# What are the current 'must have' / essential bodybuilding supplements



## low (Sep 27, 2009)

Starting again after pretty much a decade since I trained properly. I've done random periodic training in that time but nothing serious. I decided to spend some of my savings on a gym membership and some supplements. I used to be serious about the gym. Lived it, worked in one. I'd like to get a good idea of the current bodybuilding supplements. Especially what are considered mainstream essentials?

When I trained it was pretty much protein/*whey* powder, *creatine*, *multivitamin* and mineral. And I took different additional things like GABA, amino acids, and cod liver oil for the joints. Bought tribulus terrestris and nettle root a few years back but never continued training properly. What's new/good?


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## cmed (Oct 17, 2009)

Bio-Gro seems to be all the rage lately. Haven't used it myself, but everyone I follow on Youtube is raving about it, and I don't think they're affiliates shamelessly plugging the product either... unless they're being *really* stealthy about it.


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## ChaoticMess (Dec 4, 2013)

What you listed is good! I would add vitamin D for bone strength.


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## low (Sep 27, 2009)

cmed said:


> Bio-Gro seems to be all the rage lately. Haven't used it myself, but everyone I follow on Youtube is raving about it, and I don't think they're affiliates shamelessly plugging the product either... unless they're being *really* stealthy about it.


That's interesting man. I've just looked on bodybuilding.com and a lot of people do seem to be affiliate plugging it in the comment section there. Some seem genuine. It's hard to tell. Others have said it's worthless but I'll be looking through a few more reviews. I read about how it works. Sounds good in theory. I used to be at a point where I had to train really hard to get sore the next day. Now I'd be aching after a couple of sets. I think this might be good with helping with the DOMS for a while. A lot of people have wrote that. Thanks for letting me know about that. New product to me.


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## Tangerine (Feb 16, 2010)

Pretty much Protein, BCAA's, Creatine. Rather than a multivitamin I take separate ones that are lacking in my diet. I take magnesium, potassium, vitamin d.


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## thinkstoomuch101 (Jun 7, 2012)

you know what? i was ready to click the "order" button on the BioGro?

But i realized, i don't think it's made for people with lactose intolerance. The main allergin in it is Milk. 

darn..


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## twitchy666 (Apr 21, 2013)

*I regret going back to whey. Chocolate flavour*

There's no difference between my first try from Tesco. I've got Cyclone and not sure what the difference between Promax. I don't want adding beef to me. My training buddy says it adds to his belly. I won't try his white Sci-mx stuff - it stinks in that tub. Lean maxi (green) might be worth a try.

It's important for me that I'm not a fan of body building, I tried a few decades ago. I get tired after pushing and pulling weights quite soon. I remember before year 2000 I always did 3 sets of 10 on each machine in circuits. Now I move to the next machine for variety. I have to go for running as my favourite, and climbing. 2,000 cals in total today. I just like cardio / aerobic and seeing the numbers spin. More, each day.

I want to get straight back to hemp protein. Nutiva might be worth a go. Not sure if my new try at nitrous oxide (I like the pre-workout because I use my bike to get up a steep hill to get to the gym) or whey are adding weight. I just look at my BMI. It's been 22 and now rising to 24+. Ideal if it takes fat off the belly and thighs to add to muscles but impossible to know how. Hemp did the best

I love the pull-ups to lift my own weight equation to drop the fat and gaining strength. Hemp did it. I've walked faster than anyone else in public. I stride through crowds outside and in malls in determination to get somewhere. It's my treadmill that's got me like that. I'm fit. Anyone else that are children and especially women are so slow. I'm surprised even men don't move like me. Commuting underground for years. I rush up or down escalators where there is space. Static stairs which are empty. I go much faster than anyone on escalators. No tinbox elevators.

I rarely use powders as a snack when the larder is empty. I wonder if it could be a practical alternative replacement for food, on a low budget

I wonder about my joints. I stopped getting cod liver capsules to ease the budget. Don't know if I'll get creaky. An experiment.


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## Neoz (Feb 3, 2012)

If you lived in the gym you'd known that the best way is to pick 2-3 heavy compound movements with either plenty of volume or intensity and eat enough to replenish the energy lost to gain strength and mass. The supplements are just a bonus.


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## low (Sep 27, 2009)

Neoz said:


> If you lived in the gym you'd known that the best way is to pick 2-3 heavy compound movements with either plenty of volume or intensity and eat enough to replenish the energy lost to gain strength and mass. The supplements are just a bonus.


Well yeah. Appropriate diet and training come first.

And that's debatable about the compounds. Depends what you are doing but I would agree so far as compounds will form most of your core, most of the time. Not really entirely accurate to just put it like that though. Depends what type of training you are doing. What you respond to. Your dominant fibre type regarding 'heavy'. Many things.

Anyway, I bought a few things. Got whey, casein, creatine, tribulus terrestris, nettle root. Left the Bio grow. Might try it later. I might get some GABA later, which I've been interested for mental/sleep benefits it might have, since reading about it again. I did learn about casein. Never bothered with that before. Think I'll stay clear of prohormones.


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## low (Sep 27, 2009)

thinkstoomuch101 said:


> you know what? i was ready to click the "order" button on the BioGro?
> 
> But i realized, i don't think it's made for people with lactose intolerance. The main allergin in it is Milk.
> 
> darn..


Yeah. A few comments on its review page wrote similar. Some lactose intolerant people wrote that it didn't agree with them. I'd be okay. Can drink milk like a baby but I didn't order any at the moment anyway.


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## JRB7793 (Dec 2, 2012)

Creatine or Beta Alanine.


