Supplements that support very high workloads ? Also, is Leucine worth the $

Nutrition Discussions Supplements
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Hello CF.com !

It’s been a rough couple of months … 2 football teams, track, and weights really sliced my body mentally and physically.
I feel like there’s a need to stop for a second, and see how I manage my therapy and nutrition.

So I started flowing more $ into therapy, and that I hope will fix most of my issues that deloading and programming cannot fix, but my nutrition has been lacking as well.
So in addition to a more organized trip to the grocery store with my “updated” list :), i thought I’d buy a new supply of supplements, after I stopped taking any the past year.

I am probably going to get Creatine again, at 5g per day, some Beta Alanine, Some C-1000, some Whey, ZMA, and fish oils.

I was wondering if any of you hard working athletes experimented with any supplements that help increase workload tolerance, meaning directly boost clarity,mood,energy and immune response in times of very high load.
I know the names in theory, but it’s rare to find something that actually works on the track, which is why I am trying here !

One name that comes to mind is Rhodiola Rosea, but I haven’t met anyone who actually used it… And I don’t have time or money to play lab rat any more :slight_smile:

Oh I almost forgot, is L-Leucine sprinkled on food really a miracle for protein synthesis ? Research looks very very promising, they compare it to IGF.

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Creatine and Beta Alanine are good products, I did loads of research into supplements recently to see what could be optimized in my plan. I found that Beta Alanine is actually best taken regularly (4g-6g) daily, as it’s like Creatine in that it’s long term effects are much more beneficial than the short term. So it’s more important that you consume it every day, even if it’s not right before your workout. 5g daily dose for Creatine is spot on, that’s what I use too, I never bother with the loading phase, after a few weeks your Creatine levels will reach the same level anyway and it saves loads of powder!

ZMA is great stuff too, really seems to help me with quality of sleep which leads to faster recovery so you can’t go wrong with that either.

Whey protein is pretty standard stuff, not a substitute for a good diet but it’s a much cheaper and easier way to boost protein intake than eating tonnes of extra meat! I’ve recently started eating a lot of prawns, not the cheapest protein source out there but they have a very high protein content and almost no fat at all.

If you’re into your supps then Citrulline Malate is a good one too, I guess you could call it a fatigue reducer. It’s primary use would be gym sessions, as although it won’t enable you to lift heavier, it should allow you to get a few extra reps in, or maybe even an extra set.

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And if you supplement regularly with Beta Alanine then Taurine can be a good one to add in, as they seem to work together, and by taking both it raises the limit of how much benefit you get from them individually.

I normally add a couple of scoops of BCAAs to my protein shake post training to aid protein synthesis, Leucine, Osoleucine and Valine are all in that anyway. I also read that Vitamin B6 can boost the effectiveness of BCAAs.

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Nice, I will def try that Taurine as well, quite cheap !
Citrulline sounds good on paper, but I’m afraid it’s a bit too much cash for long term use… So i’ll keep it out for now.

Are you using C,E and the likes ?
Any herbs ?

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Multi vit and vit c
Fish oil
Milk protein
Zma
Bcaa boost (L-Leucine, L-Valine, L-Isoleucine 2:1:1), Acetyl L-Carnitine, L-Tyrosine, L-Taurine, Betaine HCL, Caffeine Anhydrous, Green Tea Extract)
OR
Bcaa plus (L-Leucine, L-Glutamine, L-Isoleucine, L-Valine, Citrulline Malate)

Don’t really care for creatine. Bcaa’s only if you have the budget, they are cheap but aren’t a must.

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Epsom salt baths for magnesium

B vitamin complex. I actually got mine from a horse place, fantastic quality. Also includes chelated iron,
copper, zinc, manganese. They use for horses in hard hard training and stress. Naturally I lower the dose. It really is is producing a noticeable effect.

Also take, calcium, liquid colloidal minerals, zma and iodine.

Irregularly I take tyrosine, co q 10.

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I have so much to learn.

I regularly take magnesium at night, I should take it in the morning as well.

