an extra meal or two if weight gain is desired.
ECA stack (Ephedrine, with Caffeine and Aspirin)
- What it is: Ephedrine hydrochloride is an extract of ephedra, which comes from the Chinese herb Ma Huang. This substance works 2 ways, it will give you an extra boost of energy and seems to increase strength, instantly, the first time you take it! The second way is as a thermogenic fat burner, the effect of which is multiplied when taken with caffeine and aspirin. Most commercial fat burners contain these 3 ingredients.
- How to take: For an extra intense workout, take 20-30 mg ephedrine, 200 mg caffeine, and 300 mg Aspirin. If taken for more than a week or two straight, the effects will diminish and it is recommended to take 2 days off for every 5 days on.
- For fat burning: To burn fat, take the ECA stack before meals and before training, 2-4 times a day. Wash it down with grapefruit juice for an even better effect. It seems grapefruit juice allows the caffeine to be better absorbed by the body. When used for fat burning, it still works to burn, even after the effects seem diminished.
- Cautions: Read the label on the ephedrine before use and do not use if you have any of the following: diabetes, heart problems, high blood pressure, on asthma medication. If the instructions on the bottle are different from these, follow these instructions, the ones on the bottle are most likely for medicinal purposes.
