My Top 5 Bodybuilding Supplements

With so many supplements on the market, it’s hard to know what actually works, and what’s just hype. In this episode, I break down my top 5 bodybuilding supplements that deliver real results when it comes to building muscle, improving performance, and speeding up recovery.

We’ll cut through the noise and focus on what matters: which supplements are worth your money, how to use them effectively, and what to avoid. Whether you’re just starting your fitness journey or looking to take your physique to the next level, this episode gives you a practical, no-fluff guide to smarter supplementation.

If you’re serious about muscle growth, this is one you don’t want to miss.

www.drjimmysteger.com

Transcript

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Welcome to the Nutrition Factor. I'm your host, Dr. Jimmy Steager, and today we're going to be talking about my top five bodybuilding supplements. In all my years of uh being in the bodybuilding world, especially when I was young, starting back in 1976, started competing competitively in natural bodybuilding. Things have changed so much over the years, and some of these I wish I knew about back then, I'm sure would have helped me advance even more so. In the 12 years of competitive bodybuilding that I was involved in, I uh took some of these, but most of this is a new information. And so since 2010, I've been researching and working a little bit harder on this particular area in my clinic because not only do I train athletes and work with people in the bodybuilding world still, and as a bodybuilder myself, I know I take all these as well, and they are amazing for people trying to develop muscle growth and be the best you can possibly be. So today I'd like to introduce you to some of these products. For those of you who new, uh I'd like to welcome you to the show. I'm Dr. Jimmy Steager, a naturopath, nutritionist, biochemist, doctor of natural medicine, and a professional trainer. We have a professional healthcare clinic located right here in Mobile, Alabama, and I've been in the business uh for 50 years, and uh this is what we do. Uh nutrition is my life. I have a nutrition company called Lifeguard Nutritional Supplements. You get a chance, you can go check us out at drjimmy steer.com. Give us a call at 251-660-1240 at our clinic. If you're instead, being a patient or a client, if you live in the area, come see us at our facility. We'd love to have you. If you're outside of the mobile area, which 90% of my clients and patients are, you can give us a call. We'll be glad to set you up programs, take you on as a patient, and help you regardless of where you're at. So today we're going to talk about five supplements that can definitely help you with your bodybuilding. All these are research-backed, and um have been studied more than anything else out there. And um in my product line, I carry three of these products that I make myself. So, once again, if you're interested in what we have to offer, go check our website out or give us a call. We'll be glad to help you in this particular area. Bodybuilding is my life, and I've been fortunate and blessed to do it uh since 1976, and it's been a true life for me and our health club, our personal training facility called Hard Bodies, the Body Shop Gym, and we absolutely eat, sleep, and breathe the human body. So let's get with it. The first product that I tell everyone about and we put on is called Whey Protein Isolate. And this is clearly a hands-down winner for one of the first things we put our people on. And take in mind when a patient comes in or a client comes in and we take them on, we will always build a base nutritional products for them by doing a VMA vitamin, mineral, amino acid test on them and helping them understand what their body's missing before we put them on anything. So we can help them achieve their goals, and especially if they're a patient and they're sick, which most of my patients are very sick. Uh we uh built a complete nutrition program for them which starts with the vitamins, minerals, amino acids, omega-3s, greens, and so forth and so on, depending on what their needs are. However, as a professional trainer and bodybuilder myself, these products today we would put you on if you was wanting to get in the game of bodybuilding competitively and take it to the highest level you could on a drug-free level, because that's what we do. So whey protein isolate would fall in second line behind your base nutrients. And once we get your VMA test done and we establish your base nutrient protocol, this would be probably one of the first things we put into your program. Research uh shows that whey protein isolates increase the amount of glutathione in the body tissue, which is extremely important because you have to have that for your body to build a strong immune system. And then glutathione is a peptide, which is an amino acid derivative that helps support the body's immune system, which is what we want for all of our patients. And placing whey protein at the top of this list for the immuno enhancing potential is extremely important, and this is one of whey protein's main functional properties. Um, the whey protein contains the highest concentration of branched chain amino acids, which we call BCAAs, of any single protein source. It runs about 23 to 25 percent, which is amazing. And the BCAA content is