Vitamin B-Complex

Why you need it: B-vitamins have many anabolic properties separately and have often been the subject of supplementation. Hereby I think of Niacin (B3), Pyridoxine (B6) and Cobalamin (bulking pills). But people often forget that for a lot less money they can get better gains by getting a B-complex which combines all of them in optimal doses (50-100 mg, there is no way you need 500 mg of Niacin). This harnesses the synergistic effect of B-vitamins which means better digestion and absorption of carbs, protein, and fat and the fact that they comport themselves as enzymes in many bodily functions. You can't overdose on them anyway since water-soluble vitamins are readily excreted if you have too much.

How it works: In the stomach, B-vitamins will release and control gastric juice, help absorb and digest macronutrients, which in turn get more out of the things you eat. Next to that all of them have a host of individual properties. B6 is a good liver-protector, B9 is good for absorbing things in cells, B12 is needed for energy and so on and so on. If we could get all our nutrients from food easily and eat enough, this would no doubt be my Nr2 supplement. If you are a person who can eat big and watch his grocery bill and you have decent genetics, a B-complex and multivitamin is all you really need to grow.

How to use it: Take these with a meal as well, but not at the same one as your multi. Take one serving (with 50-100 mg of all B-vitamins) immediately after your meal. Say you get your multi, like most people, at breakfast, take one serving of B-complex after lunch.

Desiccated Liver

Why you need it: Desiccated liver is a veritable staple in bodybuilding, it has been around since the 1950s and was strongly popularized by the late Iron Guru, Vince Gironda. Gironda saw the enormous potential of the liver. After all, it's a great source for additional amino acids to begin with. It's also rich in all kinds of vitamins, especially B-complex vitamins. It is also a potent source of Iron, something most people on a diet high in calcium will be thankful for. I drink 1-2 gallons of milk a day when bulking so obviously I get a lot of calcium. P450 is a liver-protecting enzyme that is also found in glandular desiccated liver. So it's a versatile source of nutrients for next to no money. The desiccated liver also has a bit of a water retention effect when bulking, allowing more nutrients to be stored and used in the body. I once saw someone gain 7 pounds in 7 days, mostly water, but consequently, turn it into a tremendous lean mass gain over the next couple of months.

How it works: The extra bio-available amino acids provide a worthy ally in your battle against catabolism, whether making an already high protein meal even higher in protein with an excellent ratio of amino acids or supplying some amino's between meals to keep nitrogen and GH levels high throughout the day. The extra vitamins are a bonus in today's world of processed foods, and if you get a lot of calcium in your diet, odds are you'll benefit from the rich source of iron. Combined with all the pills people tend to stack these days, a hefty dose of P450 and vitamin B6 is not too much luxury for the health-conscious bodybuilder.

How to use it: Pick a good reputable brand that marks the contents of its tabs in grains, because otherwise, you have no way of knowing how many grains you have to a gram. A good brand could be Uni-Liver by Universal, which averages 30 grains per tab. Take three doses of the stuff daily, with meals or between meals for nitrogen retention. For mere a mere addition, use 3 times 2-4 tabs (60-120 grains), for those seeking maximum benefit and better recuperation, three doses of 4-6 tabs (12-18 grains) would be better suited. At this rate, a batch of 500 tabs still lasts you a month and should run you no more than 10-12 bucks. A great deal if you ask me. This is definitely one of the products I most strongly recommend.