Here is the list of supplements I am taking. I have had advice from a personnal trainer i trust so it shouldnt be too far off. Please let me know what you think, thanks.
Morning:
1 capsule GREEN TEA extract (300mg)
1 multivitamin
1 capsule containing vitamin C + E
OR 1 capsule vitamin C (1000mg)
1 scoop whey protein (if off day)
2 capsules of Calcium (1000mg)
Before Gym:
1 MRP
After Gym:
Grape juice with creatine with 1 slice of whole wheat bread
30 mins after 1 scoop whey protein
meal
Before bed:
cottage cheese (i consider supplement)
oatmeal or apple
Looks decent. I am going to recommend that you check out the T-Nation store and read up on the products offered there. Most of us here are loyal Biotest customers due to the premium quality of their products and the discounts we get ordering direct from T-Nation.
Also, it’s good to have a personal trainer who is knowledgeable guide you in the beginning, but in this time read the articles here on training and nutrition so in the future you can build your own programs.
thanks. I have magnesium in my calcium pills and in multivitamin so i think zma is not necessary.
but yes fish oils, is it really necessary that i take it?
If yes, should i drink oil directly or take capsules? Fish oil, flaxseed oil, another kind of oil?
I have read posts on this and remember landing on something where fish oil was ranked as the number2 best supplement. I would guess because of the omega 3s.
[quote]hit the gym wrote:
thanks. I have magnesium in my calcium pills and in multivitamin so i think zma is not necessary.
but yes fish oils, is it really necessary that i take it?
If yes, should i drink oil directly or take capsules? Fish oil, flaxseed oil, another kind of oil?
I have read posts on this and remember landing on something where fish oil was ranked as the number2 best supplement. I would guess because of the omega 3s.[/quote]
Even if you don’t buy them I recommend reading the information article on Flameout here at T-Nation. It will at the very least explain the reasons why taking a high quality fish oil supplement are very important.
depends on your goals really
Fish oil, like Flameout, should be the first thing IMHO, unless you eat a lot of fish.
If you’re mostly just lifting and want to get bigger/stronger then creatine is good stuff.
If you’re into fighting, as your icon suggests, I’d get trade creatine in for beta alanine and Power Drive. I’d use Spike too but only for certain training sessions.
Post workout I use BCAAs. If you wanna gain weight use something like Surge PWO.
I guess it depends on what you can afford too and what you’ll be consistent with. I never saw a big benefit to green tea personally.
[quote]hit the gym wrote:
Here is the list of supplements I am taking. I have had advice from a personnal trainer i trust so it shouldnt be too far off. Please let me know what you think, thanks.
Morning:
1 capsule GREEN TEA extract (300mg)
1 multivitamin
1 capsule containing vitamin C + E
OR 1 capsule vitamin C (1000mg)
1 scoop whey protein (if off day)
2 capsules of Calcium (1000mg)
Before Gym:
1 MRP
After Gym:
Grape juice with creatine with 1 slice of whole wheat bread
30 mins after 1 scoop whey protein
meal
Before bed:
cottage cheese (i consider supplement)
oatmeal or apple[/quote]
How did your personal trainer arrive at what supplements for you to take? Did he do any testing to determine you were deficient in calcium, C, E, and the vitamins/minerals in the multi? Contrary to popular belief you don’t just piss out the excess. You could be imbalancing your system with what you’re taking if it’s not correct for your metabolism.
[quote]Bri Hildebrandt wrote:
How did your personal trainer arrive at what supplements for you to take? Did he do any testing to determine you were deficient in calcium, C, E, and the vitamins/minerals in the multi?[/quote]
No he didnt do any testing. I train 3 times a week (lift weights) and do HIIT cardio once a week. I am 24 and in good shape.
[quote]Bri Hildebrandt wrote:
Contrary to popular belief you don’t just piss out the excess.[/quote]
This phrase is very general. Vitamin C is water soluble and vitamin E is fat soluble. So yes you piss out the excess of vitamin C. In the case of vitamin E, fat soluble you dont piss out the excess. That is why i only take vitamin E every other day.
Im just trying to understand your point, so what do you recommand? No Calcium? No vitamins? or less? The amounts I take seem reasonable but maybe I’m wrong. thanks
[quote]hit the gym wrote:
Here is the list of supplements I am taking. I have had advice from a personnal trainer i trust so it shouldnt be too far off. Please let me know what you think, thanks.
Morning:
1 capsule GREEN TEA extract (300mg)
1 multivitamin
1 capsule containing vitamin C + E
OR 1 capsule vitamin C (1000mg)
1 scoop whey protein (if off day)
2 capsules of Calcium (1000mg)
Before Gym:
1 MRP
After Gym:
Grape juice with creatine with 1 slice of whole wheat bread
30 mins after 1 scoop whey protein
meal
Before bed:
cottage cheese (i consider supplement)
oatmeal or apple[/quote]
Um, you know they sell supplements on this site. And quite a few people think they work pretty good too.
[quote]hit the gym wrote:
Bri Hildebrandt wrote:
Contrary to popular belief you don’t just piss out the excess.
This phrase is very general. Vitamin C is water soluble and vitamin E is fat soluble. So yes you piss out the excess of vitamin C. In the case of vitamin E, fat soluble you dont piss out the excess. That is why i only take vitamin E every other day.
