Beginner's Guide To Supplements( Newbies Pls Read!!!)

This thread is to allow some common understanding on what does the various supplements that helps. As a start i will post several common supplements that people are asking about.
First of all , i must remind all that supplements are NOT magic pills or what to gain the desired body that you want. Without hard work, supplements will not help in any way.

Protein

This is the most popular supplements that many are taking and i believe some are taking it and thinks that it build muscles as they down some protein shake. Let understand how portein works and how much u need and what types of proteins are there.

The recommendation the experts are issuing for athletes is 1 gram per pound (2.2 lbs to a kilo) of lean bodyweight. As far as I'm concerned you shouldn't underestimate protein and what it can do, and it will do little harm to shoot a little bit upward of that number. I've never been one for keeping records of exact numbers, so figure out your bodyweight in pounds and aim at the most convenient number above that, or even a bit more. Say you weigh in at 175 or 185, aim for 200 grams of protein.

I have to warn you that there is no way you need more than 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight, provided you get enough diversity. Too much protein can have side effects. If they take up too large a part of your diet it can cause gastro-intestinal disorders the likes of which you have never seen. Chances of you consuming that much is unlikely, but if not for you, at least consider those who live around you. Unused protein in the intestines can lead to some really foul-smelling gas. Protein in your gut attracts bacteria that transform its smell to something between a cadaver and 3-month old eggwhites.

Don't let anyone ever tell you that protein isn't the most important nutrient to a bodybuilder. Carbs do the actual building, fats make hormones. But what do you suppose these things would do in the body without enough building blocks to make new tissue or maintain it? The standard recommendation for carbs for instance is 60 percent of your diet, but for those of us consuming 250 grams or more of protein, this is often impossible to accommodate and stay within our calorie limit. So 50 percent will do you just fine. It's important to maintain a positive nitrogen balance throughout the day, so it's essential to spread your protein intake over the entire day. The standard equation is easy: take your weight in pounds and multiply it with 1 or 1.5, so that's 200-300 grams of protein daily for a 200 pound bodybuilder. Now divide this by the number of meals you take in a day. If you eat 5 meals, that comes down to 40-60 grams of protein per meal. If you eat 8 meals that's 25-37 grams per meal.

Protein has been shown to have more effect when combined with Carbohydrates. This is why weight gainers are often more anabolic than pure protein powders. You need at least 200 grams of carbs daily to adequately accommodate your protein intake, but obviously for a 200 pound bodybuilder it will be closer to 300 grams. Slightly more carbs than protein per meal is always a good idea. It facilitates the absorption of protein.

Sources of Protein

The sources of protein are many, and each has its values depending on the aminos they're made up of and the length of the chains of aminos. The ones you should be considering are soy, milk, egg, meat, casein and whey protein. One of the most frequent questions I get is "What kind of protein should I get?" That's a question you wouldn't pose if you understood protein. Diversity is important: To get a good spectrum of essential amino acids, which in turn produce non-essential amino acids. By making sure you get enough protein, you in turn make sure you have more than your share of essential aminos and that alone is enough to make your body function properly and recuperate better from all the strain you subject it to.

Types of Protein

Q. So what am I supposed to be eating?

Whey Protein Isolate (max BV of 157)

The highest yield of protein currently available, it's a derivative of milk protein. Its short chains and peptides make it available for absorption within ten minutes of ingestion sometimes. It's kind of a protein booster. If you asked which protein is best to invest in WPI would be it. No sane nutritionist would tell you otherwise. But caution is the key. Taking in more than 30 grams at once is not advisable because of its short-lived half-life. The best way to counter this effect a bit is to mix it in milk and not water. As I explained in my last article the casein in milk protein slows down the digestion of the whey protein, which may give it more time to absorb. It's a bit of a time-release mechanism.

