do supplements really work?

[matt21]

like creatine and all the good ones, do they really work? any side affects? thanks guys

Matt

[Pacificmonarch]

From my personal experience, supplements do work. However, they are not miracles in a jar. I would say they added about 8% to my overall gains. When I think about it, supplements I took didn't do as much as I hope it would(I thought i would turn in to the Hulk after 1 month). There are supplements that I definitely recommend like Whey protein, so you feed your muscles faster. Supplements like Creatine and Betagen (both I took) you could maybe do without. I personally didn't notice too much of a difference.
If anything maybe you should try it out. Creatine has been used for a long time and studies show they work. The most important thing to me is consistancy and concentration. Supplements might give you a little boost, but your overall statue is going to come from you going to the gym on a consistant basis and concentrating on pushing that last rep. Also, instead of supplements maybe you could eat properly(no fats, no crap) and quit everything bad(drinking, smoking, etc.) For me that personally did the trick, cutting all the crap and eating healthy, which no supplement could do.

[J450n]

There are a lot of supplements out there that don't do little difference, if any. A lot that aren't worth buying/taking. I wouldn't bother with half of them.
As for ones that do - Protein - yes. Creatine - apparently.

[matt21]

thanks for the replys guys!

[v8firebird]

Definately protein (especially whey), creatine works for me, and some amino acids. The good amino acids are usually found in your whey if you buy a good brand. I would also reccomend getting a multi-vitamin just for all around health. The rest of the supplements are for the most part crap. If you have any questions about any make sure you ask here before you go out and waste your money like I did. Also stay away from andro. You'll see a lot of post on them (1 AD, 1 Test, 4 AD, etc.) but the truth is they don't work, and if they even work a little they are not worth the side effects.

[Saint Patrick]

Also stay away from andro. You'll see a lot of post on them (1 AD, 1 Test, 4 AD, etc.) but the truth is they don't work, and if they even work a little they are not worth the side effects.

Have you ever used them yourself?

I didn't think so.

[Jasonl]

Also stay away from andro. You'll see a lot of post on them (1 AD, 1 Test, 4 AD, etc.) but the truth is they don't work, and if they even work a little they are not worth the side effects.
Andro in fact does work, quite well. Sure, there are side-effects, sure you'd be better off with 'real' gear, but don't say they don't work, becuase they do. A lot of people who experience bad side-effects or lose most of their gains post-cycle don't bother to take the time to get proper diet, training, and PCT set up.

[Deathwish]

whey and creatine are the only supplements really worth buying imo.

[matt21]

i keep hearing "whey" and "creatine" i think i may go with them! how much supply do i get for my money?

and are they all legal?

Matt

[BigMatt]

All Legal Brothat,

Whey And Creatine is the way to go!

[Dedicated]

I would say the best supplements that are legal in order of effectiveness that I have tried are...
1. Ephedrine/Caffeine Stack
2. Creatine

I didn't include whey protein because you can get protein from food. But yea it helps tons in getting your total protein, especially when cutting because the calories are limited and eating so much meat can be difficult.

Now I have never tried any prohormones but I would expect that they give better results than creatine, although it can be expensive and there are sides involved etc.

[matt21]

in whey and creatine, are there any BAD side effects i should worry about?

[Dedicated]

in whey and creatine, are there any BAD side effects i should worry about?
You need to drink lots of water when taking creatine. Whey is just protein so no.

[Jasonl]

You need to drink lots of water when taking creatine. Whey is just protein so no.
You still shoud drinks lots of water when taking in large amounts of protein, though. Just have fun running to the bathroom every 20mins. :D

[matt21]

LOL thats true, unlucky for me as i pee like a race horse lol

[joeman122]

how come you need to drink a lot of water when on creatine, what happensa if you don't drink a lot of water. I started on creatine 3 days ago and am drinking about 18 ounces of water every meal. I s that enough water... If not please tell me how much water I should drink everyday. Im 14 and wiegh 140, 5'10, 5'11 ... thanks

[chris mason]

Don't get too worried about water intake while on creatine. Just drink an extra 2-3 8 oz. glasses of water each day (if you decided to continue to use it). I think 14 is a bit young to use supplements (including creatine). I would recommed you wait until you are at least 17 years old before using them.

You DEFINITELY DO NOT want to use pro-hormones at your age.

I think a young man such as yourself should concentrate on proper lifting and eating plenty of food in order to gain size and strength. You will be able to make nice progress without the use of supplements if you do the above.

You can read this article to give you some tips on adding mass (skip the supplment recommendations for now):

http://www.atlargenutrition.com/gainingmass.php

[Jasonl]

Yes, at 14 just stuff your face with good food, lots and lots of it. At your age, wtih proper nutrition and training, you'll gain like there's no tomorrow.

[v8firebird]

Have you ever used them yourself?

I didn't think so.

