Convinced that supplements don't work for you? Check out this guide on how and when to take 3 top supplements. We think we can change your mind - big time!
Here at M&F we love supplements. To us, few things are more exciting than finding a new compound that offers even slight gains in muscle growth or strength or aids in fat loss. After all, bodybuilding is a matter of small progressions measured in pounds and quarter-inches, so every step that gets you closer to your goals is a good one. But maybe you’re one of the supplement haters out there. If you tried creatine and it got you nowhere, or if all that nitric oxide booster did for you was boost some cash from your wallet, don’t automatically blame the product. You can’t just take supplements willy-nilly. It’s critical to know how to take them – how much, what kind, with what and when. So before you give up on all the bodybuilding benefits a solid supplement plan can afford you, follow our tips for success with these three popular supplements. We guarantee you’ll see results.
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Supplement #1: Protein Powder
If there’s only one supplement in your cabinet, hopefully it’s a jug of protein powder. But if it lasts more than a few weeks, there’s something you need to know: Obtaining the mass-building benefits protein powders offer is much more complicated than just downing a protein shake now and then.Timing: Absolutely the most critical time to consume a protein shake is immediately postworkout. Research shows this is when you can increase protein synthesis (the building of muscle protein) the most by consuming a quick-digesting protein shake. The next most important time is immediately before workouts – having a shake before and after training is even more beneficial for stimulating muscle growth, studies indicate. In fact, hitting these two windows is more important than your total daily intake of protein. The third best time for a protein shake: first thing in the morning. After fasting for a number of hours overnight, you want to stop your body from breaking down muscle protein to use as fuel. Consuming fast-digesting protein in the form of a protein shake stops the catabolism and restores the muscle protein lost during the night.
Type: Get in a mix of whey and casein proteins pre- and postworkout. New research from Baylor University (Waco, Texas) shows that this protein combo outperforms plain whey (even with added BCAAs and glutamine) after training. For your morning shake, go with the fastest-digesting protein you can get – whey hydrolysate – to halt muscle breakdown.
Amount: Before workouts you need about 20 grams; postworkout and first thing in the morning you need 40 grams to stop muscle breakdown and kick-start muscle growth.
Almost every bodybuilder on the planet has tried creatine at some point. Most have seen good, if not incredible, results. So if you’re one of the few who saw poor or no results from it, you may be wondering what’s wrong with you. Probably nothing, if you’re among the small percentage of the population who don’t respond to creatine because you already have high levels of it in your muscles. If you’re like the rest of us but still aren’t seeing any effects from creatine, here are a few things you can do to guarantee results.Timing: Postworkout, when the muscles are primed to take up nutrients, is the most critical time to take creatine. Ingesting 3-5 grams of creatine after training is the smartest way to get it into your muscles. Also consider taking a 3-5-gram dose with your preworkout protein shake to ensure that your muscles are saturated with creatine during the workout, enabling them to better produce the rapid energy they need when lifting weights. This also makes muscles stronger by pulling more water into their cells, giving them a biomechanical advantage and helping you lift more weight or squeeze out an extra rep or two. A recent study from Victoria University (Melbourne, Australia) reported that subjects who took a supplement containing creatine, glucose and whey protein immediately before and after workouts gained significantly more muscle mass and strength than those who took the same supplement in the morning and before bed. On days you don’t work out, take a dose of creatine with any meal.
Sidekicks: Knowing what to take with your creatine will maximize its uptake into the muscle cells. Creatine requires insulin to get to the muscles, and the best way to boost insulin levels is to consume a 3-5-gram dose of creatine along with 60-100 grams of fast-digesting carbs and a 40-gram whey protein shake after workouts. It’s a smart idea to take supplements that boost insulin secretion and either enhance or mimic insulin’s actions at the muscle cell to improve creatine uptake. These supplements include alpha lipoic acid (ALA), 4-hydroxyisoleucine, gymnema sylvestre and Cinnulin-PF.
ALA is an antioxidant that enhances insulin’s actions at the muscle cell, and a study from the University of Saskatchewan (Canada) found that test subjects who took ALA with creatine and sucrose (table sugar) increased muscle creatine levels significantly more than those who took just creatine and sucrose, or creatine alone. The amino acid 4-hydroxyisoleucine is extracted from the herb fenugreek; it has been proven in numerous studies to increase insulin release by the pancreas. Gymnema sylvestre is an herb native to India that increases insulin release, as well. Cinnulin-PF is a trademarked water-soluble cinnamon extract and, unlike the other three supplements, the active ingredient – hydroxychalcone – mimics the effects of insulin at the muscle cells. Because high insulin levels during your workout decrease the amount of fat you burn, taking this insulin mimicker preworkout will give you similar benefits to insulin without the negative effect on fat-burning.
