I have so many questions to ask you about the current supplements I'm taking and I hope that you can help me with this:

Is it effective to take supplements creatine and hydroxycut at the same time? Hydroxycut contains caffeine and I've read that caffeine decreases the creatine's effectiveness.

When is the best time to take hydroxycut? The bottle said to take it 30 before every meal 4 caps 3x a day. Because I have difficulty going to sleep and my sleep became irregular ever since taking it. I've been thinking to stop taking hydroxycut but I wanna know your advice.

I'm a beginner in bodybuilding and I'm taking these supplements during workout days.

creatine monohydrate 5g/day before workout

hydroxycut 2 caps/3x a day (I took 4 caps/3x a day before meals on the first day but since experiencing sleeplessness I lowered the dosage to 2 caps but it's still the same side effect I got)

zinc (20mg a day)

Androstack 850 (2 caps before workout) Is it advisable to take 2 caps before workout instead of 1 cap/2x a day?

vanadyl sulfate 10 mg(1 tab/3x a day) I don't know what effect this is to me, but I'm taking it.

Protein powders

amino acids

multivitamins

vitamin C

Is this effective sked? Because I'm afraid I'm overdosing myself with these pills. Will somebody help me which supplements I should take before workout, before meals, before going to sleep.

Will anybody advise me if I should take hydroxycut or not. I'm not really fat or overweight (155lbs) I just wanted to shed off those love handles and get ripped and have those 6-pack.

By a. powers on Saturday, January 29, 2000 - 06:22 pm: Edit

Greg, how old are you? Age plays a role is supplements and their effectiveness. As for your feelings that you are 'overdosing'- your instincts are correct. For now, cut out the v. sulfate and amino acids. Continue to take the multivitamins and vitamin C-though not because they will help your bodybuilding all that much-but just to support general health . Your main supplements should be a quality protein powder and creatine. To get the most out of creatine, most people take it right after their work out. As for Hydroxycut, if you feel uncomfortable taking it, go with your instincts and stop. It is very important to respond when your body tells you something is wrong or out of wack. -Hope this helps.

By Anonymous on Saturday, January 29, 2000 - 06:38 pm: Edit

greg,

As far as Androstack 850, yes, definetly take two capsules about 40 minutes to an hour before your work out! I have no idea why it says to take one capsule twice daily! You need the 100mg of andro and DHEA and 625mg of tribbulus. Lower dosages are useless!

By Jon on Wednesday, February 02, 2000 - 01:39 am: Edit

Hey, also.
Don't just take your supplements on work-out days. You said this for hydroxycut at least.
Take it every day for the recommended time period.

Jon

By martini76 on Saturday, March 18, 2000 - 11:03 am: Edit

I use Hydroxycut and had trouble sleeping when I followed the usage instructions. I now take 4 caps in the morning and four just before lunch. I've lost a lot of fat- people tell me so!
As for the other supplements, I take 2 andro caps 1 hour before workouts, and take 1 cap even on days that I don't hit the gym because it aids in muscle repair( you are less sore the day after a workout) . I use protein bars because I hate the taste of the shakes.

By v ( - 195.8.92.59) on Sunday, March 19, 2000 - 02:04 am: Edit

I heared that to much Vitmin C can damage nerves,
is this true.

By Nate Dogg on Sunday, March 19, 2000 - 02:08 am: Edit

I think it's impossible to get too much vitamin c. Since it's water soluble, any extra vitamin c your body doesn't use or need will just be pissed out. As for the nerve damage, never heard of such a thing.

By Nate Dogg on Sunday, March 19, 2000 - 06:25 am: Edit

Got this little vitamin c exert from another website:

Adverse Effects
Although mild side effects have been reported from doses of vitamin C
greater than 1 g,3 the medication appears to have been very well
tolerated in the randomized trials. A few subjects report experiencing
nausea, heartburn, gas, or diarrhea, especially with doses over 2 g,
but they represent a very small percentage of the total number of study
subjects.

About 5% of individuals who take more than 1000 mg per day of vitamin C
on a regular basis will develop hyperoxaluria, which could lead to
kidney stones. Caution should be used in patients with a history of
kidney stones or renal dysfunction.

By THE TRUTH ( - 204.186.190.239) on Sunday, March 19, 2000 - 06:44 am: Edit

Nate Dogg, I think V is refering to the B.S.
propaganda that was all over the media two weeks
ago. Apparently a study was done by some doctors
who concluded high doses of C cause arterial wall
damage. This is exactly the opposite of what
Dr. Linus Pauling (2 time Nobel prize winner)
said.

By Nate Dogg on Sunday, March 19, 2000 - 06:48 am: Edit

Oh, I had no idea. That does sound kind of farfetched.