# The Ultimate Supplement Stack!



## Arnold (Apr 23, 2009)

*The Ultimate Supplement Stack!  *
_by Robbie Durand _ 

Stacking anabolic agents such as testosterone and GH has long been known increase strength and muscle mass compared to each compound used separately.  For example, GH works synergistically with other anabolic hormones such as IGF-1 and testosterone.  Research with various muscle wasting disorders have shown that a combination of GH and testosterone or GH plus IGF-1, work better than if each is used separately1, 2, 3. Here are a few cases of the synergistic effects of stacking anabolic agents compared to using each separately:

    * Researchers compared the effects of GH alone or GH plus testosterone treatment.  GH increased IGF-1 levels; however, co-administration of GH and testosterone induced an even greater rise in IGF-1 levels4. 

    * In another study, researchers examined the effects of GH alone or GH plus testosterone on protein synthesis.  GH increased protein synthesis by itself, but a combination of GH and testosterone had an even greater effect on increasing protein synthesis5. 

    * When the effects of GH or a combination of GH and testosterone on lean muscle mass and fat mass were compared, a combination of GH and testosterone resulted in superior increases in lean muscle mass and reduced fat mass compared to GH or testosterone alone.  The effects of GH and testosterone on lean body mass appeared additive, suggesting that both GH and testosterone are synergistic yet increase muscle hypertrophy thru different mechanisms6.

It???s obvious that stacking anabolic agents can produce synergistic effects in muscle anabolism; but could stacking supplements do similar things for a bodybuilder. Although it obviously not going to produce the same increases in size and strength; it will produce some pretty amazing things. 

The Ultimate Mass Stack- CLA, Creatine, and Whey Protein!
Researchers from Canada examined the affects of supplement stacking on size and strength in healthy young participants. Subjects assigned to one of three groups:

???    Creatine, CLA, Whey Protein (CCP) (6 g/day CLA, 9 g/day Creatine, 36 g/day whey protein)
o    The CLA was composed of approximately 36% each of the cis-9, trans-11, and trans-10, cis-12 isoforms, of which the trans-10, cis-12 isoform is considered the most biologically active for affecting body composition.
???    Creatine and Protein  (9 g/day Creatine, 36 g/day whey protein, 6 g/day placebo sunflower oil),
???     Protein only (45 g/day whey protein, 6 g/ day placebo)

All participants followed the same high-volume, heavy-load, periodized, freeweight strength-training program for 5 weeks.  At the end of five weeks, the most important results of this study were that bench-press and leg-press strength and lean-tissue mass increased more in the group consuming all three supplements (CLA, Creatine, and protein) than in the other groups combined (i.e., consuming Creatine and protein or only protein).  So how is CLA enhancing the anabolic actions of Creatine and protein?  One mechanism whereby CLA might favorably influence skeletal muscle is a down-regulation of proinflammatory cytokines7. The proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor, a known catabolic signaling agent, decreases with CLA supplementation. Higher concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha can signal apoptosis and result in loss of skeletal muscle.  Other have reported that CLA has strong anti-catabolic actions and reduces muscle tissue breakdown10,11. 

In summary, our results indicate that the addition of CLA to Creatine and protein resulted in enhanced strength improvements and lean-tissue mass with high-volume strength training in well-trained young adults. Creatine combined with protein was more effective than protein alone for increasing lean-tissue mass9.

References:
1.    Blackman MR, Sorkin JD, Munzer T, Bellantoni MF, Busby-Whitehead J, Stevens TE, Jayme J, O'Connor KG, Christmas C, Tobin JD, Stewart KJ, Cottrell E, St Clair C, Pabst KM, Harman SM. Growth hormone and sex steroid administration in healthy aged women and men: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2002 Nov 13;288(18):2282-92.
2.    Giannoulis MG, Sonksen PH, Umpleby M, Breen L, Pentecost C, Whyte M, McMillan CV, Bradley C, Martin FC. The effects of growth hormone and/or testosterone in healthy elderly men: a randomized controlled trial. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006 Feb;91(2):477-84.
3.    Allen DL, Linderman JK, Roy RR, Grindeland RE, Mukku V, Edgerton VR. Growth hormone/IGF-I and/or resistive exercise maintains myonuclear number in hindlimb unweighted muscles. J Appl Physiol. 1997 Dec;83(6):1857-61
4.    Gibney J, Wolthers T, Johannsson G, Umpleby AM, Ho KK. Growth hormone and testosterone interact positively to enhance protein and energy metabolism in hypopituitary men. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2005 Aug;289(2):E266-71.

Article Source


----------

