Supplements vs No Supplements

[valdes]

Has anyone here tested their workout routine for 3 months without supplements & then with supplements and documented their gains?

[simonpowell65]

I haven't done this but i am tempted too. i regularly use supplements so would be interesting to see gains without

[lucia316]

Near 10 years later and OP got a response. Hope he's not dead.

[BillyECarroll]

I understand where your coming from. Like i said to kayosthery. I cannot seem to get more than 1100 cals in me a day. And so my body is most likely feeding off the muscle i am trying to put on. It would be easy to get the 2800 or so i NEED if i was eating crap, but its hard to get 2800 good cals

[davgrav]

Interesting experiment, I would like to read after all this time whether it worked. But I know a lot of people who train without supplements, protein, or vitamins. They get everything they need from food.

[SuffolkPunch]

I know this is an old thread but it's worth pointing out the flaws in the idea. Real research is done on groups of people - not just one person. This gives you statistical power to actually make a claim that an effect is real and not just happening by chance.

There is usually a control group who does not get the intervention (in this case, that means removing supplements from your regimen). This is to show a difference between groups if any exists.

Finally, the brief it too vague... which supplement are you talking about, you can only test one thing at a time. If it were protein for example, you need to standardise how much protein each person is also getting from food.

Such experimental data often already exists for individual ingredients - especially creatine and protein. Perhaps go to examine.com as a first stop for a supplement research summary.

[ManwittaPlan]

I know this is an old thread but it's worth pointing out the flaws in the idea. Real research is done on groups of people - not just one person. This gives you statistical power to actually make a claim that an effect is real and not just happening by chance.

There is usually a control group who does not get the intervention (in this case, that means removing supplements from your regimen). This is to show a difference between groups if any exists.

Finally, the brief it too vague... which supplement are you talking about, you can only test one thing at a time. If it were protein for example, you need to standardise how much protein each person is also getting from food.

Such experimental data often already exists for individual ingredients - especially creatine and protein. Perhaps go to examine.com as a first stop for a supplement research summary.

Here is something to think about as well.

A pioneer in the industry (let’s say a strength and conditioning coach, a nutritionist, etc) who would do their own experimentation on themselves or clients based on personal research.

They try a method (such as a training program) or a supplement or even a drug. They’ll notice a pattern with their clients of progress or success. It becomes empirical evidence but it isn’t statistically significant for the reasons you brought up, we can agree on that.

The late Dan Duchaine was a great example of this when it came to anabolics, mass monsters became common in bodybuilding due to Dans experimentation on himself and clients.

Vince Gironda was way ahead of his time with empirical evidence based on his clients results. He didn’t need a scientific study, the results were there. Later, human trials would prove him right. His research was based many times on trauma victims, he realized bodybuilders were in fact creating a degree of trauma on their bodies and found ways to help them recover: more muscle was the side effect.

There are more I can reference.

If we didn’t have these gents (among many others in their field) we’d never move forward and progress in athletics or bodybuilding. The mass monsters, the super athletes....everyone would do the same old thing.

I have tried specific supplements on myself that have only been proven in rat studies, no human studies yet for example. My blood labs don’t lie.

[TheFugitive]

No one should need a group of people to tell them what works or what doesn't work, trust yourself

[TheFugitive]

the world is going to change now
once there was a time people like Arnold Schwarzenegger build their body naturally
but nowadays the new generation wants everything in no time
Say no to Supplements

Arnold was far from natural

[lucia316]

And there we have it. Just try it bros. Disregard science. It's all just blah, blah, blah anyway, right? Right?

[ManwittaPlan]

Durabolin can be used to increment lean body mass in the case of negative nitrogen balance.

That doesn’t qualify as a supplement, it’s a bit stronger