Whey is the best investment because of its capacity as a post-workout recovery supplement. That critical time after severe physical stress when the cells will act like a sponge and take in almost anything. The extreme hunger of the cells and the fast-acting properties of whey will make sure you use the best window for recovery to the fullest. If not, the body will hunt the stored reserves of nutrients and when on a diet for example that will cause them to rob other muscle-tissue of glutamine. So whey is the best protein, especially on a diet. It also supplies the most aminos bodybuilders use. Its unfortunate high cost however makes me advise you to use it sparingly. Whey protein is the only choice when on a diet however. When on low-carb diets whey can function as an alternate source of energy, sparing hard-earned muscle protein and glutamine stores within the body.

Whey Protein Concentrate (Max BV of 104)

This Protein was the first isolated whey, but with the emergence of Isolates, it has become perfectly useless. At only 4 points more on the BV scale it may be wiser to supplement with egg-protein, the preferred protein source of bodybuilders as early as the 30's. Whey concentrate has taken on a life of its own in the industry because most companies are too cheap to use all whey isolates, and it's used as sort of stuffing of protein, just so they can say they use only whey protein. The actual uses are slim. It's basically of a similar make-up as the Isolate version but less bio-available. If you find WPI too expensive though and you already eat a dozen eggs a day, it's better than nothing and its often a good buy in pure form, but those of you looking for professional gains should probably pass up on WPC.

Eggs (max BV of 100)

This is a whole egg we're talking about. If you were to take only the egg-white it would have a BV of 91. Eggs are versatile sources of very useful protein. As far as uses go, this may be even better than milk protein. You can eat fried eggs in the morning with breakfast, eat hardboiled eggs throughout the day (like fruit, all you do is peel them and eat them) and its liquid in a raw form so you can mix it in plenty of things. I'm not a big fan of consuming extreme amounts of eggs like some people because they fill you up and after the umpteenth hardboiled egg anyone feels like barfing.

Though I think you are a fool if you throw away all your yolks (they contain more protein, B-vitamins and trace minerals) it wouldn't be prudent to eat twelve a day. The yolks have a very taxing effect on your liver. Extremely toxic. So out of precaution, limit your egg yolks to three a day and take a couple of weeks break once in a while. But eggs should make up at least a percentage of your weekly protein intake.

Milk Protein (max BV of 91)

I already gave you my rant on milk protein, so I'll spare you. Suffice it to mention it is a perfect blend of casein and whey that may yield great results and because of its convenience should make up a large portion of your protein intake. The combination of casein and whey has been found to be the best protein source in meals. This is why almost all MRP's use the blend as the base for their mix of protein.

Meat Proteins (max BV of 80)

Though chicken seems to hold some kind of god-like status in bodybuilding circles, it's actually red meat that yields better results. Several studies have shown that people consuming red meat gained more mass than those consuming the two favorites in the sport: chicken and tuna. That doesn't mean you need to dismiss the other two, but personally I'm sick of chicken and I'm not a big fan of tuna. Nonetheless both sources are prime nutrition when dieting. Tuna and the white part of chicken are low-fat and high-protein. Plus they are more easily transformed into tasty snacks you can carry around anywhere. But that big juicy steak will still give you better gains.

A hot topic in this new-age, biologically concerned, overly worried about nothing kind of generation the question of whether or not vegetarians can be bodybuilders is often heard. The answer is yes. I've already named a number of vegetarian proteins and I'll name one more after this, but chances you'll be Mr. Olympia are slim. In fact winning local contests isn't for tomorrow. You'll have to work twice as hard and recuperate smarter. For the vegans there is no hope. I'm sorry.

I have to swallow a lot from health-conscious people about my diet and I take it like a man, but I do not take that **** from vegans. If there is one diet that is sure to land you in a hospital in the long-term, rob you of energy and diminish the quality of life its a vegan diet. For these people there is no hope. You're doomed to be small. Moreover if plants are all you eat, 80 percent or more of your diet is water. So don't judge me and mine , if you can't even take care of yourself. Meat contains all kinds essential aminos, not to mention creatine and other useful elements that most protein sources cannot supply. The only bad thing is that you are eating a lot, but have a low yield of nutrients. Most of the ingested material ends up in your stool because it doesn't contain nutrients. So obviously you shouldn't bet all your money on meat proteins.