important because the BCAAs are an integral part of muscle development and are the first amines sacrificed in the body. Another functional property of whey is the ability to enhance your natural glutathione production within the body. Glutathione is the body's most powerful natural occurring antioxidant and also plays a role in the immune system support. Whey protein isolates contain what we call quadripeptides, which are short chain proteins containing four amino acids. And these have all been shown to help with painkilling effects in the human body as well, which is important for some people. And this is another powerful function property that may help decrease muscle soreness following heavy intense training. And uh, so if you're bodybuilding or weight training or powerlifting, which we work with people on all three levels, whey protein is extremely important due to its excellent amino acid profile, solubility, and digestibility. Whey has a high biological value, which we call a BV. BV is a very important measure of how well uh a protein is used by the body. And one of the more interesting functional properties of whey protein is its reported ability to stimulate the IgF1, which is called insulin-like growth factor production. And uh 22 IGF-1 is a structurally, functionally similar to insulin and helps enhance the protein synthesis or muscle growth in the body, which is what we're after here. Whey protein provides a very unique set of health benefits um such as fighting overall infections in the body, perhaps even fighting cancer. I use it a lot for some of my cancer patients, depending on what's going on and their body weight. And recent studies have shown a regression in some of the cancerous tumors uh when patients consumed roughly 30 to 35 grams of whey protein powder a day. So for my females, I usually have them take 20 to 30 grams, and my men probably 30 to 35 grams, depending on their body weight. Whey protein uh definitely appears to play a direct role in bone growth as well, which is important for the elderly population developing uh calcium problems or osteopenia. Studies show that it can help increase the bone strength and bone bone proteins such as collagen also produce a great collagen product with uh five different types of collagen in it. So if you're interested in collagen, we have that as well. My second product, which is probably the most researched product out there in the industry, and those that are listening that are educated or know about bodybuilding all know this one for sure. Creatine. Creatine has to be my number two go-to product. There are multiple, many numerous studies which have been evaluated about the ergogenic value of creatine supplementation and various exercise tasks. And in these studies, short term, which is usually five to seven days, and or even extended um studies, which is usually runs between 10 and 50 to 10 to 60 days, clearly shows creatine supplementation at about 20 to 25 grams per day for five to seven days, which is your first loading phase, and roughly two to uh twenty grams per day thereafter, has definitely been reported to have uh an increase in the one repetition per maximum lifting strength, uh, but improves the vertical jump performance in athletes, which is a measure that they use a lot in the industry. Helps increase the workload performed during sets, maximal effort, muscle contractions, enhances the single effort, and if and the uh repetitive sprint performance in sprinters, um, especially if they're running in that six to thirty second range, helps improve the high intensity exercise performance in events lasting 90 to approximately 300 seconds, which is the short burst sprinters and bodybuilders, and helps increase the maximal exercise capacity overall. And the science surrounding the efficacy of creatine supplementation for enhancing many types of athletic performance is virtually undisputable. And once again, uh rates as one of the best bodybuilding supplements ever. I take it, I have all my clients that are bodybuilders take it once I get their nutrition program straightened out and started. After about 30 days, we incorporate creatine into their trainings um program. It doesn't matter whether they're on a four-day or six-day split or trying to competitively bodybuild or just want to improve your overall health, creatine is a very, a very important supplement. Next is NO, what we call nitric oxide. Um despite some of the claims of some of the sports supplement industry uh that exist, solid scientific evidence uh to suggest the efficacy of the NO products. The following was written back in May of 1996 in a documentary prepared for the Royal Society and Association of British Science Writers. And the summary research papers continue to flood the scientific journals and insights in the biological activity and potential clinical use of NO, a gas which is a gas controlling seemingly limitless range of functions in the human body. And each revelation adds to NO's already lengthy resume in controlling the circulation of blood regulating activities of the brain, lungs, liver, kidneys, stomach, and other organs. And nowadays you're starting to hear more and more about NO with men who have erection difficulties. And since this um article was written back in 1976, NO containing products have really blown up the market and they have tatted to be um a miracle uh product for many. And um a