SUPPLEMENT Q&A WITH JT Caceria WHAT SUPP?
You Ask The Supplement Questions, We’ll Answer Them!
JT Caceria – Got his start in the early 90’s at GNC in Chicago… while it never quite paid enough for him, he loved working in the industry. Anyone who knows him will tell you it is tough to keep him down – while working at GNC, he got certified as a personal trainer and moved to Venice Beach to begin mastering his tradecraft. Although his early studies were focused primarily on training, he soon began to broaden his horizons and started exploring various avenues of bio-chemistry, nutrition, and kinesiology. This guy is smart as a whip, and we are lucky to have him! Got any questions? Send them to JT@GetAnabolics.com.
EPHEDRA HELP
Q:I’m a professional male model and someone showed me a diet about 5 years ago that is a bodybuilding type of diet. It really helped me keep my weight down and steady and it’s been a great part of my career. But unfortunately, it’s not as effective anymore and I’m more prone to cheats now. I don’t know why that is, and it isn’t important except for knowing why in order to fix it. Should I take ephedrine now that the diet isn’t working as well?
A:Since you didn’t tell me much about what kind of diet it was, I’ll assume you mean the standard, “high protein-moderate to low carb-moderate fat” diet. There are many reasons why a way of eating or exercising ceases to be effective. Knowing more information is probably best in order to conclude that ephedrine is the best path. It could be that you are stagnating just because you eat the same foods day in and day out, or that you are keeping your calories too consistently low. Often in examining these things, it isn’t cause for panic, simply some sort of stagnation or some sort of consistency that is not working with the body. It’s great to be consistent, on one hand, but it’s not great to be so consistent that your body becomes accustomed to it.
You may want to cycle your carbs for awhile... and increase your cardio on higher carb days. Or, change up your cardio that you do, or add interval training to your regimen. Try lifting in a circuit fashion (better for a model body anyhow) or changing something up, one thing at a time, to see what kickstarts your body. Also, as you get older, you need to step things up because your metabolic rate slows gradually. Remember, nothing changes until something changes. That, you can count on! If you do want to try a product, try a Xenadrine RFA-1 over the counter, or another product that contains ephedrine. Or, you can do an ECA stack. That would be Ephedrine 25mg/ Caffeine 100-200mg/ Aspirin 325mg per day for two weeks on and two weeks off.
FAT BURNER AND CEE
Q:I’m going to start taking CEE and a lipolytic fat burner product. Any problems associated with taking CEE and a fat burner together? Do they work against one another?
A:Well, it’s a great question because a lot of people combine supplements thinking that there can be no interaction because it is “over the counter”, so therefore, safe. However, if you are taking a fat burner with caffeine, ma huang, etc.. which most are, you are going to need to drink a LOT more water. By not doing this, you risk dehydration and water retention as a result. CEE is a creatine product that requires a lot of water in order to be effective. It’s a lot more forgiving than CM ever was, but it still needs water to work effectively. If you are not a big drinker and you know this about yourself, either commit to drinking and force it down your own throat by carrying a gallon jug with you, and adding things like Crystal Light drink mix or a little Gatorade powder for taste, or you should take them at different times.
Water is key to CEE success, and to fat loss, but for different reasons. Water is always the best choice though, so if you can see your way to drinking lots of it, you’ll be successful with both of these products.
6-OXO
Q:I heard that 6-OXO was the chemical name for a new aromatase inhibitor or anti-estrogen. My friend said he heard good things about it. Where can I get it? Does Mexico have it, or do I need to go to my doc?
A:Well, good news, 6-OXO is a supplement, so it’s over the counter. I’ve also heard good things about it, and did a little research about it before I talked about it. So here’s the lowdown: 6-OXO is what is called a “suicide inhibitor”. It binds to the aromatase enzyme in a permanent and irreversible manner and renders it inactive. The result is an eradication of aromatase enzyme in the body and a reduction in estrogen levels. There is a corresponding increase in testosterone production that is promised as well, though I cannot vouch for any of this. I was concerned when I first heard that it disables the body’s ability to synthesize estrogen, since it is still a useful hormone.
Actually, what I was told is that your body will react to the deficiency of the aromatase enzyme by producing more enzyme to replace that which has been deactivated. Some of this is conflicting information and since I haven’t tried it, I can’t tell you which is correct. But, I do know a few people who have taken this product and they have said estrogen production resumes. 6-OXO is useful in combating estrogen elevation while taking aromatizable steroid pre-cursors and steroids themselves like Anadrol and D-bol. Apparently, it’s also very useful post-cycle in restoring full endogenous testosterone production. These guys recommended between 200 and 600 mg/ day during a cycle and the same after one...taken every day for 3-6 weeks post-cycle.
DIGESTIVE
ENZYMES
AND SCAR TISSUE
Q:Will Bromelain break down scar tissue?
A:Umm... bromelain, which is an effective digestive enzyme, does not have the acidity or chemical make-up to break up scar tissue. It can be a mild pain reliever, but I guess I don’t understand the question. Do you mean taking it orally or placing it topically on scar tissue outside the body on the skin? I did a bit of research and found that since Bromelain comes from pineapple and papaya, some of the Hawaiian pineapple pickers have had their fingerprints wiped out as a result of picking as a career, but I don’t know if that is just island lore or the real deal. It’s worth maybe making a topical preparation of Plogel or DMSO and add some Bromelain to it. But I also recommend some of the other topical treatments such as Stri-vectin and others. There are some much better products out there to eradicate small scars and scar tissue.
ZMA
DOES IT DELIVER?
Q:Does ZMA actually benefit anyone in their training regimen? I see it included in a lot of formulas, but is it helping people, or is it just another “hype” filler?
A:Research shows that, indeed, it does work. Bodybuilders report that they can do more reps and lift heavier week after week. But remember, if it’s in a formula, there isn’t enough to really benefit you in these ways. That’s why taking it independently of a formula will work better for you. Also, remember, these are supplements, not drugs. so you’re seeing more “indirect” type benefits over time, than dramatic results. Supplements address the body indirectly and in context to other factors. Often, gram dosing is necessary for results. ZMA seems to aid with the immune system and with attaining deeper sleep for better recovery. Recovery is everything, and you can’t ever lose sight of that, so anything that helps with recovery is very beneficial.
It is estimated that 60%-80% of men are deficient in ZMA. Since ZMA is also shown to help increase natural testosterone production by 30%. The hard part is, taking it on an empty stomach. If you’re in a mass-building phase, you should almost never have an empty stomach. But if you eat every 3 hours, take it right in between your last and second to last meal. So 60 minutes before bed, take it, and then have your last whey protein shake 20 minutes before bed. We have heard that people get some pretty crazy dreams while taking ZMA, so keep a log and let me know!
WHAT IS HMB?
Q:Okay, I am thinking of trying HMB because someone I trust recommended it. I’d like to get a little more info on it though before I do. I read on the boards that some people swear by it and some people hate it and think it’s useless. Worth trying?
A:You just described every supplement on the market - there are always critics and supporters. HMB (Hydroxy Methylbutyrate) does help with protein synthesis, muscle recovery, growth and helps to halt catabolism. Take about 2-3 grams per day for the best results. It is produced by the body when muscle tissue breaks down, such as through training or other athletic pursuits. It is the by-product of when the amino acid Leucine breaks down. Leucine, one of the BCAA’s (Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine) is found in high concentrations in the muscles. The supposition about taking HMB before and after workouts is that it will trigger a signal in the body to slow down the destruction of muscle tissue. I think a better solution, rather than tricking the body, is to just take an abundance of BCAA’s.