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Getbig Bodybuilding Boards => Nutrition, Products & Supplements Info => Topic started by: Tom on November 19, 2007, 07:54:38 AM

Title: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: Tom on November 19, 2007, 07:54:38 AM
so generally speaking which companies/brands are the best quality, fair prices, etcetera on the most important supplements one should be taking?

who can you trust with quality? thanks in advance for the replies!
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: Rimbaud on November 19, 2007, 08:16:20 AM
Damn, how many threas are you going to start in a day?

On a serious note what products are you looking to buy?
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: mass 04 on November 19, 2007, 08:28:44 AM
for quality Gaspari and Beverly are two of the best brands out there. Beverly is a little on the pricey side though. I also think Nutrex makes good products as well. It all depends what you are looking to buy. I am a big fan of Gaspari stuff.
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: Tom on November 19, 2007, 09:46:42 AM
which products? creatine, glutamine, bcaa's, zma, joint repair, digestive enzymes, protein (pre-post-meal replacements),efa's, multi-vit/mineral.
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: Rimbaud on November 19, 2007, 09:58:24 AM
I usually buy just a 5 pound bag of Proteinfactory WPC every couple months.

I've always liked the NOW brand - always nicely priced.
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: The Freakshow on November 19, 2007, 10:25:16 AM
I'm a little biased because I own a company, but this also gives me a little more credibility if I'm willing to give props where props are due.

My company Pure Performance Nutrition guarantees that NOBODY uses higher quality ingredients/raw materials (maybe equal but not better).

Gaspari Nutrition is one of the best. I've known Richie for years and know that he does not cut corners.

If I don't necessarily know the quality of a company's product, I tend to trust the ones that the information on the label is legit and the company is owned by a person that truly cares about the sport and is not just trying to make a quick buck.

I don't know Gerad Dente personally but MHP seems to have great products from what I know.

Ergopharm has been know to have great products.

I assume that BSN has quality products based on what I've heard. I've never actually lab tested their products, but I've heard good things.

There are some companies I just didn't bother listing because this is not meant to be an exhaustive list.

However, there are some companies that are conspicuous by their absence ;) Judge for yourself.
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: The Freakshow on November 19, 2007, 10:29:28 AM
which products? creatine, glutamine, bcaa's, zma, joint repair, digestive enzymes, protein (pre-post-meal replacements),efa's, multi-vit/mineral.

All of those are necessary fundamentals. You can skip the bcaa's if you're having a high quality whey protein drink before and after your workouts. They are very high in bcaa's, so it's redundant.
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: koolie1 on December 04, 2007, 06:40:02 PM
Pinnacle makes pretty solid products. I think each company has a stand out product so its hard to say. AVOID ANYTHING MUSCLETECH (sorry, had to be done)
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: 1Fast400 on December 04, 2007, 07:30:29 PM
Quote
You can skip the bcaa's if you're having a high quality whey protein drink before and after your workouts. They are very high in bcaa's, so it's redundant.

Wow, massive ignorance.
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: candidizzle on December 04, 2007, 07:32:19 PM
Wow, massive ignorance.
i think he was referring to bcaa's pre and post workout; not like in betwen meals while dieting, or before bed. i dont think he was addressing those uses.
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: GroinkTropin on December 04, 2007, 09:35:56 PM
Wow, massive ignorance.

You ignored my PM  >:(
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: GetBigOrDieTrying on December 04, 2007, 11:06:25 PM
Wow, massive ignorance.

I agree , BCAA's In their free form have a much faster up take and spike plasma levels , Leucine in particular is excellent pre and post work out in its free form state. Once its bonded it needs to be broken down and willl take a lot longer to be absorbed into the blood stream , like the BCAA’s in whey.
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: marcus on December 05, 2007, 04:26:13 AM
Avoid BSN they are getting sued for false label claims.
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: Emmortal on December 05, 2007, 10:17:15 AM
Avoid BSN they are getting sued for false label claims.