lot of athletes swear by it. I know we use NO in our training, it's great to use. Um sometimes use it twice a day, but it's definitely effective for adding muscle size and strength to the human body. And the above quotation states that the NO controls the circulation of the blood and transmit messages between the nerve signals in the human body, especially the brain. And the fact that the NO increases blood flow to all areas of the body should make it in interest to all you bodybuilders out there, for sure. And increased blood flow throughout the body will serve to deliver more nutrients, which is what we're after, to the muscles so they can properly uh get a great pump in the gym and grow and recuperate after, which is what it's all about. You got to help those muscles become larger. Uh, and this happens when the the muscles are subject to more stress. And when you stress these muscles out, you got to feed them. And that's what we're doing. Training heavy, training hard, feeding the body with these supplements will help you grow, no doubt about it. NO also affects the endocrine system, which is important uh for me as a doctor, helping my patients get well. We're all about stimulating the endocrine system. And what's good about that is I teach all my patients if they'll train the thighs, the hamstrings and the quads, uh, calves, gastrochnemia, solus, all the muscles in the lower body, training legs, the only thing that stimulates the endocrine system, really, at the level that it does, because it refle uh affects the release of a hormone called gonadotropin, as well as the release of adrenaline from the adrenal medulla. So you may ask who needs NO? Well, everyone, because nitric oxide is needed to carry out the key physiological process within the body. And from a bodybuilder's perspective, NO supplementation may improve useful increase in growth due to the increase in blood flow throughout the body and in the areas that you're training. Signs of deficiency include physical weakness and extreme fatigue. I see that a lot in our health club. And most NO supplements contain the amino acid, arginine, alpha, ketoglutarate, which is important. So if you're not taking nitric oxide, consider adding this to your protocol as well. Take in mind if you get any of these supplements or buy them or have them and not sure how to take them, feel free to uh email me or give us a call here at the office, and I'll be glad to set up a protocol for you and teach you how to take these products that I'm mentioning to you today the correct way so you don't hurt your body, hurt your system in any way, shape, or form. And if you're under 16 or 17 years of age, um I'm very careful about putting any of my clients on this unless we add whey protein isolate to your diet or you're extremely advanced for your age. We'll talk about that in another session. Our next product, an amazing product, L-glutamine. It's considered the foremost amino acid for increasing cell vitamin, thereby increasing muscle growth. And cell vitaminization is the process of increasing cellul hydration. This increase in hydration and the resultant increased cellulume, studies have shown it is directly correlated to a powerful positive anabolic signal for further muscle growth. Now, I've done a lot of research on this, spent a lot of time overseas, and according to uh Dieter Heisinger, which is one of the world's foremost authorities in the science of cell volumization, he quotes, It seems that cell swelling or volumization acts like an anabolic signal, thus stimulating the muscle cell to grow in response to stress, such as weight training, which is what we're talking about here. Weight training, bodybuilding, powerlifting. In addition to its anabolic properties, when cells are swollen with water, which means we're bringing the water inside the cell, and this is done through nutrient manipulation, which I can talk about to you later, this inhibits the breakdown of protein, glycogen, and glucose, which are needed for muscular energy. Conversely, according to Dr. Heisinger, cell dehydration, which is shrinkage of the body, directly stimulates catabolism, which is not what we're after. We're after anabolism, which is anabolic, uh, to grow, but in a growth-inducing state. And this can literally eat away at hard-earned muscle tissue and spell doom, really, for those wishing to achieve any type of maximal muscle growth. Interesting, muscle cell vitaminization may in part offer an explanation to the previously observed potent growth-promoting effects of certain nutrients, such as protein. For example, amino acids, which are the building blocks of all protein, have long been known to be essential for stimulating muscle growth. We have to have the amino acids broken down correctly. You have to have all of them to do their functioning, including the BCAs, which we talked about earlier. Those are the four most important. Newer research shows that certain amino acids serve as what uh Dr. Heisinger calls intracellular osmolites, which basically means that drawing water inside the cell, and this is the key, and this is in turn triggers the anabolic signal that we're after. Okay. So this will help fire up the muscle building uh machinery in the cell by increasing the cellulinization. And of all amino acids examined for this, uh, glutamine appears to be one of the most important, in fact, probably the most important. And