Howdy Blog Otters, I was recently listening to the Stone Cold Steve Austin Podcast, and found myself intrigued by the supplements he pushes, including testosterone boosters and 'brain' enhancers. Part of me things this is totally bull-pucky. The other part of me thinks that the kind of person inclined to buy this stuff would more than likely believe it works, regardless of whether or not it actually does creating a Placebo Effect.
Thus:
What are your thoughts on dietary supplements, do they work, what's the deal with this big push toward testosterone enhancers lately, and does anyone remember that scene in Space Jam where Bugs Bunny gives the entire team steroids ("MJ's Special Stuff")?
I gave "All Day Energy Greens" a shot a few months ago and found myself no longer having headaches that I used to have with regularity, so I swore by it. Then I realized the headaches stopped because you take these 'greens' with a big ole class of water, and I was probably dehydrated, so I stopped and kept drinking water, still no headaches.
I know this stuff was covered in a prior QOTD by my predecessor, but I find the subject endlessly fascinating, and I'd love to hear personal stories and scientific facts that back up various supplements' claims.
------------------------------------
Blog Otter Award: PrimeTimeTen for a funny joke. You award can be found below
Thus:
What are your thoughts on dietary supplements, do they work, what's the deal with this big push toward testosterone enhancers lately, and does anyone remember that scene in Space Jam where Bugs Bunny gives the entire team steroids ("MJ's Special Stuff")?
I gave "All Day Energy Greens" a shot a few months ago and found myself no longer having headaches that I used to have with regularity, so I swore by it. Then I realized the headaches stopped because you take these 'greens' with a big ole class of water, and I was probably dehydrated, so I stopped and kept drinking water, still no headaches.
I know this stuff was covered in a prior QOTD by my predecessor, but I find the subject endlessly fascinating, and I'd love to hear personal stories and scientific facts that back up various supplements' claims.
------------------------------------
Blog Otter Award: PrimeTimeTen for a funny joke. You award can be found below
YES! Always.
ReplyDeleteI use/have used a wide variety of supplements for a wide variety of reasons.
ReplyDeleteMulti-Vitamins: I generally used GNC Megamen Energy (I think that is the exact name) I found it made me a little queasy at times at times, and a lot of it went to waste if you know what I mean if I followed the reccomended dosage but I was a strict vegetarian at the time and wanted to make sure I got the things my diet didn't provide me and I found this really helped a lot.
Echinacea: I've never been one to get sick but someone recommended I try it... I haven't missed a day for legit sickness since the 1990's... I think this makes a big difference. Bad aftertaste though.
Fish/Flax Oil: I have never found there to be any benefit to these despite the science
Thermogenics: My favorite has always been Ripped Fuel Extreme Cut. The reccomended dosage is easy to handle, so I take 2 in the morning which helps wake me up a bit, then about 45-hour before I run (I do 65 minutes 6-7 days a week on an ellipitical or treadmill) and find it really helps my stamina as well as makes me sweat more.
I have tried a variety of other things over the years, mostly designed at overall well being, and some pre workout stuff but don't feel qualified to really comment on them... I will say that the one time I tried a testosterone booster it didn't seem to do any good but it was cheap so that could be the problem... I also like Nitric Oxide, but I am at a point where I am not trying to mass up so it is counter productive.
I have no idea what those are and what they're supposed to do, but I'm starting to think you're a Scientologist.
ReplyDeleteHATE them. Regular multivitamins are good to fill in the gaps of a diet, and ive been drinking protein shakes post workouts for about 12 years, but everything else is just a short term solution/placebo effect.
ReplyDeleteThe only way to get proven weight loss results are controlled calorie defecits and the only way to build long lasting muscle is controlled non repetitive weight training. I tried that NO2 stuff about 8 years ago, and saw an immediate difference but as soon as I cycled off of it, all my gained muscle mass disappeared. For what you pay for supplements, theyre a rip off
I'm not. And most of those are pretty common things... like you seriously don't know what multi-vitamins or fish oil are?
ReplyDeleteThe calorie deficit thing is such a mystery to people for some reason... even though it is literally the only way you lose weight. If people understood this an entire industry would be brought to its knees.
ReplyDeleteI know man. It is the ONLY way to drop lbs, all the other shit people do is to create calorie deficits. I swear by the harris benedict formula/calculators. It gets my calorie intake/deficit thing to almost an exact amount.
