In the ever continuous quest for improvement with as little effort as possible, I'm trying a new supplement stack:
Before breakfast
500mg Acetyl-L-Carintine (Nature's Way)
3000mg Glucosamine Sulfate (Jarrow)
2400mg Chondroitin Sulfate (Jarrow)
600mg Methyl-Sulfonyl-Methane (Jarrow)
250mg Rhodiola Rosea (Nature's Way)
500mg Aniracetam (Bulk Nutrition)
1 Multivitamin (Kirkland/Costco)
Breakfast
1000mg Vitamin C (Nature's Way)
500mg Fish oil / 25mg GLA / 100mg CLA (Jarrow)
2400mg Lechtin (Jarrow)
Before lunch
500mg Acetyl-L-Carintine (Nature's Way)
250mg Rhodiola Rosea (Nature's Way)
500mg Aniracetam (Bulk Nutrition)
Lunch
1000mg Vitamin C (Nature's Way)
500mg Fish oil / 25mg GLA / 100mg CLA (Jarrow)
2400mg Lecithin (Jarrow)
Before dinner
500mg Acetyl-L-Carintine (Nature's Way)
500mg Aniracetam (Bulk Nutrition)
Dinner
1000mg Vitamin C (Nature's Way)
2400mg Lecithin (Jarrow)
Post workout
Jarrow BCAAs / Creatine Surge:
900mg L-Leucine
450mg L-Isoleucine
450mg L-Valine
3500mg L-Glutamine
6g Creatine Monohydrate
1g Ribose
1g Taurine
35g Dextrose
25mg Alpha-lipoic Acid (haha, why even bother...)
24g Whey protein (Optimum Nutrition)
Before bed
3000mg Glucosamine Sulfate (Jarrow)
2400mg Chondroitin Sulfate (Jarrow)
600mg Methyl-Sulfonyl-Methane (Jarrow)
Effects:
I've slowly built this stack up over the last 6 weeks, trying to give ample time per supplement to make sure I'm seeing a positive effect. Most notably, the ALCAR has removed any tip-of-the-tongue verbal issues and allows me to remember at least one dream per night. The Rhodiola has brought about a definite boost in energy and a noticably improved mood (I don't quite feel like a Greek fucking god, but I'm getting there).
I originally started taking the two lecithin caps as a single dose and noticed the lovely negative affect of a clenched jaw roughly 40 minutes post dose. Actually the first time it happened, I was balls-deep in studying a telephony spec and didn't notice I had been clenching my jaw for probably an hour straight. The subsequent soreness and mild headache was enough to tell me something was wrong, but I continued to take the 4800mg dose of lecithin until I had pin-pointed it was the cause.
Aniracetam is the most recently added supplement and I will withold judgement until later. I do notice my heartrate is roughly 20% elevated for an hour post-dose so the stimulant claims for this drug are well-warranted.
Proposed Changes:
As my goals are generalized health improvement, muscle development and cognition assistance, this stack is quite varied. Everyone touts that ALCAR and nootropics must be paired with a free-radical scavenger for optimal effect so it looks like I need (more) lipoic acid. Why Jarrow even bothered to included 25mg of the stuff in their Creatine/Carb mix is beyond me, especially when their smallest recommended dose when taken individually is 100-600mg. The AOR / Geronova wank-off over ALA stereoisomers is cute, but I'm not sure I want to pay $35/month for the stuff. Maybe I could switch over to Ortho Mind since it has R-lipoic, ALCAR and a host of other fun mental amplifiers. What's the logical fallacy called when someone tries to prove a point by showing facts about a related item to the item in question? AOR explains the various positive effects of the nootropics and how L-Pyroglutamic Acid is the core molecule behind the various "-racetam" nootropics, but Ortho Mind doesn't actually contain a true racetam. I'm sure L-Pyro has a great effect on it's own, I just dislike the spiel.
As for muscle development, I'll probably add specific zinc and magnesium supplements to be taken before bed, along with a slow-acting protein (maybe just a late night snack of the cottage cheese I already eat at a rate of 5 pounds a week).
...and yes, I'm already eating clean, spread out among 4-6 meals a day, concentrating slow carbs in the morning and moving toward protein/fat based meals as the day progresses, little to no alcohol, and very few processed food sources. If you try to take away my Diet Coke, I will cry.