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I wanted to quickly author an article to spark some talks here, after speaking with a good friend of mine my wheels got to turning. It has always been an ongoing debate and concern within the realm of bodybuilding and applied science whether or not the pairing of pharmaceuticals with nutraceuticals is a worthy and justified. I often lean into the philosophy of minimizing overall OTC supplementation while on cycle, due to several factors, which are headed up by the primary concerns of cost and efficacy - comparatively to AAS. The cost/benefit ratio is off the charts when an athlete is able to successfully source, purchase, and implement high quality AAS as a productivity tool in his ambitious anabolic endeavor, but I would also argue there does exist a small validated assortment of OTC compounds/powders that should never be disused merely because the Test Train pulls into town.
In light of past, recent, and ongoing research that has time and time again proven the following cycle constituents to be nothing short of solid firepower to help augment and amplify your efforts while expediting results... allow me to list my personal favorites that construct the "OTC Hierarchy"
1. Whey Hydrolysate: An obvious inclusion, but with a slight updated twist for good reason. This specific fraction of Whey is ultra refined, fast absorbing, and able to elicit an insulin response independent from the actual insulin/glucose stimulus/pathway. This version of whey has been heavily studied with extremely favorable repeated results for an entire decade now.
2. beta Alanine: Quite simply, an amazing addition to the anabolic armory that has gobs of overwhelmingly encouraging research spilling out from all corners of the scientific (and anecdotal) community. The synergy, lack of side effects, and ability to increase carnosine levels and enhance muscle endurance and load capacity make this key additive a must-have no matter what's in the syringe. The powerful effects of bA also compound over time, signaling an ongoing increase in muscle carnosine levels, rather than a quick receptor over saturation and eventual desensitization.
3. BCAAs, namely L-Leucine: BCAAs are vital and cannot be overstated in their crucial and necessary inclusion into any well rounded supplement stratagem. L-Leucine has been exhaustively praised for its simply awesome ability to turn the anabolic switch and set the hypertrophy machinery into swift motion via the protein synthesis pathway, along with anti-catabolic and even insulin/glucose disposal and sensitivity improvement - BCAAs cannot be ignored; especially with their wide spread availability and low cost.
4. GPLC: Although I might be speaking from a place of excitement and giddy school-girl like hopefulness, GPLC sincerely looks to be THE next 'big thing' that cycles into the supplement industry every decade or so. Now that L-Arginine has been so severely bruised and embattled after a long succession of clinical trials and studies castrating its once purported usefulness and effectiveness as an NO modulator, GPLC rises quickly to the top to replace this failed amino acid for true, measurable and (speaking from personal experience) NOTICEABLE pump proliferation. There is a veritable library of white-papers, double-blind peer reviewed studies, published clinical data and on and on, all exclaiming the profound effects of GPLC. Like its different and (admitted blanket statement next) 'weaker' counterparts, or 'brothers,' L-Carnitine, ALCAR, or L-Carnitine-L-Tartrate, GPLC exhibits a very overt and observable affinity toward MUSCLE tissue to carry out its near-miraculous assortment of physique enhancing powers. Public research indicates that a 4-5g dose exerts its effects optimally, and will (as I can attest) impart massive physiological reactions leading to an almost euphoric pump, vascularity, and endurance amplification. The official GPLC website has very detailed pages dedicated toward organizing studies and making the amazing results and claims of GPLC seem less "Muscle Tech-ish" and more "real world-ish" which they ARE.
5: Creatine Monohydrate (micronized): I almost slip into a coma when beginning to dissect the supplement we all know and love. What hasn't been said about good old CMH? Recent research suggests that it actually enhances the myostatin expression and modifies it favorably to elicit muscle growth, and other more up to date research shows us that it stimulates the synthesis of satellite cells at the point of muscle damage induced by isolated training. Creatine has been tirelessly illustrated as the cure for all things muscle, and justifiably so. From muscle fiber size, endurance, and ultimately lean tissue accrual - creatine monohydrate does it all, with a remarkable track record for safety, predictability, and low cost I might add. CMH is the untarnished long standing overlord of the OTC Universe in my humble approximation... although b-Alanine and GPLC are nipping at its heels being boosted inch by inch by the hundreds of cumulative pages being published proving their awesomeness.
Of course, in a world of evolving science engulfed in hundreds of nutraceutical compounds with new hopefuls being born and synthesized at break neck speed... this list is by no means infallible or the end-all decisive Top-5; merely my opinion formed from hours of painstaking research, self application, and correspondence with many fellow competitors and peers.
Please add your own thoughts and Top-5, I'm sure it will spark a great discussion, even discourse, but will surely serve as a platform and resource to expand our own knowledge base in the eternal quest to attain lean mass and attenuate the adipose!
HONORABLE MENTION...