ReplyDeleteYeah but that's hard!
ReplyDeleteAll I take are NatureMade fish oil and multivitamins.. I'm always interested in other stuff, but I have a hard time figuring out what is best for me. There's so much out there to choose from.
ReplyDeleteI bought Gingko Biloba and Korean Ginseng last year but didnt take them very long. I think the Gingko gave me nosebleeds for some reason.
You trying to lose weight Mr. Meekin?
ReplyDeleteYes and no. I've been cutting down, just kind of have a hard time getting the gumption to work out, which I know is a bogus excuse.
ReplyDeleteI hate giving weight loss tips bc it sounds pretentious since everyones schedule, body, fitness levels are different but what seems to work best for most of my patients is simply walking for 75-90 minutes a day. Studies have shown Walking is typically easier to stick to as opposed to running also.
ReplyDeleteI drink, smoke, and lift. Works for me.
ReplyDeleteI do want to try Alpha Brain though.
I take fish oil and a multi. Nothing else. Protein powder is good if you're struggling to get the proper amount of protein but it's no better than real food.
ReplyDeleteI know some people love pre-workout stuff like NO Xplode and other similar items but I'm pretty caffeine sensitive so I avoid them.
Really, most supplements are a scam unless you're trying to get to sub-7% body fat/training for a show.
Echinacea is good if I'm feeling sick and the rest is utter bullshit.
ReplyDeleteHated NO2 with a passion.
ReplyDeletePeople want the quick fix. They don't want to take the time and energy to actually lose weight.
ReplyDeleteAlso once people lose the weight, they don't make the adjustments to keep it off. I have lost 1/3 of my body weight before and put it all back on because of the adjustments. My ex wife lost 50 lbs over 4 years with weight watchers but she never does any exercise. However she might keep the weight off because it has been so slow and gradual.
I started ddp yoga a couple weeks ago and really enjoy it. I always feel better after the workout and can already see better strength and flexibility.
ReplyDeleteI always thought the inherent flaw in Ginko is... you have to remember to take it...
ReplyDeleteWhat is Alpha Brain
ReplyDeleteProtein powder is the only thing I use. I'm to lazy to research anything else....plus I always fear long term effects of any supplement. Not to mention I'm cheap.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone take any of the gels or chews when doing long runs? I did a half marathon last weekend without anything but definitely feel like I could use something on runs longer than an hour.
At my peak obeseness I was around 320lbs (12 years ago) and now I'm consistently between 215 - 225lbs. But it's work every day not to slip back into bad eating habits and getting lazy with workouts/running.
ReplyDeleteThe best thing I ever did was drop soda/iced tea altogether. It's amazing how much better you feel after that.
Best diet supplement...cocaine. Talk about creating a calorie deficit. Supplement that with eating a tapeworm and youll see the lbs burn off.
ReplyDelete#kidding
Sugars a killer man, the more you eat, the more you crave. I havent had regular soda or iced tea in years. Sourpatch kids are fucking kryptonite though
ReplyDeleteDiet shit is way worse for you than regular.
ReplyDeletewhy? Im predicting youre gonna say artifical sweetners.
ReplyDeleteI'm rocking a 'liquid water enhancer' that appears to have no calories, carbs, of at, but 60mg of sodium. sucralose? is that the sugar?
ReplyDeleteArtificial sweeteners are the worst thing in the world for you.
ReplyDeleteIts splenda.
ReplyDeleteVery factual. Care to back that up?
ReplyDeleteThat's Splenda.
ReplyDeleteIs Splenda...splendid?
ReplyDeleteBesides being cancer causing agents? And not even being fully tested over long periods of time yet? There's also that the more of it you consume, the more your brain craves it. Honestly, if you have the option to have sugar or aspartame, go with the sweetener that is natural.
ReplyDeleteIm a fan
ReplyDeleteIt's fake sugar that comes out of a factory. They don't even know what it does yet. Avoid artificial sweeteners.
ReplyDeleteI d, isagree on the cancer part. The clinical studies that linked it tIfo cancer were done on rats, and the proportional amounts we would have had to consume was like lbs of it a day. If you dont trust it thats your prerogative bc yea, there are no long term studies on it, but thats alot of modern shit.
ReplyDeleteBut I guess I'm saying spraying this shit into water is far better than regular soda / iced tea?
ReplyDeleteYea man, if youre trying to lose weight try and get off regular soda and teas. Like 2 cans of regular sodas is a equivalent to like a 50 minute walk in calories.
