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At the request of POB, I have compiled what I would consider to be useful and hopefully helpful information. He more or less kicked me out of the shout and being an attention whore, I need to stay occupied.
The first and what I would consider to be the most important supplement other than possibly fish oil is going to be a well rounded multi vitamin. You are going to hear many different opinions on this matter, but in my humble opinion having the foundation laid down before you start to build the house is critical. I have been through nearly all of the multis on the shelf, from Anavite and Animal Pak, to GNC and VS brand Multis, and the one that I have run the longest and feel the most benefit from is going to be:
Orange Triad
This broad spectrum Multi Vitamin is not only my current favorite, but In my opinion is also the most well rounded. It contains not only the necessary vitamins and minerals, but it is dosed and compiled to reflect the needs of athletes and the demands that we put on our bodies. Not only that, but Orange Triad also contains a joint support blend of Glucosamine Sulfate and Chondroitin Sulfate at a ose of 2000mg per 6 capsule serving. 6 caps is relatively little compared to the 22 caps of Animal Pak. As part of their Flex Blend hey also added MSM which has a high sulfur content, which is one of the building blocks for healthy joints. Bromelain and Hyaluronic acid are also added to the mixture, which are responsible for helping to digest proteins and also boost joint health as functioning as a systemic enzyme.
There is also a strong immunity boosting formula included in the daily serving, as well as a healthy digestion aid.
Its critical to remember that if we injure our joints, we are out of the game. If we get sick, we are out of the game. If we dont get the proper nutrients, or we dont get the most out of our whole foods and shakes, we are not going to perform the way we would like to in the gym. We also will not recover as fast as we would like.
This brings me to Joint Support. There are two that I swear by, and I have put many people on these products or combination of products and they have seen absolutely amazing changes in their joint and ligament/tendon health. I am a firm believer that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If a joint, ligament, or tendon is injured, you are looking at a long slow recovery in most cases, as these parts of the human anatomy are notorious for having the longest healing/recovery times.
SuperCissus
This is hands down the best product on the market for joint, ligament and tendon health. Cissus Quadrangularis is a plant/root from India that has been shown in clinical studies to actually repair and promote a healthy thriving environment for this tissue. I have tried many different brands of cissus, and without a doubt USPlabs produces the highest quality of the ingredient available today.
Cissus has been shown to not only help repair and maintain healthy ligaments and joints, but in some studies it has been noted and shown to help reduce and maintain cortisol levels in the human body when taken at regular doses for extended periods of time. Cortisol is what is known to many as the "stress hormone" and has been known to have adverse effects on the human body, such as testosterone suppression, increased storage of belly fat, and sluggishness. You feel less than yourself when your cortisol levels are raised, and I assure you when you do something about it you will actually "feel" better.
I have been taking the product for many years and it is likely my favorite Ive ever taken.
Achilles
Amazing when stacked with SC from USPlabs. Many of us in this game have been plagued by joint, ligament and/or tendon issues, or have had injuries involving them. I myself have been nagged by a left knee and left elbow injury for years, and the combination of these two products has literally changed the way I perform in the gym after these injuries and constant aching. My joints no longer ache, I dont feel pain in my elbow during curls any longer, and i can squat ass to the ground for sets without my knee pain ending the workout.
The ingredient Profile for Achilles is completely different from that of the joint blend in Orange Triad, which lends the product to being stacked with the other two for an all out war against joint pain and discomfort. There is a small amount of Cissus in the Achilles product, but it is not enough to counter the effects of adding the two together.
For my Intra/Recovery product, the choice is without a doubt:
Modern BCAA+
If you have not tried this product, you are very much missing out on the best intra/recovery product on the market. It has 15 grams of aminos per 2 scoop serving. 10g of BCAA, which are critical in my opinion for recovery and enduance. BCAA are Branched Chain Amino Acids, and there are 3, Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine. Leucine is the longest chain and the most effective and "anabolic" of the three, however you do need those supportive BCAA in there as well to help everything function properly. The dosing that USPlabs advertises for this product is an 8:1:1 formula with Leucine being the highest dosing at 8 and the others much lower at 1 per part. This is critical. Bodybuilders used to "mega dose" their BCAA to get higher levels of Leucine in their system. They would take two to three servings just to get Leucine at higher levels, so USPlabs took the hassle out of it and did it for us. BCAA all compete for the same utilization in the system and use the same "highway" to get ther, so making sure Leucine is filling more spots than the others is a crucial. If your body does not need BCAA at the moment, it will break these Branched Chains down into other aminos that it does need and will utilize them that way.
