What's your thoughts on drinking a Gallon of Water a day.

I drink a gallon a day and use fish oil suppliments,Whey protein,Creatine. What's your thoughts on suppliments.

Drink whatever amt. your body asks you to.

 

I drink about 120 fluid oz. on days when I lift.

I (think) I eat a pretty healthy diet, with seafood included, so I don't bother with fish oil supplements.

Protein and creatine are pretty standard. No problems with those.

I suspect fish oil isn't as useful as people make it out to be.  Getting omega 3s from food, fish, organic beef, free range eggs, etc is useful, but studies have been inconclusive on the benefit of supplementing with extracted oil.

It's recommended for people w/ heart problems where every bit counts, but I don't know how useful it is for the general public.  I'm sure it won't hurt, and it might be more beneficial if you use it and eat some foods w/ omega 3s, but that's conjecture on my part. 

water: I live in a dry climate, at high elevation. I drink 80- 120 oz on days that I don't do cardio. I go way over 120 oz on days that I run. I think many people (not everyone!) would under hydrate if they drank based on thirst alone. I go by several things, including how often I urinate. I know that I lose 20-34 oz an hour while running, so I take things like that into account too.

Fish oil: a godsend for me. I have arthritis in my spine, and fish oil works better than NSAID's, and without the side effects and risks. On the other hand, just two big capsules a day was too much and I had some bleeding/bruising problems, along with getting an iffy blood test. One of my friends had the exact same thing happen. I still take one a day. If not for the mercury problems, I'd eat real fish all the time, and skip the capsules.

Whey protein: It is a highly processed food, and I try to stay away from those in general. Essentially, it is a macronutrient that is devoid of most of the micronutrients that you'd get by eating real food for your protein. On the other hand, it is convenient. I take it to the gym sometimes (because chicken in a ziplock bag gets pretty gross). You really don't know what is in it, because supplements aren't controlled like foods are.

I've been curios about creatine, but haven't tried it. I saw my bodybuilder nephew inflate like the Michelin man for a while while he used it. After he stopped, and lost the excess water weight, he did have quite a bit of extra muscle on him.

 

I have used creatine for a bit over 12 months.  Maybe there is a lbs or two of water weight but I'm 200lbs so its not going to make any difference.

Creatine is really just the 1%er but its cheap and I feel, rather than any great size increase, I recover better when I am on it.

I drink approx 4 litres of water.

Supps, I don't bother with whey unless I get it for free.

I take a creatine, beta alanine, AAKG preworkout formula.

Standard creatine monohydrate on non-workout days.

Creatine doesn't make you blow up, it draws a little water into your muscle, it also aids recovery.

OGR - The only thing that'll make you blow up and look watery are certain steroids in conjuction with poor nutrition.

The water is great, as long as you're "using it". If it starts, ahem, coming out as straight water, then you're in a dangerous territory and need to slow down. But a gallon shouldn't be a problem, especially if you're working out regularly.

As for the fish oil, I'd be careful. It's very, very hard to keep fish oil from going bad and there is very little regulation, so a lot of it is sold already rancid, especially pill forms. It should NOT have a strong odor or cause bloating/gas/burping. That's a sign of rotten fish oil. I'd skip the oil and opt for eating low-mercury fish.

Original Post by oldguysrule: You really don't know what is in it, because supplements aren't controlled like foods are.

I've been curios about creatine, but haven't tried it. I saw my bodybuilder nephew inflate like the Michelin man for a while while he used it. After he stopped, and lost the excess water weight, he did have quite a bit of extra muscle on him.

I believe out of all the supplements out there creatine has been the most studied and has the most sturdy scientific backing (a.k.a. it really does work).

As for protein supplements - there is a "quality assurance" sort of company that checks supplements and gives it's "stamp" of approval to those that actually use the ingredients they use and are generally "clean" in their production. I believe it's called NSF. (though there are others out there, too).

Original Post by armandounc:

Original Post by oldguysrule: You really don't know what is in it, because supplements aren't controlled like foods are.

I've been curios about creatine, but haven't tried it. I saw my bodybuilder nephew inflate like the Michelin man for a while while he used it. After he stopped, and lost the excess water weight, he did have quite a bit of extra muscle on him.

I believe out of all the supplements out there creatine has been the most studied and has the most sturdy scientific backing (a.k.a. it really does work).

As for protein supplements - there is a "quality assurance" sort of company that checks supplements and gives it's "stamp" of approval to those that actually use the ingredients they use and are generally "clean" in their production. I believe it's called NSF. (though there are others out there, too).