ReplyDeleteIt's some crazy mental stimulant that Austin is always pimping. Part of me wants to try it, and the other part of me remembers it's being pimped by a celebrity who almost blew his heart up with energy drinks.
ReplyDeleteNot familiar with myfitnesspro but I use myfitnesspal daily and you are right it is a fantastic tool for helping you create your calorie deficit everyday... it is shocking to find out how much certain things you do add to your deficit and how little people know about what is in what they eat etc... I kind of jumbled 3 or 4 thoughts together there but hopefully my point gets across... i guess I am saying 1 burger undoes about 2 hours of vigorous running on a treadmill/elliptical... if you start thinking that way your success will come more easily.
ReplyDeleteAustin overdosed on energy drinks?
ReplyDeleteIf Caliber still reads the blog, his head must be exploding
ReplyDeleteOne time I saw this guy I worked with taking a piss at the urinal while eating a vending machine cheeseburger with his other hand.
ReplyDeleteThis really doesn't have anything to do with this post at all.
I'm probably futzing some details, but the night before WM 19, he had sone sort of episode, brought on by too many energy drinks, stress, and drinking. I guess.
ReplyDeleteSorry, have to get this off my chest -- It's been a pretty depressing day -- Yesterday evening I played in an alumni football game at Hughson High School --
ReplyDeleteThe game was the third installment of the Trilogy between the Escalon Cougars
and the Huskies -- It was a rugged, hard-hitting game (which comes as no
surprise to anybody familiar with our storied rivalry) -- With just
over three minutes left in the game a young player who'd acquitted
himself quite well for the Huskies collapsed on the sideline with a
severe, life-threatening injury -- Just prior to that point tempers were
flaring and the game was devolving into an embarrassment for both teams
-- But all of the petty bickering and belligerence quickly gave way to
confusion, concern, fear and a bit of terror when it became apparent
something was seriously wrong on the home sideline -- All of our
bullshit was suddenly rendered irrelevant while we tried to grasp what
had just happened -- Both teams came together quickly and shared a
prayer for Charlie Gilstrap as he was being tended to -- While I don't
know him personally I do know that every player on our team knew who he
was and knew he was (and is) a bad-ass -- His reputation in wrestling
and football in Oakdale had preceded him and none of us were looking
particularly forward to having to face him on the field -- I understand
from speaking with Matt House (love you, brother) he is stable after
surgery and I wish him a speedy and full recovery as do all of my
teammates -- In fact, we expect nothing less...
I only have one question...could your alumni beat Polk Highs alumni?
ReplyDeleteEr..I meant Pal, not Pro. But yeah, it's great help.
ReplyDeleteWhoever else downvoted this...HIGHFIVE
ReplyDeleteNot if Al scores 4 touchdowns -- HIGHFIVE? Please humor me and explain...
ReplyDeleteNot to be a dick man, and I seriously hope the dudes ok, but just the way it was written was weird to me.
ReplyDeleteLike who plays a trilogy of alumni football games? Who plays alumni football games? "Storied rivalry?" Tempers were flaring at an alumni football game? Why tell Matt House that you love him at the end? Does he read the blog?
It was just a weird, depressing read.
Ha.
ReplyDeleteHad to look up the Bayside Tigers reference -- Yes, I believe we would soundly defeat them -- We would rape their women and stampede their cattle...
ReplyDeleteDude, they got AC Slater.
ReplyDeleteMatt House is a douchebag. I wish it was him in the hospital.
ReplyDeleteHa. He does suck at life.
ReplyDeleteI bet he does.
ReplyDeleteYea. Remember watching "The Mania of Mania" and they said this. I have my doubts on if it was only energy drinks but thats what they claimed.
ReplyDeleteIn The Stone Cold Truth he mentions it, but anytime I hear him bring it up now it's because of "Too much Horseshit".
ReplyDeleteYea man. If painkillers werent involved id be shocked
ReplyDeleteScott, not sure how the advertisement thing works but Fillipinocupid.com? Like the trend, I see "webcam" services next. Love it!
ReplyDeleteThose ads work based on what you search on or what you e-mail about. I work for a clothing company so I see a lot of clothing company ads because I search on it a lot.
ReplyDeleteDid you give Fillipino Girls a pornoogling recently?
Ha. Closest I got was watching a rap video on wshh today. They do have like "model/stripper" videos.