I know that this question is a slight hijack, but I think it is suitable.

What supplements are worth looking at for someone who has a fairly stressful life from work, coaching, and training. Basically I work fulltime, in a reasonably stressful desk job, studying 2 courses, coach, and train as hard as I can 2 or 3 times a week. I struggle to get great sleep.

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Top of the supplement list in that situation should be ZMA then I’d have thought? Although it won’t directly make training easier, if you sleep better, you may then be better able to deal with what your day throws at you.

And also physically more ready for your sessions, also if you’re less tired you will be able to concentrate on your courses more too!

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RB - Since L-Leucine is really the “Active” compound in BCAA, would you consider buying that alone in powder ? (for higher doses per day)
Bold - whats your B doses ?

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It’s been a rough couple of months … 2 football teams, track, and weights really sliced my body mentally and physically.

It’s good to hear from you Silencer. Thanks for coming back.
My first comment is about your need to engage so intensely both physically and mentally. This fact tells us something about you and your brain chemistry. Likely you need this type of intense work to stay content yet you are noticing the longer term toll.

I feel like there’s a need to stop for a second, and see how I manage my therapy and nutrition.

What I have learned about gut instincts is exactly as you are mentioning. Typicially or the majority of times we get hurt it’s because we were not listening ( or able to listen) to our bodies.

So I started flowing more $ into therapy, and that I hope will fix most of my issues that deloading and programming cannot fix, but my nutrition has been lacking as well.

Silencer, I have a personal rule. Before I spend my hard earned money I ask myself if I am doing everything in my power to take advantage of what I already have. The history of this personal habit goes back to 1991 when I began training seriously. There was no money, no group , no sponsor. This lesson taught me how best to prioritize when money was spent. It was and has continued to be a valuable lesson. My question to you is do you feel you are doing all things in your power that do not require money do effect change on the track?

So in addition to a more organized trip to the grocery store with my “updated” list :), i thought I’d buy a new supply of supplements, after I stopped taking any the past year.

I am a believer in supplementation. What I have recently learned is the importance of a proper guided detox as a possible first step. Cutting out inflammatory foods, combined with detoxifying supplements and gradually adding back foods over time is a valuable lesson each person can do to understand their unique chemistry. This insight will help guide you to which supplements supercharge you to be your best.

I am probably going to get Creatine again, at 5g per day, some Beta Alanine, Some C-1000, some Whey, ZMA, and fish oils.

What I know for sure is few of us are getting the needed daily fiber, good fats , enough water or protein in our diets. Refined flour and sugar products dominate our supermarkets.

I was wondering if any of you hard working athletes experimented with any supplements that help increase workload tolerance, meaning directly boost clarity,mood,energy and immune response in times of very high load.
Everyone seeks the magic solution and marketers claim to have the secret for what you are curious about. Probably the best overall solution and understanding I have had thus far has come recently from reading “ The Supercharged Hormone Diet” by Dr. Natasha Turner. While I have found her methods are very restrictive short and long term she promotes a safe detox, supplementation based on personal specifics which you deduce through a questions and guidelines with explanations for all of your “ why is this happening”.

I know the names in theory, but it’s rare to find something that actually works on the track, which is why I am trying here !
What you are trying to ultimately do is balance yourself through your knowledge of nutrition. Supplementation will only be as good as your ability to react to it. If you are looking for a quick fix I would highly recommend veggie juicing at least once a day. Include ginger, celery, carrots, lemon, apple, kale, ( you can add beats, beat greens, spinach instead or as well as Kale). If ever there was something magic out there I found this to be very close. ( this is independent of any other major change. When I routinely did veggie juicing I was eating wheat, okay protein but not really regulating anything the way I have on this Supercharged routine.

