Your Experiences With Supplements?
09-30-20, 07:55 PM
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I drink a protein shake for breakfast every morning as a meal replacement. It's not that I'm worried about getting supplemental protein, but drinking protein satisfies me until lunch time so I'm not hungry all morning. But I will agree that eating meat or dairy provides plenty of protein so that a supplement isn't really necessary.
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09-30-20, 08:32 PM
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Two physicians in the family and instead of vitamins they recommend eating a well balanced diet. Their biggest qualms are no regulation of what actually goes into vitamins and potentially dangerous drug interactions with prescription medications.
I only take a magnesium capsule when I am having leg cramps after hard rides. Neither give me a hard time for occasional use. My dad (M.D.) has been calling vitamins the greatest multimillion dollar con and said most ‘benefits’ are placebo. He is not always right but Consumer Reports dedicated their entire magazine to the fraud of vitamins.
of course if you don’t eat right taking a multivitamin might be an acceptable hedge.
I only take a magnesium capsule when I am having leg cramps after hard rides. Neither give me a hard time for occasional use. My dad (M.D.) has been calling vitamins the greatest multimillion dollar con and said most ‘benefits’ are placebo. He is not always right but Consumer Reports dedicated their entire magazine to the fraud of vitamins.
of course if you don’t eat right taking a multivitamin might be an acceptable hedge.
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10-01-20, 05:47 AM
#55
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This is my response to this question back in June...
So now with 3 months and taking Magnesium, Potassium and the Curcumin every day without exception. First the Curcumin for joint pain I think for me at least is useless. The Magnesium and Potassium I believe are helpful in keeping leg cramps at bay although a improvement it's not a cure. I have also been taking an electrolyte before and after a hard ride of 60 or more minutes. I usually drink a sports drink while riding. So starting today I'm eliminating the Curcumin, sticking for now with the Magnesium and Potassium and the electrolyte and see re-evaluate Jan 1. Something in this mix is making it very difficult for me to fall asleep.
I have always avoided supplements. About 2 weeks ago I started experimenting just to see. I've started taking Curcumin for joint pain, Magnesium on the advice of my PCP to help reduce leg cramps during intense exercise and oral electrolyte only before and after a bike ride, also to help reduce craps.
So far too early to see any real benefit but it has only been two weeks. We shall see. I don't intend to go any further than this.
So far too early to see any real benefit but it has only been two weeks. We shall see. I don't intend to go any further than this.
10-01-20, 06:58 AM
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But you're neglecting the fact that they turn your urine an amazing color.
10-01-20, 11:00 AM
#57
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This is my response to this question back in June...
So now with 3 months and taking Magnesium, Potassium and the Curcumin every day without exception. First the Curcumin for joint pain I think for me at least is useless. The Magnesium and Potassium I believe are helpful in keeping leg cramps at bay although a improvement it's not a cure. I have also been taking an electrolyte before and after a hard ride of 60 or more minutes. I usually drink a sports drink while riding. So starting today I'm eliminating the Curcumin, sticking for now with the Magnesium and Potassium and the electrolyte and see re-evaluate Jan 1. Something in this mix is making it very difficult for me to fall asleep.
So now with 3 months and taking Magnesium, Potassium and the Curcumin every day without exception. First the Curcumin for joint pain I think for me at least is useless. The Magnesium and Potassium I believe are helpful in keeping leg cramps at bay although a improvement it's not a cure. I have also been taking an electrolyte before and after a hard ride of 60 or more minutes. I usually drink a sports drink while riding. So starting today I'm eliminating the Curcumin, sticking for now with the Magnesium and Potassium and the electrolyte and see re-evaluate Jan 1. Something in this mix is making it very difficult for me to fall asleep.
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10-01-20, 05:13 PM
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put butter on a slice of raisin bread & put some slices of banana on it. That'll get you your K & mag.
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10-01-20, 05:37 PM
#60
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the gains you think you are getting from supplements is all in your head, and that's ok if it makes you work harder, but the supplements in and by themselves do nothing, and any doctor will tell you that, and they'll also tell you that a well balanced food diet is all the supplements you need...unless your body doesn't absorb certain things in food but your doctor can tell you that with a blood test.
