Oct 26, 2012

supplements the anabolic dieter should stay away from

     1. Carb drinks, weight gainers with carbs, in fact anything with carbs in it that can be considered a supplement.
     2. MCT oil. There has been quite a bit of debate as to whether an anabolic dieter can use this supplement. The answer is real simple, and although it has its place in a carb-based diet, it has ABSOLUTELY no place in a high fat diet. While having a protein-sparing effect on a diet high in carbohydrates, MCT's can play real havoc with the body on the high fat diet. Instead of using up the long chain fatty acids that make up most bodyfat, the body opts to use the MCT's. This results in a bypassing of the metabolic processes that the high fat diet sets up to burn its own fat. The decrease in fat to lean mass the diet seeks to deliver is thus lost. It should also be pointed out that the long chain fatty triglycerides used in the anabolic diet, have many advantages over MCT's. They have an EVEN GREATER protein-sparing effect than the MCT's used for energy. And, along with decreasing the production of bodyfat (which the MCT's also do) they increase the amount of existing body fat broken down and serve to greatly decrease body fat levels.
     3. Vanadyl Sulphate. Vanadate (a salt of vanadic acid which is derived from vanadium) is an essential trace element in most body tissues of mammals but has an unknown function. However, both the vanadate and vanadyl forms of vanadium have been shown to stimulate possible insulin-like effects. Its effects have been reported to diminish the diabetic effect by either substituting for and replacing insulin or possibly enhancing the effects of the existing insulin in the body on diabetic rats. Oral vanadate, however, seems to have little effect on plasma glucose levels in non-diabetic rats. Another study done on rats found that despite the improvement of the rat's diabetic state, vanadate-treated rats did not gain more weight than the untreated rats, and in fact, in some studies, caused a DECREASE in bodyweight in control and diabetic rats due to decreased food intake.
      In real life, I have found that vanadyl sulfate seems to increase the "pump" from workouts and by some mechanism allows the pump to remain for some time after a workout. I also have noticed that it seems to increase "hardness" and in me, vascularity.
      The problem for anabolic dieters stems from the fact that it either works with insulin, or by itself acting like insulin. As you know, insulin on the 5 high fat days of the diet is chronically low, and glycogen levels are chronically elevated for very good reason. By taking the vanadyl sulfate during this time, I can assure you that it won't work for 2 reasons. Low insulin levels, and little or no carbohydrates in the diet to stimulate the insulin or the vanadyl sulfate.
     Therefore stay away from it on the high fat days. On the other hand, if you want to take it on your 2 carb-loading days, that is fine, and the vanadyl will work for you properly. But I still can't recommend it either way, from evidence of toxicity to the liver, and because further research is needed to substantiate any of the many claims made by the manufacturers.