How safe are GNC products? (to increase methabolism)

Very popular with gym folk.....Meni might give a better answer.

good thread, bump
interested to know as well

never used those, but i've bought lots of other gnc products (whey, creatine burst, etc) and have had outstanding results, no problems.

wish i could help ya more!

Please do yourself a favor, use EAS, Muscle Tech, or BSN.

Sorry, METRx is also good.

there is nothing that helps if your diet is not 100% in order... except clenbuterol or cocaine or crystal meth.

sorry, i misread that. i thought you were talking about losing weight.

all thermogenics are basically the same in my opinion. Red Line will really get you jacked up, but it can make you puke if you are training hard on an empty stomach. No Explode is a must 30mins before training in my opinion (although there are now several similar products)

Don't take ANYTHING. Most things that claim to speed up your metabolism are just loaded with caffeine. Diet and exercise is the only way to lose weight/alter your metabolism. All of those products are nothing more than legal robbery. They aren't good for your heart or other vital organs. Skip the "drugs", no matter how natural they claim to be... they aren't worth it.

about as safe as crystal meth

I quit smoking and eating like a freaking pig, need to find something to curb that. Great thread.

2.5 years of Metabolism Accelerator Use:



j-

thanks guys

I have been taking this stuff for the last month

http://www.better-bodies.ca/index.ph...=1&detail=1274

I have dropped 20lbs and am feeling awesome! I have been going to the gym twice a day and this supplement gives you a serious kick in the ass during your workouts. I would highly recommend it

DH

i was going to say dont listen to anyone in this thread because they arent scientists and most likely dont know what they're talking about, but you hit the nail on the head. people want to lose weight and get nice bodies but are too lazy to work for it.

not using it but my friends do. so far they tell me that they are feeling great.

DH. Be careful with what you're taking. It's got ma huang in it, which is ephedrine.

Ephedrine is good Raven-- Utah supreme court even told the FDA to stuff it


Edit-- As with anything, moderation is the key

Nandrolone Decanoate works better

West Pharm Therma Lean - 100 caps w/ephedrine

Watch out DH, ephedrine is really bad for you.

Its not THAT bad. People love to over hype the dangers in things. Look at marijuana, how many people have died because they od'd on it but how many hav od'd off vicodin?

Furious Female is right, supps like Xenadrine and Hydroxycut, while they do work in reducing weight, have horrible side effects. Worse in some people than others.

Primarily, they do contain huge doses on caffeine, which raises your rest heart rate, which in turn raises your resting metabolism, therefore burning more calories when you're not working out, and giving you an energy boost when you do, so you can do more cardio work. Without a doubt, if you can stomache the stuff, it'll help you lose weight fast, whether you're a fat pig or in decent shape and just want to get cut.

However, the side-effects are scary. Increadibly high heart rate, some people's resting rate has been as high as 160, I read on one credible website. Which in turn means you have an elevated blood pressure, putting extraneous stress on your heart and other organs. I don't have evidence, but my intuition tells me that it most likely hurts these organs and takes days off your lifespan the longer you are on it.

Many people report feeling nervous, anxious or argumentative. Not quite a roid rage feeling, but definitely irritable.

There are other side-effects, including the chance for acne breakouts, dehydration (caffeine is a dieuretic sp?) and a few others.

I'm 26, 6'1" and about 190, lift weights 4-6 days a week and play basketball almost every day. Throw in some racquetball, jogging, biking and golf once in a while. I still have a little gut (that I've been working like a fiend to get rid of) and am by no means muscle bound, but would like to put on some mass. So...

..what I take is the GNC MegaMen multivitimin supp. I take the one that is 2 pills/day, but I rarely take 2/day, usually just one in the morning. Reason being, I think there's so much stuff packed in there, taking the full amount and loading your body up with all those vitamins and minerals is bad for your kidneys, makes them constantly flush out the excess. So I do MegaMen in moderation, but I do think it helps. If nothing else, I haven't gotten sick in nearly 2 years.

I also occaisionally (2-3 times a week) drink a half-dose whey protein shake, also GNC brand. The others (METRx, EAS) seem to upset my stomach, even when taken after a meal. But I don't rely on the shake for the protein I need, just a supp remember. I eat a lot of chicken, tuna, salmon, tilapia, turkey, egg whites and lean red meat (2-3 times a week w/ the red meat).

I also drink a lot of water through the day. 150-200oz isn't unusual from morning to night. I've found the key to that is small doses. If you work at a desk, just get in the habit of taking a sip every few minutes.

The last specific thing that I personally do, because I like it and I think it helps, is drink green tea. I love ancient japanese culture to begin with, but even if you don't, it's worth checking out the various forms and brewing methods of green tea. Some are grassy, some bitter, some aromatic.. I think there are flavored varieties out now too, from Lipton, Starbucks and the like.