Plus you said you noticed gradual improvements over a 3 month period, well guess what? you were riding your bicycle, those improvements came from riding the bike regularly and not from the supplements.
Supplements can actually do more harm than good over the long haul:
https://healthfully.com/supplements-...r-6187990.html
https://www.self.com/story/taking-too-many-supplements
https://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/eff...any-vitamins#1
Some doctors might suggest taking a supplement, but guess what they suggest taking? a cheap once a day multivitamin. There are some good supplements that can benefit people, but mostly older people: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/art...ntial-benefits Some people have iron deficiencies need to take iron pills, but only under doctors care because you can OD on iron; certain older people need vitamin B12, but again a doctor will test to see if you are deficient in that area.
Plus you said you noticed gradual improvements over a 3 month period, well guess what? you were riding your bicycle, those improvements came from riding the bike regularly and not from the supplements.
Supplements can actually do more harm than good over the long haul:
https://healthfully.com/supplements-...r-6187990.html
https://www.self.com/story/taking-too-many-supplements
https://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/eff...any-vitamins#1
Some doctors might suggest taking a supplement, but guess what they suggest taking? a cheap once a day multivitamin. There are some good supplements that can benefit people, but mostly older people: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/art...ntial-benefits Some people have iron deficiencies need to take iron pills, but only under doctors care because you can OD on iron; certain older people need vitamin B12, but again a doctor will test to see if you are deficient in that area.
Best regards
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10-01-20, 06:05 PM
#61
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D in winter here in Portland as advised by my doc. She doesn't buy my argument that a year in west Texas exposed me to a lifetime of sunshine.
Maltodextrin as supplemental fuel during 100+ mile rides.
I bought some whey protein with thoughts of use for after ride recovery, but I prefer food.
Maltodextrin as supplemental fuel during 100+ mile rides.
I bought some whey protein with thoughts of use for after ride recovery, but I prefer food.
10-01-20, 06:16 PM
#62
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Not all things referred to as supplements are supplements. Whey protein, creatine and citrulline are foods, just another way to consume them. Whey is invaluable if you workout and less expensive than muscle proteins. People over the age of 50 that exercise daily should definitely use whey and a maintenance dose of creatine. Citrulline ask your Dr especially if you takes meds for blood pressure control because citrulline is vasodilator.
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10-01-20, 08:46 PM
#64
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I get plenty of potassium, but adding magnesium did the trick for my post-workout leg and foot spasms.
It's the main ingredient in Sportlegs, which a friend swears by. Magnesium lactate is available separately in powdered form, in gel caps. Easier for me to swallow than some of the solid pills the size of bumblebees.
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10-01-20, 09:28 PM
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10-02-20, 04:33 AM
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I bolded the part that I have a problem with.
10-02-20, 07:02 AM
#67
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Don't confuse "food" with "meals". Food is any protein, fat or carbohydrate singularly or together that provides nourishment, period. Food doesn't have to be pot roast.
Sorry, you have a problem with my statement but it is actually factual. Older people definitely benefit from more bio-available protein especially very active people. Whey powder is nothing more than mechanically filtered and dried whey and not only does it help with muscle repair and development but with heart health, diabetes prevention and inflammation. People that use whey have more muscle and less body fat especially older people. It is probably the easiest protein to digest apart from hydrolyzed sources of protein.
Just think of it as a dairy food, which is what it is. There is nothing fancy or mysterious about it. The only possible side effect is gas.
Sorry, you have a problem with my statement but it is actually factual. Older people definitely benefit from more bio-available protein especially very active people. Whey powder is nothing more than mechanically filtered and dried whey and not only does it help with muscle repair and development but with heart health, diabetes prevention and inflammation. People that use whey have more muscle and less body fat especially older people. It is probably the easiest protein to digest apart from hydrolyzed sources of protein.
