3,000,000th post on which supplements are the best bang for your buck? Here’s why…
I used to read T-Nation regularly back before they had what seems to be an outburst of supplement releases. When I stopped reading for a while (to cross the country, then find a job and get back on track) Surge Workout Fuel was about to come out and was to be the next big thing. Now it’s out and I bought some, but it doesn’t seem like many folks talk about it.
These days Indigo-3G and ANACONDA seem to be the big dogs?
Background:
I’m 5’-10", 29 years old. I got back into lifting a few months ago and so far have gained from about 160 to 185. I didn’t like the distance my gut was starting to project out past my pants so I took HOT-ROX (still works) and deflated a bit, still about 180 lbs. Now I’m on to 5/3/1 program (because it looks fun!) and eating my eggs, chicken, steak, oatmeal, protein powder, chipotle, and drinking whole milk. I don’t always eat super ‘clean,’ nor do I want to. I love burritos.
Any recommendations for me to keep gaining muscle and strength in terms of supplements? Even though the answer is typically “squats and milk,” and I do love squats and milk, I also like Biotest’s supplements. But with all of the choices these days I don’t know where I can get the best bang for my buck.
I currently own Jack3d (I know… I wanted to try it. I’ll buy Spike when I run out.), HOT-ROX (off of this), Surge Workout Fuel, MRM protein (not Biotest), Brain Candy (on the way), Flameout, BCAA’s.
Times used to be simpler. Recommendations appreciated!
It always amazes me that no one ever mentions a probiotic in these types of threads. Without a doubt your digestive capability is the most important thing to your health. What good does any supplement do if your gut is not capable of processing it efficiently? Without a doubt the single biggest positive change you can make to your life is a hihg quality probiotic, that being said my list would be:
Probiotic (metagenics ultra flora is my preferred)
Biotest Flameout
Biotest low carb Metabolic Drive
Usana health packs (multi vitamin/mineral)
D3 (metagenics)
If i had to add a performance supplement it would be HOT-ROX Extreme. To me most of the new stuff is ridiculously overhyped.
[quote]morepain wrote:
It always amazes me that no one ever mentions a probiotic in these types of threads. Without a doubt your digestive capability is the most important thing to your health. What good does any supplement do if your gut is not capable of processing it efficiently? Without a doubt the single biggest positive change you can make to your life is a hihg quality probiotic, that being said my list would be:
Probiotic (metagenics ultra flora is my preferred)
Biotest Flameout
Biotest low carb Metabolic Drive
Usana health packs (multi vitamin/mineral)
D3 (metagenics)
If i had to add a performance supplement it would be HOT-ROX Extreme. To me most of the new stuff is ridiculously overhyped.
[/quote]
I’m glad you mentioned probiotics
I was languishing at 176lbs for what seemed like years. Started reading up on gut health and purchased some probiotics. Got myself up to 190lbs. I put this down to effective digestion of nutrients. To be fair I also took a prebiotic as well so I’m sure that helped too.
another nod for pro-biotics. The importance of the GI is vastly ignored, and if anyone wants a good education on it, google Chris Kresser or Dr. Bryan Walsh, those guys will blow your socks off.
[quote]TKEmemphis wrote:
Any recommendations for me to keep gaining muscle and strength in terms of supplements? Even though the answer is typically “squats and milk,” and I do love squats and milk, I also like Biotest’s supplements. But with all of the choices these days I don’t know where I can get the best bang for my buck.[/quote]
For your goals, I’d definitely consider MAG-10. It can be used during the day (between meals) as a fast-digesting protein shake and it can be used before or during training as fundamental workout nutrition.
Other than that, Surge Workout Fuel or even “basic” Surge Recovery would be the next priority since it sounds like your general calorie intake isn’t an issue. If it was, Metabolic Drive Muscle Growth would be the go-to for creating shakes.
And x3 or x4 that Flameout is a daily staple for me, for good ol’ health and well-being.