Casein

Casein is the other protein that is isolated from milk. Casein is the perfect complement to whey, which is why I'm such a big advocate of milk protein which combines the two. Both stimulate protein synthesis in the muscle, naturally not both quite as strong. But the benefit is that the protein synthesized from casein is used more directly in muscle-building than that synthesized from whey, which is more readily used as an alternate source of energy (that's the reason you have to use enough carbs when supplementing with whey for bulking). The less chance you have of a protein being used as energy, the more carbs you use as energy. The more carbs you use, the less carbs stored as fat. So casein may prevent you getting fat too fast... one of the reasons casein may be better than whey.

Soy Protein

Lately the unhealthy lifestyles are taking on all kinds of shapes and forms and there seems to be dome bad blood between carnivores and herbivores. Having said my bit about vegans, I have to point out that the other extreme could be unhealthy too. Too many bodybuilders, myself included, have almost sworn off vegetables. This is of course only possible provided you get your daily vitamins and minerals from other sources.

Soy protein however, may be one reason to eat your vegetables. Soy alone is practically useless, but as an addition to an already rich protein spectrum it may serve a thousand uses. Its main use is protecting the cardiovascular system by lowering LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. Bad cholesterol as you know is one of the leading causes in arterial diseases. In this aspect the vegetarian bodybuilder has a plus over the meat-eating bodybuilder because meat , and especially that all-important red meat, could increase LDL cholesterol. Of course I'm not letting vegans off the hook that easily.

I'm sure everyone that gets around in bodybuilding has come across some article or some account that speaks of recent studies that say a high amount of soy in your diet may lead to breast cancer, brain damage and infertility in boys. The result of a high amount of flavonoids within the protein strands that may mimic the actions of strong estrogens. Then again other compounds are considered safe that exert similar effects. So don't worry about soy being bad, just don't go overboard and don't make soy your main source of protein. As with the other proteins it has its merits, but as with anything, moderation is the key.

I'm making an effort to eat some vegetables now, mainly for health reasons. I'm young, I can afford to eat less vegetables, but living unhealthily, for whatever reason, for too long will have its consequences down the road. The reason to limit vegetables however is clear and obvious: Vegetables are 80 percent or more water, and it doesn't make sense to load up on something that fills you up without result, if you could be filling up on more calorie-dense foods. I don't condone the use of one protein over another. If you want mass and health, you need to vary your proteins.

Post-Workout Protein

This is one of the most important moments to provide your body with protein. Post-workout nutrition should also consist of a percentage of simple carbs to better the total uptake of protein and replete lost glycogen. I realize that this article has rendered little useful information so I won't leave you like this. I'm going to give you the Big Cats own personal Protein Booster formula. This is the effective way to post-workout protein. After a long, hard, drug out workout your body will be crying for this. If you are a HIT fan , you should probably wait a little before consuming this and maybe not use as much, but for those who train the hard way this recipe will assure you a complete an full recovery.

Biological Values

BVs are arbitrary numbers given to protein to show comparisons in their availability within the body.Obviously a high BV brings with it certain downsides. The easier it absorbs the faster it absorbs. The faster it absorbs the faster it's rendered useless within the body, which makes taking it in large amounts at once impossible. Some would have you take 50 grams of whey in one sitting, and I guarantee you 25 to 50 percent of that is being wasted. At the price of a decent whey protein Isolate that is plain insanity.

Creatine

This is also a popular supplements, some people does not responds to creatine and yet they continue to take for the sake of taking em.

