Food supplements pp.

 

This post kicks off the supplement series, the first part of which will cover vitamins, protein, anabolics, and glutamine, but it will also delve into everything from creatine to fat burners and performance enhancers.

 Multivitamin and Mineral

So many supplements are available that it's incredibly easy to omit the one thing that provides the healthy foundation for the entire training process: a multivitamin and mineral supplement package. Taking these vitamins should be essential even for the average person, but most people consume Supradyn and Actival, which are equivalent to intense dog crap and contain about as many minerals. That's as sensible as peeing against a tidal wave for defense. Poor eating habits, loads of preservatives, and toxins you consume daily weaken you, then there's the notoriously bad city air, cigarettes, alcohol, fast women, slow horses – so many factors are against us that you really owe it to yourselves to get a decent vitamin package. If you're following a program, your diet might be healthy, improving your health, circulation, and everything else, but the reduced carbohydrate intake will weaken you, and if that's not enough, there are the workouts. This combination and the negative effects of our life listed above are such a shock to your body that taking vitamins is mandatory. Otherwise, you'll collapse from the strain, catch the first virus that comes your way, get a cold, and most importantly, your body won't be able to regenerate, leading to injuries, etc. To avoid these, you need to take vitamins, but ones that actually work and aren't just a well-marketed, nicely packaged load of crap. Actival, Centrum, Cetebe, Eurovit, Supradyn, and effervescent tablets... Seriously, they should be sued for endangering people; they're all garbage. I want to tell every parent that if they're feeding their children this crap, they'd be doing more for their child's health by slapping them twice a day and locking them in the kitchen with a knife set. Béres Drops are great, but they only replenish trace elements, not vital vitamins in sufficient quantities...

It's an anachronistic dogma that a diet optimally composed of healthy foods covers our daily vitamin and mineral needs. Perhaps 300 years ago, it might have met the needs of an average person who sat all day waiting for the industrial revolution, and where the only environmental pollution was the smoke from a well-stoked campfire. Back then, there was no soil or air pollution, no artificial fertilizers, no nuclear power, and not as many factories as there are now, all of which reduce, or rather nullify, the vitamin content of our food. Did you know, for example, that during one day of storage, the vitamin C content of food decreases by 10-25%, or that vitamin loss during cooking can reach 80%? Not to mention that one cigarette depletes 90-120 mg of vitamins from the body. I didn't know either, don't worry, I just looked it up.

Vitamins and minerals are fundamental conditions for existence. Start your day with an orange and by taking your vitamins. These support muscle growth, metabolic processes, our immune system, and virtually every physiological process in the body throughout the day. Choose a well-formulated vitamin package or multi-pack. Different vitamins and minerals have varying absorption characteristics, so it's not without reason or just for visual effect that a package might contain, for example, gel capsules alongside tablets. Quality vitamins, compared to the crap available in pharmacies, are incomparably better and more effective.

 Protein

Proteins, like vitamins, are essential nutrients. Everyone needs protein, and this time I won't trot out my protein needs versus women joke (I already did). They are fundamental components of the heart and other body tissues, and are essential for the functioning of various enzymes, hormones, and immune substances that protect the body. Proteins supply the body with building blocks in the form of amino acids, which are incorporated into the muscles during metabolism. If you don't take them, your immunity suffers, energy levels decrease, and your physical and mental performance declines. Opinions differ on the ideal protein intake ratio, so I have to determine the numbers instead of the world's doctors, lab directors, and bodybuilding experts. For an average lifestyle – meaning you do nothing – 1g/kg of body weight; for dieting and training, 1.6 g/kg of body weight; and for bulking, a minimum of 2g/kg of body weight.

Everyone should take protein in the form of a shake, whether they're dieting or not. I don't understand why there isn't a government public health initiative for this because there's no food on earth that's better than a high-quality protein shake. On one hand, there are practical reasons. We don't have time to mess around with eating five meals a day, let alone preparing them. Protein supplements are quick and easy to prepare, not to mention that the last meal of the day should, without exception, only be this, preventing night-time snacking. Understand one thing: starting a program and workouts without protein is like going to a whorehouse when you're impotent. However, a much more important reason is that different types of protein have varying absorption and utilization characteristics. The fundamental importance of proteins is that they are easily digestible, have high biological value, and are free from all sorts of carcinogenic crap. They contain no artificial colors, preservatives, and importantly, no fats or sugars; incidentally, they are an alternative for the highest quality protein intake. No salmon or egg white contains even remotely or proportionally as much protein and vitamins as protein concentrates.

There are so many types of protein on the market from countless manufacturers, and it's good to know that 70% of it is crap, rubbish, worthless, deceitful, and utter nonsense. Choosing the right protein can depend on many things: individual tolerance (lactose intolerance), financial considerations, and after some background knowledge, examining the ingredients on the label. Unfortunately, most people decide like a 5-year-old chimpanzee, that is, based on packaging and colors.