I'm not sure about the States but on this side of the pond most supplement companies provide a certificate of analysis carried out by an independent company.

 

You'll pee a lot

My thoughts  ...  drink when you are thirsty  ...  don't when you aren't.  Your body will tell you when and how much you need water.  Anything else falls into the categofy of "overthinking".

My thoughts? never wander far from a bathroom!

A healthy choice is that your body needs about half of your weight in water ounces. For example, if you weigh in at 160 lbs, you need 80 fluid ounces daily. That is for regular water consumption, not counting when you exercise etc, in which case you will need even more.

Don't wait until you feel thirsty, as by that time you have already started to dehydrate. A lot of people tell me, they forget to drink the customary 8 glasses of water a day. My advice is to set a small timer to one hour and then drink a full glass, - voila, you got your 8 glasses without any problems.

By the way, tea, coffee, sodas, etc, do not count towards your daily  water requirements, as a matter of fact anything containing caffeine works a a diuretic and you need to up your water consumption by double the amount of your caffeinated drink.

At least, that is what I read in a medical journal. So there ya go!

 

I was given this formula to help determine each individuals min and max for water consumption:

Take your weight and multiply it by .5 and by .7.

So for me, I weigh 130 lbs, so my minimum H20 requirement is 65 oz and my maximum is 91 oz. I always aim for a median level around 80 oz, at the very least.

LSG: it may be a matter of dosage. I remember a post by Melkor addressing the short term high dosages, vs continuous dosages, and how the water weight gain was different. I don't have the numbers though. How much do you take?

I wasn't saying that creatinine didn't "work." The references that I have show clear benefits as far as "increased/beneficial response to weight training." The enhanced recovery is also clear. Unclear/mixed results on other benefits. Usually detrimental effects shown for endurance training (for weight bearing endurance sports). I'd like to hear about how if weighs in for bikers (TRH?).

The nephew that I was talking about looked kind of like he was inflated with air actually, while he was taking creatinine. Lack of muscle striations was noticeable (compared to his previous state). He wasn't on any steroids and didn't gain much fat (but I know he ate a lot of pizza, lol). Creatinine definitely "worked" for him. In less than two years, he went from being a skinny video game playing champion, to modeling shirtless in front of a fancy store in the mall. As soon as he stopped taking it, he lost the smooth look, got his striations back, had visible capillarity in his lower abs etc. It was clear that he had gained a lot of muscle from the creatinine period.

That sounds like some damn powerful creatine he was using it must have been dat dere cell tech brand.

You should ask your nephew about cycling as he sounds as though he has experience on the bike.

I think bodybuilders drink a lot of water to flush out all the toxins from the drugs and supplements they take, not to mention to prevent muscle cramping from dehydration and creatine use. 

I take a supplement called Jack3d for pre-workout use (also take BCAA's, creatine monohydrate, beta-alanine, whey isolates). I was having issues with energy before working out and started using Jack3d. Yet it seems a stimulant found in Jack3d called DMAA could be harmful.

Two soldiers had heart attacks and died, and DMAA was found in their systems: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/03/business/ar my-studies-workout-supplements-after-2-deaths .html?_r=1

If you take Jack3d, don't take more than prescribed! A lot of these supplements are shady, on Amazon there are quite a lot of negative reviews for N.O. Xplode explaining the adverse effects it has on the liver.

Original Post by oldguysrule:

LSG: it may be a matter of dosage. I remember a post by Melkor addressing the short term high dosages, vs continuous dosages, and how the water weight gain was different. I don't have the numbers though. How much do you take?

I wasn't saying that creatinine didn't "work." The references that I have show clear benefits as far as "increased/beneficial response to weight training." The enhanced recovery is also clear. Unclear/mixed results on other benefits. Usually detrimental effects shown for endurance training (for weight bearing endurance sports). I'd like to hear about how if weighs in for bikers (TRH?).

The nephew that I was talking about looked kind of like he was inflated with air actually, while he was taking creatinine. Lack of muscle striations was noticeable (compared to his previous state). He wasn't on any steroids and didn't gain much fat (but I know he ate a lot of pizza, lol). Creatinine definitely "worked" for him. In less than two years, he went from being a skinny video game playing champion, to modeling shirtless in front of a fancy store in the mall. As soon as he stopped taking it, he lost the smooth look, got his striations back, had visible capillarity in his lower abs etc. It was clear that he had gained a lot of muscle from the creatinine period.

