Bodybuilding.com - Other Supplements To Use Besides Creatine, And ECA Stacks!

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The less water you drink, the more likely you are to overtrain your muscles since water comprises 70% of them.

Other Supplements To Use Besides Creatine, And ECA Stacks For Strength, and All Around Better Workouts

By: FitforLife

In this article, I will discuss other supplements you can use to gain an extra edge in the gym besides just creatine. Most of us here have used creatine one time or another in our bodybuilding lifetime, but what about other products to give us that extra edge?

First off let me mention that the products I list, and talk about will not give you the size that creatine does, but these products, and ingredients are great to use for strength, energy, and all around better workouts. The same goes for an ECA stack. These aren't as powerful, but are a lot better for people who want to stay clear from an ECA product. So what are these other products and supplements you ask? Well, lets look at the first item I will talk about.

Ginseng - Ginseng as many of you know is an herbal supplement, and is used in a variety of different products including diet products, workout drinks, Cold drinks in the supermarket and tea just to name a few. When it comes to Ginseng, there are more kinds then just one. Certain ones are derived from certain parts of the world. For instance there is American Ginseng, Korean Ginseng, and Siberian Ginseng. The difference is, Siberian Ginseng comes from a different botanical family then American, and Korean. The properties are similar, and they are all referred to as Ginseng.

Ginseng has many functions, but lets focus on what bodybuilders would use it for. Ginseng enhances the immune function, lack of energy, and body strengthening. Now just as a small note, the studies done on Ginseng and "effect" vary. You will find certain ones that will say it works, and some that say it doesn't. The doses used vary from 200mg-1000mg. It is still very hard to come to a conclusion on whether or not it works, but remember, dosages can make a difference too. They vary from product tremendously. I have seen some recommend 200mg a day 1-2 times a day, 200mg 1-3 times a day, and the liquid extracts say 1200mg twice a day. So you have any where between 200mg-2400mg per day being used by people. At this variation, it will be hard to tell if it works or doesn't. Another not too, is certain studies weren't done that long either. I read where one was only done for 1 week with no results. What you should do in this case is try it for yourself, but check the product out CAREFULLY.

Royal Jelly in Honey, & Bee Pollen - Royal Jelly in Honey? What the heck is that? Well, Royal Jelly is the creamy milk produced in the hypopharyn-geal glands on nursing bees. This substance so strong, it actually transforms a common bee into a queen bee, and extends the life span of the bee from 6 weeks to 5yrs. Royal Jelly contains a wide variety of nutrients, and is a very healthy product. Royal Jelly has the same type of nutrient value as bee pollen; which is also loaded with nutrients. If you are looking for an over all health product, and something tasty, try Royal Jelly in honey, or bee pollen. Royal Jelly comes in a wide variety of products, and can be found in any health food store. Some of these are flavored, some are in capsules, some have a couple of kinds of ginseng too them, etc. If you want to know more about this, feel free to talk to me because I can tell you what some of the good products are out there, and what to look for. Here is a typical analysis of Bee Pollen.

1oz= 2tbsp.
Guaranteed analysis: 7.1 grams per ounce (RDA)(12 grams) Standard chemical analysis identifies only 18 of the 22 amino acids present in pollen.

Amino Acids: MGs per ounce
Cystine 36.855
Lysine 366.360
Histidine 138.590
Arginine 292.520
Aspartic 542.440
Threonine 236.856
Serine 289.680
Glutamic 585.040
Proline 505.520
Clycine 267.520
Alanine 309.560
Valine 280.592
Methionnine 94.004
Isoleucine 230.040
Leucine 377.720
Tyrosine 139.440
Phenylalanine 236.850
Tryptophan 49.700

Minerals: MGs per ounce
calcium 42.383
Iron 2.118
Potassium 158.675
Phosphorus 121.706
Sodium 2.693
Iodine (in MCGs) 6.237
Magnesium 27.675
Zinc 1.460
Copper .221
Boron .604
Barium .136
Chromium ( less than) .010
Manganese 1.395
Strontium .094
Miscellaneous: Grams per ounce
Carbohydrates 5.15
Fiber 1.02
Reducing sugars 8.25
Ash .65
Calories per ounce .90

Vitamins: Grams per ounce
A-232.470 I.U.*
Alpha carotene .031
Beta carotene .122
B1 (thiamine) .198
B2 (Riboflavin) .459
B3 (Niacin) 2.551
B6 (Pyridoxine) .119
B12 (Cyanocobalamin) .00002
Biotin .002
Folic Acid .201
Pantothenic Acid .198
C- (Ascorbic Acid)1.304
D- 9 I.U.*
D- 2.194 I.U.*
* International Units

Rutin - Abundant. (not measured in analysis) of great importance in capillary strength.
Enzymes: Active enzymes are needed to digest and assimilate nutrients.
Chemical analysis only measures 3 of the many present in bee pollen.