Yea, they are in a heap right now.  Their Cell-mass product tested at 3% active ingredients for creatine heh.  I would have thought they would be putting out quality products since they are probably the 2nd largest supp company behind muscletech.
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: powerpack on December 05, 2007, 11:12:42 AM
Yea, they are in a heap right now.  Their Cell-mass product tested at 3% active ingredients for creatine heh.  I would have thought they would be putting out quality products since they are probably the 2nd largest supp company behind muscletech.
I must say I am very suprised  :-\
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: 1Fast400 on December 05, 2007, 11:44:15 AM
Sorry mike, I never check pm's as I visit so many boards.  Just post whatever it is.  BCAA's when dieting are the most important supplement you can take IMO.  There is only about 30 years worth of research to back this up.  If the price on raws wasn't so high, this would be the most used supplement on the planet. 

For someone to say that taking whey protein is the same as taking bcaa's, ignorant.  There are a lot of BS companies out there.  The more magical the supplement, the more likely it's not what it claims.  There are some products made with real drugs in them, misbranded.  Gotta love the industry.
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: The Freakshow on December 06, 2007, 04:43:07 PM
Wow, massive ignorance.

Why's that???

What protein source is the highest in BCAA's????

Our whey protein contains over 5 grams of BCAA's per scoop (20 grmas of protein), so if you're taking 40 grams of protein which includes 10 grams of BCAA's before and after your workout, are you saying that people have to take more than that??? Hmmmm.......
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: 1Fast400 on December 06, 2007, 05:10:08 PM
  Supplementing with BCAA's during a cutting phase is one of the most valuable things you can do.  There is only about 30 years worth of research on this.  I'm not going to hand you research on a plate. 
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: The Freakshow on December 06, 2007, 05:32:26 PM
  Supplementing with BCAA's during a cutting phase is one of the most valuable things you can do.  There is only about 30 years worth of research on this.  I'm not going to hand you research on a plate. 

I'm NOT denying that fact.

What I'm asking is why you would state that my statement was "absolute ignorance" regarding not needed to take additional BCAA's if you're taking a high quality whey protein drink before and after your workouts?

As I stated, our protein has 5 grams of BCAA's per 20 grams of protein, so that's approx. 10 grams of BCAA's before & after your workout for a total of 20 grams. I don't think that's uncommon for most high quality whey protein brands.

So are you saying that it's "ignorant" to only take 20 grams of BCAA's before and after your workout???
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: GetBigOrDieTrying on December 07, 2007, 12:52:25 AM
I'm NOT denying that fact.

What I'm asking is why you would state that my statement was "absolute ignorance" regarding not needed to take additional BCAA's if you're taking a high quality whey protein drink before and after your workouts?

As I stated, our protein has 5 grams of BCAA's per 20 grams of protein, so that's approx. 10 grams of BCAA's before & after your workout for a total of 20 grams. I don't think that's uncommon for most high quality whey protein brands.

So are you saying that it's "ignorant" to only take 20 grams of BCAA's before and after your workout???

No , are you saying taking free form BCAA’s before and after a work out would have the same effect as having a whey shake?
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: The Freakshow on December 07, 2007, 12:01:44 PM
No , are you saying taking free form BCAA’s before and after a work out would have the same effect as having a whey shake?

There is definitely a benefit to taking additional BCAA's before and after your workouts. I highly recommend it and have for over 20 years! However, I believe that if you are having a high quality whey protein drink which is high in BCAA's (20 grams in my example), then you really do not need an additional source.

For 1FAST400 to make the statement that I'm "ignorant", especially without any explanation, is in itself revealing ignorance. Especially since studies have shown that whey protein yields the highest BV and is the preferred source of BCAA's.
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: 1Fast400 on December 07, 2007, 02:39:07 PM
I'm not going to give a lesson to someone that technically competes with me.  There is MORE than enough research to back up my comment.  Go search mindandmuscle.net under bcaa or (gulp) bb.com. 
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: The Freakshow on December 07, 2007, 03:44:03 PM
I'm not going to give a lesson to someone that technically competes with me.  There is MORE than enough research to back up my comment.  Go search mindandmuscle.net under bcaa or (gulp) bb.com. 

