Subj: Supplements only work if you do. (Plus the best supplements for natural bodybuilders.)
There was a guy who trained at my old gym who constantly raved about supplements.
He bragged about spending $250-300 USD per month on his supplement stack. He was convinced that those supplements were the key to unlock disgusting muscle gains.
He took his supplements religiously. I know because he kept them in a locker. His post workout ritual was swallowing pills and drinking his protein drink, which he did in front of me.
This guy was fit, but nothing to write home about. He was training twice a day. Two-a-days they call it, and he was on this schedule for some time. At that same time, I was training 2 or 3 times a week and I barely ever used supplements. Yet, I had a better physique.
What does that tell you?
Supplements are mostly hype.
Supplements rarely yield any direct benefit.
Training routine and your nutrition are the main factors that determine your progress in the gym. And they are the biggest factors by a lot.
You’re better off spending $300 per month on steak and eggs. You will make more progress that way. In fact, you are better off spending any amount of money on steak and eggs instead of supplements.
Supplements are Only Supplements
Now, supplements can be a way to gain some extra weight or boost your strength a bit. But supplements only work if the following conditions are met:
- You get enough nutrients from food.
- You train in a manner that aligns with your goals.
Once these condition are met, supplements can offer some benefit. Supplements might give you 5% boost. Maybe contribute to 10% of your total progress over a long enough timeline (years).
These benefits will only come if you use the right supplements.
Supplements must be the highest quality and the brand must have uncompromising standards.
Bodybuilding supplements are a “take the money and run” business. For that reason, very few supplements give you any benefit. Even less are worth the money you pay for them.
If you insist on taking supplements, here are four supplements that I recommend depending on your individual need.
Again supplements are not required to make progress. However these products and brands are the best of the best.
Supplements that Actually Work
Liver Tablets
I highly, highly recommend liver tablets. They are the supplement I use and trust the most.
Liver tablets need to be experienced to be believed. Liver tabs are loaded with all kinds of nutrients – vitamins, minerals and lean protein. Liver is loaded with vitamin B12 for energy and a mysterious “anti-fatigue factor” that boost your strength and endurance.
I take 10-15 liver tablets whenever I attempt a personal record lift or have an athletic event. They work. No doubt about it.
Creatine
Creatine is one of the most highly researched supplements out there. Volumes of scientific studies how been conducted and the conclusion is clear – creatine works to increase muscle strength, size and endurance.
Creatine floods your muscle bellies with water and brings in other nutrients to feed the muscle. A broscience way to explain it would be the creatine soups up your muscle fibers the same way adding aftermarket racing parts soups up your car – it give you more horsepower. With creatine you can squeeze out an extra rep or two that you couldn’t before.
The science suggests, overwhelming, that creatine works. But there is one caveat…the gains stop as soon as you stop taking creatine. And you only hold on to a little bit of the size and strength you gained while taking creatine.
My experience with creatine was that I got bigger and stronger. But once I stopped using it you couldn’t really tell how much of the size and strength was attributed to the creatine or the routine I was doing the past 8 weeks.
Bottom Line: Creatine does work while you’re on it, but the results might not stick very well. The best thing to do is to try it and see for yourself.
Whey Protein
Whey protein power can be beneficial. The best use of protein powder is a post-workout shake and/or a bedtime snack.
Protein powder isn’t magic, but if you use it daily you should get some benefit from it over a span of several months/years.
Another scenario where supplements might be beneficial is if you are a hardgainer. Hardgainers have a hard time gaining weight, so the liquid calories can pack an additional calories into your diet.
Cutting fat is another case where protein supplementation is beneficial. If you are cutting and want to increase protein consumption while keeping calories low.
The verdict: If you have the money to spend on them, go for it. You’re probably better off opening an eTrade account and putting 250 a month in there for the next 10 years. But hey, gains are gains.
Honorable mention:
N.O.-Xplode Pre-Workout
N.O.-XPLODE Pre-workout Igniter is the real deal. Or at least it used to be. I used this stuff back in college, and man, did it work. It certainly does give you a burst of energy and it helped me get great workouts.
You should be jacked mentally to get jacked physically. So, if you need a little pre-workout to light a fire under your butt, this is the stuff for the job.
I personally stopped using pre-workout because it made me jittery and restless. As an alternative to pre-workout, you can brew a nice big pot of strong black coffee. Drink a cup or two before your workout and sip it between sets.
What are your favorite supplements? Let me know if the comments.