Creatine is a nutrient naturally found in all our bodies. It is a combination of 3 amino acids; arginine, glycine and methionine. Creatine helps provide the energy our muscles need to move, particularly quick and explosive movements. Muscle contraction is initially fuelled by ATP (adenosine-triphosphate).

There is only enough ATP to provide energy for approximately 10 seconds. For this energy system to continue, more ATP is required. Creatine phosphate gives up its phosphate molecule to ADP (adenosine-diphosphate), thus recreating ATP. Increasing the muscle's supply of creatine phosphate helps increase the rate in which the body can supply ATP.


What Is Creatine Phosphate?

Creatine Phosphate is an organic compound in muscle fibres that is fractured enzymatically for the production of ATP.

What Is Adenosine TriPhosphate (ATP)?

ATP is the organic compound found in muscle which, upon being broken down enzymatically, yields energy for muscle contraction. Creatine enhances your body's ability to make protein within the muscle fibres, which also increases your muscle mass (Creatine increases cellular hydration.

The hydrated muscle has increased permeability, which allows more amino acids into the muscle cell). Building up a supply of these contractile proteins (actin and myosin) increases your muscles ability to perform physical work. The bottom line here, is that creatine will allow you to to perform more repetitions with a given weight.

This will increase the time under tension, thus increasing the recruitment of muscle fibres, which will in turn increase the number of fibres stimulated. It also prevents your body from relying on another energy system called glycolysis, which has lactic acid as a byproduct. Lactic acid creates the burning sensation you feel during intense exercise.


Does This Mean I Will Be Able To Lift More Or Run Faster?

Indirectly, YES! Directly, POSSIBLY! Creatine does not make YOU stronger or faster, YOU make YOURSELF faster or stronger. Creatine allows you to train at a higher intensity level and to recover faster.

If your recovery is better then you are in a fresher more rested state before you commence your next session and as a result you will derive more benefit from this session than would otherwise have been possible. Let's use the Bench Press as an example: Prior to Creatine our subject, let's call him "Maximus" (mac-zim-us) was doing 4 sets on the Bench Press.

His goal was to do 4 sets of 8 repetitions with 225lbs, he usually got 8,8,6 and 4. By sets 3 and 4 he was fatigued and as a result he could not reach his goal. When Maximus takes Creatine he is likely to see an improvement in recovery significant enough to enable him to achieve his goal of 4 sets of 8 repetitions.

Now if Maximus continues to use Creatine, eat sensibly, train with intensity and passion over a 12-16 week period it would be possible for him to increase his Bench Press to @ 250lbs for 4 sets of 8 repetitions. Finally - remember you have to do the work! Use Creatine to progress not to standstill.


Where Is Creatine Found Naturally?

You may be asking, "Why do I need it if it is found naturally in my body". Well, the reason is that most people only ingest about one gram of creatine from food sources per day.

That, coupled with average endogenous production of another gram, totals a relatively paltry 2 grams of creatine per day. If you are a heavy consumer of red meat, don't expect dramatic results from creatine supplementation (1 pound of beef equals approximately 2 grams of creatine, and 4.6 grams in every pound of herring. Over 2 grams per pound in most fish).

Those likely to experience the best results are vegetarians. Vegetarians synthesize the supplement just as their carnivorous brethren do; they seldom top off their muscle stores of creatine since they avoid the rich food sources such as beef.

As a consequence, they react well to creatine. Creatine supplements are suitable for even hard-core vegans, since the product is synthetic and not derived from animal sources.

Creatine ( Part II)

Can Creatine Become Toxic With Long Term Use?

In truth, nobody knows. Although the body makes only 1-2 grams per day, the odds are good that your body can handle an intake of 5 or more grams per day. Anybody over 200 pounds can take 10 grams quite safely provided that they drink sufficient fluids (to avoid cramping). Some people have been taking as much as 20-30 grams a day since it was first available in 1990.


Is Creatine Safe?

