Supplements...

[Aznboi73]

Well i'm age 16 and i'm wondering if i should take supplements...Many of my friends take supplements daily and they have a buff buff look to them to the extreme and i don't want that..i want to atleast have a pretty hard body...I don't want to take supplements taht are unsure about health issues..so i'm guessing that creatine and protein shakes work pretty good..so if any suggestions, tell me....are there any better ways to strengthen muscles rather tahn supplements cuz i wanna stay away from those at all causes..i want to get them naturally..so far..i'm 5'9' and i weight 140..i bench around 180..so i wanna get physically stronger..so what's your input? tahnks guys..

[xzoomzx]

i would stay away from creatine if you are afraid to get buff......i would take a protein supplement 2 times daily....and maybe a good essential fatty acid complex pill.....i am very educated in the sport and art of bodybuilding and only give information i am 100 percent sure of .....well u train with weights as it said in your post so i would take 1 scoop of protein powder immediatly when you wake up and then after your workout take 2 scoops of powder with a sugary drink ( gatorade,ultrafuel ) do you need any good brands of powders i tried literally over 20 of them

[Biker]

Also, people are built differently. It may be easier for your friends to get the buff look than it is for you. Cycle your weight training, too. Take 1 to 3 months to build mass with heavy weights and low reps then do 1 to 3 months light weights and high reps.

[shredder]

ahem

[Aznboi73]

xzoomzx what kinda would you recommend for me? my parents don't approve about me takin any of those supplements..but i think i can somehow sneak out buying some ahha...i think i would have a budget of 30-40 bucks? well lower price would even be better if you could recommend me some ...also, do you kno if supplements stunt growth? because somewhere on the web i read bout that.

[shredder]

There's really no trick to it, other than deciding on a blend, reading the labels, and being frugal.

I'll start with whey, currently enjoying the most popularity. Honestly with whey you can buy whatever is cheapest. Unless you're already a high level athlete, you don't need isolate or hydrolyzed whey. You can find a two pound jar of whey protein concentrate at your grocery store. Short of that, Twinlab is usually pretty reasonable. I like it because it includes a fair amount of glutamine. If soy is your weapon of choice, EAS has a pretty good price.

The rundown on the rest at the supermarket:

-Carb Solutions makes a cheap mixed blend of whey, soy, milk and egg.
-Naturade makes a few good blends for a few more dollars.
-MetRX's Protein Plus blend has more casein than the rest, but also contains lots of extra junk.
-Designer Whey isn't worth it for my money.

It's a good idea to mix, since whey, soy, and casein have different absorption rates, BCAA levels, and amounts of glutamine.

Your best bet is to go cheap, so that you don't blow your savings on powders. The FDA doesn't regulate supplements like it does with food products, so its up to you to make sure that it has the ingredients claimed. You might not want to go for the very bottom o' the barrel cheapest, but you should still set your sights low.

I can't stress enough though, that protein shakes are not necessary. They will do absolutely nothing for you if you don't have a solid program, sound diet, and sensible sleep schedule. Also, find out how much protein you are getting already before you go on a shopping spree. Your body doesn't store protein after you reach excessive levels, so there are definitely some diminishing returns and wasted money if you aren't wary of the hype. Besides, a can of light tuna and a glass of milk, a sandwich, beefaroni, or a few eggs can give you your protein fix as well. Protein shakes are not better protein to any significant extent. Use them for convenience, not as magic beans.

And to clarify, the best times to take in some protein is mid-morning, post workout (with some simple carbs), and before bed.

[Builderofmuscle]

I take stacker 2,

What type of recovery product should I take? and What type of creatine. I'm 16 years old, and you can check out my training routine under the INsanity post

[DaggerJuice]

Muscle Milk works very well for me,It says.... its natural,but any ways take some after a work out or before bed ,and the next day you'll feel recoved and ready to work out 100% again.tastes goooood to!!