In fact I did use prohormones. I stacked 1 AD (600mg a day) and 4 AD (900 mg a day) for 4 weeks. I used 6 OXO as a pct. I actually put on about 10 pounds which isn't bad considering I have peaked lately. However I think most of that weight was actually fat because I cut after my cycle and got down to my original weight and looked exactly the same as before. My strength is the same as well. I just think that most people using prohormones are just seeing results they want to see and are not being objective and seeing that maybe they wasted $250. Maybe it works for some people, I can't vouch for them, but in my experience it did little to nothing.

[Pacificmonarch]

Also check this great site out. It has a massive amount of info on supplements and what they do. It also has reviews of supplements so you can see which one's actually deliver.

[URL]http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com[URL]

[HahnB]

In fact I did use prohormones. I stacked 1 AD (600mg a day) and 4 AD (900 mg a day) for 4 weeks. I used 6 OXO as a pct. I actually put on about 10 pounds which isn't bad considering I have peaked lately. However I think most of that weight was actually fat because I cut after my cycle and got down to my original weight and looked exactly the same as before. My strength is the same as well. I just think that most people using prohormones are just seeing results they want to see and are not being objective and seeing that maybe they wasted $250. Maybe it works for some people, I can't vouch for them, but in my experience it did little to nothing.

I recently did a similar cycle and put on 14lbs, and kept 12 so far. I'm sure there was some fat gain, but if you're lean to start with then everything is gravy. At least 5lbs was musle I'd say, which satisfies me. Phormones aren't all that bad. I plan on doing a "real" cycle in the distant future, but this was a better option since I have a good understanding of phormones- but not of anabolics yet. I think it's a good medium for someone that isn't mentally or physically ready for anabolics but wants to get a taste of a cycle.

[Deathwish]

At the age of 14 I wouldn't take Creatine. Take whey. It's just milk protein. I also wouldn't take EC that young...I'ld wait till your body stop growing taller before taking Creatine/EC.

[MrWebb78]

just read most bottles of supplements and laugh.

for example, fat burners labels often say: for best results, eat a healthy diet low in saturated fats and moderation.

well, if you do that you wont need the damn fat burner.

same with "mass gaining" products, if you just eat right and train right, supplements are absolutely pointless. they just take money away from you.

[KingJustin]

These supplements are probably the only relatively beneficial ones:
Glucosamine
Protein (whey/casein, etc)
Glutamine
Creatine
Multi/single Vitamins
Fat Burners

At that, taking glutamine won't give you any very noticeable gains. Some people feel fine going without the protein supplements (and rightly so at times) and glucosamine generally takes quite awhile before it starts being effective and still isn't anything great (though it is quite cheap... it helps joint pain btw). I haven't taken creatine yet (I'm just about to), but from talking to people that I know personally that have taken it, it can give very good gains and it is pretty cheap. I still wouldn't recommend it until you gain experience as a weightlifter and perhaps begin to plateau.

I also haven't tried any fat burners but based on reading I would expect some of them to be somewhat helpful.

(Not counting steroids)

[Saint Patrick]

In fact I did use prohormones. I stacked 1 AD (600mg a day) and 4 AD (900 mg a day) for 4 weeks. I used 6 OXO as a pct. I actually put on about 10 pounds which isn't bad considering I have peaked lately. However I think most of that weight was actually fat because I cut after my cycle and got down to my original weight and looked exactly the same as before. My strength is the same as well. I just think that most people using prohormones are just seeing results they want to see and are not being objective and seeing that maybe they wasted $250. Maybe it works for some people, I can't vouch for them, but in my experience it did little to nothing.

ok my bad, I assumed you were just going off what everyone else says.

Prohormones are okay, but definitely don't hold a candle to the real thing.

[chris mason]

I just can't agree with Webb's idea that supplements are worthless, there are supplements that actually work, they are just few are far between.

Now, about pro-hormones, if they are actually working you should gain ZERO fat when using them. In fact, you should LOSE fat. Increased testosterone will make you leaner unless you significantly boost your calories. If you do significantly boost your calories and gain weight, well, DUH! Lol, when a young man trying to gain weight significantly bumps his calories he will usually put on a fair amount of weight and the mix will be favorable as a muscle to fat ratio. As I have said before, and will say again, the progress noted with pro-hormones is nothing more than placebo. People expect to gain and therefore they do. They eat more, train harder, and guess what, they GAIN! Duh!

Pro-hormones = MASSIVE WASTE OF MONEY

Dan and I could sell them and make a lot more money than we do selling what we do, but we don't, so take a guess why...

[v8firebird]

In my personal experience I agree completely with chris. However Saint Patrick if they work for you then thats a different story. I think the problem is that because they are legal people think they are not bad for ya. They are nearly all taken orally so they are terrible on your liver. However like I said before, if they work for you then good luck with them, but I would never recommend them, especially to a newbie

[joeman122]

How bad is creatine for me at my age (14), Is it really bad for me.. What are the side effects? I only plan on taking it for 2 to 3 months. Thanks