Before training, consider taking 100-250 mg of Cinnulin-PF along with your creatine. Postworkout, when you want insulin levels to be high, take 300-500 mg of ALA along with your creatine, protein and carbs. If you’re dieting and don’t want the added calories from 60-100 grams of carbs, ingest your creatine with a protein shake and 250-500 mg of gymnema sylvestre or 300-600 mg of 4-hydroxyisoleucine, both of which boost insulin in the absence of carbs.
Form: Most guys do fine with creatine monohydrate – just be sure to use a micronized product, meaning it has been processed down into the smallest particles possible. That’s important because large creatine particles can sit in your intestines and draw water into them, and the result is serious gastrointestinal problems such as cramps and diarrhea. If you find that micronized creatine monohydrate still upsets your stomach or just doesn’t net the results you expected, consider other forms of creatine such as creatine gluconate, creatine alpha-ketoglutarate or creatine ethyl ester.
Creatine gluconate is simply creatine bonded to glucose, which helps creatine to be better absorbed by the intestines and taken up more easily by muscle cells due to its effect on insulin. Creatine alpha-ketoglutarate is creatine bonded to alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG). Since AKG is readily absorbed by the intestines and taken up by muscle cells, you won’t have stomach issues or need to rely on insulin to get creatine into your muscle cells. This holds true for creatine ethyl ester, which is creatine bonded to an alcohol and an acid. This ester group enhances creatine’s ability to pass across cell membranes, such as in the intestine and muscle cells. Try one of these forms of creatine and take a similar dose pre- and postworkout.
If you’ve ever picked up a weight before, there’s a good chance you’ve also picked up a nitric oxide (NO) booster. Arginine is the main ingredient in any NO booster worth its price because it’s readily converted to NO. Most people experience good results with NO boosters; if you haven’t, there might be a problem with the way you’re using them.Timing: Again, as with most supplements, timing is everything with arginine. The most critical time to get a dose is about 45-60 minutes before workouts to maximize your NO levels, which in turn dilates your blood vessels to deliver more oxygen, critical nutrients (such as glucose and amino acids) and anabolic hormones to your muscles. This increase in blood flow also creates a greater pump during your workout. Arginine taken at this time boosts growth hormone (GH) levels during and after the workout, as well. Consider taking one dose in the morning and one before bed to keep your NO levels high throughout the day, regulate muscle growth and spike GH levels while you sleep.
On Empty: When did you eat last? Since arginine is absorbed much better when taken on an empty stomach, try to take it no sooner than an hour after your last meal and close to an hour before you eat something. This timing can get tricky before workouts, since you want to ingest a protein shake immediately before training. Therefore, take your arginine product about 45-60 minutes before downing the protein shake, then do your workout immediately afterward.
Form: The simplest form of arginine is L-arginine. Research shows this form is effective, yet some scientists suggest it can be poorly absorbed by the body. If you find you’re getting poor results from L-arginine, try one of this amino’s other forms, such as arginine alpha-ketoglutarate or arginine ethyl ester; these forms are believed to be better absorbed by the intestines. A study from Baylor University (Waco, Texas) found that test subjects who took an arginine alpha-ketoglutarate supplement gained significantly more strength in the bench press than those who took a placebo.
Amount: Most guys should do well with 3-5 grams of arginine at each dosing time. A 1982 study published in the Copenhagen journal Acta Endocronologica, however, reported that subjects who took about 115 mg of arginine per pound of bodyweight, which equates to about 20 grams per day for a 180-pounder, improved their nighttime GH peak by an average of 60%. If you take arginine three times a day, you may need to boost each dose of arginine to 7 grams or more to get a decent increase in your GH levels.
Sidekicks: For the body to convert arginine to NO, it must rely on the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS) to catalyze the conversion. If this enzyme’s activity isn’t maximized, then upping the amount of arginine you take may not be enough to boost NO production in your body. Increase NOS activity by taking arginine along with supplements that improve NOS activity, such as 50-100 mg of pycnogenol or 100-200 mg of standardized American ginseng.
Use these tips when it comes to taking protein, creatine and arginine supplements for guaranteed results.SupplementTacticsProtein Powders Take 40 g whey hydrolysate first thing in the morning Take 20 g whey plus casein before workouts Take 40 g whey plus casein after workoutsCreatineTake 3-5 g creatine with a protein shake and 100-250 mg Cinnulin-PF before workouts Take 3-5 g creatine with a protein shake containing 60-100 g fast-digesting carbs and 300-500 mg ALA immediately after workouts-or- Take 3-5 g creatine with a protein shake and 250-500 mg gymnema sylvestre or 300-600 mg 4-hydroxyisoleucine immediately after workoutsArginineTake 3-7 g arginine along with 50-100 mg pycnogenol or 100-200 mg American ginseng on an empty stomach in the morning, 45-60 minutes before workouts and before bed
Here at M&F we love supplements. To us, few things are more exciting than finding a new compound that offers even slight gains in muscle growth or strength or aids in fat loss. After all, bodybuilding is a matter of small progressions measured in pounds and quarter-inches, so every step that gets you closer to your goals is a good one. But maybe you’re one of the supplement haters out there. If you tried creatine and it got you nowhere, or if all that nitric oxide booster did for you was boost some cash from your wallet, don’t automatically blame the product. You can’t just take supplements willy-nilly. It’s critical to know how to take them – how much, what kind, with what and when. So before you give up on all the bodybuilding benefits a solid supplement plan can afford you, follow our tips for success with these three popular supplements. We guarantee you’ll see results.
