I don't suppose we can add steroids to the list? I know, I know, they're bad. I've never used them.
But I'd love to know who has, and to what effects. Because I'll be honest, if the health effects were not a concern, I'd be tempted sometimes.
Muchrespect very curious to.
BTT pitched up on their doorstep and begged
OK, Ali, I'll give it a try and start a new thread. Gotta feeling it will be all anecdotal stuff like "Dude, my hair fell out but I got HUGE" but it's worth a shot.
LMAO!!!
ttt for Ali!
Someone archive this plz!
Ali-
Please archive this for future reference, if possible. Thanks.
Lemon
Referred to this post by someone else.
Anyways over a year ago my buddy stopped taking
optidrene. Contains ephedrine and mau hung.
Took it for about 5 and a half months. After he
stopped taking this supplement he began getting
pains in his lower back/kidney area. One pill a
day I guess was the dosage. are there any vitamins
that can be taken to get rid of this problem or will it eventually go away.
The only supplements that I have used that have had a visible, feel-able effect are Creatine and Vanadyl sulfate. I use whey protein and vitmin minerals frequently but in all honesty never feel anything directly from using them.
Taku.
I'll leave the long answers to the other people.
But Taku -- were they desirable effects or no?
Oh forgot to mention. The Atkins Diet while popping
the ephedrine pills for over 5 months. Could the lower back/kidney pain be caused by lack of carbs....or actually no carbs for that extended period of time?
That is definitely NOT a kidney friendly diet.
Here's another supplement I'd like to hear people's experiences with or wisdom about: CLA.
Sorry I am new to all of this. I workout and train BJJ and boxing atleast 5 times a week. I also fit in some weight training. However, I am new to this whole supplement thing and I am trying to learn!
Here is my deal. I have 5 pounds to lose. I am in my ideal now. But could definently tone up. (don't we all say that?) Anyway, what supplements/pills ect. would help me to do that along side my workout routine?
I have read everything above and am still so confused. I feel like I am reading a medical guide. What would you guys suggest? Being female, it is very difficult for me to lose 5 pounds. It's not water like you guys. I have to cut for a tourny the 23th of Feb.
Is losing 5 pounds as a female possible in 2 weeks? I have been working these last five for what seems like forever now...
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Jessica :)
CLA has been shown to "repartition" body composition, lowering fat and increasing fat-free mass, in rats and cows. The studies on human beings have shown no benefit. There are some decent theories as to why it would work in some animals and not in human beings but that gets way over my head in terms of biochem knowledge. (something about CLA affecting peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, a protein which operates differently in people and rodents, in the process of fat oxidation. Yes I'm talking over my own head, now..... I did a medline search on this a while back and I'm just parroting the biochem without understanding it).
Still, some people swear by the stuff. But then, people swear by a lot of things. I'd not invest in it.
ttt for CLA info
Muchrespect, YES!! Deffinately! I have gained strength and size every time I have used creatine. Some benefits deffinately fade when you stop using. Vanadyl is just what Ali said...Pumps you up. When I was into bodybuilding I used it with great results. It deffinately made an asthetic difference in my physique. Beyond the "PUMPED" up look I don't thin it really did much. But I enjoyed the effect at the time.
Taku.
cool, thanks, Taku
Probably not an issue except that the hydroxycut will be drying you out somewhat as it is (caffeine is also diuretic). So it's just more of the same.... I don't think there's an interaction effect to worry about, but there is the question of dehydrating too much. Dandelion is a "better" diuretic than caffeine.
And again I'd ask on boxing and wrestling Q&A's since those guys deal with this all the time, from diuretics to "sweat and sip" for a couple of days....
Another thought: if you're taking creatine, stop until after weigh-in. That stuff holds onto water like crazy. You can get it back into your system pretty damned quick, and the fact is even if you stop now you won't deplete the stores from muscle very much. If you're not taking creatine, pretend this paragraph doesn't exist ;-)
Jessica
5 lbs in two weeks is a lot unless it IS indeed water. There are a lot of things to do if you want to go the trad "cut water weight" route, but then there are all the usual dangers of dehydration and not feeling up to par for your fight. Still, 5 lbs is not a lot. You can often lose that just by lowering carbs drastically; carbs hold onto water in the body. Diuretics include, most safely, some dandelion root. Get some tincture or capsules from a health food store that sells herbs (HerbPharm, Gaia, Eclectic Institute, all make very good products).
I'm almost sorry to even give that advice, because I hate dehydration as a method for dropping weight. Also, others may know a lot more about how to do this more drastically, but I think 5 lbs is not a lot.
If you indeed want to lose that much fat, well... it's really unlikely. You can lose SOME of it as fat, and if you lose 2 lbs, say, then you only have 3 lbs of water to drop, which is notably more pleasant that dropping 5. Problem here is, suppliments for fat loss either are nasty (see epehdrine thread) or work more slowly, or both. For a non-stimulant fat loss aid, I'd try Biochem's Glucolean first. Don't take more than it says, and do it a little early--you might notice it makes you tired or not, which you'll want to know before taking much more. It's hard to tell you to do something that changes up your diet/suppliment regime so close to a fight because you want to know exactly how it affects you before you've already got it in your system.... I'm not usually one to push specific products, but you're in a hurry and this is quick-and-dirty advice.
Again others know a lot more about the water issue, since wrestlers and boxers deal with weigh-in all the time. Hopefully someone else will pipe in, and also it might be good to post the question on the boxing Q&A. Good luck. (I'm also typing this in a huge hurry so if anything is unclear I'll try to edit later, or drop me a line at ali_aljerrahi@yahoo.com if there's something more specific you want to know that I might help with. I'll be good about checking my mail today and tomorrow).
Wow Ali! Thanks so much for your time and help with this. I would say 2-3 pounds is probably water. I am going to try the Dandelion root that you spoke about. Hopefully it will work.
I know all of you guys on this forum hate to hear about Hydroxycut/Xenderine ect. But would Dandelion root interfere with anything if I am already taking Hydroxycut? I will try to look it up online and see what I find. Thanks agian for all of your help.
This forum is great!
Jessica :)