First consider the reason for using supplements, as opposed to relying on diet alone for all your nutritional needs. Building muscle puts extra demands on the body, which may not necessarily be met by food alone. Protein is required for growth and repair and in particular protein sources that contain all essential amino acids are most valuable for building strength and mass. The most complete proteins are thought to be casein, soy and whey protein. Finding such complete proteins from diet alone can be challenging.

Quality is also an important factor and many athletes have concerns about farmed protein sources containing unnecessary chemicals. Using a protein powder to supplement the diet ensures you are eating a quality form of protein that has no harmful substances, but also provides the body with the necessary nutrients in a convenient form.

Convenience is a major factor in the decision to use sports supplements. By ingesting a protein supplement in liquid form the body can digest the nutrient quickly, ensuring its rapid transport to the muscles. It is easy to prepare and take with you to the gym and can be taken before and after exercise for maximum benefits.

Although there are various sport supplements on the market the most popular remains protein powder and it is an excellent choice when starting out. Of all the different protein powders on the market, whey protein is the most popular as it is high in protein, containing high levels of essential amino acids and the highest amount of cysteine, whilst being low in fat and carbohydrates. It also has no known side effects and helps boost the immune system.

Whey protein powder differs to meal replacement products which offer a convenient way to receive quality protein balanced with carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals, all geared toward muscle development. These differ to straight protein powder supplements which are designed for use before and after exercise, rather than as a meal replacement.

Take sports supplements as a supplement rather than as the main nutrition source and use them to balance your whole regime, instead of making them the focus of your bodybuilding plan. They can help quicken the process of muscle building if used in moderation and with respect.

Bodybuilding supplements, like protein powder, can help you to achieve the look you crave as they can boost your immune system, make you put on more muscle and help with muscle definition.

It is protein and protein powder that are so important in enhancing your performance. Even if you eat a lot of red meat and other protein-rich food, you will notice that you cannot get the right amount of protein without taking bodybuilding supplements. Whey protein helps boost your immune system as well as aiding your muscles to strengthen and grow. It also replaces all that is lost while you are working out, as muscles can be damaged as well as built up during bodybuilding.

If you suffer from sore muscles when you first start out bodybuilding, persevere and your muscles will adjust. This is because whey protein contains essential amino acids that act in the same way as painkillers.

Also, because it is a natural product, the body absorbs it more easily.

No bodybuilder can guarantee that what they eat and drink will contain the right amount of protein, nutrients, fat and calcium to lead a healthy lifestyle as well as pack on more muscle. This is where bodybuilding supplements come in because they can help in this pursuit. They can give you an increase in your levels of energy, more muscle mass and it will take you less time to recover after doing a work out at the gym.

Taking protein powder is one such way of helping you develop your body as to how you want it. It is made of a substance that occurs naturally in the body anyway, as do amino acids. Serious bodybuilders who take supplements are the ones who pack on the muscle quicker, gain weight faster in the right places and have more get-up-and-go to carry on training.

But you do still have to work out. The supplements will aid you in your training but are not the be-all and end-all. To get the best out of supplements, you must keep up those strenuous and well-timed workouts and you will find that you can train more frequently and harder because the supplements allow you to do this.

Photo Courtesy of Andrew Parker

This is part of a continuing series provided exclusively by MuscleSport Mag giving information on a variety of performance-enhancing drugs for educational purposes. While it is apparent that people are going to use these substances regardless of the health and legal risks involved, quality information is necessary and learning as much about them as possible can only assist an adult making a decision either way.

Psychoneuro-Immunology is the term given to explain the minds capacity to overcome disease by directly influencing the immune system. If you imagine your body as a hospital, then your immune system is a resident doctor, assisted by a team of nurses, pharmacists and security guards who patrol each and every corner of the body day and night, preventing any unwelcome visitors (e.g. viruses) from gaining access to its inner sanctum.