Yes, Creatine is a natural amino acid present in the body of humans and animals. The human body has 100-115 grams of creatine in the form of creatine phosphate. No negative side effects have been noted in the research with the recommended levels of supplementation.


Are There Any Noted Side Effects?

Creatine is so efficient at shuttling water into the intramuscular compartment, that an emergent side effect associated with it is that of muscle cramping. This most often occurs when too little fluid is consumed whilst supplementing with creatine.

Muscle cramping, strains and tears are all anecdotal evidence that are not supported by scientific fact. Creatine draws water away from the internal working organs and therefore if you take a lot with no water then a mild stomach cramp will occur.

How to avoid this? Simple: drink 1 pint of water with every dose! Water makes sense for an athlete and most of us are guilty of consuming way too little. In an ideal world we should drink 4-5 pints of water a day. It will benefit us and also benefit the CM we are taking. The extra water will help maximise the effects of the CM.


When Is The Best Time To Take Creatine?

For best results, on training days, take creatine after your workout. It will not make you nauseous and is best taken at this time in order to replenish lost stores. If you wish to take more on a training day (i.e 10 grams),then take half pre-workout and remaining half post-workout.

Creatine (Part III)

Ways To Take Creatine.


You will find many different recommendations on how to take creatine. Studies have shown that you get a 60% greater cell uptake of creatine if you combine it with a simple sugar base, such as grape juice (naturally rich in glucose).

A big insulin spike will push the creatine into the muscle. Do not ever take creatine with orange juice! Very simply it negates the positive effects due to it's acidity.

This is presently a matter for open debate, but possibly the best way to take CM is with warm water; you can add simple carbohydrates if required. Cranberry juice is recommended if you are prone to upset stomachs, it can help alleviate the upset.

Creatine shuttles
Theory is that in order to maximise the effects of Creatine consumption it is necessary to take it with a simple carbohydrate The idea is that this will promote an insulin spike which will "shuttle" CM into your muscles. The basic ingredient in all shuttles is Creatine and Dextrose. In a 1000 gram container most will have 200 grams of creatine and 800 grams of dextrose. Some will throw in extras like glutamine etc. but in all honesty not enough to make a difference.
Why use a shuttle?
In today's fast paced world it is really only for convenience. They are more expensive but every convenience food/drink always is!
How much are they?
1kg containers are on sale in stores for between $28 - $40. $40.00 is really taking the piss. You will get at best 1 month from a 1kg container.
Advisory note: Buy it if you want but only use it on your training days. On non-training days only take regular CM (Creatine Monohydrate). If the idea is to shuttle CM into your system then possibly the only time this should be taken is either before or during a workout.


Do I Need To Initially Go Through The Loading Phase?

No, this is not necessary. A mere 3 grams of creatine per day for 28 days results in the same muscle content of creatine as that of a six day load program. Thus, if you wanted to get off creatine, it would take about a month to reach normal muscle stores.

Taking even large amounts of creatine as in the load phase doesn't appear to inhibit the body's creatine synthesis after you cease using it.


Will I Lose Weight Or Muscle Mass If I Stop Using It?


There is no reason to expect muscle loss. You will, however, drop a few pounds, since creatine causes water volumisation in the intracellular tissues as opposed to bloating caused by sodium ingestion.

Does Creatine Make You Retain Water?


No. Creatine draws water from the body to do its work. There is a difference between cell volumization and water retention. Cell volumization leads to more water inside the cells, making the muscle bigger and firmer. Water retention, the process that makes the muscles look smooth, happens outside the muscle cells.

How Does Creatine Help Muscle Grow?

Intensity is necessary to achieve natural strength gains and muscle growth or increased athletic performance. Muscle growth takes place when the muscle has been overloaded. Without heavy sets, your muscle will remain small.

