mixed questions about nutrition suppl.

[boggy]

just planning my next cycle and I have some questions.
1)I keep hearing around that salt is not healty and that we should lower salt consuption.Is this true?I tend to use quite a lot of it and I was wondering if I should try to substitute it with smt else.What should I use in its place?
2)I use aspartame pills as sweatener, is it safe (the real problem s that it's still present in protein powders and some other foods)?Can u tell me if there is a natural sweatener which I could use instead of it?
3)I decided to start taking creatine but I dont know how much should I take daily and when.Also I buy my supplements in a store near my town bcause I cannot afford regular shipping costs and they dont have HSN products.How can I judge quality of differnt brands/types of creatine?I mean, can I simply take the less expensive or I should check for some kind of certification?
4)I would like to add CLA to my diet but it is VERY expensive:I can find only pills (even on online italian stores) and theyr price is around 35euros for 90 pills containing 750mg cla each.Considering that I would need at least 6 pills daily(4,5g) one bottle would last only 15days!!
Is there another way?

 

[Aaron_F]

Quote[/b] (boggy @ Aug. 29 2003,11:29)]1)I keep hearing around that salt is not healty and that we should lower salt consuption.Is this true?I tend to use quite a lot of it and I was wondering if I should try to substitute it with smt else.What should I use in its place?

For certain people (salt sensitive) it can raise blood pressure. if you blood pressure is fine, dont worry endlessly about getting everything low sodium. Its also essential.

Quote[/b] ]2)I use aspartame pills as sweatener, is it safe (the real problem s that it's still present in protein powders and some other foods)?Can u tell me if there is a natural sweatener which I could use instead of it?

some people think its the devil. But some people also think any artificial sweetner is the devil. if it works for you, why change?

Quote[/b] ]3)I decided to start taking creatine but I dont know how much should I take daily and when.Also I buy my supplements in a store near my town bcause I cannot afford regular shipping costs and they dont have HSN products.How can I judge quality of differnt brands/types of creatine?I mean, can I simply take the less expensive or I should check for some kind of certification?

Take a micronised creatine. There is a type of createine thats good (pfe... sumfin, I cant remember how ot spell it). Just try and get a brand that is >99% creatine and go from there.

Quote[/b] ]4)I would like to add CLA to my diet but it is VERY expensive:I can find only pills (even on online italian stores) and theyr price is around 35euros for 90 pills containing 750mg cla each.Considering that I would need at least 6 pills daily(4,5g) one bottle would last only 15days!!
Is there another way?

if its too expensive why bother. The absolute difference that cla will make is small and usually only for those after the minute changes.
Fish oil is an alternative, for potential nutrient repartitioning effects.

 

[boggy]

Quote[/b] ]For certain people (salt sensitive) it can raise blood pressure. if you blood pressure is fine, dont worry endlessly about getting everything low sodium. Its also essential.

last time I checked I had low blood pressure so I think i shouldnt worry,should I?

Quote[/b] ]some people think its the devil. But some people also think any artificial sweetner is the devil. if it works for you, why change?

what do u mean with 'works for you'? Obviously it does his job (it sweatens) but I was worryed about long term effects and I cant judge now as I started using it not a long ago.

Quote[/b] ]Take a micronised creatine. There is a type of createine thats good (pfe... sumfin, I cant remember how ot spell it). Just try and get a brand that is >99% creatine and go from there.

so I should only check for 'micronized 99% creatine'?
I did a search and I found a lot of 99% micronized (without fancy agents or sugars added) but theyr price varyed really a lot.This is suspecting to me.

Quote[/b] ]Fish oil is an alternative, for potential nutrient repartitioning effects.

what is the minimum fish oil intake to get similar nutrient repartitioning as cla?

as always thanks you Aaron

 

[Aaron_F]

Quote[/b] (boggy @ Aug. 30 2003,4:16)]last time I checked I had low blood pressure so I think i shouldnt worry,should I?

no

Quote[/b] ]what do u mean with 'works for you'? Obviously it does his job (it sweatens) but I was worryed about long term effects and I cant judge now as I started using it not a long ago.

doesnt give headaches, etc. some people do get it. Long term, there isnt any research to show anything long term.

Quote[/b] ]so I should only check for 'micronized 99% creatine'?
I did a search and I found a lot of 99% micronized (without fancy agents or sugars added) but theyr price varyed really a lot.This is suspecting to me.

I dont know if price variability is due to poor product, or that some people like skimming more profit off the supplements) of course profit can be quite LARGE.

Quote[/b] ]what is the minimum fish oil intake to get similar nutrient repartitioning as cla?

Depends. Not as much research around as there should be on it. Some show 4-6g fish oil (about 1/2Tbspoon or 6caps)will cause some effect, but others (mainly in rats etc) will show ~5% total energy from fish oils. Which can be a lot. With either Fish/cla its not really something you notice, it will be a small, subtle change over time. I would start with a lower amount and increase it overtime. The most i have taken is about 15g or so of fishoil.