So your stadegy is to take "unprovoked" cheap shots at people that "technically compete against you" ??? Hmmmmm......????

You do realize that the statement I made had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU!

Unlike some on these boards, I was attempting to HELP people GET RESULTS  and SAVE MONEY, by answering their questions TRUTHFULLY.

Sorry, I'm not going to lie to people just to get them to buy some products!
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: The Freakshow on December 07, 2007, 03:46:22 PM
I'm not going to give a lesson to someone that technically competes with me.  There is MORE than enough research to back up my comment.  Go search mindandmuscle.net under bcaa or (gulp) bb.com. 

BTW, I'd LOVE to see the research that says taking 20 grams of BCAA's for muscle growth is a bad idea!!!
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: The Freakshow on December 07, 2007, 04:02:05 PM
No , are you saying taking free form BCAA’s before and after a work out would have the same effect as having a whey shake?

BTW, in addition to the BCAA's you get in whey, you also get all of the additional protein plus the extra glutamine. So a lot of added benefits.
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: youandme on December 08, 2007, 11:46:01 AM
guys i went to wal mart last nite, and got some cheap supplements. you get what you pay for,lol.

Best protein to date i have ever used, is Beverly. I don't know what it is, but Beverly really does give you satiety, and a feeling like your muscles are getting something.
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: 1Fast400 on December 08, 2007, 02:51:37 PM
Ok, you asked.

A lot of people think bcaa's are overpriced and all you have to do is increase their intake of whey.  Which I DO NOT DENY, is rich in BCAA's.  BUT, bcaa's in whey are peptide bound to other amino's and must be broken up via digestions and then absorbed into the bloodstream. Whey is fast digesting, but it still takes hours for all the amino acids to be pushed into the bloodstream.   

BCAA in supplement form are free form.  They don't require digestion and are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream.  This will spike the amino acid levels to a greater extent than peptide bound amino acids.  If you actually did research on this topic before speaking you would know that a few GRAMS of free form BCAA's will spike plasma levels of bcaa's to a greater extend than a 30g dose of whey protein.  The reason a supplement has such a powerful effect on blood levels of BCAAs is that unlike other amino acids, BCAAs are not metabolized to a significant extent by the small intestine or the liver, therefore an oral supplement is more like a BCAA injection since it reaches the bloodstream so rapidly.   

Quote
Unlike some on these boards, I was attempting to HELP people GET RESULTS  and SAVE MONEY, by answering their questions TRUTHFULLY.

You answered truthfully, you just weren't educated enough on the topic to speak to it.  That's why I said IGNORANCE instead of STUPIDITY.  I don't believe you are stupid or have bad intentions.  You just aren't educated in the difference of bcaa's.  A lot of pseduo scientist in this industry that try to fool customers.  Now you're better informed.
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: The Freakshow on December 08, 2007, 04:59:41 PM
Ok, you asked.

A lot of people think bcaa's are overpriced and all you have to do is increase their intake of whey.  Which I DO NOT DENY, is rich in BCAA's.  BUT, bcaa's in whey are peptide bound to other amino's and must be broken up via digestions and then absorbed into the bloodstream. Whey is fast digesting, but it still takes hours for all the amino acids to be pushed into the bloodstream.   

BCAA in supplement form are free form.  They don't require digestion and are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream.  This will spike the amino acid levels to a greater extent than peptide bound amino acids.  If you actually did research on this topic before speaking you would know that a few GRAMS of free form BCAA's will spike plasma levels of bcaa's to a greater extend than a 30g dose of whey protein.  The reason a supplement has such a powerful effect on blood levels of BCAAs is that unlike other amino acids, BCAAs are not metabolized to a significant extent by the small intestine or the liver, therefore an oral supplement is more like a BCAA injection since it reaches the bloodstream so rapidly.   

