 A comprehensive guide to which supplements you should be taking if you weight train, regardless of goals, gender, or age. By Craven Ah yes, supplements. I came home from the gym this evening and thought I'd throw a lil' sumthin-sumthin together about dietary supplements after hearing one kid talk about his "sick supp stack, bro" I couldn't help but chuckle as I thought, "boy, this kid got dooped. The sales guy at the local GNC really made some commission off this dope." In his zealous ambition to "get those gain, bro" the kid walked blindly into the shark pit and probably bought into every word that sales guy threw his way. But it's not the kids fault. The supplement biz' is a multi-million dollar industry that has rapidly expanded over the last decade, preying on naive, uninformed consumers who are willing to pay just about anything to help them achieve their health and fitness goals. Straight up, the industry lacks integrity. Companies claim "scientifically proven" and "the absolute best at building muscle and shedding fat" on almost every product, with no actual scientific data or studies to prove. They'll say anything to get people to buy their products. Trust me. I've been on both ends of the game. Marketing, gimmicks, flashy packaging, big name brands, and big dudes sponsored by big brands promising you'll get big! You can't even search for reliable health and fitness information on websites (which I won't name, but you know them) without constantly being bombarded with ads about the latest "growth potentiator activator now available in this product only!", or my personal favorite, the latest new type of creatine that's been esther-fied 4 times more than the last formula, so its 8 times more potent. I ain't about that. And you shouldn't be either. With all that said, there are a handful of supplement companies striving to provide real products that do what they claim, with their ultimate intention being to help people, not make a profit. Unfortunately these guys get lost in the cesspool of big name marketing, but integrity will ultimately prevail.  What should I take then? I'll keep this short and sweet, just like the type of chicks I dig. If you're looking to make some gains and increase your training performance, whether it's bodybuilding, powerlifting, cross-fit, martial arts, or some whacky combination of all those, you'll benefit most from these handful of supplement that have been PROVEN OVER AND OVER to work. Important Note: I cannot stresss how IMPERATIVE it is to have your nutrition nailed down. Know your goal and eat to achieve that goal. If it's fat loss, you damn well can't lose 10 pounds of fat without knowing what you shove in your face, then expecting the latest Trim-Spa product to suddenly work and make you fit. It ain't that easy, hombre. You should also have a good training program that is goal specific. Again, if you're looking to build muscle mass, it probably won't happen if you focus on biceps curls and and baby bench presses. Up your volume, increase your intensity, and eat for your goals. Its actually that simple. Once you've got the fundamentals nailed down, now you can do some fine tuning and supercharge that V-8. I also recommend a website with great detailed information about EVERY supplement and vitamin EVER at EXAMINE.COM If you're looking into buying a new supplement, do some research of your own on the product and see how it works and if it's really worth your cash.  Protein- technically a supplement, but you should be getting adequate amounts from your food It's often hard to eat 200 grams of protein in a day, so protein shakes thrown in periodicaly (ideally peri-workout) will be beneficial. I highly recommend a quality protein powder, preferable a Whey Isolate (a little more expensive), or a basic Whey Protein. Try and steer clear from the whey concentrates, soy proteins, veggie protein, or anything of that hippie variety. It's not quality and doesn't have the necessary amino acids to promote protein synthesis (process of muscle building). If you want to throw some money away, I'd be more than happy to take it off your hands Creatine- Everyone's heard of it, yet nobody actually know what it does, or what it is for that matter. People often stray away from it as they think it'll "make them retain water" and look "bloated", which is completely stupid. Creatine is a molecule in an energy system that can quickly produce ATP (what your muscles use for energy). Its stored in the skeletal muscle system until it's called up in times of stress (i.e. intense training), allowing the muscles to reach a higher work capacity. Basically, creatine improves the work output of the activated muscles, allowing you to lift longer and harder. This means more gains. It's been proven effective over and over again for the last 30 years. If somethings been around that long, it must work. And don't be fooled by the creatine gimmicks out there, stick with basic CREATINE MONOHYDRATE. It's dirty cheap and available everywhere, so grab a bottle next time you're at HEB and start taking anywhere from 5-20 grams a day of this time-tested gym candy! Beta Alanine- this is a buffering agent that reduces the acidity in muscle cells. Much like creatine, this allows the muscle to have a higher capacity to do work. It's a pretty good bang for your buck. Caffeine- who doesn't love this stuff? A proven potent energy booster that can enable better fat utlization that can lead to an enhanced fat burning effect. Get it from your coffee, tea, or pill form. *Ephedrine- I make this recommendation with a caveat: individuals who are all ready relatively lean and healthy will benefit most from this. Combined with caffeine, it is a pretty decent fat burner, better than anything you'll find at your local supplement store or online store. If you don't know about ephedrine, it was in a lot of over the counter fat burners but has been prohibited in the United States recently. It is still available in pharmacies as asthma treatment. It is relative safe and effective when used appropriately. If you're willing to take this, be sure you do your homework on dosage and timing. Fish Oil- Fish oil contains EPA and DHA. Look these up if you'd like, I don't want to explain much. This stuff is great for overall health and can help improve congintive brain and heart functions. It also helps make cell membranes more permeable which allows vital nutrients and enzymes to make their way into cells easier. Everyone should be taking this. That's about it, folks. Don't over complicate things, it's simpler than the fitness and supplement industry make it out to be. All of the supplements discussed available are easy to find and produced by dozens of different companies, so take your pick. They're all relatively inexpensive and can be found everywhere. Always remember to follow dosage recommendations. If you keep your diet in check, train appropriately, and stay consistent, you'll maximize the full potential of these supplements and expedite your gains!  Happy training, everyone! Resources:
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