ReplyDeleteSure.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm in a weird, depressed mood -- I don't think you're being a dick but I do think you're being a bit dismissive -- I play in alumni football games (is it that much different than playing pick up basketball like Jobber123 or running in 5k, 10K and half marathons like my wife does?) -- It's fun; I loved playing football -- I've been lucky enough to be relatively injury free over the years and I'm in pretty good shape -- I coach youth football and I find myself telling the kids they have to be tougher; doesn't hurt to be able to walk the walk, so to speak -- And my boys were waterboys; they were mildly impressed their old man maybe isn't quite as full of shit as they might have thought and they had fun -- I play with kids I coached and friends of mine against our town rival (our schools have supposedly played over 100 times -- Don't know if that's true or not) -- Anyway, all ticket proceeds go to the two schools' athletic programs -- I'm assuming you're aware that school budgets ain't what they used to be -- We called it the Trilogy to add a little luster to what's admittedly a pretty unimportant event in the scheme of things -- The first game drew approximately 4,000 (not bad for two towns with a combined population of around 12,000 -- And yes, tempers flare (hell, I've seen tempers flare here in the BOD over the Montreal Screwjob) -- Grown men aging from 19 to their fifties running into each other at full speed will tend to bring out some hostility, especially when one team is kicking the shit out of the other unexpectedly as the previous two games were decided by a few points -- It kind of helps to talk about it with people who I don't know; or maybe it doesn't -- This isn't the best place to bring this up but fuck it, I did -- The kid's heart stopped for over a minute when he collapsed -- Apparently he took a shot to the head but I don't know when it happened exactly -- He is in an induced coma and can't breathe on his own -- He is pretty roided up but it would be a bit irresponsible at this point to speculate -- By all accounts he's a good kid...
ReplyDeleteI wrestled with a guy in college that went to the same high school as Mario Lopez -- The dude hardly practiced due to his acting job but still managed to be a CA state placer; pretty impressive...
ReplyDeleteFair enough. I played in high school and just never heard of having organized alumni games. At least the dude was alright, as Caliber might say...it wasnt the steroids that fucked him up, it was the coffee he drank before the game.
ReplyDeleteCaliber doesn't haunt the BOD, the BOD haunts Caliber...
ReplyDeleteI once sold some crushed up tea leafs to some dude, of he course he thought it was weed... low and behold one week later he came back asking for more. I believe all these supplements are placebo effect, but just because it is a placebo doesn't stop it being useful... as long as you THINK it is doing something positive then the likely hood some sort of helpful effect will happen (even if it isn't the one you desired).
ReplyDeletePretty soon, Charlie Gilstrap might haunt you.
ReplyDeleteNice -- I guess I reap what I sow...
ReplyDeleteDoes Matt House know how you feel?
ReplyDeleteNate: You know, I really don't...
ReplyDeleteInner Voice: Whoa, Cool Breeze, the fuck you doing?
Nate: I was just...
Inner Voice: Let me guess, you were just going to take exception to wnyxmcneal's perceived insensitivity.
Nate: Well, yeah I...
Inner Voice: Regarding a post your dumb ass never should written in the first place.
Nate: But...
Inner Voice: But what, fucko? What did you expect? Understanding and compassion? Why do you even log onto the BOD?
Nate: Uh, 'cause Scott is funny?
Inner Voice: Exactly. Stick to that. No one wants to hear your sorry ass baggage. You want to air some shit out? Go to therapy or buy a diary. Quit boring the poor bastards who have had the misfortune of reading your drivel.
Nate: Well...
Inner Voice: N-o-b-o-d-y cares. Goddam' you're dense -- Matt House? Really? What's next? A heartfelt ode to your Aunt Mil? Asshole.
Nate: I suppose I was a bit misguided.
Inner Voice: Ya' think? Now shut the fuck up and go pack for Vegas.
Nate: Vegas baby, Vegas!
Inner Voice: Tool.
You sure those crushed up tea leaves weren't salvia?
ReplyDeleteHE said he had a bad coffee habit as well.
ReplyDeleteMan this conversation makes me want a Straight Edge heel Punk vs. Face beer drinking Austin feud badly... they really need to get this done. The promos and the match would both be fantastic.
ReplyDeleteFish oil, multivitamin, creatine, l-carnitine.
ReplyDeleteFish oil, multivitamin, creatine, l-carnitine.
ReplyDelete