Just think of it as a dairy food, which is what it is. There is nothing fancy or mysterious about it. The only possible side effect is gas.
10-02-20, 07:48 AM
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All of our bodies are different. I have a balanced diet, but my blood work always showed lower levels of Vitamin D. I supplemented my diet with a multivitamin that had D in it, and now my D levels are better. My options were to restructure my diet to try to get more D or to take a supplement. The supplement worked, and I didn't have to change my diet.
Sport Legs is the only other supplement that I take. I take it before and during longer rides and it eliminates cramping.
Sport Legs is the only other supplement that I take. I take it before and during longer rides and it eliminates cramping.
10-02-20, 08:20 AM
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I have taken a muti vitamin and mineral tablet most of my adult life. This was on the advice of my brother that worked with Phd pharmacist. I dont know if it is due to the tablets or good genes or both, but I am in excellent health. I will be 82 in Dec, and can easily pass for a 65 year old. I can do pretty much anything I want to, and ride about 25 miles every other day. At the very least, I can say the vitamin and mineral tablets taken daily have done no harm. BTW my doctor says I am in the 99 percentile of men my age.
10-02-20, 09:00 AM
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I have taken a muti vitamin and mineral tablet most of my adult life. This was on the advice of my brother that worked with Phd pharmacist. I dont know if it is due to the tablets or good genes or both, but I am in excellent health. I will be 82 in Dec, and can easily pass for a 65 year old. I can do pretty much anything I want to, and ride about 25 miles every other day. At the very least, I can say the vitamin and mineral tablets taken daily have done no harm. BTW my doctor says I am in the 99 percentile of men my age.
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10-02-20, 04:44 PM
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My wife is convinced they work. I have genetic enemia and have tried iron supplements with marginal results. The problem is that I am on Thyroid medication so I have to be careful with iron or the leafy green stuff like spinach . Catch 22
10-02-20, 04:50 PM
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I started taking supplements again this year, after many years of avoiding them, believing, as conventional "science" would have it, that basically you were paying for expensive pee.
I realized after 2 to 3 months that this was certainly not the case, and that I was clearly benefitting in a variety of ways. The interesting thing is, since the benefits aren't immediately clear and hence the gains so gradual, there is no 'light bulb' effect: as in "wow this is great." As a result, once you reach a higher plane of health, it just becomes "normal" or "average" as in, something you just take for granted.
Now, as far as the downsides. I am taking a lot of supplements. So many in fact, that it's almost an endurance event finishing them all. It require drinking a lot of water, and it's quite time consuming. I think I've reached my limit in terms of how many supplements I can take, in terms of time and patience.
Cost? I estimate I'm spending $40 to $50 a month but I'm very careful comparing cost and quality so someone who is less invested in research would probably spend considerably more. Compared to the average caffeine addict spending $100 to $200 a month at Starbucks, I don't think the expenditure is that great.
What are your experiences?
I realized after 2 to 3 months that this was certainly not the case, and that I was clearly benefitting in a variety of ways. The interesting thing is, since the benefits aren't immediately clear and hence the gains so gradual, there is no 'light bulb' effect: as in "wow this is great." As a result, once you reach a higher plane of health, it just becomes "normal" or "average" as in, something you just take for granted.
Now, as far as the downsides. I am taking a lot of supplements. So many in fact, that it's almost an endurance event finishing them all. It require drinking a lot of water, and it's quite time consuming. I think I've reached my limit in terms of how many supplements I can take, in terms of time and patience.
Cost? I estimate I'm spending $40 to $50 a month but I'm very careful comparing cost and quality so someone who is less invested in research would probably spend considerably more. Compared to the average caffeine addict spending $100 to $200 a month at Starbucks, I don't think the expenditure is that great.
What are your experiences?
10-02-20, 05:10 PM
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Cost? I estimate I'm spending $40 to $50 a month but I'm very careful comparing cost and quality so someone who is less invested in research would probably spend considerably more. Compared to the average caffeine addict spending $100 to $200 a month at Starbucks, I don't think the expenditure is that great.
10-02-20, 05:30 PM
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