The Fundamental Stack: Supplements that Really Work!

[JoeyTS]

The Fundamental Stack: Bodybuilding Supplements that Really Work!

#1 A Good Multivitamin such as Optimum Opti-Men (or Opti-Women) less than $18 for a 120 count bottle!
The first thing that anyone should be taking is a good’ol multi vitamin. Vitamins are so important that everyone—not just bodybuilders—should be taking a good multi. We have all heard of the anti-cancer and anti-aging benefits vitamin supplementation may provide. Most people can not possibly eat enough variety of foods to supply all the vitamins necessary for optimal bodily function. An athlete such as a body builder increases his or her need for many vitamins and without these vital chemicals one can not expect to utilize his or her training and diet to the fullest.

#2 A Good Whey Protein such as Optimum 100% Whey Gold Standard only $28.89 for over 70 servings!
Whey protein has been Bodybuilding.com’s top selling supplement for as long as I have been around and for a good reason. After a bout of lifting heavy weights the body is depleted, catabolic processes have broken down muscle, and many amino acids are in high demand. Whey is excellent at this time because it is very complete (has all the essential amino acids in good ratios for utilization) and very fast acting (20-45 minutes to digest). Whey protein is rich in the three branch chain amino acids (BCAAs) Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine, which have been proven to speed recovery. A must have supplement for anyone that lifts weights.

#3 A Good Fish Oil such as Fish Oil Softgels only $3.49 for a 100 count bottle!
Fish oils are derived from the fat of deep-sea, cold water fish and are a natural source of Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). Omega-3 is an important nutrient for maintaining a healthy brain and nervous system. Fish Oils themselves are said to contribute to healthy heart function and joint flexibility as well as supporting brain, nerve, and visual function (excerpt from bodybuilding.com store). Want more details? Here are 10 great reasons you should be using fish oil: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/charles2.htm.

#4 A Good BCAA Mix such as BCAA 5000 Powder only $23.39 for 5000 mg!
BCAAs are very important to bodybuilders, and other athletes as well. These amino acids are unique in that they are metabolized directly in muscles as fuel. During intense work a muscle is depleted of its BCAAs. These essential amino acids not only serve as fuel, they are also a precursor to other important compounds. There has been an overwhelming amount of scientific evidence to support the benefits of supplementing with free form BCAAs during exercise (for more info http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...ighlight=bcaa).

#5 A Good Creatine Product such as Micronized Creatine Monohydrate only $43.39 for a huge 2000 gram tub!
Creatine monohydrate is the supplement world’s greatest achievement. It is safe, occurs naturally in every human, been used by many athletes for over a decade, and has awesome anabolic power. Creatine aids in the regeneration of ATP—muscles immediate energy source which may allow you to crank out another hard rep on a grueling exercise. But that’s not all; creatine also super hydrates the muscles by pulling more water into the cells. This increase in osmotic pressure is believed to contribute to an increase in protein synthesis. Best part is that we know it has already worked safely for thousands of bodybuilders.


That’s it. That is all you really need to be buying. Some people may need to ADD a few more things to their stack to aid in specific goals, but this list of five is the base. I understand some folks may not be able to afford all of these supplements and that is ok because training, nutrition, and rest are far more important than supplements. First someone needs to be eating a lot of quality foods. Next they need to make sure they have a good program to follow, not just some crap routine from a magazine or buddy. Finally, a life style which includes low stress and a lot of rest is important. Sleep can not be over rated when it comes to building a quality body.

So if you look at your shopping cart (or order form) next time you buy supplements, and something on this list is missing, put back that crap with the glamorous hologram label, put back the “secret” you read about in the M&fiction magazines, put back the latest trend that your skinny ass friends think will turn them into hulkamaniacs overnight…and buy the basic supplements. Feel free to thank me in a few months when you make some gains and everyone else is left with nothing but weight loss in their wallet!




(All links and prices are from the bodybuilding.com store as of 12/10/2006).

[pu12en12g]

Yep, start with the basics.... always a good reminder

[JoeyTS]

This is an updated repost of an old thread I created regarding the top five most important supplements. I just wanted to edit in updated links and prices.


I also want to mention that in my opinion additional Anti-oxidant supplementation is strongly recomended for anyone, not just people lifting weights.

[extremenergy3]

lol, that micronized creatine is NOT 2000mg. That's only 2g. It's 2000g. Just a correction. Hope it doesn't confuse people.

[JoeyTS]

lol, that micronized creatine is NOT 2000mg. That's only 2g. It's 2000g. Just a correction. Hope it doesn't confuse people.

yeah just a typo. I fixed

[DividedbyHatred]

This is a good thread.

[Guard_Pass_old]

Good thread although more options on each type of supplement would be nice.

[ksa-muscle]

Good thread although more options on each type of supplement would be nice.

x2 for example there are alot of fish oils that contain more EPA DHA

[JoeyTS]

x2 for example there are alot of fish oils that contain more EPA DHA

The categories are the main point of my list. Those were just examples; I went with optimum products because they had a low cost and good reputation.

I use TP proteins and Carlson's fish oil currently, but I was not able to find it here at BB.com.

Nonetheless, the optimum stack in the example may still be very good and avaliable option for most people.

Thanks for the comments. I will work on an updated version of this list with more examples.

[MaddenMuscle]

But are they priced that low?