I've read that 3 cups of quality green tea per day contains antioxidants and other chemicals that can raise your resting metabolism 3%.

I have no idea who flat that 3% is, by that I mean it might be that someone with a really low metabolism can raise it 3% by drinking tea, because 3% is almost nothing.. whereas someone with a just below normal metabolism may only see 1% increase. Either way, every little bit helps, especially if you're trying to shed pounds.

I almost always have a cup 30min before I lift. I think it has a calming effect, but it doesn't make me tired. Natural green tea has about 1/8th the caffeine of black coffee. I could _almost_ use words like "focused" or "centered" but I will refrain. Give it a try for yourself, a box of tea is like $2.

Hope that helps, any other questions or thoughts, let me know.. my contact info is below, I am always looking to learn more from people's experience, and share my own when it comes to fitness. Cheers.


PS.... in terms of ephedra.. there was actually a recent court decision that said there was no evidence that small-doses were harmful. You'll probably see small-dose ephedra products going back on the market soon. I won't be taking them, too risky if you ask me.. however, if you're really overweight, it might be worth taking them for a few weeks or months, while you get into your steady diet/workout plan, to give it a boost. Seeing the immediate results (and maybe fooling yourself into thinking that they are from the diet and working out, not the ephedra) might keep you on the diet and working out, even after you stop taking ephedra. Tough call, but it's probably better to err on the safe side.

Still have to work out.

Green Tea !!! Safe and good for you!

actually that is true.
green tea increases metabolism and is good for you

Here's a crazy idea: Eat right & Work Out.

just drink a sugar free redbull

increase your metabolism the natural way to lose weight.

here's how to lose 2-5 pounds every week, healthy, and not feel hungry.

1. protein shake in the morning---1 scoop of slim-fast, 2 scoops of atkins powder, 1 banana, some ice, 8 ounces of low-fat milk.

2. 2:30pm 1 boiled egg, a handful of raw almonds

3. 7 p.m. half a can of tuna or a good portion of skinless chicken and a big salad.

4. 10 pm. a handful of walnuts, or raw peanuts

throughout the day lots of lemon water, diet soda, or coffee

eat nothing sweet, no breads, avoid carbohydrates.

and you will not be hungry, you will have lots of energy, and not be tired, and you will loss the weight guaranteed.

nice... the "i want my friends and family to think i am dying of AIDS" diet.

eww no muscle tech, all there shit is over priced.

go look up the IronMagazineForum, those guys knwo what they're talking about

I don't play baseball so I should be ok ;)

DH

just eat clean, which means moderation, stay off the junk food and do some cardio with weights as well. at least 40 mins of cardio a day 5 to 6 days per week or go for an hour walk.

You rock!!! Almost spit out my water reading this one.

Better quality than GNC.

You want to speed up your metabolism??

eat something every hour...something small....like a Nutra Grain bar or a Lean Crusine....do that all day long, drink water & water based drinks only, do 30-60 mins of cardio 5 times a week.

done deal.

that diet is quite effective. the numbers don't lie! its worked well for centuries on two continents... and the results are quite dramatic!!!
;)

no, you don't stay on this diet once you reach your target weight---you use it to get to your specific target weight---the diet is about 1250 calories per day.

the problem with most very low calorie diets is people cannot stay on them because they are hungry all the time---this diet takes the hunger away.

once you are at your target weight you will increase your caloric intake to a maintenance level.

it will take about 10 days on this diet to get your stomach downsized and then you will actually feel full with these little meals.

of course people can change the menu a bit but the principles of this diet are well proven such at atkins diet, etc.

take the sugar and carbs out of the diet and the body burns fat for energy.

i am 55 years old with the flat belly i had when i was 20. i am married to a 19 year old beauty. there are rewards when you eat smart.

exactly correct.

hey DH..check out this link...

http://www.pulse24.com/News/Top_Stor...2-014/page.asp

If you reduce your caloric intake too drastically, your body will start storing fat because it thinks it's starving. It's a fine line.

theres no fucking carbs in that how r u sposed to train or exercise eating that shit?

Folks, this is an example of a diet you should not follow.

i hate to break it to you but your body needs calories to function. its not my crazy idea... its the laws of physics.

just because you manage to put your body into starvation mode and run your blood sugar down to nothing as well as insulin and your appetite is dulled... it does not mean you are doing your body any favors.

this conversation began in the context of bodybuilding. in this context, you have to eat to grow and you have to eat to lose weight.

starving yourself like this is the second stupidest way to lose weight. amputation is the first.