The Ugly Truth About Supplements

Everything you should know about supplements

By Dave Ruel

Metabolic Cooking ©2011 and beyond | Page 2

NOTICE

The information presented is not intended for the treatment or prevention of disease, nor is it a substitute for medical treatment, nor as an alternative to medical advice. This publication is presented for information purposes, to increase the public knowledge of developments in the field of strength and conditioning. The program outlined herein should not be adopted without a

consultation with your health professional. Use of the information provided is at the sole choice and risk of the reader. We do not take responsibility for injury or illness which can occur because of your use of the aforementioned information and you expressly assume such risks and waive, relinquish and release any claim which you may have. You must get your physician’s approval before beginning this or any other exercise or nutrition program. This information is not a prescription. Consult your doctor, nutritionist or dietician for further

information.


There is nothing new, I am not a big fan of fancy supplements. For years, my message and mission stays the same: while I believe that certain supplements can enhance the results you get, they are by no means a replacement for a proper workout and diet program. Nutrition should be the main focus when it comes to building muscle or burning fat. Period.

In fact, if you don't have a proper workout and diet program in place, those supplements really aren't going to do much good at all. Some may provide some extra nutrients but all those fat loss oriented supplements won't really enhance your progress all that much at all.

Now, if you've ever flipped through the pages of your favorite fitness magazine, there's no doubt you've come across at least a dozen different supplement ads. After all, the supplement industry is what by and large supports that magazine with their advertisements so they will definitely have a predominant place amongst the articles you're reading.

And, if you look at those ads specifically, what's one thing you very often notice?

Hype.

That's right, virtually every supplement you see out there is hugely hyped up, as the marketers work endless to figure out how to appeal to your emotional side and get you to buy their product.

Sadly, so many

BULLSHIT!


people fall for this hype thinking they've found the latest and greatest thing that will get them the body of their dreams. Three weeks later they're wallowing in self-‐pity and about $40-‐60 lighter.

This is a huge problem in the supplement industry and one that you must take note of so that you don't fall into its trap.

The second big issue that will come into play with the supplement industry is the amount of uneducated people giving supplement advice. I mean think about it. You walk into your local supplement store and ask the kid at the front desk (who's working there as his part-‐time job at $7/hour) what supplements are good you.

He recalls a few ads he's seen in magazines or maybe runs through his mind what his manager said to him a few months back and points you in the 'right' direction. Or that biased salesperson that only wants to make money off your back…

Do you honestly believe there's good information behind their suggestion?

I experienced strength gain of 23.37% using GAKIC!


Unless you do the research yourself – which the vast majority of people don't since they either don't have time to or have no interest or you are getting the advice from a trained professional, you're likely making an unwise decision.

Supplements boil down to science. If they work they should have been proved in the laboratory and far too many supplements out there have not. If you aren't choosing wisely, you could be doing your body a lot more harm than good.

Keep in mind that ever since the passing of the 1994 Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act (DSHEA) in the United States, supplements have been completed excluded from federal

regulation.

So while those meds that your pharmacist prescribes you have been firmly examined and regulated, the pills that that kid hands you off his shelf have not.

Which do you feel more comfortable putting in your body?

What's really scary to think about is the fact that since these supplements aren't regulated, you may not even be getting what you think you're getting when taking it. What do I mean? There is no regulation so these companies could literally put one ingredient in the pill and tell you it's something entirely different.

If that doesn't get you sitting up thinking about all those fat loss supplements you've tried in the past, I'm not sure what will. Safety should always be a top concern of yours and some supplements may not be safe. They really should have a 'use at your own risk' warning right there on their bottle.

Fortunately, to help keep you safe and allow you to make an informed choice, I'm going to shed some light on exactly what you need to know when it comes to supplements.


We've done the research ourselves and we've learned what's authentic and will really work to enhance your results. We’ve also discovered what isn't, and we’re going to do my best to make sure you stay far, far away from those products.

So let's get started.

The very first thing we want to discuss is one of the most often asked questions we get:

"Do I really have to take supplements?"

….and the answer to that question is that you do not. Again, while certain supplements may help give you an edge when it comes to muscle building or fat loss, it is not something mandatory for success.

So if you don't feel comfortable taking supplement– don't. No harm done.

A second question we often get is:

"Do supplements really work?"

This one isn't so cut and dry. Some supplements do work and some don't. The hard part is trying to determine the good from the bad, which many people fail miserably at.

So many supplements have these fancy, 'too-‐good-‐to-‐be-‐true' claims on their bottles and when they do, those are the ones that you really have to question.

While we’d like to say something could be too good to be true, most of the time, it's not. If it promises that you'll shed 10 pounds in 3 days, or gain 5 pounds of muscle in 1 week, think again.

The funny thing is that there are some supplements that definitely do help, but oddly enough, these are not the typical 'fat burner' or ‘test booster’ products you see on the market.

What most people don't realize is that sometimes it's the simplest of ingredients that produce the best possible results, so you really have to get


away from all the hype and get back to basics. The more simplistic you can keep things, the better.

