My conclusion after having been around the block:
Glutamine is good for recovery (noticeable for sure) but it is included (at least 4-5g per serving ) in pretty much all protein powders, so it is not necessary, and too much (10-15g) will give you insomnia
Low dose creatine is good. Creatine mono isn't great, Ethyl Ester is much better, works at 2 gram a day and make less water retention
Taurine is cheap in bulk and good before cardio for better endurance
Rhodiola Rosea is cheap and good for cardio, ATP production, mood and protection
ALCAR in bulk is cheap and good for energy and weight loss
ALA will help you lose fat and improve definiton
Beta-Alanine is cheap, good for endurance and has probably some AGE breaking properties
GreenTea is cheap and good
Forskolin in bulk is cheap and helps with fat loss
Basically all these supplements are good for health/life extension, and it happens they will help performance, muscle buidling and weight loss. I believe this is a good strategy.
Some evidence shows that the post-workout shake is optimal when a mix of whey/casein/egg, I suggest ISS Micellar Matrix, available at bulknutrition, great quality even if a bit more expensive than pure whey.
Casein works great before bed to prevent catabolism. I suggest Optimum nutrition 100% casein.
Coconut oil is healthy, thermogenic and contains 50% of MCTs which cannot be absorbed as fat by the body
Very important to use insulin/blood sugar at your advantage and not against you.
So basically
1-some carbs before workout, but not too much (energy for workout but possible fat loss if cardio etc)
2-30 min after workout, Protein/Carb meal for refeed (Whey + Casein, add ALA, green tea and forskolin, blueberries etc)
3- Protein/Lipid before bed for long protein absorption and low blood sugar (fat burning)
4- Rest of meals (5-6 day) should be mostly Protein/Carb or Protein/Lipid, do not mix carbs + lipids too often as that will make you absorb the fat very quickly
All above supplements have solid science to back them up, good effect on health and good synergy.
The "Exotic" supplements can work, but are expensive and not really necessary. For the price of a "special" supplement for 3 months, you can get bulk ALCAR + Alanine + Taurine + Green Tea + Forskolin for 6-12 months! And the "special" supplement is not always healthy.
Pretty much all those supps are available in bulk and covers many aspects of muscle building and fat composition.
If you refeed right, and manage your blood sugar well, bodyfat% will be easy to maintain and recuperation optimal.
Rejected supps:
Glutamine: already enough in protein powder
Arginine/NO xplode will give kinda better strength, but will improve visible pump and veins (cosmetic is their main usage), and are expensive
ZMA etc can work, but not as much as the above supps
Flax oil is good for skin health and some, but since you want real omega 3s for training don't skip the real fish oil!
BCAAs: possibly good, but with bulk aminos already, high quality protein and great diet you'll get plenty of aminos, so not necessary
ECA stack: good for fat loss, but too rough on CNS system can make you crash after weeks of usage.
Creatine mono: too much water retention, makes your kidneys work too much
100% whey: spikes blood sugar, could be good after training but I feel it's better to add some egg/casein
Tyrosine: Good for focus, but not sure if a good idea to mess a lot with dopamine system
Caffeine: Good for fat loss and energy, too much bad for adrenal and CNS, already some in GreenTea
MuscleMilk etc ("complete meal") supplements: expensive, get the best protein and add your own good fats (MCTs from coconut, avocado, grapeseed, or fish oil)
Modafinil: can help focus and energy, not always necessary, if interested use low dose (50mg is enough, don't go to 200+ like the crazy guys around here, Adam I'm looking at you!)
Tribulus: some swear by it, not much effect on me, not sure if it's a good idea to mess with testosterone levels even if "naturally"
CLA: good for fat loss, conflicting health evidence
Yohimbine: good for fat loss, hard on CNS, too stimulating for many
Possibly interesting:
Methoxyisoflavone Powder
Edited by jubai, 08 August 2007 - 04:02 PM.