WORK IN PROGRESS
Keep in mind this specific thread is about gaining muscle / size, and if you were trying to lose fat or had a different goal of some sort, there are some things that may be tweaked. Also note this is tweaked to be geared towards beginners, so if you have been training for a while you may have known all or most of this information. Perhaps you can still read it to understand more.
Supplementation
The most important thing you must understand about supplementation is that it is simply there to fill gaps where you cant, it's not meant to be a foundation for your bodybuilding "career". These are simply there to help you in areas you are weak. Also, there are no "get big fast legal" supplements out there. The closest thing would be creatine. Any other supplement that claims anything like that is probably some placebo propriety blend of herbs that has no truth to it. If you want to gain extremely fast, take steroids.
Staple supplements - these are supplements that I highly recommend to anyone and everyone who is trying to get in shape or get bigger. They are as follows:
Whey Protein
Creatine
What is Creatine
Creatine is a naturally occurring nitrogenous organic acid found in the skeletal muscle of vertebrates. About 95% of the creatine found in the human body is located within the skeletal muscle. Creatine is produced from amino acids, L-arginine, glycine, and L-methionine to be exact, and the process is performed mainly in the kidneys and liver.
Without getting too scientific and technical, creatine is stored in the muscles and is used as a form of energy called phosphocreatine. Phosphocreatine is associated with power output in prolonged muscle use. When this is depleted within the muscle, muscle fatigue is triggered. Increasing creatine within the body has been proven to help increase phosphocreatine output during anaerobic activity. This is known as the ATP-CP energy system within the body.
Creatine FAQ
- How much creatine should I take?
Clinical dosage shows 2.5-6 grams a day is enough depending on body weight, this applies to most forms of creatine alone or combined. After about a month you'll reach saturation, then you can take it 4-5x a week to maintain saturation. Anything more once you reach what you're body can store, will be excreted.
- Do I need to load creatine? (Loading: Taking more than 5-6 grams creatine for 1 week)
No. It is not necessary, you'll reach saturation quicker but this might result in gastrointestinal issues and the so called "bloating" (Water retention).
- What's the best form of creatine?
Creatine monohydrate is the most researched, proved and cheapest form. There are other like creatine HCL or Magnesium creatine chelate that may provide additional benefits and have other characteristics, make sure you research before purchasing.
- When should I take creatine?
Whenever you can, timing won't make a major difference in performance.
- Should I take creatine with carbohydrates, grape juice or anything special?
No, that's not needed for it to work properly.
- How long will creatine stay in my body?
Supplemental creatine should stay in the body for about 3-5 weeks, if you had to stop taking it for some days for whatever reason, you can resume dosage normally.
- I'm a beginner that's just starting to lift or don't have experience with supplements, should I use creatine?
It's recommended that first you set up a proper diet and training program then you might start looking into supplementation, creatine is one of the most basic staples for most people so it's a good place to begin once everything else is in place.
- I started using creatine and i'm cramping or experiencing other side effects?
Main reason for cramping is not staying well hydrated while on creatine, make sure you drink enough water. If you experience any side effect, discontinue use.
- I'm cutting/losing weight, should I use creatine?
Typically people might be afraid of water retention during a cutting phase, but extracellular "bloating" is mostly due to a unnecessary high dosing or loading creatine protocol and/or not drinking enough water, creatine might help you keep strength and volume during a cut, so most people still use it.
- Do I need to cycle off creatine, is it safe? (Cycling off: Stop taking it for a period of time)
Research has suggested that creatine is relatively safe on medium-long term, there's no specific reason to cycle off but you might want to at your own discretion.
- What happens after you stop taking creatine? do you lose muscle?
You'll likely lose some strength and a little volume due to intracellular water moving away from fibers, actual muscle is not lost.
- Does caffeine affect creatine negatively?
No it won't, at least to any considerable degree, they're fine together.
- Can i mix creatine with whey protein, preworkout supplement or my favorite drink?
Yes, that's generally fine.
- My preworkout supplement already has creatine, do i need to take more?
Depends on the amount it contains, some are in proprietary blends, so unless it's disclosed or you know the quantity, you might have to use additional creatine.
Creatine Options
Optimum Nutrition's Micronized Creatine Powder
MuscleTech's CELL-TECH
MuscleTech's Platinum 100% Creatine
Any Creatine Monohydrate really
Multivitamin
Nutrition
Workout routines
Keys to success