And this applies for most areas of life as well, including your diet. The more simple and easy it is to follow, the better you're going to do. Which we've proved in our meal plans.

Okay, so let's get to the good stuff – the supplements that do help you achieve faster rates of fat loss.

As you're going to notice as we work our way through this I do tend to stick with just a small handful of companies for my top supplement choices.

Why?

It's simply a matter of trust. Since, as I mentioned earlier, there is no regulation with regards to the supplement industry, you really have to put every single company you think of using to the test.

When you know a supplement company is honest in what they offer and have thoroughly gone through their supplements (and used them to see the 'real world' results) and have found them to be top-‐notch quality, then it's far easier to just stick with that same company.

Chances are if they have a good reputation, they aren't going to be pulling any funny tricks and their products can be relied on time and time again.

All of the companies that we mention are top quality and we actually know the owners of the companies, which ups our trust factor even more. When you have that personal connection with the people behind the product, then you can feel certain you're putting only safe ingredients in your body.

And is that something you're really willing to risk?

I would hope not. Trust is a HUGE factor in supplement purchasing decisions, which is why I only recommend the companies that we trust.


The final question is now : Is there any supplement or supplements that are worth using?

Well, the answer is YES! And I decided to make life easier for you and list the 5 Supplements I use everyday...

Please do not send me emails asking me, "What about Fat Burners?" or "What about Nitric Oxyde and Tribulus?"

If you do not see it on the list than I have not used it (or I may

have and would never recommend it because of poor experience). I have carefully made my selections and these are my “final answers”.

So STOP flushing down your hard earned money and fallow my advices, you won’t be sorry…

You’ll save a boat load of cash and more importantly you will get the results you want.

Everything you will read here are only recommendations, not prescriptions. I only recommend supplements I truly believe in and that I use personally.


My Top 5 Supplements

1. Protein Powder

First on the list is a high quality protein powder.

You can get plenty of protein in your diet, but protein powder has other advantages: It's convenient and generally lower in calories than an entire "high protein" meal.

Drinking a protein shake after every workout speeds muscle recovery and supplies your body with the amino acids needed for muscle growth.

It'll speed up your recovery rates dramatically so that you can get right back into the gym sooner again.

It will help to prevent the loss of lean muscle mass since having the protein support you needs will ensure your body doesn't dip into the protein stores to get the amino acids it needs to support other necessary body functions.

If you fail to get enough protein, you could very easily lose some of that hard earned muscle. That is a big no-‐no as far as maintaining an attractive figure goes, so something we aim to avoid at all costs.

There are two widely used proteins: whey and casein. Whey is absorbed more quickly by the body, while casein is digested slowly-‐providing the body with a longer-‐lasting supply of muscle-‐building nutrients. That's why many researchers recommend taking a mixture of the two to help sustain the release of amino acids into the blood for as long as possible. I highly recommend the Iso-‐Smooth product from Blue Star Nutraceuticals.

And believe me, I've used a lot of really bad (and when I say really bad, we mean REALLY bad) protein powder in my day and I've found nothing


compares to this. It's easy to mix, it tastes great, and it gives me the results I'm looking for.

This particular protein powder has also been 3rd party lab tested to ensure it's potency and purity and is a blend of four different isolates, including whey, milk, egg, and micellar casein. This means that you'll get both fast and slow acting proteins in it, making it great for any time during the day.

In addition to this, it's also lactose free, so you won't get that gassy or bloated feeling that you might with other protein powders. Plus, it has CLA, flaxseeds, and digestive enzymes added to it, so it's essentially just an all around great blend of ingredients that will fuel your progress.

I’m not going to lie, this is NOT your average cheap protein, it’s a bit pricy, BUT at 30 grams of protein per serving, it contains far more than most brands which makes it for most of the price difference.

You can get Iso-‐Smooth on this website: http://www.BlueStarNutraceutical.com


2. Greens

Most people are not eating nearly enough vegetables each day and are not eating a broad enough spectrum. I mean you may switch it up from time to time and include four to five different veggies in your daily diet – which is a great start, but considering how many different varieties are out there, it's really not enough.

The solution?

A greens product. Having a greens product will help to fill any gaps that are left from your diet so that you can put your mind at ease that you're getting everything you need to maximize your progress.

After all, if you're going to put all that effort into following a diet plan, shouldn't you be sure you see the best results possible?

By making sure you're using a greens product, you do just that.

And, which product do I recommend?

Athletic Super Greens is by far the best greens product on the market that I've ever seen. It comes

in a simple powder format that you can easily mix with some water in the morning, or any time of the day. More than often only a tablespoon is enough and it provides you with too many nutrients to list here and it will help make sure you're burning calories at the highest possible rate each day.

If you don't want to end up as one of those people who claim they have a 'slow


metabolism', you'll definitely want t hop onto this product as fast as you can. It will make a difference.