[quote]morepain wrote:
It always amazes me that no one ever mentions a probiotic in these types of threads. Without a doubt your digestive capability is the most important thing to your health. What good does any supplement do if your gut is not capable of processing it efficiently? Without a doubt the single biggest positive change you can make to your life is a hihg quality probiotic, that being said my list would be:
Probiotic (metagenics ultra flora is my preferred)
Biotest Flameout
Biotest low carb Metabolic Drive
Usana health packs (multi vitamin/mineral)
D3 (metagenics)
If i had to add a performance supplement it would be HOT-ROX Extreme. To me most of the new stuff is ridiculously overhyped.
[/quote]
Why the Usana health packs? They look just like Amway’s products and the same business model. I’m familiar with Amway being crap so seeing something else similar raises questions.
I’ll look into trying those 2 Metagenics products, as long as it doesn’t cost a doctor’s visit to buy them.
[quote]jehovasfitness wrote:
another nod for pro-biotics. The importance of the GI is vastly ignored, and if anyone wants a good education on it, google Chris Kresser or Dr. Bryan Walsh, those guys will blow your socks off.
and pro-biotics are cheap too[/quote]
Any recommendations JF(or anyone else)?
I’m in Canada, and probiotics(in store) are always like $30-40 for 90 or 100 caps.
PM if it’s another site.
Thanks.
[quote]jehovasfitness wrote:
I like Jarrow’s brand of products, as they have tested well. If Biotest sold a pro-biotic I would consider it.[/quote]
Jarrow is certainly much cheaper than the Metagenic product previously mentioned but at about 1/12th the dose. Metagenic had 60 billion LO’s compared to Jarrows 4 billion LO’s. Any reason to go so high as 60 billion or is that mainly for special cases? Admitedly, I haven’t done much research on doses.
[quote]jehovasfitness wrote:
I like Jarrow’s brand of products, as they have tested well. If Biotest sold a pro-biotic I would consider it.[/quote]
Jarrow is certainly much cheaper than the Metagenic product previously mentioned but at about 1/12th the dose. Metagenic had 60 billion LO’s compared to Jarrows 4 billion LO’s. Any reason to go so high as 60 billion or is that mainly for special cases? Admitedly, I haven’t done much research on doses.[/quote]
they have an Ultra version with 40 billion per capsule
[quote]morepain wrote:
It always amazes me that no one ever mentions a probiotic in these types of threads. Without a doubt your digestive capability is the most important thing to your health. What good does any supplement do if your gut is not capable of processing it efficiently? Without a doubt the single biggest positive change you can make to your life is a hihg quality probiotic, that being said my list would be:
Probiotic (metagenics ultra flora is my preferred)
Biotest Flameout
Biotest low carb Metabolic Drive
Usana health packs (multi vitamin/mineral)
D3 (metagenics)
If i had to add a performance supplement it would be HOT-ROX Extreme. To me most of the new stuff is ridiculously overhyped.
[/quote]
Why the Usana health packs? They look just like Amway’s products and the same business model. I’m familiar with Amway being crap so seeing something else similar raises questions.
I’ll look into trying those 2 Metagenics products, as long as it doesn’t cost a doctor’s visit to buy them.[/quote]
Definetely not the same as Amway, other than they are both packaged in a cellophane pack. THey do have a direct selling strucutre but i don;t get involved in any of that crap i just like the multi so i use it.
I will piss a lot of people but saying the best bang for your buck is Flameout or any omega-3 without knowing if the OP wants a supplement that benefit “health” or “performance” isnt appropriate.
Flameout, or any other omega-3, does have a drastic impact on someone’s "physique from a performance standpoint…
When looking at price vs results and looking at this purely for performance (and im guessing thats what the OP wanted to know, if im wrong then yes Flameout) I would put creatine on the top of the list…
Your goal is to get leaner so creatine wont really help in that matter but in the long run it will benefit you bodycomposition wise.
At the ridiculously low price it is and the results it provides, this is the best “bang for your buck” supplement imo
