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Cyclic supplementation is probably something in the world of supplements that gives us a slight thrill - unlike the basics included in constant supplementation, it is appropriate to reach for them after a certain period of training, so that the body is already adjusted to physical effort and certain challenges that the gym poses. Of course, we do not avoid the basics!
Why do we use supplements of this type at intervals, or so-called cycles? Well, because the body, just like with some drugs, develops resistance to certain substances - in short: it gets used to them and they are no longer as effective as they used to be (of course, if we used them constantly). The effects do not decrease with the discontinuation of supplements, and cycles can be repeated to continuously intensify performance - they can also be combined with each other, but in the right way. Of course, this is not a golden mean, because without appropriate training and diet modifications, nothing will happen the way we want it to - supplements are still an addition to the two pillars of success!
Creatine supplements and an introduction to cyclical use.
The first supplementation of this type is not only a thrill, but also a new stimulus for our muscles, and as a result a certain injection of motivation. The concentration of motivation will of course depend on the effects obtained after a given agent - beginners get discouraged quickly - so it is important to choose the right preparation, which is of good quality and will help us reach the next peak on our path. Of course, you need to be a little patient, because it is a long-term process - it is better to use supplements in a pyramid, i.e. from weaker versions to stronger ones. Why? It is not without reason that at the beginning of our adventures with the gym we train using only and exclusively the basics - it is better to get as much from the body as it can offer, and later, when we see a slowdown in this reaction, reach for the appropriate cyclical supplement. If we can achieve the same at the start without, why overpay? Exactly...
The most popular of this type of products are creatines in various forms , which effectively contribute to the increase in strength, muscle mass, and training capacity and endurance - while not causing any negative, negative effects on our health or well-being. As I have mentioned many times, the anabolic effect responsible for the growth, regeneration and thickening, and thus the strengthening of muscle fibers, could not exist without its opposite counterpart, i.e. catabolism.
Muscle fiber damage, which occurs de facto in the face of exhausting training sessions, is necessary and indispensable for muscle growth. This seems logical considering the fact that without damaging them, we are not able to strive for biological regeneration on the muscle cellular level - in this case, we cannot count on thickening the fibers and their strengthening. Creatine supplementation allows you to achieve all the elements mentioned earlier by increasing the resources of sugars used for energy - it also allows you to save them and increase the ATP (adenosine triphosphate) store accumulated in the muscles.
It also limits the production of lactic acid. There are different methods of dosing this supplement, as well as different types of it, including:
- creatine monohydrate (monohydrate) ,
- creatine malate (e.g. popular TCM),
- creatine citrate,
- creatine phosphate,
- creatine stacks (matrixes/mixtures of various fractions with additional, synergistically acting ingredients) .
It is known that at the very beginning it would be necessary to start the adventure with this preparation from the simplest form, i.e. creatine monohydrate , dosing it in an appropriate way (adequate for our goals). Why the simplest form? We will obtain better results by gradually increasing the strength of stimuli acting on the muscles, in order to draw out the full potential of supplements and demand more and more from our own body, and thus achieve more precise, personal success in terms of our figure. Creatine is also a great anti-catabolic supplement - protecting against excessive breakdown of muscle fibers. This form has specific properties for binding water - greater than other creatine fractions, so after the cycle it may happen that we will notice slight drops caused by a decrease in the water level in the muscles. However, it is known that what was supposed to grow, did grow... Contrary to appearances, creatine can also be used during the reduction of unnecessary fat tissue.
Pre-workout preparations based on NO production
Another important group worth reaching for are the so-called nitric oxide boosters, which work by increasing the production and level of nitric oxide - thus stimulating the anabolic mechanism of the muscles much more effectively. We usually use them with creatine (booster before training, and creatine after) to achieve a synergistic effect. In this case, there is no great philosophy - everything depends on the optimally selected ingredients and their amounts in the NO complex , which will increase our performance through the mechanism of dilating blood vessels. As blood vessels dilate, more oxygenated blood reaches the muscles. Thus, we can say that along with the blood, the flow of which has been significantly cleared, muscle cells receive much larger amounts of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other nutrients. They usually also have the ability to stimulate the body at the level of the nervous system, increasing communication between this system and the brain - e.g. with the help of caffeine and taurine found in this type of supplement.
I would suggest leaving NO boosters alone until we do a few (2-3) cycles on creatine monohydrate (as long as it works well) and switch to a stronger form, such as malate. We use them before training (usually about 45-30 minutes before a planned gym session). If we are only interested in stimulation at the beginning, I recommend cyclical use of caffeine preparations, such as Energon x1000 .
Testosterone boosters.
This group is an exceptionally anabolic type of supplements that involves increasing the production of the male hormone called testosterone. It is easier for men to develop muscles due to the presence of much larger amounts of this hormone in the body. This is related to the stimulation of its production in the so-called Leydig cells, and then through various biochemical processes with the participation of enzymes, to increase muscle anabolism. In this case, supplementation can be (or at least should be) started after the age of 21, when the guy is already fully physically mature. At first, I would recommend not combining it with creatine, but using a testosterone booster on its own (of course, not excluding the basics, i.e. constant supplementation). These complexes can also be used, just like in the case of NO boosters (only through different mechanisms of action), to combat male sexual problems.
Known and interesting remedies of this type include:
- Preparations based on tribulus terrestris, such as TribuActiv B6 or Tribu Stallion.
- Regenerative preparations, ZMA .
- DAA - d-aspartic acid.
Fat burners in reducing cycles.
Fat burners, like creatine, should be used from weaker forms (quantity and concentration of ingredients in the dose) to stronger ones. We use them cyclically in the case of starting a reduction cycle of unnecessary fat tissue or as a safeguard during the period of building so-called dry muscle mass (in order not to gain additional amounts of fat, which is very common during mass building). These supplements are divided into two basic groups acting on the path of two different mechanisms:
- Thermogenic - using thermal energy obtained from excess amounts of adipose tissue for exercise. These include thermogenics such as Machine Man Burner. They usually enhance their effect thanks to caffeine, and additionally stimulate.
- Lipolytic - relatively weaker than their predecessors, but using lipolysis processes, not thermogenesis. They are usually used by women, but this is not a rule. It is worth combining a lipolytic supplement with a thermogenic one in the case of stubborn fat burning and reaching for it deeper - then we hit the fat tissue from different planes. These include, for example, the popular CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) usually found with green tea extract, e.g. CLA Green Tea.
What's next?
As you can probably see, this is essential information that every beginner gym-goer who is thinking about dietary supplements should learn. In the following articles, I will try to discuss each of the preparations in more detail, not forgetting, of course, the dosage and times of taking them. There will also be something for the knowledge-hungry and curious - the mechanisms and conditions of action of given supplements and several theses supported by research.
Janusz Ziolkowski - www.bb-mag.pl
