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The Winners:
The best response will get $50 in credit to use in our online store!
1st Place - KoolAbe
The top 3 supplements actually depends on the goal we're trying to achieve, for instance: For gaining lean muscle mass, these would be my top 3:
NOTE: There's no need to supplement with BCAA's or Glutamine, as Whey protein already contains plenty of it. When eating 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass, it's common to consume about 30-70% from whey each day to meet that requirement. Therefore, with whey having about 4 grams of Glutamine and 19 grams of BCAA's for a 23 serving (ON's 100% Whey taken as the example), it wouldn't be something wise to waste your money on something you already have.
Maltodextrin must be taken along with whey protein (to take advantage of increased protein synthesis in the 1-hour window of opportunity), and water (better to use water, as milk [because of the casein in it)] in the same way as fats, would slow down the digestion). NOTE: In my opinion, drinking this protein / carb blend after your workout can determine whether you get maximum gains in lean body mass and a steady and constant progress, or not.
Athletes and bodybuilders have way different requirements than average people (a good example is protein, as the average requirement is about 0.4-0.6 grams per pound of body weight, while for the bodybuilder, it's 1-2 grams per pound), therefore, they must supplement with a multi-vitamin to be sure they are not deficient in any vital vitamin or mineral.
An example would be vitamins of the B complex, which play a major role in the digestion of proteins, carbs, and fats. NOTE: A good rule of thumb is to check how much of the daily requirement each multivitamin serving contains, as sometimes they are over-loaded. 1 or half of a serving, along with a balanced diet, should be enough. For losing weight and retaining as much muscle as possible:
NOTE: There's no need to supplement with BCAA's or Glutamine, as Whey protein already contains plenty of it. When eating 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass, it's common to consume about 30-70% from whey each day to meet that requirement. Therefore, with whey having about 4 grams of Glutamine and 19 grams of BCAA's for a 23 serving (ON's 100% Whey taken as the example), it wouldn't be something wise to waste your money on something you already have.
Since calories must be reduced below the maintenance level, one must reduce the intake of some carbs, and since one's body goes over a long period of fasting when we sleep, our body may be forced to use muscle as fuel to generate glucose (gluconeogenesis) for supplying energy during sleep, thus, losing the hard-earned muscle along with the fat, which is something nobody would want.
Cottage cheese (or casein/egg protein) serves as a delayed, slow-absorbing protein for providing the body a slow-paced but steady flux of protein to the muscles over the period of sleep, thus preventing the lose of lean body mass.
EFA's play an essential role in losing fat, as they (specially Omega-3 fatty acids):
NOTE: One must not exaggerate while on a cutting phase on the fat intake, even if they are most EFA's, as fats provide 9 calories per gram, thus increasing the calorie intake substantially. A good rule of thumb is to consume only the 15-20% of your calories from fat when trying to lose weight and retain as much muscle as possible.
The Top Three Supplements on the Market
Benefits:
Disadvantages:
Not the Absolute Best Ingredients - ON's 100% Whey can't stake its claim as having the best ingredients of all the options on the market. EAS's Precision Protein is an example of a product that outshines ON in this light, given its whey protein isolate base, minus all the hydrolyzed whey peptides that go into ON's 100% (which mean, unfortunately, that many of the critical whey micro fractions are lost in the production process). Conclusion:
Benefits:
Disadvantages:
Conclusion:
Unfortunately, nearly all critics of Swole V2 have been found to be either competitors with Syntrax or associates of competitors, slightly diminishing their credibility. Nonetheless, Syntrax did address the safety issue with their claim that with their inclusion of Betaine in the ingredients (2 g. of Betapure Betaine Anhydrous/serving), the negative effects of the Guanidinopropionic Acid (500 mg./serving) are offset since Betaine can act as a methyl donor.
The jury is still out, but if you were to go on apparent results, I'd recommend Swole V2 as one of the most effective supplements I've ever had.
Benefits:
Energy - EFAs are critical in the body's energy production. The primary function of fat itself is energy; in a product like this, all the "bad stuff" in fat is removed, and all the beneficial things left in. Ergo, you get the energy boost minus the waistline increase. Hormone Production - Studies show that the body's production of all hormones (including testosterone) is sub-optimal with a dietary fat intake of under 100 g. daily for an average individual. Of course, we all don't need that much fat, that many calories or an "optimal" hormonal production, but HFS's Total EFA can help ensure that your hormones don't leave your gains hanging. Also, the prostaglandins elevate growth hormone secretion. Security - With the same logic many people apply to a multivitamin, some say that you can get all your EFA needs from your diet. This is certainly true, but a lot of people are unable to eat salmon and walnuts every day. Tuna is mostly eaten from a can, in which case you lose the EFAs anyway. Thus, unless you are certain you have a diet that satisfies all your EFA needs, an EFA supplement is a neccessary purchase. Cost Effective - It's a reasonably cheap supplement. Disadvantages:
Conclusion:
Final Notes The reason I didn't include multivitamins in my list is that I believe many (not all) of the "bodybuilder's multivitamins" on the market today are in essence overkill. They include mega-dosages that will most likely be excreted by the body, even in the most active individuals, and are priced high too. Instead, I use a basic drugstore product, and supplement it with individual vitamins that a bodybuilder might use more so than the regular individual. This works out cheaper and just as effective as any of those mega-pack multivitamin products. I've given a try to several of them, and have never noticed any differences from my method. (Note: This approach requires relatively extensive research of various vitamins) Finally, I just want to wrap up by stating the obvious - supplements are not enough for muscle growth. Just like the name states, they're "supplements" to a good diet. They're the icing on the cake, not the cake itself. That said, with proper research and a good choice of supplements, you can maximize your gains and keep the ball rolling.
Ergopharm has done a great job in making a quality product in significant dosages. It's fairly safe and effective! BUT ONLY IF YOUR SMART ABOUT IT! Abuse of prohormones is not only a waste of money but more importantly a disgrace to bodybuilding. It's because of people who miss use them that give decent, honorable prohormone users a bad name in the never ending media attention that is now making androgens a controversy. It's all about common sense and being smart. I personally use for 4 weeks and take off for about 4 weeks.
Being a prohormone user supplementing natural test. boosters is a gift from god (next to bodybuilding.)Fizogen has made it happen with significant amounts of Tribulous Terrestris and Cissus Quadrangularis, and a combination of growth hormone stimulating compounds, ingredients which effectively aid in the removal of harmful toxins from the body and supports your liver, and not to mention DHT blockers. But it doesn't stop there... it also enhances insulin sensitivity (questionable) and Hydroxyecdysone which plays an amazing role in protein synthesis by making a perfect environment in the body for muscles to grow. Finally Gastro-intestinal Digestion Infusion Agents which help you digest more effectively, so it can still help build muscle, and regain natural test. levels.
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1. Whey Protein - 




Unfortunately, nearly all critics of Swole V2 have been found to be either competitors with Syntrax or associates of competitors, slightly diminishing their credibility. Nonetheless, Syntrax did address the safety issue with their claim that with their inclusion of Betaine in the ingredients (2 g. of Betapure Betaine Anhydrous/serving), the negative effects of the Guanidinopropionic Acid (500 mg./serving) are offset since Betaine can act as a methyl donor.







