Route Editor
Route Scout
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?
