T Nation

A Couple of Basic Supplement Questions

Supplements and Nutrition
#1

I don’t take too many supplements. Mainly because I can’t afford them. I usually have a rice protein powder (I’m vegan), a multi-vitamin and if i’m feeling extravagant - creatine. So my first question is - is it worth it for me to dish out some extra cash for anything else, such as beta alanine, BCAA’s or Glutamine? The reason I ask is because a good friend of mine (a supplement junkie) tells me my post-workout shake of protein powder and gatorade is a waste. He says I need to mix the gatorade with BCAA’s, Creatine and Glutamine because they digest faster.

My second question is do any of those t-boosters actually work.? If so which ones offer the best results?

thanks

#2

As a vegan, glutamine may be of interest. I know it isn’t really needed that much as a supplement since it is very high in meat, but since that’s out of your diet, you may benefit from having some for immune health and possibly your gym goals (Plus it should be dirt cheap)

Your workout shake isn’t a waste, but adding those three would make it better. Keep in mind costs though (Also, is your rice protein a complete protein? You may want to look into that)

I haven’t had any person experience with T-boosters, so I cannot say for your last question. I have heard Alpha Male is a good one, but if money is a concern, stick to creatine, protein, and food.

#3

Thanks for the reply. Yes, the vegan protein I take is complete. It’s actually a mix of rice, pea and hemp protein. I’m just curious what’s the added benefit of supplementing BCAA’s and Glutamine if you’re getting good amounts from your daily protein intake?

I’m thinking of buying some glutamine. So basically I should add it to my gatorade/protein mix?! Should glutamine be taken at other times as well?

thanks

#4

BCAA’s, or just L-Leucine, are useful for the signalling process to build muscle. If you go to the T-store and go to the product L-leucine, there is a good summary there.

Regarding glutamine, the reason I mentioned it is because of a few factors in play with you:

  1. Glutamine is the most prominent Amino Acid in skeletal tissue (the reason everyone circle-jerked over it as a supplement in the first place; that plus it increased muscle regeneration…in burn victims.)

  2. It is very abundant in a regular diet and also whey protein, so there is no real reason for extra glutamine. You, however, do not have a normal diet (Glutamine is pretty much highly correlated with meat, since it’s so prominent in muscle tissue), and you are not consuming whey protein either.

  3. The sub-optimal amount of glutamine you are getting now is probably being ravenously eaten up by your intestinal cells for fuel.

Adding it to your gatorade/protein mix would be optimal; I see no downside to taking it at other times as well, although not needed at all (If you take some with breakfast for example, you intestional cells will be happy, but I doubt there will be any difference aside from that)

Hope that helps.

#5

[quote]Bingbeast wrote:
I don’t take too many supplements. Mainly because I can’t afford them. I usually have a rice protein powder (i’m vegan), a multi-vitamin and if i’m feeling extravagant - creatine. So my first question is - is it worth it for me to dish out some extra cash for anything else, such as beta alanine, BCAA’s or Glutamine?

The reason I ask is because a good friend of mine (a supplement junkie) tells me my post-workout shake of protein powder and gatorade is a waste. He says I need to mix the gatorade with BCAA’s, Creatine and Glutamine because they digest faster.

My second question is do any of those t-boosters actually work.? If so which ones offer the best results?

thanks[/quote]

your friend, the supplement junkie, must be taking one to many as how could protein, a quick carb, and creatine be a waste? a long with smart whole food eating you doing the einstein.

i’ve not heard much regarding the benefits of glutamine (aside from the various anecdotal). the studies look good on BA but IME it’s not really something that has seemed to be helpful. it’s cheap, however, so you consider it?

as to the BCAA’s, it’s advised to use these periworkout rather than as part of a PWO shake. i’ve followed Poliquin’s 0.2g/LB formula and thought it was awesome, but i am sure you’d find it extravagantly expensive.

lastly, none of the T-booster actually T-boost (got to pubmed on your own and at best you’ll find increased humping with tested rats). for a man on a budget, i’d stay on course. you have a good plan.

#6

thanks a lot for these responses. I’ve decided to buy some glutamine to add to my post-workout shake.

#7

Sorry… just one more question.

I have always mixed powdered gatorade with my protein for postworkout (tasted a little odd at first but am used to it now). Is there a better fast carb choice to mix with protein?

thanks

#8

I’ve been taking Beta Alanine for a month now and I really think it works. I’ve had a lot of energy to continue lifting past an hour. I don’t really think it made me stronger though.

#9

For the person who wants both effect and is concerned about price, not really.

#10

[quote]thruxton45 wrote:
lastly, none of the T-booster actually T-boost (got to pubmed on your own and at best you’ll find increased humping with tested rats). for a man on a budget, i’d stay on course. you have a good plan.[/quote]

Having taken TRIBEX and consistently seen roughly a 200 ng/dl in T when tested after 2 weeks, I have to say that this statement is dead wrong.

It may not work in rats, but then again I don’t care if it does.

#11

thanks for the responses.

What do you guys use for your pwo carb?

#12

Same as you, Gatorade powder.

If I buy Surge Recovery, that’s my carb source; sometimes I skip the carbs in my shake and grab a sugared energy drink as pre-WO carbs.