Your body also needs what are known as "exercise" aminos. Glycine, Lysine, Alanine, and Taurine. I will not cover all of them, but Taurine is great to prevent cramping and back pumps whether on cycle or not. Glycine is the most abundant amino in you skeletal muscle tissue and is really the first to go when you train on an empty stomach as most of us do. Having Glycine introduced to your body during your workouts is amazing, try it and see. It keeps you going a little longer and a little stronger.
Modern BCAA has no calories, no sugar, no artificial flavors, and no carbs. BCAA also metabolize directly into muscle tissue so there is no real digestion.
Modern BCAA also contains the electrolytes Sodium and Potassium, which we all know are great for filtering the kidneys as well as staying hydrated.
We all have taken Glutamine, but what few of us know is that Glutamine is highly unstable and rapidly breaks down to ammonia in your system. The newer, more effective version of L glutamine is called Sustamine, which is a trans alanyl or L alanyl L glutamine, which basically means it is bonded and much more stable and effective in your system. You take less of it and get more from it than traditional L Glutamine.
For those running orals or needing liver support:
Aegis
Contains TUDCA, which is approved by the FDA for treatment of Primary Biliary Cirrhosis. Amazing product here, comparable to LiverLonger but with better dose and purity.
TUDCA has also been noted to reverse bile blockage.
LIV52 is great to stack with this as well, but I wouldnt run an oral without taking Aegis. You have one liver, take care of it or pay the consequences. Many of our brothers in the game have fallen victim to permanent injury or death due to liver and kidney failure. Youve got 2 kidneys, 1 liver. Remember that.
If you want an Omega 3 breakdown, Im glad to post up on it. I have to cut this short as my wife is expecting me to make dinner.
I hope this helps some of you newer guys out with ancillary and support supplement questions. Remember that its not just about your cycle, its about what you run to maximize the benefits of that cycle and minimize the negative sides that come along with running AAS.
The first and what I would consider to be the most important supplement other than possibly fish oil is going to be a well rounded multi vitamin. You are going to hear many different opinions on this matter, but in my humble opinion having the foundation laid down before you start to build the house is critical. I have been through nearly all of the multis on the shelf, from Anavite and Animal Pak, to GNC and VS brand Multis, and the one that I have run the longest and feel the most benefit from is going to be:
Orange Triad
This broad spectrum Multi Vitamin is not only my current favorite, but In my opinion is also the most well rounded. It contains not only the necessary vitamins and minerals, but it is dosed and compiled to reflect the needs of athletes and the demands that we put on our bodies. Not only that, but Orange Triad also contains a joint support blend of Glucosamine Sulfate and Chondroitin Sulfate at a ose of 2000mg per 6 capsule serving. 6 caps is relatively little compared to the 22 caps of Animal Pak. As part of their Flex Blend hey also added MSM which has a high sulfur content, which is one of the building blocks for healthy joints. Bromelain and Hyaluronic acid are also added to the mixture, which are responsible for helping to digest proteins and also boost joint health as functioning as a systemic enzyme.
There is also a strong immunity boosting formula included in the daily serving, as well as a healthy digestion aid.
Its critical to remember that if we injure our joints, we are out of the game. If we get sick, we are out of the game. If we dont get the proper nutrients, or we dont get the most out of our whole foods and shakes, we are not going to perform the way we would like to in the gym. We also will not recover as fast as we would like.
This brings me to Joint Support. There are two that I swear by, and I have put many people on these products or combination of products and they have seen absolutely amazing changes in their joint and ligament/tendon health. I am a firm believer that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If a joint, ligament, or tendon is injured, you are looking at a long slow recovery in most cases, as these parts of the human anatomy are notorious for having the longest healing/recovery times.
SuperCissus
This is hands down the best product on the market for joint, ligament and tendon health. Cissus Quadrangularis is a plant/root from India that has been shown in clinical studies to actually repair and promote a healthy thriving environment for this tissue. I have tried many different brands of cissus, and without a doubt USPlabs produces the highest quality of the ingredient available today.