in fact, according to Dr. Heisinger, the relationship between glutamine and cellul hydration may be fundamental to protein synthesis, which we have to have. In a study published in the European Journal of Biochemistry, Dr. Heisinger and his colleagues discovered that cell volume can be increased by as much as 12% within two minutes of glutamine infusion and remain at their increased volumes for as long as glutamine is present within the cell. In other words, as long as glutamine content remains high within the cell itself, cell vitamin and anabolic process also remains elevated, which is what we want. However, research has confirmed that once glutamine is depleted from the cells or the body, the muscle cells lose water rapidly, and that inevitably is called muscle wasting, and that's what sets into the body. This is not something we want. And sometimes we see this with people on the stage when they're doing bodybuilding shows because their diet is not correct, they get real flat, their glycogen levels are not where they need to be, and the cell voluminization is just not there. So their body's in a catabolic mode versus anabolic mode, and that's not ever good, whether you're wanting to be just a good-looking physique walking around, be the best you can be, or if you're trying to get into amateur bodybuilding in hopes of turning pro, you have to consider keeping the cellular voluminization up at its highest level at all times, which is keeping your NO nitric oxide levels high and the nitrogen level retention high as well. Nitrogen is extremely important, and that's only done when you're consuming protein every three to four hours in the body, not allowing your nitrogen levels to drop. And when that happens, your body goes into a catabolic stage. So that's just another very important. And helpful tip for you to understand. Now, this last bodybuilding supplement is something that most of you never heard of. Um, and I'm going to explain it to you. But this product in in short um is called C9-T11, which is um a term that we use in science, and the official name for is Carthimus tinctorius, which is actually safflower oil. And safflower oil has been around uh since the beginning of time, and it's been researched like the last 20-25 years, uh incredibly strong research on it. And so when people wonder what in the world is C9T-11, it's called cyfflower oil. Soflower oil is primarily composed of fats, but contains no carbs or protein or fiber. It's a source of healthy fats and vitamin E and antioxidants that I put in a lot of my people's diet. And safflower is a type of vegetable oil derived from the seeds of cyflower oil. And it belongs to a family called the Asteracea family, and it's native to Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, and it has been cultivated for thousands of years. And safflower is available in two main varieties. We have one that's called high linolinic safflower oil, which is rich in pollen saturated fatty acids, especially linolinic. And the number two is high in oleic safflower oil, which is rich in minosaturated fatty acids, primarily oleic acid. So if uh you're wondering about this oil, it's amazing for bodybuilders. Um it's got over 20 science-backed health benefits, and just to name a few of them, first of all, it supports the heart, which is extremely important for my patients and my bodybuilders alike. It's high content of my unsaturated and polyunsaturated fat, helps reduce the LDLs in the body, which is the bad cholesterol, and helps raise the LD uh HDLs, which is good cholesterol. We all want that when we're looking at our total configuration of cholesterol when patients bring their cholesterol numbers to me. That's one of the first things I look at. Syflower oil also reduces inflammation, promotes healthy skin, strengthens your hair, manages blood sugar. Um, great for type 2 diabetics, aids in weight management, helps reduce abdominal fat, improves circulation. Um, the oil really promotes blood flow uh throughout the entire cardiovascular system, reduces menstrual discomfort for ladies, helps boost immunity, supports bone health. The vitamin K and safflower oil helps improve calcium absorption and the overall bone density. Great for that, enhances liver function, reduces acne. So great topical application uh for the face, helps inflammation and balancing the sebum production, promotes wound healing, which is what we're after here for bodybuilders, helps accelerate healing of the minor cuts and scars in the body, pulls the muscle tissue back together once it's been torn apart, improves eye health, supports digestive health, reduces arthritis, helps enhance brain function. The omega-6 fatty acid supports the cognitive function and helps reduce the risk of neurological disorders, which happens to a lot of elderly people, helps boost the skin elasticity, helps promote the collagen production, great for reducing wrinkles and sagging in the body, helps relieve respiratory issues. Um we use it for helping with asthma and bronchitis patients, helps improve hair growth. So, safflower oil is an amazing product in itself. Um so when people take it, I suggest my patients take, depending on the age and the person, what we're trying to achieve. Um one tablespoon in the morning and one tablespoon at night generally is a good recommended amount for you. And uh for a best time to take it is in the morning. You mix it with