Supplement #1: Protein Powder
If there’s only one supplement in your cabinet, hopefully it’s a jug of protein powder. But if it lasts more than a few weeks, there’s something you need to know: Obtaining the mass-building benefits protein powders offer is much more complicated than just downing a protein shake now and then.
Timing: Absolutely the most critical time to consume a protein shake is immediately postworkout. Research shows this is when you can increase protein synthesis (the building of muscle protein) the most by consuming a quick-digesting protein shake. The next most important time is immediately before workouts – having a shake before and after training is even more beneficial for stimulating muscle growth, studies indicate. In fact, hitting these two windows is more important than your total daily intake of protein. The third best time for a protein shake: first thing in the morning. After fasting for a number of hours overnight, you want to stop your body from breaking down muscle protein to use as fuel. Consuming fast-digesting protein in the form of a protein shake stops the catabolism and restores the muscle protein lost during the night.
Type: Get in a mix of whey and casein proteins pre- and postworkout. New research from Baylor University (Waco, Texas) shows that this protein combo outperforms plain whey (even with added BCAAs and glutamine) after training. For your morning shake, go with the fastest-digesting protein you can get – whey hydrolysate – to halt muscle breakdown.
Amount: Before workouts you need about 20 grams; postworkout and first thing in the morning you need 40 grams to stop muscle breakdown and kick-start muscle growth.
Almost every bodybuilder on the planet has tried creatine at some point. Most have seen good, if not incredible, results. So if you’re one of the few who saw poor or no results from it, you may be wondering what’s wrong with you. Probably nothing, if you’re among the small percentage of the population who don’t respond to creatine because you already have high levels of it in your muscles. If you’re like the rest of us but still aren’t seeing any effects from creatine, here are a few things you can do to guarantee results.
Timing: Postworkout, when the muscles are primed to take up nutrients, is the most critical time to take creatine. Ingesting 3-5 grams of creatine after training is the smartest way to get it into your muscles. Also consider taking a 3-5-gram dose with your preworkout protein shake to ensure that your muscles are saturated with creatine during the workout, enabling them to better produce the rapid energy they need when lifting weights. This also makes muscles stronger by pulling more water into their cells, giving them a biomechanical advantage and helping you lift more weight or squeeze out an extra rep or two. A recent study from Victoria University (Melbourne, Australia) reported that subjects who took a supplement containing creatine, glucose and whey protein immediately before and after workouts gained significantly more muscle mass and strength than those who took the same supplement in the morning and before bed. On days you don’t work out, take a dose of creatine with any meal.
Sidekicks: Knowing what to take with your creatine will maximize its uptake into the muscle cells. Creatine requires insulin to get to the muscles, and the best way to boost insulin levels is to consume a 3-5-gram dose of creatine along with 60-100 grams of fast-digesting carbs and a 40-gram whey protein shake after workouts. It’s a smart idea to take supplements that boost insulin secretion and either enhance or mimic insulin’s actions at the muscle cell to improve creatine uptake. These supplements include alpha lipoic acid (ALA), 4-hydroxyisoleucine, gymnema sylvestre and Cinnulin-PF.
ALA is an antioxidant that enhances insulin’s actions at the muscle cell, and a study from the University of Saskatchewan (Canada) found that test subjects who took ALA with creatine and sucrose (table sugar) increased muscle creatine levels significantly more than those who took just creatine and sucrose, or creatine alone. The amino acid 4-hydroxyisoleucine is extracted from the herb fenugreek; it has been proven in numerous studies to increase insulin release by the pancreas. Gymnema sylvestre is an herb native to India that increases insulin release, as well. Cinnulin-PF is a trademarked water-soluble cinnamon extract and, unlike the other three supplements, the active ingredient – hydroxychalcone – mimics the effects of insulin at the muscle cells. Because high insulin levels during your workout decrease the amount of fat you burn, taking this insulin mimicker preworkout will give you similar benefits to insulin without the negative effect on fat-burning.