Also, when I’m on the road, I like to take a few packs of Prograde Genesis to ensure I get all my greens for the day:

You can get Athletic Greens on this website: http://www.AthleticSuperGreens.com

You can get Athletic Greens on this website: http://www.GetProgradeGenesis.com


3. Multi-‐vitamins

It's nothing new, but it is a must for everyone who doesn't get enough fruits and vegetables. Rather than mega doses of nutrients, look for one pill that provides 100% of your daily requirements for as many different vitamins and minerals as possible.

Multi's are a must for any body with muscle building hopes and healthy living. Every metabolic reaction in our body occurs from the inside out, which means muscle building and fat loss begins internally and progresses externally (visually). Consider that magnesium is responsible for over 300 metabolic reactions in your body.

If you are deficient in just one mineral or vitamin, you will never reach your fullest potential.

Think of these as the guards of your health. While it would be great to say that we all will freshly prepare our own home cooked meals and eat plenty of fresh vegetables with each one, we both know this isn't the case.

When times get busy, you may have to resort to a meal on the go – a healthy meal on the go if you're following one of my plans, but you may not get all the nutrients you need for that day.

That's where your multi-‐vitamin will step up to the plate. By taking a high quality multi-‐vitamin that's been specifically designed just for your body (so you're choosing male formula if you're a guy or a female formula if you're a lady), you can rest assured that you're meeting all your micronutrient requirements.

For multi-‐vitamin purposes, we once again turn to Vitality by Blue Star Nutraceuticals (also available on the bluestar website) which we really like since they come in once a day convenience packs. Each capsule in the pack contains the exact same dosage of ingredients so you can easily split it up throughout the day if desired.


4. Fish Oil

Then the second product that we recommend for ensuring optimal health is a fish oil product. Fish oil has received so much attention lately and for good reason – it offers an endless number of health benefits, both in terms of health promotion and for enhancing fat loss.

First, it's going to help to increase insulin sensitivity. This means you'll have a lower chance of converting the carbs you eat directly to fat stores and shouldn't experience the energy highs and lows that you may throughout the day as well.

Secondly, it's going to help to protect against heart disease. You need to maintain a healthy heart into your old age since that is what will ensure you can continue to be active.

Third, it's going to help to ward off numerous different varieties of cancer. Again, long term health must always be a priority.

And finally, it's also going to help to lower the levels of inflammation in the body so you look better and feel better as well.

These are just a few of the benefits that fish oil will provide and this is by no means a comprehensive list.

The brand that we highly recommend here is Blue Star Nutraceuticals once again because their Omega Blue product contains no mercury, which is something that you seriously have to watch with any fish oil product and because it also contains no cadmium, lead, or other toxins.

Additionally, it also contains the perfect blend of 'omega 3's at 40% EPA and 20% DHA. If you don't get this blend correctly, you could actually do serious damage, so it's vital that you check any product carefully. With this product, there's no worry – you're getting precisely what you need.


Finally, you don't get any nasty fish burps either! If you've ever used a fish oil product before, you likely realize that this is a very gross side effect often experienced. With this product, it won't happen. You'll enjoy it more and those around you will be thankful you're using it as well.

Since Omega Blue is a highly concentrated formula and much better quality than most brands, you can also reduce your standard dosage as well.

You can get Omega Blue on this website: http://www.BlueStarNutraceutical.com

5. Creatine and Glutamine

Creatine This synthetic version of an energy source produced naturally in the body is stored in the muscles for use during exercise. And it works! Multiple studies show that creatine does help speed recovery and the growth of lean-‐muscle mass after a workout.

Manufacturers used to agree that new creatine users should start with a weeklong "loading phase" of 20 grams per day; however, recent research shows that this isn't necessary.

There are too many fancy creatine supplements out there, resulting in many people forgetting about simple, powdered creatine. This is all I use and recommend for you I use creatine during and after my workout (10g during and 10g after)

Glutamine

Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid found in muscle tissue. It helps prevent muscle wasting and improves recovery.


The better and quicker your recovery, the sooner and harder you can hit it in the gym! Glutamine is safe to take year-‐round. I take glutamine with creatine during and after my workouts (10g during, 10g after).

Basically, this is an all around great product to have if you're putting in numerous hard workouts each week.

What brands do I recommend for Creatine and Glutamine?

No need to be fancy, just make sure you are buying Pure Creatine Monohydrate and pure glutamine powder (by far the best bang for the buck). I personally use these BlueStar brand (http://www.bluestarnutraceutical.com) but feel free to use the brand you want.

Conclusion So hopefully this has helped shed some light on the supplements that you should and shouldn't be using. Remember, when in doubt, drop it out. If you're currently on a particular supplement that I have not mentioned in this guide, then chances are it's not doing you all that much good and your money could be much better spent elsewhere.

Please keep all this information about supplements in mind. If you want to get started and take some that will help you progress onwards, then please do use the ones I've mentioned.

If you'd prefer to go at it completely supplement free, that's your decision as well. The choice is yours to make and we simply wanted to give you the best information we could so that you could make an informed decision for yourself.

The Ugly Truth About Supplements

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