What is your favorite supplement?

[joebartels]

What is your favorite supplement?

I read somewhere that there are vitamins and then there are supplements. Where the body can produce vitamins but other things must be consumed... of course you can supplement a vitamin if you're taking a pill or capsule too

Let me state upfront my intentions are not to put anyone down or wave any superiority wands. My opinions are simply opinions and if anyone had the perfect cure-all for whatever we'd all be on it in a heartbeat. Whatever works for you works so go with it. I'll speculate that it's mind over matter in many cases yet "so what" if you are getting results you seek.

Regardless of what some will or will not post supplements are possibly used by a quarter to half the adult population. Every grocery store has a wide selection, then you have drug stores. Imagine putting all those products from all those stores in the valley alone into one pile. This is kiddie stuff folks, hold onto your skivvies if you happen to walk into something like The Vitamin Store.


My experience...
Back in the mid 90's I took androstenedione and creatine. This was in my mountain biking stint and died off as I started hiking. Didn't take anything other than an occasional vitamin and caffeine in massive amounts of Diet Coke. Gave that up three years ago because it was ruling my world. Well that and the stern recommendation from my gf at that time. Seriously though I actually needed caffeine to sleep

Although I gave up caffeine I latched on to the B vitamins. Found that with a heavy dose of B12 and a smaller dose of the other Bs I had instant energy. Couple that with ibuprofen (vitamin I as Wally calls it) and the next hour was pure bliss. Did this for a couple years before 5 Hour Energy became so popular. The five cent a piece B vitamins give me the same results at the $2.50 energy drinks. Though I probably get a bigger boost since there isn't caffeine in the pills. Not completely sure if this is damaging my body but I still hit the Bs often.

Last summer I was looking to improve my circulatory so that my lungs don't have to work so hard. Not sure if that possible but I gave it a try. Apparently garlic, ginger, ginkgo biloba and cayenne are the ticket. Took 'em religiously in Aug/Sept. Had my best results in this time period though it could simply be because I thrive in heat. I am sold on cayenne. It took my body a couple weeks to "allow" it...lol
Cayenne has a remarkable property of not only increasing circulatory but remarkable controlling it. This is one of the few instant and noticeable supplements. I don't use it regularly but it seems to kind of work and I'm not finding any reason to be concerned with using it.

Read up on astaxanthin a month ago. Basically like other anti-oxidants in the most microscopic of terms it's suppose to prevent free radicals (cellular damage - the common pathway for cancer, aging, and a variety of diseases). Anyhow I was more interested in it's anti inflammatory results to keep going without swelling up. Did it work... heck I don't know. I changed my diet and consumed more chicken than I normally do in a year, it was cold and and and... basically I was miserable

So my conclusion is who knows, I'm probably just as good eating right and working out regularly than anything else... anyone else?
What is your favorite supplement?

[big_load]

Refried beans

[juliachaos]

Refried beans

Well that's one way to make sure you've got the trail all to yourself.

I always bring cayenne pepper and peppermints with me for altitude sickness and motion sickness. Maybe it sounds hokey, but a few years ago I went up Buffalo Mtn in CO on the first day I was there.. bad idea. I wasn't feeling too hot, but we met a doctor on the mountain who gave me cayenne. Her first choice was peppermints, but she was out. Just put some underneath your tongue when you start feeling sick. It worked wonders for me.

Antioxidants are also great for use as preventative to hearing damage. You can't go wrong with those in any aspect of your life.

I also do B vitamins. Great for energy, hair, nails, skin, all that good stuff. And really freaky urine color. Since it's water soluble, I'd doubt you're doing any damage to yourself unless you're taking, say, an entire bottle at once.

Lately I've been hitting the magnesium for muscle health. It's really made a difference in how well my hamstring is bouncing back from its injury. I forgot to take it for two days and started noticing the muscle feeling strange again.. then remembered I hadn't been taking it! I use the powder form instead of capsules, so it's more readily absorbed. Once I'm all healed again, I'll be dropping the powder and just eating more spinach.

Interesting thing about the magnesium.. I swear it has a sedative effect. Within a half hour of taking it, my eyes start closing and I'm slinking off to bed..

[BobP]

The only supplement I've ever taken and still do occassionally is Whey Protein. I use it to add to my diet to gain weight.