The brain, the immune system and our hormones are known to communicate with each other, and every cell can receive brain and hormonal messages. This interchange of information is the explanation for the fact that certain thoughts or sad experiences can reduce the number of lymphocytes (immune cells), in the same way that positive thoughts and happy experiences can increase immunological activity. If the immune system is unhappy it ceases to function properly and, in the case of cancer, it eventually becomes paralyzed and completely unable to destroy foreign cells. The high rate of illness amongst those who have lost a spouse, whether through death, separation or divorce, demonstrates that feelings of abandonment and depression directly affect the immune system. This negative effect can continue for up to a year after the event. Fear is also destructive for the recuperative system, as is anger. However, once we realize that we are responsible for our own lives and can influence every part of our bodies with our minds, the sense of inner strength we gain can replace those negative emotions with enthusiasm, excitement, positive thoughts and happiness.

The immune system and hormones pick up on this new attitude and happiness and health prevail all round.The reason that some people experience a ‘miraculous’ recovery from terminal cancer is often because of a shift in attitude from negative to positive. Once these people consciously take charge, everything changes for the better and their health improves. Stress is also a powerful inhibitor of healthy immune function. When we are stressed the release of cortisol depresses the immune system, but when we are happy immune function increases.

We may not be consciously aware of it, but we are constantly threatened by ‘foreign invaders’ who seek to compromise our health. Even a simple trip to the supermarket could see your body waging war against a multitude of viral warriors as they leap across the isles to claim new human hosts. If this makes you think twice about going on that planned shopping trip, take heart, you haven’t died from a trip to the supermarket yet (though you may have occasionally felt faint on being presented with your bill at the check out!). No, the reason you have never stopped to arm yourself appropriately before setting foot outside the safety of your home is because deep within the core of your being you have a very powerful army indeed, permanently detecting invaders, informing the brain and the rest of the body of their presence, and calling for the mobilization of the resources to destroy them.

The defense system functions as an intercellular sixth-sense, which is capable of recognizing the illness and restoring good health. But how can we take advantage of this self healing capacity? Well, all types of visualization involves messages passing from the brain to relevant parts of the body, and even stress releasing techniques encourage the immune system to increase activity.

Everyone has experienced the positive effects that sleep, relaxation and holidays can have on health. Likewise, when we are under stress we are more likely to fall victim to colds, flu and viral invasion. Relaxation techniques and meditation increase the body’s resistance to stress so that higher levels are tolerated without harming the immune or glandular systems.State of body is just as important as state of mind in this case.

Another key ingredient to reducing stress (and subsequently increasing immune function) is intelligent use of specific nutritional supplements. Amongst the vast array of supplemental nutrients available the best, in terms of general relaxation and stress relief, are :

* 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan):proven to reduce stress, improve mood and assist in sleep. Suggested dose: 50 – 100mg daily.

* L-Theanine: Assists mental relaxation. Suggested dose: 200-1000mg daily.

* Melatonin : Sleep aid, improves immune function, antioxidant properties. Suggested dose: 1- 5 mg at bedtime.

* SAME (S-adenosyl-L-methionine): Improves mood. Also assists liver function. Suggested use : 400mg daily.

* St. John’s Wort : Improves mood. Reduces depression. Suggested use : 300 – 1000mg daily.

* Valerian Root : Reduces stress and anxiety and aids sleep. Suggested dose : 150-300mg daily.

As always, check with your physician before embarking on any supplement plan as some supplements may conflict with existing conditions or medications you may be taken.

So there you have it, a brief look at the way your mind and mood affect your state of health and well being. There is no doubt that this is a fascinating subject whose potential for use will no doubt expand as our knowledge of the subject increases.

Leigh Penman, in addition to be a staff writer at MuscleSport Mag, has been writing for bodybuilding magazines, websites and nutritional supplement companies since 1985. Whilst residing in the UK, she earned the reputation of being one of the top female writers in bodybuilding-related media. Her credits included being a contributing editor on all the magazines in production as well as filling the shoes of Ladies Editor and Showbiz Editor on two publications (the later being on Arnold’s sanctioned magazine, ‘Bodypower’). During this time she also competed successfully on four occasions (placing in the top four in all contests).

Leigh has been working out for close to thirty years so she is clearly a writer who ‘walks her talk.’
She can be contacted personally at zeal2heal@yahoo.com or you can also check her out at New York’s favorite metaphysical store www.stickstoneandbone.com.

