Settle a debate?

[kcombs816]

husband and I have been having this debate for four years. Can someone help us settle this once and for all?

If you are eating a healthy, balanced diet geared toward what you want to accomplish with your body, taking a multivitamin daily, working out regularly, and drinking protein shakes - do things like mass gainers, thermogenics, nitrous oxide, testosterone supplements, etc. benefit you greatly? Or are they a waste of money? Further, are things like this safe, or potentially dangerous to a person with high blood pressure and a rampant family history of heart disease.

Thanks everyone!

[Freneticfitness]

Most of it sounds safe. I would get a full check up just to be sure. Some of the things you listed are just normal common things you should do when participating in a weight loss/exercise/ fitness program. Just depending upon you, and your husband being a , you, we are all individuals. Some things may work great for some, and some things may not do it for you. If it feels good, right, hen go with it. But do you research on what you are consuming. If you have heath issues there may be contraindications. Not knowing either back round or medical history it would be hard to answer. But spend some time researching each supplement and their adverse side effects, if any. Some of he things yo mentioned I would be cautious with. I have ben asked or told several times that supplements are a waste. Not true. If I did not take what I take I would not be in the shape I am in. Years ago I had a medical condition, doctors ask., or told me to stop taking everything. I went downhill fast. Losing muscle mass, energy, I became depressed and I was not doing well. After a year of this stupidity, I told them to back off. I would start a supplement program again, and add what I had been taking before slowly. Within two months I was better than I had been before, and I was not done adding supplements. That little unplanned experiment made me realize how important these supplements can be. So again we are all individuals and we can benefit from different things. But no, I do not believe these products are a waste of money. I know I was all over the place, but I hope I have shed some light.

[Boss Man]

Short response from me.

mass gainers
(Good)

thermogenics
(Rubbish)

nitrous oxide
(Reasonable)

testosterone supplements
(Not reccomendable for females I think and for men, better when the man has a big solid build, because it can be used as a way to give the man a little edge where calories and bulking powders may solicit no more benefit. )

The best supplements for females include Glutamine, ZMA, Creatine for bulking only not for endurance running and only after a decent muscle foundation has been achieved, so best not to take it until at least a year into a bulking system.

Other than that, non bodybuilding supplements would include things like Omega Fat oils, like Fish Oil and Krill Oil as examples, Multivits, (see multivit testing thread for more advice), Hyaluronic Acid, Chondroitin and perhaps MSM for joint and cartilage health, Vitamin ones like C and D as examples, a Chromium one for regulation of blood glucose, anti-inflammatory ones like Bromelain and Quercetin,Co-Q10 for arterial / heart benefits, Tryptofan or melantonin for lseep issues and Echinacea for immune health

Possibly a few others I cannot recall offhand, but as Frenetic said, research is key. NEVER completely trust anything about supplements a doctor says, a celebrity / sportsperson says, or relatives and friends, because any side effects that occur to your unique biology, either from taking something, or because it reacts to things like Alcohol, Caffeine, medicines etc, are not things anyone else can know except you when they happen, so good "independant" research can potentially keeps you safe, preventing possible issues.

This includes independant scientific research and reserach by sportspeople, or scientists stating categorically they have no affiliation to any supplement companies and can tell you the whole truth.

Things with medical papers attached to them, are a good thing too. Echinacea for example, is backed with science. Many herbal supplements aren't. That was just a "for instance", not a suggestion of what to take

The things I listed are not a massive checklist of "must haves", simply what I feel are good enough, so don't go out and buy tonnes of supplements