When I fenced, we were under the same rules as the Olympians and I always feared of failing a test back then....because a lot of the over the counter medicine could trigger a failure. It was ridiculous what could trigger and cause you to fail...those litlle seeds on a bagel. ....I never failed a drug test....I was only tested once.

[big_load]

The only supplement I've ever taken and still do occassionally is Whey Protein.

I do too. I'm hopefully eating less fat as a consequence and at least maintaining muscle as struggle against decrepitude.

[joebartels]

A whey shake blended with a banana is pretty dang tasty. I prefer a bigger meal as they call it

[PLC92084]

Nowadays, I take a couple B-complex and a Multi-vitamin daily. Also periodically drink a calcium-magnesium concoction to prevent muscle cramps (horrible spasms in my calves and thighs if I don't). Also eat Whey Protein every now and then when I'm working out harder than usual. Not sure if it really helps but I also take Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM to ward off potential joint problems from the running I do...

[BobP]

horrible spasms in my calves and thighs if I don't

Two words....Pickle juice :yuck: but boy dowdy does it work.

[PLC92084]

@rlrjamy

I've already been accused of being a sour puss... won't that just make things worse !?

[PaleoRob]

Taco Bell.

[DarthStiller]

I did the whey protein thing back in my 20’s. I did the creatine thing for a little while and then stopped all of that. Now I just follow the 30g of protein every 3 hours to maintain muscle. I do still have one protein bar every morning at work for convenience. Sundays that’s all out the window, those are my “off” days.

For the last 8 years I’ve taken the condroitin sulfate for joints and Vitamin C for a varicose vein in my knee (doctor recommended the Vit C). I think the condroitin sulfate has helped. I remember that when I started taking my knees would ache a lot from all the running and hiking I do and now they are much better.

As the middle aged weight gain has started to catch up, I’ve got more in the caffeine and stimulants. After I quit the whey protein and creatine, I just went with caffeine and ephedra before weight lifting to increase the intensity of the workout. Once they outlawed ephedra, I started taking pseudoephedrine and caffeine (Monster lo carb energy drink and a diet coke and a caffeine pill) before weight lifting.

Since my blood pressure has gone up after my shoulder injury, I scaled back on the stimulants and started magnesium, low dose aspirin, fish oil, and CoQ10. Not sure if any of those have really done anything. The BP has come down some, but still not what it needs to be. I think overall weight loss has more of an effect on it than the supplements. Recently, I read that some shoulder injuries can cause a restriction in blood flood if your clavicle presses against the veins and arteries under it. Since my BP only went up after this injury, it’s a question I’m going to ask my doctor next week.

[chumley]

I've never consciously taken any supplement. I don't think my mom even gave us Flinstone's or other "kids vitamins". I do try to eat healthy though (within my "meat and potatoes -style diet") ... which includes lots of whole wheat bread, cheese, butter, sour cream, etc!

Years ago I would take some Vitamin-C when I thought I was getting sick, but there is enough scientific evidence out there that kills that wives-tale that now I just stick with a couple of beers and the nap that follows. Sleep is the best medicine for illness!

Oh yeah! Is beer a supplement? hops? barley? wheat? Those work for me!

I generally feel that most of it is a waste of money. (Yes, beer too!) But if you can afford something, and you like what it does, go for it. I'm hooked on Extenze! :GB:

[imike]

Depends on my level of activity. When in an active training mode (like I began this week!) I follow up each hard workout with a protein shake (whey+banana+strawberry+glucosamine+cinnamon+water). I'll take a range of multi-vitamins each week just to offset any potential deficiency. I have not taken any pain killers since 1968, even aspirin. When in a cutting mode, I eat low on the glycemic index with lots of protein total each day (180 grams+)... mostly roasted turkey or chicken and rice cakes with eggs and spinach. Lots of cayenne in every meal along with tumeric and cumin. Color for nutrition: red/yellow/green bell peppers... carrots... garlic...onion and squash. I do like energy drinks, although I always buy the non-caloric ones???

My metabolic type is mixed, which makes it a bit easier for me to do well. I do not eat white... rice/potato/flour/sugar... just whole grains. I prefer low or no fat dairy. I tend to not eat a lot of beef. I use fasting modes to stress my system for a positive reaction, along with high cardio hits to engage a higher level of natural human growth hormone (sort of needed at my age!) I like beer... I vaguely remember drinking two last year.