Last year I took creatine monohydrate (Con-Crete) for about 2 months. I quit smoking at the same time and put on about 7-8 pounds. I'm not sure if it was more a result of the creatine or eating more due to not smoking. Definitely noticed "puffiness" and less cut. I started again 2 weeks ago. I'm looking to add a little weight. I bought AMP 189 from GNC.

Last time I noticed a better "capacity" for lifting. I could lift slightly heavier and for somewhat longer duration. I did'nt have a real good handle on my endurance performance though. This time I will since I've been using a heart monitor for the last 10 months.

If the subject comes up I'll try to update. Everything I've heard is that for endurance athletes the benefits are questionable.

 

Kevinatthebrook: thanks for the added info. An update would be great. I'm likely going to try taking Creatinine in the fall, and will try to keep some good records.

Your spell-checker is pulling a fast one on you, OGR - creatinine is the downstream metabolite waste product your kidneys extract from your blood stream and excrete after the creatine gets used up and it's mildly poisonous. :)

 Interestingly enough, creatine monohydrate dissolved in liquid starts to break down into creatinine, which is why most liquid creatine shots tend to only contain about 1-2% of the original creatine and 98-99% creatinine when analyzed in a lab. Doesn't happen in the body which has buffering mechanisms in place to control the reaction, but I've long since concluded that all liquid creatine products are completely worthless.

 You might want to ask your nephew some slightly pointed questions in the vein of Michael D though, his side effects sounds ..unusual... for creatine use.

Original Post by melkor:

Your spell-checker is pulling a fast one on you, OGR - creatinine is the downstream metabolite waste product your kidneys extract from your blood stream and excrete after the creatine gets used up and it's mildly poisonous. :)

 Interestingly enough, creatine monohydrate dissolved in liquid starts to break down into creatinine, which is why most liquid creatine shots tend to only contain about 1-2% of the original creatine and 98-99% creatinine when analyzed in a lab. Doesn't happen in the body which has buffering mechanisms in place to control the reaction, but I've long since concluded that all liquid creatine products are completely worthless.

 You might want to ask your nephew some slightly pointed questions in the vein of Michael D though, his side effects sounds ..unusual... for creatine use.

Ha, yes I blew the spelling on that one. I read a lot about creatinine levels, and how they relate to kidney function, etc. so am more used to typing "creatinine" that than I am "creatine."

I couldn't really understand what MD was trying to say actually. The aussie slang just goes right over my head. I didn't see anything incredible about the nephew's schedule. He's very young, and builds muscle really fast. His dad has a lot of muscle and doesn't even do appreciable strength training. The nephews schedule was something like this:

• He was pretty small to start. Pale, thin, and winning Halo tournaments.
• Started lifting weights, with serious partners, 6 days a week (split routine).  Ate a lot of calories.
• In 6-8 months he was significantly more muscular. Giant shoulders. Neighbors started asking him to help move their furniture and refrigerators. 
• Then he added creatine (was probably already taking protein powders).
• He was about ten pounds heavier within a few weeks. Looked puffy. He thought that he was holding about 8-10 pounds of extra water. But felt stronger, recovered faster.
• Steady, slow, weight gain for another six months. He figured that that was mostly muscle, and that he still had the 8 pounds of extra water.
• Stopped creatinine. Dropped ten pounds really quickly (he thinks water). Then dropped another 6-8 slowly over several months (he thinks fat). He had a good six pack, and huge arms. A few striations in deltoids, but nothing amazing.
• He got the first modeling job towards the end of that cutting period. 
• Wanted to get bigger.
• Repeated the whole process. Quit modeling soon after starting the creatine and gaining weight.
• After the next cut, he had striations in several muscle groups and visible veins in his lower abs. He had his modeling job back, and looked quite a bit better than the previous time. I think that he ended up about 30 pounds more than he weighed two years before. And he had less fat on him for sure.

I don't really see anything remarkable about 8-10 pounds of extra water being held in someone's muscle, especially if they have a lot of muscle. On the day after I do something really hard, I gain 6-8 pounds of inflammation water that takes several days to go away. And I don't have that much muscle to store the water in, lol.

I guess that I'll see this fall how creatine affects me. My hydrostatic tests make it really easy to determine if I am holding extra water.

edit/add: as far as the muscle gain alone being suspicious, I don't see that it was anything out of the ordinary at all. A 19-21 year old, with good genetics for muscle building, spending almost two hours a day lifting, 6 days a week, eating a lot, and starting out with very little muscle (very far from his genetic limit). He gained about 30 pounds of muscle in 24 months. I don't think that that is a remarkable result for his effort level. I do think it is remarkable how well he stuck to his programming though.