In my Q&A column posted in January, I discuss the NCAA legality of Tribex and Hardcore ZMA and drug tests, whether or not kids and teens will stunt their growth if they lift weights and use creatine supplements, and I share some fan mail from a wellness chiropractor.

Q: Mike
Nice job on the recent health article. I’m a wellness chiropractor and I’m always looking for ways to communicate ideas of health to people. I never in my life thought I would use Bullz-eye.com as a professional reference, but you did a bang up job writing in simple, but not watered down language.
Do you have links to some of your other works? And, do you have a good form of your recent article that I can hand out (I’d rather not direct conservative clients to bullz-eye.com’s bikini page for nutritional advice. That said, what you wrote needs to get out everywhere in America!

Evan

(Dr. Hughes)
Concord Family Chiropractic

A: DR. Hughes
Thanks so much for your kind words. I understand as a business owner not wanting to offend any clients. Being considerate and service oriented is lacking in for too many businesses. I am glad to hear that there are some people out there as considerate as you. However, I do feel Bullz-eye.com’s “bikini” features are very tasteful. Offensive, risqué content, which I understand is subjective, is something Bullz-eye.com’s partners have always wanted to stay away from.

I appreciate you taking the time to visit B-E.com and reading my articles. I’m attaching several articles you can use as hand outs.

Mike

Mike weighs in on the pros and cons of hormone replacement therapy, soy lecithin, creatine and HFCS. He also reminds us that while there is a lot of good information on the internet, it’s important to research and consult with experts before using a product. Just because a product is legal doesn’t mean it’s safe or that it works.

Here’s a sample from the article:

Q: Hi Mike,

I was doing some research on HGH in my downtime, and the use of it to treat chronic conditions and developmental issues. Now, I came across this website http://www.rajeun.net/ as a result of my surfing. I had a look at the eight-point anti-aging program this guy has sorted out for himself and thought to myself, “Gee Justin, be pretty cool if that worked, right?”

Now some of it sounds like the usual bunkum; EDTA chelation seems to fit into that category for example.

But — and it’s a big but — in your opinion, if this guy keeps at what he’s been doing, does he have a routine that might give him an advantage over the rest of us when it comes to staying healthier for that bit longer? And following up, if you yourself wanted to go about living for a very long time, would you go down the same path this dude is going down?

In closing, respect for all for your time and encouragement Mike, a whole heap of people appreciate your attitude and your efforts in keeping guys fitter, healthier and happier.

Best regards.

A: Justin,

When it comes to living longer, does it give him an advantage over us? I don’t think there is enough evidence to answer that question. One thing is for sure, your quality of life definitely improves. Men who properly use hormone replacement therapy show an elevated sense of well-being and mood. If it didn’t work, it wouldn’t be such a huge business. There are anti-aging clinics popping up all over the world.

There are parts of his program however, that are a little suspect. Two that jump out at me are EDTA chelation for getting rid of metals in the body, and taking Vermoc to get rid of parasites. My advice to Ellis is to get the hell out of that God-forsaken toilet of a country.

Another part of his program that I take exception to is his endorsement of using Erythropoietin or EPO. EPO is a drug used in the clinical setting to increase hematocrit (red blood cell) levels. EPO is a natural substance produced by the kidneys that stimulates bone marrow to manufacture red blood cells. This drug, if used improperly, can result in death — as seen with Olympic athletes trying to gain an edge in endurance events.

Low hematocrit levels can be caused by many different conditions including blood loss, chemotherapy, HIV or nutritional deficiencies. Obviously, if the cause is nutritional, you’d want to use supplements, not a drug. Just because your hematocrit is low normal, it is no reason to jump on EPO. What Mr. Mexico doesn’t understand is that the drugs he is on, especially testosterone, increases your hematocrit levels. I believe Ellis’ site is a little on the irresponsible side.

Mike

I this installment of Did you know… I cover an array of topics beginning with the following:

Did you know…

…creatine is perhaps the most researched supplement on the planet? Yet new data on the benefits of supplementing with this incredible substance is still mounting. Canadian researchers compared the changes in insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) amounts in two groups of subjects. All the subjects performed at least 30 minutes of structured physical activity three to five times per week for eight weeks. The subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups: one supplementing with creatine, the other, an isocaloric placeo. Muscle biopsies were taken before and after the training period and analyzed for IGF-1 content. The creatine group had a 24% higher level of IGF-1. The creatine group also had a 23% higher increase in type II muscle fibers. These findings were independent of dietary guidelines. (Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 2008; 18(4))

What does this mean for the average Joe? It means if you supplement with creatine, you’ll not only get the well known “volumizing” effect, but more muscle fibers.