Once performing at a higher level (10-18 hour efforts) I am fairly careful to intake calories and protein each hour (300 calories with 8-10g protein) to offset my 850 calorie per hour burn rate. I normally hike or trail run at 190 pounds, but this year am cutting to 165 to see if that will make some of the longer days hit higher results... time will tell. I may have to intake more calories at that weight to keep the level of performance up.

If you have a deficiency, supplements will certainly have a positive effect. If you do not, they may have little impact. I was told that by age 50 my knees would be shot (from running down Finger Rock trail) yet here ten years later they are stronger than ever. I would have a problem not taking the Glucosamine... because I always have when I trained and the results have been stellar... but, who knows if I really need it?

[azbackpackr]

I take vitamins and also glucosamine-chondroitin when I remember too. The problem with all this stuff is remembering to take it. I think the g-c does help my knees if I take it regularly.

At this time I am just trying to eliminate things I eat (mostly dairy) that send my cholesterol up. Sort of a New Year's resolution thing. I have a genetic problem with high cholesterol. Boy, do I love milk, butter and cheese!

I use caffeine Clif Shots, Gu and other junk foods like that when on long hikes. I even carry a Red Bull if the hike is over about 15 miles. I sip it slowly when I have about 4 miles to go, and everything is a piece of cake.

[JoelHazelton]

I'm hooked on Extenze! :GB:

[paulhubbard]

Having felt the "rare but serious" side effects of Lipitor I began taking an OTC supplement called Policosanol (10mg/day) on the advice of a pharmacist friend who's very knowledgeable on herbal remedies. In 3 months it dropped my total cholesterol from 279 to 124! The same gal told me to take vitamin D3 to ward off cancer. Based on the success of her first recommendation, I'm taking the D3 now as well.

[azbackpackr]

Having felt the "rare but serious" side effects of Lipitor I began taking an OTC supplement called Policosanol (10mg/day) on the advice of a pharmacist friend who's very knowledgeable on herbal remedies. In 3 months it dropped my total cholesterol from 279 to 124! The same gal told me to take vitamin D3 to ward off cancer. Based on the success of her first recommendation, I'm taking the D3 now as well.

I have been told that Lipitor is bad for your liver. I have avoided taking it although at one time it was prescribed for me and I took it for a very short time. Then, I proved to my doctor that I could lower my cholesterol on my own without it, and she stopped insisting that I take the Lipitor.

However, I have not been tested in several years, due to no health insurance, but I just got on a health plan, so now I can get tested. I am really getting serious about eliminating the milk and cheese, though. I can tolerate "Silk" soy milk if I get the "Very Vanilla" flavor. I use it in my coffee and on cereal. But how do you replace cheese? I am addicted to tortillas and cheese with guacamole! I guess I will have to do vegetarian refried beans with the guac, maybe some fresh salsa, and forget about the cheese.

I hardly ever eat red meat so that is not a problem. I do eat too many eggs, though. I am gonna get several types of hot cereal to have on hand, and quit buying eggs all the time. It is great being here in Flag because there are lots of good stores here, like New Frontiers.

I will check into that supplement for sure, though. Thanks for the info!

[chumley]

I have been told that Lipitor is bad for your liver.

A huge pile of drugs are bad for your liver. Of course, that's because it's the liver that process those drugs into your body which is why its bad. Especially if you are using other drugs that rely heavily on the liver. That's why you should never take aspirin for a hangover. Your liver is already working overtime on the alcohol. Adding aspirin can cause damage (eh, more damage?) Ibuprofen and motrin are pain-killers that are not processed by the liver.

[azbackpackr]

That's interesting!

I've never had a hangover. Never could get that far. A couple drinks at your party, and I will begin eyeing your sofa, thinking only of sleep.

I use ibuprofen for my little aches and pains, but I try to be moderate with it, as I have heard it can cause ulcers.

[trekkin_gecko]

coffee as my caffeine source
vitamin water zero after a hard effort
a trader joe's anti-oxidant vitamin and mineral supplement when i remember which is about twice a week
thinking about adding a trader joe's b-complex and some kind of calcium/magnesium supplement
that's a lot to remember, though
very rarely do i take ibuprofen