Hello again friends. After analyzing, in depth, in the previous two articles what supplement stacks are good for muscle building, and what supplement stacks are good for fat loss, it is time for you to learn what you can take the 4 weeks (or more) once your supplement cycle has finished. Many people are wondering what they can take during this time. Some of them don't want to lose the quality mass, and some others don't want to get back the fat pounds that they tried very hard to lose after their 7 or 8 week cycles.

Of course a very important part has to do with your nutrition. You can not expect to continue getting some serious mass when you have stopped eating right after your cycle. The same goes for people that lost some unnecessary fat. Again, you can not expect to continue staying lean when you started eating junk food all day when your cycle is over, until you will re-start again after 4 weeks. Of course, don't forget that you are allowed one totally junk day once per week, when your previous 6 days were perfectly monitored.

So considering that you will continue taking great care of your nutrition, let's see some good alternative solutions. Before we see what you can take after your cycle is over, l would like to tell you what supplements would be best during this time. As l have said in my previous article, cycling means to use supplements for a certain period of time for a specific purpose. Now your purpose is not to increase your testosterone, growth hormone, fat burning, or ATP levels. Since your cycle is over, you will want to keep the good results that you have already gotten. With few words, you don't want something extreme now, but rather something mild, that can sufficiently give you good results, without putting you on a "hyper" level. You should use supplements that are not specifically designed to give you "extreme" results, but just a positive boost. Also, you don't have to use the famous "wave" that l introduced to you. (Slowly increasing the dosages at first, and after you have reached the maximum point, you start decreasing them.) The first reason is, as l said, that you don't want to put your body into an extreme condition all the time. Secondly, this 4 week off cycle, is too short to give you sufficient results by using the "wave" system. l repeat, at this period you want something mild that won't give your body any negative side effects, BUT effective, and without having to pay an arm and a leg. And don't forget, ALWAYS consult with your physician before you take any supplement.

THE RIGHT SUPPLEMENTS AFTER THE RIGHT CYCLES

1) Let's go back to my 9th article, where the first combination that l gave was "19-Norandrostenediol + Tribulus". This was a testosterone combination. (Even though 19-Norandrostenediol is an isomer of norandrostenedione, and it converts into nortestosterone via enzyme conversion, it does increases your testosterone levels). So after your cycle, you want to keep your testosterone levels high, but you want to take something "mild", during the weeks that your cycle is over. What is the best and mildest testosterone supporter? In one word... Zinc!

This magnificient mineral, is responsible for many good things in your body, which I will discuss in depth in some of my future articles. One of its most important functions is that it can increase the effects of testosterone levels in your body.

Zinc is required for normal testosterone production. It has been hypothesized that high levels of impotence in American males may be due to chronic zinc deficiency. So that's one more reason to include Zinc in your supplements that you take after your cycle is over. Supplements provide Zinc as Zinc Sulfate or Zinc Gluconate in dosages from 15-30mg. Zinc Gluconate is usually referred to as chelated Zinc. lt is more expensive, but may be less irritating to the stomach than Zinc Sulfate. Also remember that even though Zinc is not considered toxic, in extremely high doses (more than 60mg per day), it can compromise your immune system, cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea! Like many minerals, zinc competes for absorption with other minerals such as iron, calcium, and magnesium. It inhibits copper absorption too, which can lead to anemia and lower levels of "good" HDL cholesterol. So try to avoid taking all these minerals at the same time.

Recommended dosage: Keep Zinc supplementation to about 15 to 30 mg per day. (lf you used to take 15mg of Zinc when you were taking the 19-Norandrostenediol+Tribulus stack, go for 30mg per day. lf you did not take any extra Zinc, go for 15mg).