Im just trying to understand your point, so what do you recommand? No Calcium? No vitamins? or less? The amounts I take seem reasonable but maybe I’m wrong. thanks[/quote]
Sorry what I meant was… Even though it’s water soluble it still has a biological effect on your body. If your body only needs 100mg of Vitamin C the remaining 900mg won’t be biologically inactive. It’ll reduce copper, calcium, and vitamin E among other things, increase iron and overall acidity of your system. A whole chain reaction is caused by the addition of a nutrient sometimes for the worse sometimes for the better depending on what the relative values are of your other vitamins/minerals.
I couldn’t determine what you should take unless I did some testing, most of which is hard to do over the internet.
Another example. If you have problems with insomnia and constipation, taking extra calcium will only make things worse. You’d be better off taking magnesium instead which has an antagonist effect.
[quote]Sorry what I meant was… Even though it’s water soluble it still has a biological effect on your body. If your body only needs 100mg of Vitamin C the remaining 900mg won’t be biologically inactive. It’ll reduce copper, calcium, and vitamin E among other things, increase iron and overall acidity of your system. A whole chain reaction is caused by the addition of a nutrient sometimes for the worse sometimes for the better depending on what the relative values are of your other vitamins/minerals.
I couldn’t determine what you should take unless I did some testing, most of which is hard to do over the internet.
Another example. If you have problems with insomnia and constipation, taking extra calcium will only make things worse. You’d be better off taking magnesium instead which has an antagonist effect.[/quote]
Thanks good info. No I have no problems with insomnia or constipation. For vitamin C, I understand your point. I could probably reduce to 500mg. I remember vaguely also reading in this month’s Mens Health about some health risks when exceeding 500mg a day of vitamin C for certain individuals.
From what i can understand, i need more vitamins/supplements than an average person because i train 4 times a week. Would a doctor be able to tell me what vitamins/supplements to take?
I guess I will continue taking these vitamins/supplements right now, plus fish oil, because I figure its better than nothing.
I’m curious as to how long you’ve been working out, and if you’ve been doing the right stuff.
Though that does seem like a good list you’ve got, you might actually be able to get away with a multivitamin and a LOT of fresh, non-processed food, and maybe some protein. In fact, I think that you just might be better off putting that money towards food.
I don’t know that I would necessarily consult your primary care physician for advice on proper supplementation.
There’s a plethora of information on this site, read up and be a smart consumer.
Also, I’m curious as to why you’re taking a green tea extract and not just drinking the real thing?
I think all the previous posts have been bang on, except they may have undermined the importance of fish oils. Yes, due to the omega threes… Read the Flameout article and make your fish oil the number one priority.
Consider taking the Vit. C and E post workout sometime, even the calcium post workout (you already get a dose, albiet small from the multi in the morning).
The ZMA is a good idea before bed, look into whether or not adding ZMA would be too much magnesium, or if just switching calcium supps would do the trick, or if you limit ZMA to only heavy training days…just some thoughts.
No reason not to continue the green tea, but throw in some Greens+ or another similar product.
These are great additions.
Berardi has a bedtime snack, something like 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1 scoop whey, 2 tbsp flax meal, 1 tbsp peanut butter. Filling and full or protien and fat! perfect for before bed. Save the oats for the morning.
Hope this helps.
remember, absorb everything, retain what is useful and discard the rest!
Well, after doing a little research on the web and on this site, im sold on the fish oil!
For the vitamin C, here is an interesting take, Hugo Rivera:
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that improves your immune system and helps you recover faster from your workouts by suppressing the amount of cortisol (hormone that kills muscle and aids in the accumulation of fat) that is released by your body during a workout.
Vitamin C is the only Vitamin that I recommend to be taken in mega doses quantities. Remember that since it is a water-soluble vitamin, it will not get stored by the body. Research shows that if taken an hour before a workout (1000mg dose) it significantly reduces muscle soreness and speeds recovery after a workout.
I recommend a total of 3000 mg per day of Vitamin C. If your multiple vitamin pack already has 1000 mg, and you take this in the morning, then all you need is an extra 1000 mg at lunch and 1000 mg at dinner.
Here is another take on vitamin C, in this months men’s health:
high doses of vitamin C can slow muscle recovery. When healthy men took 1000mg of the vitamin daily, they experienced decreased muscle strength for a full week after intense running, compared with those who skipped the supplement. However, previous studies report that moderate intake of vitamin C-100 to 500mg a day - speeds recovery.
So why isnt more vitamin C better? The scientists suspect that the higher dose reduces the scavanger cells, which clean up debris from muscle damage and signal your body that your muscles need repair. Cap you supplementation at 500mg a day, an amount a Japanese study found also reduces the frequency of colds.
[quote]hit the gym wrote:
thanks. I have magnesium in my calcium pills and in multivitamin so i think zma is not necessary.[/quote]
It isn’t simply the magnesium. It’s the combination with zinc and vitamin B6 that does the magic. Calcium and magnesium compete for absorption so it’s better to take your magnesium without any calcium (as it is in ZMA). Take it 30-60 minutes before bed and it should help your sleep as well as hormone levels.
[quote]jelliott wrote:
Berardi has a bedtime snack, something like 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1 scoop whey, 2 tbsp flax meal, 1 tbsp peanut butter. Filling and full or protien and fat! perfect for before bed. Save the oats for the morning.
Hope this helps.
[/quote]
Thanks, great tip. Do i need a blender to make it a shake or do you just add to the cottage cheese?
I searched the site and i think the exact ingredients are:
1/2 cup 2% cottage cheese
2 tbls flax meal
1 tbl natty pb
1 scoop Metabolic Drive