Are taking multivitamins necessary? do they work? How does a vegan get leaner? Should they be eating soy? Are testosterone boosters safe and effective? Which ones should I take and what’s the best way to take them?

Below is a sample of the recent Q&A column on www.bullz-eye.com.

Q:Mike, I’m currently taking a multivitamin because I’m trying to change my health for the better. Is this a good choice? Should I be taking other supplements?

A:Sergio, Short answer No. Multi vitamins are a waste because the absorption is so poor. Some vitamins and minerals compete with one another making absorption even worse.

What I take: Vitamin D (most important) 10,000iu per day, Vitamin A once per week 5000iu, CoQ10 100mg/day, Omega 3 fish oil, CLA, and cook with coconut and olive oils.

I recommend reading my article “Daily consumption for optimum health”, and below are a few other websites to consult.

vitamindcouncil.org
westonaprice.org
vitamin-d-max.com (this is where I purchase vitamin D)
vitacost.com (this is where I get omega 3, CLA and CoQ10.)
therabiotics.net (this is where I get my probiotics)

Creatine is perhaps the most researched supplement on the planet. Yet new data on the benefits of supplementing with this incredible substance is still mounting. Canadian researchers compared the changes in insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) amounts in 2 groups of subjects. All the subjects performed at least 30 minutes of structured physical activity 3 -5 X’s per week for eight weeks. The subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups: One supplementing with creatine, the other, an isocaloric placeo. Muscle biopsies were taken before and after the training period and analyzed for IGF-1 content. The creatine group had a 24% higher level of IGF-1. The creatine group also had a 23% higher increase in type II muscle fibers. These findings were independent of dietary guidelines. (Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 2008; 18(4))

What does this mean for the average Joe? It means if you supplement with creatine, you’ll not only get the well known “volumizing” effect, but added lean mass.

In our never ending quest for a healthier, leaner, stronger body, taking supplements is a must.  While sifting through many supplement sites the other day I came across Vitacost.com.  They offer many different quality brands of supplements at great prices.  I made a purchase about 3 weeks ago and must say, I’m impressed.  I am definitely putting them on my list of favorite supplement sites.

Creatine is one of the most studied supplements there is. It came under in the late 90’s because of unfounded concerns with dehydration and cramping. These concerns were put to rest after many researchers found no link between creatine and dehydration among athletes. After literally hundreds of studies there appears to but no negative side effects associated with creatine usage at all.

What many people don’t know is that creatine is found naturally in the food we eat. It is found in high levels in red meat. As a matter of fact, this is the main reason why many people who eat red meat regularly don’t seem to get good results with the supplementation of creatine. Creatine does, however, yield great results for most people.

Creatine will work very well for about 30 to 40 percent of the people who use it. Another 30% of the people who use it will claim good results. But unfortunately, about 30% of all creatine users report almost no effect at all. Many of these people may be getting it in their diets.

When taking creatine, use 20 grams per day for the first seven days as a loading phase. Do you need to load up? No, but your muscles will reach their saturation point quicker. After the loading phase, use 10 grams a day for five more weeks. Take the next three to four weeks off, and start again.

Creatine hit the market about 15 years ago and has been one of the top selling supplements since. It’s popularity is due to one reason — it works.

Creatine works by giving the muscle cell what it needs to store ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate). ATP is the energy source our muscles use for heavy-duty, short-term workloads, the type used in weight training, sprintning, wrestling, etc. Creatine has been shown to increase strength in most people by 10%. Endurance athletes will find the use of creatine to be a waste of time because it does not affect that energy system.

There was an interesting article published online at American Chronicle.com about whether or not bodybuilders should skip supplements in 2007.

The basic idea behind the article was to dispel any rumors that bodybuilders absolutely need to take supplements. They don’t. Like the article details, you can still gain muscle with proper diet and exercise without ever touching a supplement. However, using supplements can in fact, do as they say, and “supplement” your diet.

The supplement quandary is along the same lines of when people try to go to the far ends of the earth to find the perfect workout routine or diet. If you have the money, the basic supplements can offer a great boost to your overall workout gains. Just don’t get caught up in all the hype of having to have the “latest and greatest”.

The American Chronicle article highlights the five basic supplements that bodybuilders should consider if they want to maximize their workout gains:

1) Whey Protein 

2) Creatine 

3) Glutamine 

4) High-Potency Multivitamin 

5) Essential Fatty Acids 

To see the full article, click here.