Cissus has been shown to not only help repair and maintain healthy ligaments and joints, but in some studies it has been noted and shown to help reduce and maintain cortisol levels in the human body when taken at regular doses for extended periods of time. Cortisol is what is known to many as the "stress hormone" and has been known to have adverse effects on the human body, such as testosterone suppression, increased storage of belly fat, and sluggishness. You feel less than yourself when your cortisol levels are raised, and I assure you when you do something about it you will actually "feel" better.
I have been taking the product for many years and it is likely my favorite Ive ever taken.
Achilles
Amazing when stacked with SC from USPlabs. Many of us in this game have been plagued by joint, ligament and/or tendon issues, or have had injuries involving them. I myself have been nagged by a left knee and left elbow injury for years, and the combination of these two products has literally changed the way I perform in the gym after these injuries and constant aching. My joints no longer ache, I dont feel pain in my elbow during curls any longer, and i can squat ass to the ground for sets without my knee pain ending the workout.
The ingredient Profile for Achilles is completely different from that of the joint blend in Orange Triad, which lends the product to being stacked with the other two for an all out war against joint pain and discomfort. There is a small amount of Cissus in the Achilles product, but it is not enough to counter the effects of adding the two together.
For my Intra/Recovery product, the choice is without a doubt:
Modern BCAA+
If you have not tried this product, you are very much missing out on the best intra/recovery product on the market. It has 15 grams of aminos per 2 scoop serving. 10g of BCAA, which are critical in my opinion for recovery and enduance. BCAA are Branched Chain Amino Acids, and there are 3, Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine. Leucine is the longest chain and the most effective and "anabolic" of the three, however you do need those supportive BCAA in there as well to help everything function properly. The dosing that USPlabs advertises for this product is an 8:1:1 formula with Leucine being the highest dosing at 8 and the others much lower at 1 per part. This is critical. Bodybuilders used to "mega dose" their BCAA to get higher levels of Leucine in their system. They would take two to three servings just to get Leucine at higher levels, so USPlabs took the hassle out of it and did it for us. BCAA all compete for the same utilization in the system and use the same "highway" to get ther, so making sure Leucine is filling more spots than the others is a crucial. If your body does not need BCAA at the moment, it will break these Branched Chains down into other aminos that it does need and will utilize them that way.
Your body also needs what are known as "exercise" aminos. Glycine, Lysine, Alanine, and Taurine. I will not cover all of them, but Taurine is great to prevent cramping and back pumps whether on cycle or not. Glycine is the most abundant amino in you skeletal muscle tissue and is really the first to go when you train on an empty stomach as most of us do. Having Glycine introduced to your body during your workouts is amazing, try it and see. It keeps you going a little longer and a little stronger.
Modern BCAA has no calories, no sugar, no artificial flavors, and no carbs. BCAA also metabolize directly into muscle tissue so there is no real digestion.
Modern BCAA also contains the electrolytes Sodium and Potassium, which we all know are great for filtering the kidneys as well as staying hydrated.
We all have taken Glutamine, but what few of us know is that Glutamine is highly unstable and rapidly breaks down to ammonia in your system. The newer, more effective version of L glutamine is called Sustamine, which is a trans alanyl or L alanyl L glutamine, which basically means it is bonded and much more stable and effective in your system. You take less of it and get more from it than traditional L Glutamine.
For those running orals or needing liver support:
Aegis
Contains TUDCA, which is approved by the FDA for treatment of Primary Biliary Cirrhosis. Amazing product here, comparable to LiverLonger but with better dose and purity.
TUDCA has also been noted to reverse bile blockage.
LIV52 is great to stack with this as well, but I wouldnt run an oral without taking Aegis. You have one liver, take care of it or pay the consequences. Many of our brothers in the game have fallen victim to permanent injury or death due to liver and kidney failure. Youve got 2 kidneys, 1 liver. Remember that.
If you want an Omega 3 breakdown, Im glad to post up on it. I have to cut this short as my wife is expecting me to make dinner.
I hope this helps some of you newer guys out with ancillary and support supplement questions. Remember that its not just about your cycle, its about what you run to maximize the benefits of that cycle and minimize the negative sides that come along with running AAS.