Before training, consider taking 100-250 mg of Cinnulin-PF along with your creatine. Postworkout, when you want insulin levels to be high, take 300-500 mg of ALA along with your creatine, protein and carbs. If you’re dieting and don’t want the added calories from 60-100 grams of carbs, ingest your creatine with a protein shake and 250-500 mg of gymnema sylvestre or 300-600 mg of 4-hydroxyisoleucine, both of which boost insulin in the absence of carbs.
Form: Most guys do fine with creatine monohydrate – just be sure to use a micronized product, meaning it has been processed down into the smallest particles possible. That’s important because large creatine particles can sit in your intestines and draw water into them, and the result is serious gastrointestinal problems such as cramps and diarrhea. If you find that micronized creatine monohydrate still upsets your stomach or just doesn’t net the results you expected, consider other forms of creatine such as creatine gluconate, creatine alpha-ketoglutarate or creatine ethyl ester.
Creatine gluconate is simply creatine bonded to glucose, which helps creatine to be better absorbed by the intestines and taken up more easily by muscle cells due to its effect on insulin. Creatine alpha-ketoglutarate is creatine bonded to alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG). Since AKG is readily absorbed by the intestines and taken up by muscle cells, you won’t have stomach issues or need to rely on insulin to get creatine into your muscle cells. This holds true for creatine ethyl ester, which is creatine bonded to an alcohol and an acid. This ester group enhances creatine’s ability to pass across cell membranes, such as in the intestine and muscle cells. Try one of these forms of creatine and take a similar dose pre- and postworkout.
If you’ve ever picked up a weight before, there’s a good chance you’ve also picked up a nitric oxide (NO) booster. Arginine is the main ingredient in any NO booster worth its price because it’s readily converted to NO. Most people experience good results with NO boosters; if you haven’t, there might be a problem with the way you’re using them.
Timing: Again, as with most supplements, timing is everything with arginine. The most critical time to get a dose is about 45-60 minutes before workouts to maximize your NO levels, which in turn dilates your blood vessels to deliver more oxygen, critical nutrients (such as glucose and amino acids) and anabolic hormones to your muscles. This increase in blood flow also creates a greater pump during your workout. Arginine taken at this time boosts growth hormone (GH) levels during and after the workout, as well. Consider taking one dose in the morning and one before bed to keep your NO levels high throughout the day, regulate muscle growth and spike GH levels while you sleep.
On Empty: When did you eat last? Since arginine is absorbed much better when taken on an empty stomach, try to take it no sooner than an hour after your last meal and close to an hour before you eat something. This timing can get tricky before workouts, since you want to ingest a protein shake immediately before training. Therefore, take your arginine product about 45-60 minutes before downing the protein shake, then do your workout immediately afterward.
Form: The simplest form of arginine is L-arginine. Research shows this form is effective, yet some scientists suggest it can be poorly absorbed by the body. If you find you’re getting poor results from L-arginine, try one of this amino’s other forms, such as arginine alpha-ketoglutarate or arginine ethyl ester; these forms are believed to be better absorbed by the intestines. A study from Baylor University (Waco, Texas) found that test subjects who took an arginine alpha-ketoglutarate supplement gained significantly more strength in the bench press than those who took a placebo.
Amount: Most guys should do well with 3-5 grams of arginine at each dosing time. A 1982 study published in the Copenhagen journal Acta Endocronologica, however, reported that subjects who took about 115 mg of arginine per pound of bodyweight, which equates to about 20 grams per day for a 180-pounder, improved their nighttime GH peak by an average of 60%. If you take arginine three times a day, you may need to boost each dose of arginine to 7 grams or more to get a decent increase in your GH levels.
Sidekicks: For the body to convert arginine to NO, it must rely on the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS) to catalyze the conversion. If this enzyme’s activity isn’t maximized, then upping the amount of arginine you take may not be enough to boost NO production in your body. Increase NOS activity by taking arginine along with supplements that improve NOS activity, such as 50-100 mg of pycnogenol or 100-200 mg of standardized American ginseng.
Use these tips when it comes to taking protein, creatine and arginine supplements for guaranteed results.
Supplement
Tactics
Protein Powders
Take 40 g whey hydrolysate first thing in the morning
Take 20 g whey plus casein before workouts
Take 40 g whey plus casein after workouts
Creatine
Take 3-5 g creatine with a protein shake and 100-250 mg Cinnulin-PF before workouts
Take 3-5 g creatine with a protein shake containing 60-100 g fast-digesting carbs and 300-500 mg ALA immediately after workouts
-or-
Take 3-5 g creatine with a protein shake and 250-500 mg gymnema sylvestre or 300-600 mg 4-hydroxyisoleucine immediately after workouts
Arginine
Take 3-7 g arginine along with 50-100 mg pycnogenol or 100-200 mg American ginseng on an empty stomach in the morning, 45-60 minutes before workouts and before bed
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