You answered truthfully, you just weren't educated enough on the topic to speak to it.  That's why I said IGNORANCE instead of STUPIDITY.  I don't believe you are stupid or have bad intentions.  You just aren't educated in the difference of bcaa's.  A lot of pseduo scientist in this industry that try to fool customers.  Now you're better informed.


I am very educated in the differences in BCAA's and aminos. Free Form BCAA's are in fact faster absobing than peptide bonded BCAA's, true. However it does not take "hours" for plasma amino levels to rise after whey protein intake. In fact, studies have shown that after a single whey protein meal plasma amino levels rise rapidly at 20 minutes and remain elevated from 180-200 minutes. So the fact still remains that whey protein intake of BCAA's immediately before & after your workout is sufficient.
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: 1Fast400 on December 08, 2007, 05:16:18 PM
Quote
In fact, studies have shown that after a single whey protein meal plasma amino levels rise rapidly at 20 minutes and remain elevated from 180-200 minutes. So the fact still remains that whey protein intake of BCAA's immediately before & after your workout is sufficient.

Sufficient, possibly, ideal, no.  Supplementing with BCAA's is far superior, studies show that.  CERTAIN amino levels rise, but obviously during workout CERTAIN amino's are needed in greater amounts than others.  We can go in circles on this.  I'll stick to the studies that deal with working out and supplement bcaa's vs a random study showing an increase in amino levels.  Apples and oranges. 

I do have another question, if your companies sells only the best materials, where are the 3rd party lab tests showing this?  I didn't see them on your site anywhere.  I assume you send your materials to be tested if you make such a claim?
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: The Freakshow on December 08, 2007, 05:50:43 PM
Sufficient, possibly, ideal, no.  Supplementing with BCAA's is far superior, studies show that.  CERTAIN amino levels rise, but obviously during workout CERTAIN amino's are needed in greater amounts than others.  We can go in circles on this.  I'll stick to the studies that deal with working out and supplement bcaa's vs a random study showing an increase in amino levels.  Apples and oranges. 

I do have another question, if your companies sells only the best materials, where are the 3rd party lab tests showing this?  I didn't see them on your site anywhere.  I assume you send your materials to be tested if you make such a claim?

I'm very familiar with "certain" aminos rising and others not, and what aminos are needed during workouts. The studies I quoted deal DIRECTLY with pre and post workout protein supplementation. I have one on my desk right now form ISSN "3(1):7-27,2006"

I don't post them there. Most of my products contain proprietary formulas so I choose not to post them. However, I do supply my distributors with the 3rd party lab results (Limited only to non-proprietary ingredients).

If you are questioning my credibility, ask Lobliner about me.

I'm not trying to be disrespectful. I'm just responding to your statement calling me ignorant. Peace.
Title: Re: generally speaking, which brands/companies are the best?
Post by: catch8 on December 10, 2007, 09:16:41 AM
Why's that???

What protein source is the highest in BCAA's????

Our whey protein contains over 5 grams of BCAA's per scoop (20 grmas of protein), so if you're taking 40 grams of protein which includes 10 grams of BCAA's before and after your workout, are you saying that people have to take more than that??? Hmmmm.......
From my information there is limited research comparing peptide bound forms vs free form BCAA, however we do know that nearly all bcaa do get absorbed regardless of source because BCAAs are not metabolized by the gut or liver.  However, free form impacts the plasma to a much greater extent than peptide bound forms. Therefore I feel it that free form will support WO Nutrition better that those from whey/protein foods. Plus the other thing is I like to have BCAAs DURING the workout especially on low cal cutting diet and focus cals from meals pre and post not rely on cals from whey DURING the WO. Its just my take but this has worked well for me and my clients. If free form can increase plasma aminos more effeciently that peptide form it may lead to less catabolism during the workout ESPECIALLY in low cal cutting phase. As far as dosing, I like to recommend 0.17g/kg lbm DURING the training so 1/4 of the aminos consumed pre, 1/2 consumed during with additional water and then 1/4 following. Then get to your next meal 30-45 mins after training.