Creatine promotes intense lifting by recycling the necessary energy molecule ATP. Creatine also buffers the development of lactic acid allowing for a more enduring workout. As you know, lactic acid buildup is one of the main causes of exercise-related muscle fatigue

Amino Acids & BCAAs

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Amino Acids & BCAAs

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L-Arginine

(Reserved)

NO Nitric Oxide

1. What is it and where does it come from?

Nitric Oxide is a free form gas that is produced in the body and is used by the body to communicate with other cells in the body. To produce this gas, enzymes in the body break down the amino acid Arginine.

Nitric Oxide is a molecule consisting of one atom of nitrogen and one atom of oxygen. The production of Nitric Oxide occurs when the amino acid L-arginine is converted into L-citruline through an enzyme group known as Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS). The chemical process of conversion is shown in figure 1.


2. What does it do and what scientific studies give evidence to support this?

Despite the claims of some in the supplement industry, there exists ample scientific literature to substantiate the efficacy of Nitric Oxide products. The following was written in May 1996 in a document prepared for the Royal Society and Association of British Science Writers: Summary research papers continue to flood the scientific journals and insights into the biological activity and potential clinical uses of nitric oxide (NO): a gas controlling a seemingly limitless range of functions in the body. Each revelation adds to nitric oxide's already lengthy resume in controlling the circulation of the blood, regulating activities of the brain, lungs, liver, kidneys, stomach and other organs."

Since the above was written in 1996, Nitric Oxide containing products have continued to be touted by those in the medical profession, as well as by athletes looking to add muscle to their frames.

The above quotation states that Nitric Oxide controls the circulation of blood, transmits messages between nerve cells, and is a mediator of inflammation and is associated with the process of feeling pain. The popular erectile dysfunction drug sildenafil citrate (Viagra) contains nitric oxide and is responsible for maintaining healthy blood flow to the penis.

The fact that nitric oxide increases blood flow should make it of interest to bodybuilders, as increased blood flow will serve to deliver more nutrients to muscles, thus helping muscles become larger when subject to stress. The fact that Nitric Oxide acts to reduce inflammation should also make it of interest to bodybuilders as it has the potential to reduce the pain associated with subjecting muscles to extreme stress.

Nitric oxide also affects the endocrine system. It affects the release of gonadotroptin releasing hormone, as well as the release of adrenaline from the adrenal medulla.


3. Who needs it and what are some symptoms of deficiency?

Everyone REQUIRES nitric oxide to carry out key physiological processes within the body. From a bodybuilder's perspective, nitric oxide supplementation may prove useful in increasing growth due to increases in blood flow to certain areas of the body.
Signs of deficiency include the inability to achieve and sustain normal erections, physical weakness and extreme fatigue. Most "nitric oxide" supplements contain the amino acid Arginine-alpha-keto-glutarate.


4. How much should be taken? Are there any side effects?

With any amino acid containing product, overdose is a possibility. Dosing with too much arginine can lead to diarrhea, weakness and nausea. Clear dosing guidelines have not been established, so it is best to do what is known as "tolerance mapping". Take a small dosage for one week, note the benefits and the side effects, and increase the dosage until the benefits are maximized and the side effects minimized. Over time the two will converge and you will hit the optimal dose. This process is similar to "receptor mapping" for bodybuilders who use insulin.
Many protein powders are fortified with amino acids, including arginine. With this in mind, pay particular attention to how much arginine you are ingesting from all supplements taken.


5. Where can I get it?

At the time of this writing, Pinnacle Brands makes NOx2. This product is very similar to the NO2 product made by MRI. IDS also make a similar product, NP2. With IDS's product, tribulus terrestris is also included. Tribulus is proven to increase testosterone levels. The combination of tribulus and NO may prove incredibly effective.

rockstarz said:

(Reserved)

Click to expand...

Moderator

Can you talk about NO2 here? Thanks.

Done.....

just wanna ask...all these info you got from which sites/forum one????

www,bodybuilding.com

Read the following link as well. It's pretty basic but informative overall.

Sports Supplements Guide For Beginners

modious said:

Read the following link as well. It's pretty basic but informative overall.