your breakfast, helps to support your metabolism and energy level. If you're using it in the evening, adding it to your dinner salad can help with overnight recovery and skin repair and muscle tissue. That's when the body's growing at nighttime. So if you're gonna take saddle flower oil, that amount is a good amount to use, and uh you'd be fine with that. So since this um C9T11 has soared in the charts with its impressive clinical research results, um the incredible customer reviews and testimonies from champion athletes, including football players, boxers, MMA fighters, I've got all kinds of patience on this particular product and have been for many years now. And the scientists from Norway, Medstat Research Center, have backed this and recently discovered a rare extract from the African plant. And um, this scientific name for this, once again, is the C9T11 for short. So that's what we call it because a lot of people are never going to remember the name Carthamas tinctoris uh by any means. But the clinical test show subjects taking this product gained 700% more muscle in just seven weeks. And in my 50 years of reviewing clinical research, I don't believe I can ever say that I've heard of anything doing this. No other muscle building supplement has ever facilitated such a large increase in muscle mass within such a short period of time. And after interviewing a lot of clients and my patients around the country, as well as reviewing clinical research studies, this product is probably the number one muscle building recommendation since, going all the way back to 2010 or 2011. So I've been looking into this product for that long and helping my bodybuilding clients take this product in as part of their other four nutrients we talked about as the top five overall bodybuilding supplements that I recommend after we build their base. So, once again, if you call us or get involved in our program, we're gonna do a VMA test on you, show you what you're missing, build a base nutritional program for you, help you understand what you're missing in all your vitamins, all your mineral acids, and all your minerals, uh, to help you get functionally as strong as you can be through your weight training, bodybuilding, powerlifting, whatever it is that you're trying to achieve. We have a program for that. We can help you with that. And you're not just talking to a doctor, you're talking to somebody who's been in the field my entire life. I know the game. I train people all over the world, uh, amateurs as well as pros in every sport available. And I was fortunate enough to um letter myself in six different sports in school, so I understand the game, played uh bodybuilding, played all these sports, played motocross, played every sport you could play except hockey, probably down here in the south. And uh I can clearly tell you these products will help you regardless of what your active play is in these sports. Uh I love bodybuilding, I love motocross, love martial arts, being a professional martial artist and have been the last 35 years. That's the reason I quit uh bodybuilding as a competitive sport because I wanted to pursue a professional martial arts career, and that's what I did. I've been fortunate and been doing that for the last 35 years as a pro, and it has increased everything I've done in the field of bodybuilding. And um I still maintain training six hard days a week and incorporating that with my martial arts program with all the kicking and punching and jujitsu that we do, very important part of my protocol, and we incorporate these submits and help uh our patients and clients worldwide be the best they can be. So if you'd like to join us, we'd love to have you. So there you have it. These submits uh that I've listed will elevate your training to new heights. And if you're not on these presently, then I suggest this time you get with it. If you have a question, email me, and I'll be glad to go over this with you again and help you understand it maybe a little bit more. And remember, the three things you have to have in order to be a great bodybuilder or have a great physique is number one, superior nutrition. Number two, you have to train like crazy, train hard, train heavy, but be smart. You know, what is heavy to one person is not heavy to another person, so don't gauge yourself on what the big guys do. Adequate rest is sufficient every night. So if you're not including your bodybuilding training with sufficient nutrition, you're never going to grow anyway. Be smart with your training, don't damage your joints, do full-range motions and have adequate rest. Get to bed early. I suggest all my clients and patients get to bed by 9 or 9:30 so that you can heal the liver and get up early, get your day started, have a great meal and eat every three to four hours if you want to be a bodybuilder. You have to feed the muscle, that's all it is to it. So there you have it. Quit procrastinating, go to the gym, be the best you can be naturally. I'm your host, Dr. Jimmy Steager. To learn more, go to dr Jimmy Steager.com. Give us a call at 251-660-1240. Uh if you like what you're hearing, uh subscribe to what we're doing here in our podcast, follow us, we appreciate it. And go to our YouTube channel. You can learn more about bodybuilding through our training, our martial arts channel, and our nutrition factor channel as well. Until next time, stay healthy. God bless.