Enzyme units per gram:
Amylase (USP units) 2.550
(needed to break down starch)
Protease (USP Units) 64.400
(needed to split proteins)
Lipase (mm units) .085
(needed to emulsify fats)
Fatty Acids 2.807 grams/oz.
Essential fatty acids, with carbohydrates and sugars, supply our energy requirements.
Cholesterol: 0 percent
Bee pollen contains a higher content (11) of the healthful unsaturated fatty acids as opposed to saturated (9).

Note* Bee Pollen also contains elements science is not yet able to isolate and identify. Some authorities believe it is precisely these elements, often called the *magic* of the bee, which makes Bee pollen so effective.

Cytomax by Cytosport- This item right here is one of my favorite items to use during a workout. Cytomax is a powder that makes a drink kind of like creatine except it doesn't have any creatine in it. Cytomax is used all around the world by Athletes, and is one of the best Exercise and Recovery drinks out their of it's type. Lance Armstrong, who is the world's #1 Cyclist uses Cytomax. Cytomax is used more by Cyclists and Runners, but that doesn't mean bodybuilders can't use it too. Since it isn't targeted towards bodybuilders, they overlook it. According to Cytosport, here are the benefits of using Cytomax.

Benefits of using Cytomax:

Beats The BurnTM: Cytomax's patented alpha L-PolylactateTM buffers lactic acid production in your muscles, reducing the "burn" during intense training and minimizing post-exercise muscle soreness.
Steady Energy: Complex carbs stabilize blood sugar during exercise - no sugar crash
Cell Protection: antioxidants prevent exercise-induced free radical damage to muscle cells
Oxygen Delivery: succinates enhance oxygen delivery by up to 11% during exercise, reducing perceived exertion and minimizing muscle damage
Cellular Balance: Electrolytes ensure cellular nutrient balance is restored quickly after exercise
Low Osmoality: ensures fluid reaches your muscles quickly - as fast as water!
Natural Herbal "Lift": (in Tangy Orange, Go Grape and Peachy Keen flavors only) reduces your perceived effort so you can push harder

The reason I like it is because of the alpha L-Polylactate which buffers lactic acid production in the body. I always feel less sore when I take it, especially in the legs after a leg workout. Cytomax's patented alpha-l-polylactate is an advanced carbohydrate molecule (lactate with the acid removed) which has proven in university studies to buffer lactic acid production in your muscles and provide a steady burning source of carbohydrate energy. Instead of feeling that painful burning sensation in your muscles when you reach high intensity, Cytomax's Alpha-l-polylactate accelerates the process of converting lactic acid back into glucose to be used as energy. This means you can push yourself harder in workouts without being limited by burning muscles and without suffering the muscle damage that lactic acid accumulation causes.

The ingredients of Cytomax are as follows: Ingredients: CytoSport's unique complex carbohydrate blend including amylopectin starches and maltodextrins from corn hydrids, alpha L-Polylactate (Our patented L-lactate formulation containing non-acidic L-lactate ionically bound to L-arginine, fructose, glycine, L-histidine, L-alanine, sodium L-lactate, potassium L-lactate, L-pyruvate), fuctose, glucose, potassium succinate, L-glutamic acid, inosine, magnesium succinate, calcium succinate, citric acid, malic acid, natural flavors, ascorbic acid, L-alanine, L-glutamine, food gum, sucralose, chromium polynicotinate.

I highly recommend this product. It comes in a 24oz container, or a 4.5lb tub, and comes in Peach, Grape, Punch, Orange, Apple, and Citrus. The Tangy Orange, Go Grape, & Peachy Keen come with an "herbal lift" which include guarana, and ginseng. This is something I believe bodybuilding.com should carry, and something that is overlooked by many places. In some areas it is hard to find because know one knows what it is. Retail for a 4.5lb tub is $44.95. That's 82 servings, and only .54 cents per 16oz. This is ten times better then Gatorade or Powerade, and a heck of a lot cheaper too. Since bodybuilding.com sells stuff so cheap, you can guarantee that if they carry it, it will equal out to less then .49 cents per serving. Try and buy 16 or 20oz of Gatorade or Powerade for that price. You can't.

CytoMax is available at the best price I've found right here.

Well, that's it for now. I just wanted to list a few things I thought were good, and possibly overlooked. Again, if you need any info on the Royal Jelly or Ginseng, feel free to contact me at getfit00@swbell.net.

davidshippy@gmail.com