Sports Supplements Guide For Beginners

Click to expand...

Nice read! thks for the link

...

rockstarz said:

1. What is it and where does it come from?

Nitric Oxide is a free form gas that is produced in the body and is used by the body to communicate with other cells in the body. To produce this gas, enzymes in the body break down the amino acid Arginine.

Nitric Oxide is a molecule consisting of one atom of nitrogen and one atom of oxygen. The production of Nitric Oxide occurs when the amino acid L-arginine is converted into L-citruline through an enzyme group known as Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS). The chemical process of conversion is shown in figure 1.


2. What does it do and what scientific studies give evidence to support this?

Despite the claims of some in the supplement industry, there exists ample scientific literature to substantiate the efficacy of Nitric Oxide products. The following was written in May 1996 in a document prepared for the Royal Society and Association of British Science Writers: Summary research papers continue to flood the scientific journals and insights into the biological activity and potential clinical uses of nitric oxide (NO): a gas controlling a seemingly limitless range of functions in the body. Each revelation adds to nitric oxide's already lengthy resume in controlling the circulation of the blood, regulating activities of the brain, lungs, liver, kidneys, stomach and other organs."

Since the above was written in 1996, Nitric Oxide containing products have continued to be touted by those in the medical profession, as well as by athletes looking to add muscle to their frames.

The above quotation states that Nitric Oxide controls the circulation of blood, transmits messages between nerve cells, and is a mediator of inflammation and is associated with the process of feeling pain. The popular erectile dysfunction drug sildenafil citrate (Viagra) contains nitric oxide and is responsible for maintaining healthy blood flow to the penis.

The fact that nitric oxide increases blood flow should make it of interest to bodybuilders, as increased blood flow will serve to deliver more nutrients to muscles, thus helping muscles become larger when subject to stress. The fact that Nitric Oxide acts to reduce inflammation should also make it of interest to bodybuilders as it has the potential to reduce the pain associated with subjecting muscles to extreme stress.

Nitric oxide also affects the endocrine system. It affects the release of gonadotroptin releasing hormone, as well as the release of adrenaline from the adrenal medulla.


3. Who needs it and what are some symptoms of deficiency?

Everyone REQUIRES nitric oxide to carry out key physiological processes within the body. From a bodybuilder's perspective, nitric oxide supplementation may prove useful in increasing growth due to increases in blood flow to certain areas of the body.
Signs of deficiency include the inability to achieve and sustain normal erections, physical weakness and extreme fatigue. Most "nitric oxide" supplements contain the amino acid Arginine-alpha-keto-glutarate.


4. How much should be taken? Are there any side effects?

With any amino acid containing product, overdose is a possibility. Dosing with too much arginine can lead to diarrhea, weakness and nausea. Clear dosing guidelines have not been established, so it is best to do what is known as "tolerance mapping". Take a small dosage for one week, note the benefits and the side effects, and increase the dosage until the benefits are maximized and the side effects minimized. Over time the two will converge and you will hit the optimal dose. This process is similar to "receptor mapping" for bodybuilders who use insulin.
Many protein powders are fortified with amino acids, including arginine. With this in mind, pay particular attention to how much arginine you are ingesting from all supplements taken.


5. Where can I get it?

At the time of this writing, Pinnacle Brands makes NOx2. This product is very similar to the NO2 product made by MRI. IDS also make a similar product, NP2. With IDS's product, tribulus terrestris is also included. Tribulus is proven to increase testosterone levels. The combination of tribulus and NO may prove incredibly effective.

Click to expand...

nice info man ,, thx !

Could i ask a noob question? How soon should one take in protein after workout? Anyway is a 200ml of milk be enough?

I have read somewhere in the magazine that while working out it is not recommended to drink water as it will dilute your body nutrient. So straight after a work-out and drink milk is alright? Cos i have been doing that until one fine i suddenly got gastro problem.