One name that comes to mind is Rhodiola Rosea, but I haven’t met anyone who actually used it… And I don’t have time or money to play lab rat any more :slight_smile:

Oh I almost forgot, is L-Leucine sprinkled on food really a miracle for protein synthesis ? Research looks very very promising, they compare it to IGF.[/QUOTE]

Silencer, 20 plus years ago I started a diary logging all my food, supplements and habits. I had some pretty good advice as well. Your comments remind me of that point in time. Try to think of each item you are mentioning as a puzzle piece but I think you might need to back up a tiny bit , think of some of the things I have said and begin re prioritizing where you are going to spend you time. I find most people NEVER drink enough water for example. Yet its free and plentiful for most of us and unless you monitor what you are taking in generally you are not getting the job done of proper hydration. The removal of waste products is a very important aspect independent of any supplement.

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Hey Angela !! Great to hear from you !

Thanks very much for the post… I guess that pressure makes me seek those wonder solutioms all the time. My team relies on me to make plays, and I owe the track club’s coach fast times for all his support over the years… I just need to be perfect and I cant say that I am.

Well, if I am perfectly honest with you, I CAN foam roll much more often and before workouts, and save some $ on basic tissue quality work. Real massage feels much more specific though but I guess you get what you pay for !

Roger that on the Fiber and fats :slight_smile: Im glad to say its been looking good the past week !

So, if I am truly being honest and prioritizing, I cam ditch beta alanine, Creatine and all those. What they offer isnt what I really need anyway. I will deal with anti inflammation and oxidation first… Will probably make the most difference anyway.

Kelly Baggett said similar things to me on email, a true no bullshit guy :slight_smile:

What are you currently taking as supplements?

BTW, I believe you met a dear friend of mine at the track last week… Sandra. She’s one of us :slight_smile:

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Bcaa and ltyrosine fight for absorption. Never take those at the same time

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Beta and taurine fight for absorption alson.

http://examine.com/supplements/Beta-Alanine/

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Works great for us… Don’t believe every research you read - gotta get in the trenches and find out the truth…

15

Same here.

and great post from Angela.

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The article I read said specifically that Taurine was suggested as a stack to be used with BA, weird!

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How Should I Combine It?
I recommend consuming taurine when supplementing with beta-alanine. Not only is taurine an underutilized super-nutrient, it’s also incredibly important for neuromuscular, cognitive and lung function, blood glucose utilization, and as an antioxidant. Since beta-alanine and taurine compete for uptake and the concentration of one affects the other, consuming one of them consistently while dosing the other is just common sense.

If common sense isn’t enough for you, then let’s get specific. Over the long term, there is a possibility that high-dose beta-alanine use in the absence of dietary taurine may lead to health and performance complications. Data in mice seem to indicate that pushing either supplement in the absence of the other can lead to neurological and neuromuscular decreases in performance tests. With beta-alanine, the result was an angiogenic (stress-inducing) response as serotonin production was compromised.

Other research in rats seems to indicate that significant taurine deficiency, in response to chronic, high-dose beta-alanine, reduces nitric oxide production and response. However, no long-term studies have been conducted to determine the likelihood of such problems with humans in response to typical beta-alanine dosing.

Aside from taurine, what you choose to stack with beta-alanine will depend most upon your goals. Remember, beta-alanine works best when exercise is of a high-intensity and lasts at least 1-5 minutes. So if your goal is exercise improvement for sessions lasting less than 60 seconds, aim for ingredients that support the ATP-PCr energy system. These include creatine, oral ATP, caffeine, andbetaine.

Source: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/your-expert-guide-to-beta-alanine.html

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could be wrong about the taurine, but the bcaa and tyrosine will fight. ive taken them together and when I do, I don’t get the same burst of energy when mixed like I do when I take ltyrosine alone.

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I believe you. Tyrosine doesn’t work the same on everyone and that is why ppl have got to figure it out for themselves like you and I did.
Some of the athletes I worked with loved it and some felt tired so they hated it.

I myself don’t feel anything when I drink coffee but Rockstar in the Blue can does wonders for me.

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Smash 2-3g of tyrosine with 2g of acetyl l carnitine and you should be wired up and focused. I think after a few weeks you develop a tolerance to the carnitine after awhile so you have to take a break from it.