For those who choose supplements based on price, I have bad news. This isn't Aldi or Lidl where you can pinch pennies. Body shaping, weight loss, muscle building, and all forms thereof are costly. You can do it by counting your money and buying crap, but then the results will be crap too. Either you buy quality, or you don't even start. This is where this lifestyle and what's written in this blog are only accessible above a certain social level. People doing menial jobs will never eat salmon and take premium supplements because they neither have the need nor the money, nor the time to train, and besides, the environment they live in provides no motivational stimulation. This is characteristic of the proletariat, who watch soap operas, live by a repetitive rhythm, cling to habits, and are not at all open to new things. They don't read me because they can't access all this, and they don't even understand what I write here. Completing a 10-week program costs a minimum of 200,000 forints. Food, supplements, gym membership, etc. This requires a certain existential level and a certain demand for quality from oneself. This kind of demand for quality is visible on the faces featured in RunTilt, where the qualified demographic is evident, and this guarantees an elevated atmosphere. I got sidetracked...

Protein intake. The primary crucial time is after workouts. At this time, a protein shake, preferably fast-absorbing, should be consumed. Besides this, alternatives include morning, before training, and before bed. However, it is essential to emphasize that protein absorption and its effectiveness largely depend on whether the shake is consumed with a tripe stew, or rye bread and chicken breast ham. With a proper diet, the effectiveness of protein is outstanding, whereas it's useless to drink the shake at a pig slaughter next to cracklings, because the insane calories and fats in it will kill off the active ingredients and optimal absorption. So, feel free to jump out the window if you eat poorly and comfort yourself with protein in the evening. The absorption, digestion, direction of utilization, quality, and quantity are fundamentally determined by other nutrients consumed alongside proteins. This is the crucial point that you should keep in mind.

 Amino acids, anabolics (BCAA)

BCAA is mandatory for bodybuilders. Branched-chain amino acids, commonly known as BCAAs, consist of three components: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Not that I know what these are, but it's good to write them down. When you look at the label of a BCAA box, you need to check the ratios of these ingredients. The values for top-tier BCAA are as follows. You don't need to understand, just look at the numbers on the side of the box. If they're lower, it's crap; if they're this much or more, buy it.

leucine 4,000 mg

valine 2,000 mg

isoleucine 2,000 mg

These are the values where the top tier begins. Look at these and buy your stuff accordingly, then you'll see how far behind the much-revered Twinlab anabol is from current products. A special feature of BCAA digestion and absorption is that after absorption, the liver does not break it down, so a large proportion goes directly to the muscles. While the amino acid content of a meal may contain approximately 20% BCAA, the amino acids entering the muscle tissue via circulation can make up 50-90%. But if you buy crap, it won't even reach 40%. Oh, and BCAA stimulates protein synthesis, builds muscle, and prevents its breakdown in place of fat. Leucine is the most important element for muscle building and shaping. Leucine also regulates appetite, metabolic processes, body weight, and our all-important insulin levels. The bottom line is that you need BCAA more for muscle building than Apple needed Steve Jobs.

Optimal dosage. Now, this is a very important thing. I currently weigh 88 kg (90), and I take 5 capsules before training and 5 after starting training. This will be less for some people, but the lower limit is 3-3, and the maximum is 6-6. Never overdose, so don't take 20, or if you do, you're quite a fool, but I'm not afraid that there will be such attempts. Women should also take it confidently. Toned abs, firm thighs and butt, to name a few. Isn't it a given that what's muscle building for men is shaping for women? Good, just thought I'd mention it...

Glutamine

It accounts for approximately 61% of the amino acid pool in muscles. It is essential for the healthy functioning of the immune system and is used by bodybuilders for its muscle-preserving role. It helps protect the body's glycogen stores (I don't know what that is), so it is highly recommended for low-carb diets. I also read something about its role in AIDS research and cancer treatment, but I was unable to translate it into coherent sentences.

Optimal dosage is 10-25g daily. It's mandatory after training, but also an option before bed and immediately after waking. It depends on what program you're doing.

This is, so to speak, a basic supplement program, 100% chemical-free. There's no creatine, no other crap. Mr. Hammer should have been taking these in his highly successful Summerproject show, but he settled for vitamins and protein. Having these four things is fundamental. Everything starts from here. In the world of supplements, God is called anabol, and you shouldn't be afraid of him, as he is your best friend in your workouts. If you've acquired these, dose them for the best possible results because it really matters when you take them, absorb them, drink them.

Morning: 2 scoops of slow-release protein shake, 5-10g glutamine, vitamins

Before training: 3-6 BCAA capsules, 3-6 capsules 20 minutes after starting training

After training: Literally immediately after you've put down the weights at the end of the last set, a fast-absorbing protein shake. Ask the girl for a fast-absorbing one. If she's clueless, which is quite likely, ask for the box and check what's written on it. Whey or casein. You need whey, but you're better off bringing your own pre-measured from home and just asking for milk or water. Food within 1 hour after training!

Before bed: Sex, 2 scoops of slow-release protein, 5-10g glutamine.

Finally, I would like to list the 8 manufacturers whose products have been approved by the IOC due to their quality and continuous development; the IOC doesn't mess around when it comes to strictness. These manufacturers also play a significant role in preparing and maintaining top athletes. Anything not on this list, forget about it, and don't even use it for fertilizer.

Labrada, QNT, Nature’s Best, Twinlab, AminoStar, Optimum, Gaspari, Dymatize. That's it, no more, the story ends...