Suppliments for 40+ year old

Dan,
  You may have covered this topic in one of you posts, but if not, I have a question. A little background to set the stage:
I deal with a very slight depression, mood swings, lethargy and such. Some days I stay pretty even, other days I drag while there have been a few where I was full of energy. This has been the way of life  for the last 10 years. That is one reason I decided to change my lifestyle and get back into exercising and lifting. I lost up to a total of 70 pounds during the last six years and I have since been working on gaining lean muscle. Fat comes on easy around hips and waist.

I deal with high LDL cholestorol so I had my doc do a panel for that and also to check my testosterone levels.  Im doing well. I have brought LDL down 40 points to an acceptable level and it has stayed there for the past year due to diet changes, and have kept HDL higher than 60. (your threads have helped a ton there) These factors are good so I dont have to take meds. My t level was also good in the 600 range. This was a total t test so I dont know about free test.

Ive gotten my nutrition under control. Im eating well and getting good nutrition. its not 100% but I do hit a good balance of macros, caloric intake, different foods to do well 90 to 95% of the time now. last year I also did the same but was in a cut doing so. This year and currently im in a slight caloric surplus.

Ive been doing the Chad Waterbury program that you mentioned in one of your threads, (may have been gaining mass) that has a link to an article in t-nation.

 http://www.t-nation.com/f...ED94656ED6EDD-he.hydra

I just finished the fourth week of it and I am drained. I started losing strength in a couple of lifts during this fourth week. My lifestyle with two young kids ends up being full and I cannot get eight hrs of uninterrupted sleep. That might make a big difference if I could but six hours is about the best. Many times its six hours with interruptions. I love the 3 day a week training. I do see results from this program.

The question is: Are there supplements that I could take that will help but not harm me (as in liver stress, shutting down my natural t production, throwing cholesterol out of balance) in the areas of helping me recover better and to help ease mood swings, lethargy, control cortisol and allow better food partitioning? Since I am close to 45, I wonder if supplements that increase free testosterone may work for me? I currently take a multi, a B complex, zinc and Mag., Fish oil, creatine. I also use protein powders and BCAA but only for workout pre and post nutrition and some casien protein before bed.

Any thoughts?

danmirage

Hey, some good things there.

You are healthy! Mental health is also VERY important!
I did this with 3 kids and I know what you are talking about!
I am close to your age as well.

Before we talk about supplements, lets look at other factors!

Maybe there is something simple that can be done to dial it in and that is where you want to start, if you can find something.

#1 if you are starting to feel run down, you are getting into one of the over training syndromes. This can be from a number of things.

Sleep:
Can you get at lease one 20 minute nap a day?

 No. I tend to do errands, maybe shop at the thrift stores or walk at the park, catch some sun or try to practice guitar during lunch. Very rare is it when I can nap. It is relaxing during lunch though. When I get home I help with dinner or play with kids, eat, do after dinner chores or baths with kids and help get them to bed. By that time its 8:00pm. Then I either workout or try to take care of chores on outside of house. Sit down time is about 10:00pm.

What time of day do you train?

I start my  workout after kids go to bed about 8:00pm or 8:30pm  on sun, tues, and thur nights. I workout at home in my shed. No chance of that changing.

What is your last meal/ and or nutrition before bed? Exactly and when?

At times Ive tried a small complete meal left over from dinner but most times I do a serving of ON casien protein every night. I do that about 10:30 to 11:00 and try to relax to get to bed between 11:00 and 12:00. Sometimes I take melatonin to aid in relaxing me.

How much water are you getting a day?

I get between .75 and 1 gallon per day. Sometimes a little more.

Nutrient timing and composition:
Are you getting Pre and post workout nutrition?