-Corosolic Acid / na-r-ALA / Vanadyl Sulfate, BPOV (Insulin Mimetics)
-Fiber
-Vitamin/Mineral Blend to facilitate overall health, macro nutrient digestion and utilization, and muscle contractile/recovery properties
-COP (Creatinol-O-Phosphate)
-Pycnogenol (only other truly validates vaso enhancing supplement aside from GPLC)
Thanks
In light of past, recent, and ongoing research that has time and time again proven the following cycle constituents to be nothing short of solid firepower to help augment and amplify your efforts while expediting results... allow me to list my personal favorites that construct the "OTC Hierarchy"
1. Whey Hydrolysate: An obvious inclusion, but with a slight updated twist for good reason. This specific fraction of Whey is ultra refined, fast absorbing, and able to elicit an insulin response independent from the actual insulin/glucose stimulus/pathway. This version of whey has been heavily studied with extremely favorable repeated results for an entire decade now.
2. beta Alanine: Quite simply, an amazing addition to the anabolic armory that has gobs of overwhelmingly encouraging research spilling out from all corners of the scientific (and anecdotal) community. The synergy, lack of side effects, and ability to increase carnosine levels and enhance muscle endurance and load capacity make this key additive a must-have no matter what's in the syringe. The powerful effects of bA also compound over time, signaling an ongoing increase in muscle carnosine levels, rather than a quick receptor over saturation and eventual desensitization.
3. BCAAs, namely L-Leucine: BCAAs are vital and cannot be overstated in their crucial and necessary inclusion into any well rounded supplement stratagem. L-Leucine has been exhaustively praised for its simply awesome ability to turn the anabolic switch and set the hypertrophy machinery into swift motion via the protein synthesis pathway, along with anti-catabolic and even insulin/glucose disposal and sensitivity improvement - BCAAs cannot be ignored; especially with their wide spread availability and low cost.
4. GPLC: Although I might be speaking from a place of excitement and giddy school-girl like hopefulness, GPLC sincerely looks to be THE next 'big thing' that cycles into the supplement industry every decade or so. Now that L-Arginine has been so severely bruised and embattled after a long succession of clinical trials and studies castrating its once purported usefulness and effectiveness as an NO modulator, GPLC rises quickly to the top to replace this failed amino acid for true, measurable and (speaking from personal experience) NOTICEABLE pump proliferation. There is a veritable library of white-papers, double-blind peer reviewed studies, published clinical data and on and on, all exclaiming the profound effects of GPLC. Like its different and (admitted blanket statement next) 'weaker' counterparts, or 'brothers,' L-Carnitine, ALCAR, or L-Carnitine-L-Tartrate, GPLC exhibits a very overt and observable affinity toward MUSCLE tissue to carry out its near-miraculous assortment of physique enhancing powers. Public research indicates that a 4-5g dose exerts its effects optimally, and will (as I can attest) impart massive physiological reactions leading to an almost euphoric pump, vascularity, and endurance amplification. The official GPLC website has very detailed pages dedicated toward organizing studies and making the amazing results and claims of GPLC seem less "Muscle Tech-ish" and more "real world-ish" which they ARE.
5: Creatine Monohydrate (micronized): I almost slip into a coma when beginning to dissect the supplement we all know and love. What hasn't been said about good old CMH? Recent research suggests that it actually enhances the myostatin expression and modifies it favorably to elicit muscle growth, and other more up to date research shows us that it stimulates the synthesis of satellite cells at the point of muscle damage induced by isolated training. Creatine has been tirelessly illustrated as the cure for all things muscle, and justifiably so. From muscle fiber size, endurance, and ultimately lean tissue accrual - creatine monohydrate does it all, with a remarkable track record for safety, predictability, and low cost I might add. CMH is the untarnished long standing overlord of the OTC Universe in my humble approximation... although b-Alanine and GPLC are nipping at its heels being boosted inch by inch by the hundreds of cumulative pages being published proving their awesomeness.
Of course, in a world of evolving science engulfed in hundreds of nutraceutical compounds with new hopefuls being born and synthesized at break neck speed... this list is by no means infallible or the end-all decisive Top-5; merely my opinion formed from hours of painstaking research, self application, and correspondence with many fellow competitors and peers.
Please add your own thoughts and Top-5, I'm sure it will spark a great discussion, even discourse, but will surely serve as a platform and resource to expand our own knowledge base in the eternal quest to attain lean mass and attenuate the adipose!
HONORABLE MENTION...
-Corosolic Acid / na-r-ALA / Vanadyl Sulfate, BPOV (Insulin Mimetics)
-Fiber
-Vitamin/Mineral Blend to facilitate overall health, macro nutrient digestion and utilization, and muscle contractile/recovery properties
-COP (Creatinol-O-Phosphate)
-Pycnogenol (only other truly validates vaso enhancing supplement aside from GPLC)
Thanks
