j1r!!!

I don't have any knowledge of supplements at all so this post will probably sound really stupid to a lot of you but I just had a couple of questions.

~ Are supplements essential for gaining huge muscles?

~ Are the supplements made from natural things found on/in the Earth or are they created in a lab?

I'm very nervous about supplements because I'm cautious about what I put into my body. I'm usually never sick but when I am I'm cautious about what medications I take.

~ Are supplements like medications?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

Condor

No problem man, everybody has to start somewhere. I'll do my best to answer these.

1) Are supplements essential for gaining huge muscles?

I would say no to this one, as many (most?) supplements do not really have the anabolic (muscle building) effect that they claim to have. Many people were getting really big (i.e. Eugen Sandow) around the early 1900s, obviously without the help of any modern supplements. Some can help, however.

Also, the term supplement is a little dubious here...Vitamin C tablets and Androgenic Steroids could both be considered 'supplements,' because they do just that (supplement)...but I'll assume you mean most of the stuff being sold at GNC, BB.com, Vitamin Shoppe, etc etc. I'll refer to these as 'hyped' supplements.

Lastly, when you say huge muscles, how huge? It is my belief that you can get really really big without any hyped supplements of any kind, but if you mean huge in terms of an IFBB pro...that's another story.

2) Are the supplements made from natural things found on/in the Earth or are they created in a lab?

In short, the answer is both. You can find your naturally occurring (i.e. herbal) supplements along with your synthetic lab-made derivatives.

PS: (Many lab-made medicines are just synthetic forms of plant alkaloids...it's hard to say what's natural and what isn't sometimes--everything is on the periodic table somewhere)


3) Are supplements like medications?

Again, I unfortunately have to give the answer of 'it depends'...many medications supplement things that are lacking in the body. I guess you could equally ask "are medications like supplements."

For your purposes, I'm guessing you are referring to a medication such as a prescription? Generally I tend to think things obtained only via prescription are in a slightly different league than your everyday GNC hyped supplement, but again, there are strange laws around each (when Prohormone Methly 1-Test=No Rx; where as Nexium=Rx)

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It is great to be cautious about what you put in your body. At the same time, there comes a point where you kind of have admit deafeat in not being totally awear of everything that goes into your body--household chemicals, polluted air, what's in your water/food etc.

As long as you're sticking to conservative supplements, many of which are popular around here (protein replacements, multi-vitamins/minerals, BCAA, etc) I think you are more than safe. Diet is still king, but these can be fun to try and can help you a bit...like an insurance policy for what you may miss in meals. I hope this helps man.

Big Guns

Great respones Condor!!

Muscles need food to grow. You can eat 2500 cals a day and do 1000mg of test a week and gain zero muscle. It's is basically food. Supplements.....SUPPLEMENT your diet. Like Codor said Huge Muscles come from a plethora of drugs in the amounts that would alnost kill you. Just keep eating 6 protein meals per day 365 and you will grow. It takes time.

j1r!!!

Thanks for your responses.