I take a tsp of BCAA before a workout. Sometimes 30 min before, sometimes 10 min before. Right after workout I take a tsp of BCAA and a tsp of creatin and then I mix up a banana and strawberry fruit smoothie with a scoop of eas whey protein

What do they look like?
What does your Macro- nutrient ratio look like (Proteins carbs and fats)

it has varied some over the year but right now im keeping 40% carb, 30% protein, and 30%fat and I try to make every meal meet this excluding breakfast, PWO, and before bed. From Sept 09 to april 10 I had been keeping a 45 to 50% carb, 25% fat rest in protein. I did not feel much different, just bloated.

Are you consuming some foods that are processed and may contain artificial colors, flavours or preservatives?

Yes. Im sure on weekends I have some. I strive not to during the week, but im sure there must be some hidden something that im not aware of.

Micro nutrients:
How much mag and how much zinc is in the multi? How much in the supplement of each?

mag is 100mg zinc is 11mgin the multi, and 400 and 15 in the extra supplement

Psychic and emotional space:
Next, do you have down mental time? (i.e. Is the nervous system getting rested?)
Also laughter and play or cuddles with everyone every day? (serotonin release in another way)
Essentially, are you happy and content with the life around you?
Are your needs being met in your every day life?
Are you getting to do some of what you dream of doing?
Is there some stress in your life that is big? ($, Love, kids, Work, etc.)
Perhaps answering some of these is tough. 
But dig deep for the true answers.
If you prefer to answer these privately, thats ok. PM me.

Thanks for your time in looking into this with me. It means a lot.

RE Psychic and emotional Health: it is important to factor in if there have been big costs in these areas. Give yourself special consideration. These can have long lasting effects. Depression can creep in and impact many other things.

To deal with this while training and living takes a little sensitivity. A support network of family and friends can help to let some of these tensions off.  However, you should be self-aware enough to know when these creep in and be proactive about facing the causes.

Remember, either we can change something or we can not.
E
ither:
We cant do anything about something and have to work on our response to it.

We can change something that affects us, and should be proactive about this if needed.
or
We can avoid something that costs us and so we need to act accordingly.

No matter what, we need to work positively on making our interaction with things in our life healthy!

Sometimes this means learning to accept a smaller pie!
Want less and do more with what we have.
Enjoy the simple pleasures and be authentically grateful for what you have in life!

All the while, you can be creating plans for abundance!

These are just some simple things...

You say that many can get lean on more carbs. I dont understand why such a wide range of thoughts.

Doctors are not very familar with the biochemistry and certainly not familiar with the more "cutting edge" science/concepts behind oxidative rates and why they differ from person to person, physiologists and biochemists are more versed in the concepts and a few people understand that there is biochemical diversity from person to person (and that we can manipulate the biochemistry.)

But let me try to address this in a useful manner. 

Everyone has different biochemistry: the amounts of enzymes necessary to make carbs, proteins, or fats available differ.  Further, the enzymes necessary for the use of the substrates of the byproducts of braking these down differs person to person as well and we can alter this all by how we eat and train.

Further, the carb needs of an athlete are higher than those of a more sedate person!


Perhaps one should focus on low glycemic index carbs for their carbs or is that bunk?

The attention to the glycemic index of carbs only matters if you eat them alone and not in meals...and even alone it is the other number that is more telling, the glycemic load... but still not important in a meal. In a meal the fiber, fat, proteins and carbs interact to alter the glycemic effect.

Now, it IS better to choose your foods from whole food sources versus processed and simple  foods because the dimple foods enter the blood faster and can spike glucose and insulin...etc.

So, moving on lets say you take a test and we determine you are best at 55 carbs 25 protein 20% fats.  This is a baseline that we can manipulate for higher hormonal response to favour growth or cutting!

Someone else might test at 75% carbs 15% protein and 10% fats. I had a client like this. We could get her lean on 60-65% carbs!

Starting to see how people can differ in their response to carbs.

Yes, it can ALSO be an issue of calories.  Macronutrient ratios and calories work together! There is often the challenge of balancing the bulk versus the calories and macronutrients.

Our carbs will vary with our goal.  In general:
Gain Muscle...increase carbs and modulate protein as needed with attention to nutrient timing.
Lose Fat... decrease carbs and modulate protein as needed.