This is part of a continuing series provided exclusively by MuscleSport Mag giving information on a variety of performance-enhancing drugs for educational purposes. While it is apparent that people are going to use these substances regardless of the health and legal risks involved, quality information is necessary and learning as much about them as possible can only assist an adult making a decision either way.

Primobolan Depot is the injectable version of the steroid methenolone and, although it produces a weaker effect than Deca-Durabolin it is a very good basic steroid whose effects are predominantly anabolic. The fact that an enanthate ester is added to this steroid enables a slow and gradual release from the injection site. This addition allows for a longer half-life of approx 14 days (similar to Testosterone Enanthate) although most athletes prefer to administer it on a weekly basis.

Primobolan’s popularity stems from the fact that it is the only steroid that seems to work well on a low calorie diet (making it a pre-contest drug of choice) and side effects are rarely a problem since it is relatively non toxic, low in androgens and it does not convert to estrogen (aromatize) therefore estrogen related side effects are not an issue. In addition to this it seems to have a positive effect on the immune system (thus its popular use in Aids patients) and the fact that it adds primarily lean mass leads to a strengthening of the whole body system. When you consider these facts it is hard to believe that Primobolan Depot is not legally approved by the FDA in the United States…but that’s politics for you!

Now, having said all of the above, it has to be said that Primobolan does have its side effects including light acne, deepening voice and increased hair growth (these effects resulting form the androgenic residual effect). However, it displays low liver toxicity and usually has little effect on blood pressure and cholesterol, which makes it one of the safest injectable anabolic steroids. It is also worth pointing out that the bodies own testosterone production is only reduced when high dosages are taken for prolonged periods.

Speaking of dosages, the ‘safe’ dosage for men is 100-200mg per week although some bodybuilders have been known to go as high as 600mg/week (and even 800mg). Androgenic effects are inevitably higher at this rate but are usually tolerable. A better option is to stack Primobolan with stronger steroids in order to enhance the effect. Primo, Sustenon 250 and Dianabol is one such stack, which will produce rapid gains. Another example is Primo 200mg/week and Deca-Durabolin 200-400mg/week or Primo with Winstrol Depot 200-400mg/week. Although adding additional compounds can increase side effects, Primobolan does tend to lessen the harshness of the more heavy-duty steroids (e.g. all the testosterones) when added to a cycle.

Female athletes can get good results from 100-200mg a week and 50mg of Winstrol Depot can be added (although virilization problems may occur in sensitive individuals). A safer option would probably be 100mg Primobolan with 7.5mg Oxandrolone (or Winstrol oral, 10mg), which represents a cautious dose for those seeking to experiment with anabolics.
All in all, when you consider the fact that Primobolan is the only steroid that works on a low calorie diet, builds lean mass, adds hardness and tone AND positively effects the immune system it is easy to see why it is one of the most popular steroids on the market and has gained something of a ‘cult’ following over the years.

Leigh Penman, in addition to be a staff writer at MuscleSport Mag, has been writing for bodybuilding magazines, websites and nutritional supplement companies since 1985. Whilst residing in the UK, she earned the reputation of being one of the top female writers in bodybuilding-related media. Her credits included being a contributing editor on all the magazines in production as well as filling the shoes of Ladies Editor and Showbiz Editor on two publications (the later being on Arnold’s sanctioned magazine, ‘Bodypower’). During this time she also competed successfully on four occasions (placing in the top four in all contests).

Relocating to New York in the late 1990s she focused her writing attention to crystal healing techniques and metaphysics – however, she still maintained a five day workout schedule during this time and gained her personal training certificate.

Having also studied pharmacology in relation to sports performance, her writing began taking her in that direction until the present day which sees her embarking on a return to the magazine world, as well as extending her web-related work in the bodybuilding and fitness field.

Leigh has been working out for close to thirty years so she is clearly a writer who ‘walks her talk.’
She can be contacted personally at zeal2heal@yahoo.com or you can also check her out at New York’s favorite metaphysical store www.stickstoneandbone.com