Most cost-effective supps?

Due to a few factors like being in school, working less, and having some unexpected expenses, money is real tight at the moment. i have had to scale back all non-essential spending. of course, SOME supplements are necessary so I am interested in your thoughts on which provide the best 'bang for the buck'. my current supps are:

o Foundational: multi (cheap 2 a day), fish oil, extra vitamin C, D and K.
o Protein: was using a crossflow microfiltered isolate but recently picked up a CFMF isolate/concentrate blend to save some dough. I use this pre- and post-workout, post is with carbs.
o Creatine: I use 3g of HCl pre-workout. on off days I use about 5g of monohydrate

What are some others that are pretty cheap and effective? thinkin bulk powders here, obviously, since they're the cheapest

Think about dropping supps and adding food.
I'm cutting out supps all the time and plan to cut out more and more as I run out of things.

Truth is, you don't need any supps. You just need to ramp up your dietary nutrition with foods. I spent the first 5 years of my training with no supps... even won bbing contests during that time.

Even today, I use precious few and if money was short, I wouldn't even buy the few I get now.

I think you need to also be more specific on what you are looking for in the supplement. Something to help you get stronger? Leaner? Maintain what you have?

That being said, the only thing I can think of outside of what you listed is some BCAA's.

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Originally Posted by burlyman30

I spent the first 5 years of my training with no supps... even won bbing contests during that time.

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Not everyone has the god-like genetics like you do, Mr. Pink Shorts.

I say drop all but protein and creatine (only cause pn has it so cheap) and start buying your food in bulk, you have no idea how much you can save.

I like my joint supplement.

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Originally Posted by Cobalt

Not everyone has the god-like genetics like you do, Mr. Pink Shorts.

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Lol. My genetics were crap, really. I managed my training and nutrition as if my life depended on it. I spent my free time reading books on nutrition, physiology, kinesiology, etc. I missed 3 workouts in five years of training. So the genetic advantage that I may have had back then was a lighting fast metabolism, which is great for getting lean, but a bitch for gaining muscle.

Oh yeah, guess I should have specified goals. Goal is always size, more size. Right now I am doing a short ECA run to cut down a bit and prepare for my next bulk, which may or may not be enhanced by prohormones (undecided at this point). so keeping that in mind, anythign that helps with recovery and building lean mass, and is cheap, would be something I would consider in my arsenal.

Diet is already good, both quality and quantity-wise. I have identified effective ways of shopping without being gamed by the big supermarkets like most people, tricked into coming in for 1 thing on sale when the price on everything else is jacked up. 95% of my meals are home cooked, to save money and ensure quality, and most of my diet consists of: beef, chicken, salmon, eggs, oats, rice, veggies, almond butter, whey, milk, and veggies.

so yeah, besides BCAAs, any other ideas?

Peptopro is probably the most effective protein supplement I have come across in 28 years of lifting. If I could only take one supp, I would choose it above all others. Just my .02.

Beyond that, a multi. PHs and AAS are more than just supps to me, so they didn't get considered for the list.

Food is the most anabolic substance known to man. Let it do the rest. People forget that Arnold and Franco didn't have creatine, peptopro, bcaas, etc. when they were first training. It was training and copious amounts of food.

I would agree on peptopro. It is definitely the last supp I would want to give up.

h2s and burly what is your dosing protocol for peptopro?

i wrote john meadows about this, lemme go in my email now to find his email response

here it is

AL: I know you are a big fan of casein hydro (peptopro) there seems to be a debate with all my findings on the right serving though?
What would be your protocol for pre/peri/post or if one just wanted to take post work out only? Lets say for your average natural gym guy at around 200lbs?

JOHN: I would start at a low dose, 10 grams, and give it a week. If it doesn't help alleviate soreness I would add in 5 grams and re-evaluate. I like for people to find the lowest dose possible that delivers the effect as I know it's not cheap. Also don't forget to use a quick clearing carb to maximize the snyergy between amino acids and carbs! the insulin response you get from the carbs is every bit as important in this equation.

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Originally Posted by ctAL

h2s and burly what is your dosing protocol for peptopro?

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I mix up 30 grams in 32 ounces. Typically, I work out fasted, so I drink about 1/3 of it on my way to the gym, about 1/3 during my workout, and the last 1/3 immediately following the workout. I typically eat about 30-40 minutes post workout.

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Originally Posted by burlyman30

I mix up 30 grams in 32 ounces. Typically, I work out fasted, so I drink about 1/3 of it on my way to the gym, about 1/3 during my workout, and the last 1/3 immediately following the workout. I typically eat about 30-40 minutes post workout.

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identical to what I have started doing. I am going to add in 10-20g of waxymaize to the mixture though.

interesting, thank you.

I am similar to the dosing levels that Burly uses, but I drink it over time. I actually change doses between 20-30

Well PeptoPro isn't exactly cheap, but if it is really a lot more effective than whey I may consider it. both Lyle McDonald and Alan Aragon have posted writings critical of the science on it. in the gym sometimes the 'scientific studies' don't hold up, like how creatine HCl shouldn't be any better than mono on paper, but in reality it is an entirely different animal

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Originally Posted by pman42

Well PeptoPro isn't exactly cheap, but if it is really a lot more effective than whey I may consider it. both Lyle McDonald and Alan Aragon have posted writings critical of the science on it. in the gym sometimes the 'scientific studies' don't hold up, like how creatine HCl shouldn't be any better than mono on paper, but in reality it is an entirely different animal

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You are correct about things not always holding up in real life. HMB was touted as being "deca-like" back in the 90s... it was expensive... and worthless. All the excitement from Dan Duchaine's writings on chrysin ended up not living up to it's hype, either. Hundreds... maybe thousands of these stories in regard to the supplement industry.

I'm clearly not a big fan of most supplements. In fact, my first few uses of Peptopro surprised me in more than one way. I liked the science of it, for sure, which is why I even bothered to try it. It definitely absorbed well. I didn't have the bloaty feeling that would have come from an intra-workout whey protein. I don't like anything in my stomach when I train, or I will get nauseous. This seemed to absorb as well, or better, than a sports drink like Gatorade. I normally only drink water during a workout, but this didn't sit in my gut like a rock while I trained.

The science of limiting muscular tear-down during training is what brought me to the product, but the user-friendliness and the post workout recovery that seems to be a side effect, has kept me using the product.

ive been reading so much lately..............i def got wrapped up in the supplement world in 2012..........im getting back on my nutrition to the T. (thank you john meadows, best 10 bucks i spent in a long time)

picking up peptopro and highly branched cyclic dextrin.........(saving pump spray for spring, havnt read one bad review on it yet, interesting product)


burly you train first thing in the morning and just sip on your pepto/carb mix pre/peri/post then a whole food meal 45 mins later sounds perfect to me.

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Originally Posted by ctAL

burly you train first thing in the morning and just sip on your pepto/carb mix pre/peri/post then a whole food meal 45 mins later sounds perfect to me.

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Yes, I try to. If not, I may train early evening, but prior to dinner and 5 or more hours after a good lunch, so a fully emptied gut.

My post workout food meal usually is either mostly protein or all protein. 2 or 3 hours later I will have a protein and carb meal.

Thanks for the feedback