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## Vergen (Jun 7, 2014)

Creatine, fish oil, citrulline malate, a good multi


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## paulyD (Feb 16, 2011)

low said:


> Starting again after pretty much a decade since I trained properly. I've done random periodic training in that time but nothing serious. I decided to spend some of my savings on a gym membership and some supplements. I used to be serious about the gym. Lived it, worked in one. I'd like to get a good idea of the current bodybuilding supplements. Especially what are considered mainstream essentials?
> 
> When I trained it was pretty much protein/*whey* powder, *creatine*, *multivitamin* and mineral. And I took different additional things like GABA, amino acids, and cod liver oil for the joints. Bought tribulus terrestris and nettle root a few years back but never continued training properly. What's new/good?


All you need is the basics. don't fall for all of the hype, lies and marketing. all you need is:

*protein powder
*multivitamin/vitamin D
*creatine 
*fish oil


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## Kiba (Apr 26, 2013)

-food
-food
-food
....If total caloric needs are met and your meeting your macros, wtf is point.


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## jonny neurotic (Jan 20, 2011)

Granola capsules and freeze dried banana leaf juice for optimal results...


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## Nada (Dec 19, 2004)

Optimum Nutrition is a good brand if you're looking for supplements.


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## Iced (Feb 7, 2011)

Water


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## Kakumbus (Mar 27, 2012)

Good diet

/thread.


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## seafolly (Jun 17, 2010)

For me I add protein since I don't get enough from my diet. At least it's hard for me to hit those macros. 
That's all.


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## orsomething (Feb 14, 2014)

what about yohimbine hcl


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## Stagg (May 1, 2014)

I find a pre workout before starting training helps a lot, stacked with D-aspartic acid, l-carnitine too. Drinking BCAAs stacked with creatine during training, post workout shake of whey protein, casein, and creatine. Butnim naturally an incredibly skinny boy so it's taken a lot for me to put on what size I have, I only kept making size gains by using casein and eating 6000 calories a day


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## Sagacious (Jun 29, 2010)

low said:


> Starting again after pretty much a decade since I trained properly. I've done random periodic training in that time but nothing serious. I decided to spend some of my savings on a gym membership and some supplements. I used to be serious about the gym. Lived it, worked in one. I'd like to get a good idea of the current bodybuilding supplements. Especially what are considered mainstream essentials?
> 
> When I trained it was pretty much protein/*whey* powder, *creatine*, *multivitamin* and mineral. And I took different additional things like GABA, amino acids, and cod liver oil for the joints. Bought tribulus terrestris and nettle root a few years back but never continued training properly. What's new/good?


Protein, L-Arginine, Creatine, longjack (natural testosterone booster), tribulus terrestris, as well as plenty of water and rest.

The only ones I take regularly are longjack and L-Arginine a while before workouts. I honestly think most people can get pretty far on just protein, water, multivitamins, and good nutrition as long as they're lifting 'right' which I won't go into as I believe there is usually a 'right' way to lift depending on the person and situation.

I just know that I focus 90% my effort on lifting correctly and getting enough protein, good food, and water, and that's always been my determining factor whether I can increase weight or not the next workout.

I see people obsessing over supplements and hardly getting that much results.. they think they just need more supplements lol.

The same obsession goes over trying 'new' or unusual exercises, while these are good for assistance, people jumping around between tons of exercises and not focusing enough on 5-6 exercises I would call essential is another reason why they don't increase weight. Or people trying exercises that look badass, but are not very efficient for increasing strength regularly, such as people doing front squats because they're 'harder', while people doing normal squats are adding 5-10 lbs each workout and getting a lot stronger legs with little effort. I'm not saying front squats are useless, but every time I ask someone their reasoning it's something of the 'back squats are for pu$$ies' nature, rather than an actual reason why it's better. The same people who almost completely use momentum from their upper back to swing their bicep curl up just so they can add 20 more pounds than they should be using..

Just keep in mind that excessive supplements will dehydrate you more, making working out and recovering more difficult.


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## Sagacious (Jun 29, 2010)

orsomething said:


> what about yohimbine hcl


Careful with Yohimbe.. even though there are 'safe' concentrations of it sometimes it can have seriously disgusting effects.


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## Stagg (May 1, 2014)

Photo on the left June 28th 2012
Top right June 27th 2014
Bottom right June 20th 2014

I compete in a natural federation every three months so I provide blood tests every 3 months so no banned substances are used

So that's what supplements got me  but you don't take supps, sit on the couch and then get bigger. I'm in the gym 90 minutes a day for 6 days a week and exercising different muscle groups every day.

Also, no I'm not or will ever be vegan, if I said I hadn't considered using steroids I'd by lying, I changed my attitude before I even started seeing results, and people will constantly tell me I'm doing something wrong because someone on the internet told someone else on the internet otherwise, yet I'm the one who got my body into that condition


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## marne141 (Mar 26, 2012)

HIIT - high intensity intervals for burning fat
High protein low carb diet
Compoundexercises in gym
Change up your workouts as well between low rep heavy weight and high reps low weight
Add in supersets and drop sets
Good preworkout
Whey protein, casein protein, soy protein
creatine to build strength and mass
BCAA supplement
multivitamin is very important
fish oil


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## jonny neurotic (Jan 20, 2011)

Amphetamine and steroids all they way...


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## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

natural food
creatine monohydrate
yohimbine hcl
taurine
l-theanine


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## naptime (Aug 20, 2015)

Supplements are a scam. Sure you could make the argument for protein powder, creatine and maybe a pre-workout but you can easily go without them. I think back to ten years ago when I was a gym rat and all the money I wasted on supplements. I would of have had the same results without them!


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