At 45% some can get very lean, but if you have trained your body to not be responsive at 45% by eating that or less carbs for a long period, then you may need to go for a bulking cycle closer to baseline (say 4 weeks) before starting to modulate carbs and protein to see regular decreases in fat.

About the sleep... the MAJOR challenge will be that you train late. Those hormones are powerful stimulants and this is a big deal. Any time you change your training and intensity goes up so will your hormones (adrenaline and cortisol should be low when you go to sleep...)

You can address this and train the body to take them up quickly after training so you can more consistent good sleep.

Thoughts...

• Your caffeine intake after 3 should be stopped.
• Your training should not go over 40 minutes. (To keep cortisol release at bay)
• Pay special attention to performing a gradual cooldown followed with 30 second stretching of major muscle as well as those worked (to take advantage of relaxing properties.
• Your post workout nutrition should consider cabs and protein (carbs can help in the relaxing).
• A soothing shower with lavender, verbena, and other soothing herbs.
• Chamomile, verbena and other teas known for their relaxing properties 1 hour from bed time.

Some more to read through as it will give you more information about the sleep aspect.

http://www.discussbodybui.ing.com/tm.aspx?m=227857

Also, Read this for more recommendations to help sleep/recovery
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/m_95217/mpage_1/tm.htm#95851

And look at this post
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/m_143933/mpage_1/tm.htm#144440

I am now eating a small meal instead of the straight protein.
Good, this can lower the stimulation at bed time!  Should help

Im bumping carbs up some to 45%
Through that las meal and pre and post exercise nutrition?

Im adjusting supplements so I dont have as much zinc.
Good.

Any supplements that you would recommend?
First, post what other changes are you adopting and then go a week with these changes.

After that, tell me how you feel.  There are some supplements, foods, herbs, etc that do benefit the inability to relax. but you want to find out how much you can get form the recommendations first!

As for the Psychic and emotional Health things... simply creating a special time to sit and share, listen and talk can give you space for solutions.

You will have seen that sun during the day helps with sleep.

Also, you will have read my comment on Melatonin.  Sunlight will work better than Melatonin almost always!

The teas support relaxation, as migh taking a b-50 or even 25 with each meal.

If taking a week off helps, that is just a key to tell us that the most important part is the training effect.  Tells us what will have the biggest effect.  Making changes to the post workout nutrition and rituals etc will help.

A slight plus to sleep is good, but still not feeling rested...not ideal.
Going to bed and training earlier would be the ideal way to address that.
Since that is not on the table, then it is important to focus on things that can counter the high stress hormones in the body so late.

The B complex is noted for nourishing the nervous system and enhancing carb use.
Calming teas can be a plus if you respond to them. (Tension tamers, camomile, sleep easy type teas.)
Perhaps enzymes and/or probiotics are worth considering, to improve absorption.

There are certain supplements that are known to reduce coritsol and stress hormone response. This might be the single most important target for you.

Can I be a person that does not work well on the higher carb?
Yes.  It could possibly be that... or the food bulk or fiber over 30g...

How does your sleep change after 5 days of rest?
That is a good thing to note.

Some simple switches from more fiber rich foods to less.  That is tricky. You want the nutrients!

White rice over brown rice, etc...
baked Sweet potato over white potato
Few if any beans.
Make lower fiber whole food choices with more nutrients and low calories for the bulk.
Parsley is great and beats heavier veggies...
Get all the colors of veggies...

Also just a reinforcement, high fat could be triggering a chemical message that you are full.
It is good to check this, though you have affirmed that you feel better on high fat low carb, etc...?

Also, minimal sipping of water during or after you eat to minimize bloat. Fiber absorbs water and swells. Give it about 45-60 minutes.  Choose calorie dense lower bulk foods.

L-Theanine and Phosphatidylserine are two off the top of the list.

Also adaptogens such as ****aki, miataki, Ashwagandha, Astragalus help to normalize the body.