2) Let's continue with my second stack that l gave at my 10th article. This was a combination of Creatine + D-Ribose. So you need to take something for 4 weeks that will help you maintain the gains and strength that you have accomplished. What can you take in this case? Three initials is the magic word. HMB! (Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate).

l have analyzed HMB in my 3rd article, but let's review it briefly. HMB is a metabolite of the amino acid "leucine". It appears to upgrade the body's natural potential to build muscle by minimizing the muscle tissue breakdown that occurs after all intense exercise sessions. ln one study, it was revealed that athletes who supplemented their diets with 3 grams of HMB a day, for only three weeks, gained three times as much lean body mass and experienced an increase in strength two and a half times greater than test subjects who followed the same workout program but used a placebo. So as you understand, HMB can help you a lot for the few weeks that you will stop taking Creatine and Ribose.

Recommended dosage: For best results, take 2-3 grams per day.

3) The third stacking combination that l presented to you in my 9th article was L-Glutamine + GABA. You have followed a very good and natural growth hormone combination, but after your cycle, you want something that can help you maintain it in optimum levels. Of course one solution is to continue supplementing with L-Glutamine, but do you know that you have also one more very good alternative solution? Two words this time is the right answer. And they are...L-Arginine + L-Ornithine

These two free form amino acids are essential to healthy metabolic function, but the most important thing is that scientific research suggests that this combination may promote the release of growth hormones! Ornithine, is an amino acid, is manufactured by the body when another amino acid, arginine, and is metabolized during the production of urea (a constituent of urine).

Research has suggested that Ornithine, along with Arginine, may promote muscle-building activity in the body by increasing levels of anabolic (growth-promoting) hormones such as insulin and growth hormone. But take care of something here. As l said, don't start taking mega-doses, because at this time you don't want to increase your growth hormone levels any more. (You are on a maintainance level now don't forget that.) You just don't want to decrease them a lot. So the best thing that you can do is to take 1-2 pill(s) every night, til your next L-Glutamine + GABA cycle, just before you go to sleep. And don't worry, l am not telling you to take two different products for better results. Most supplement companies (like Twinlab) have this very good combination in the same pill or tablet.

Recommended dosage: Most supplement companies have put 500mg of L-Arginine, and 250mg of L-Ornithine in every pill. So stay around this amount, or at most, go for 1000mg of L-Arginine and 500mg of L-Ornithine. (2 tablets).

4) Let's go now to my 10th article and what we can do after you have finished the stacks that l gave you. So, as you understand, you can not take something "extreme" for these four weeks. One good alternative for the first 3 stacks that l gave to you, E/C/A, L-Carnitine, and Yohimbe + Guggulsterones, is to take Chromium Picolinate. (For those that don't know its functions they can read my previous article, to see what this trace mineral can do.)

Recommended dosage: 200mcg (one capsule per day), is enough. And for those that follow my 4th stack, Chromium Picolinate + Guggulsterones, and wonder if they should continue taking Chromium or not, l will say nope! Don't continue taking Chromium but try some other alternative solution for the weeks that you will stay off. The same goes for people that want something different from Chromium Picolinate. l have good news for them also.

5) So one more good alternative for all of the 4 stacks that l gave the previous week, after your cycle is over, is to take Choline + lnositol.

Inositol is required for proper formation of cell membranes. It affects nerve transmission and helps in transporting fats within the body. Choline is a nutrient that’s essential for helping to turn fat into energy within the liver. Also it is very useful in the production of HDL (good) cholesterol. Again, don't worry that you will have to buy two different supplements. Most supplement companies have prevented that, and they have put Choline and lnositol in the same tablet. Most of them use 250mg of Choline and 250mg of lnositol per tablet. (ln a total of 500mg for both of them). So take one or tablet per day, until the time that you will go for your next fat-loss stacking.

This is the end of my third part friends. In this article you learned what you can take (according to what you want), after your cycle is over, in order to utilize the following 4 weeks. ln my next week's article, l will finish my tetralogy about stackings, cyclings, and off periods, with one "must read" article for all of you. You will learn, what supplements you should NEVER stack together, for two very important reasons. Your health and your wallet! Stay tuned!

Click on the blue links above for more information on each supplement along with recommended products for the best gains.

giannis@bodybuilders.com

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