Cycling Your Supplements!
I'm positive that many people, probably a good amount on this site don't cycle their supplements. Hope this shows the importance.
Most people who train believe that when they are "off" of supplements that their physiques will literally go down the drain. People on depend on supplements quite heavily when they're knowledge on how to use them/cycle them is limited. When our bodies are exposed to exogenous (originating from outside) substances such as supplements, alcohol, drugs, etc, it builds a tolerance. This tolerance requires us to consume more and more of the product in order to get the desired effect.
Receptor Attenuation
This characteristic stems from receptor attenuation. Our body is full of receptors which have the ability to bind to specific receptor agonists and antagonists (from source). Receptor agonists activate the receptors while antagonists do the exact opposite. So the more receptors you flood over the time, the more they become less sensitive. This can lead to receptor burnout which can cause many problems.
Cycling Creatine
With consistent, straight use of Creatine? Gains begin to diminish over time because your body simply got accustomed to the creatine. Now if you would "cycle" creatine, so to speak, then theoretically, you could make gains similar to the ones you made when you initially began creatine intake. Cycles are determined on your personal tolerance level. If you're tolerance is real low, then perhaps your on cycle could be longer than your off. And vise versa. Now you may cycle your creatine differently and if this different method works for you, then stick with it until it stops working.
Cycling Thermogenics
In order to keep your receptors from desensitizing, you need to cycle thermogenics. Exagerated doeses can lead to adrenal burn outs, which can be fixed but it's difficult. Some people don't cycle Thermo's but they should.
Example: 2-4 thermogenic tabs on training days for 4-6 weeks and then take 2 weeks off from all stimulants.
Cycling Nitric Oxide
The recommended cycle for N.O. varies depending on body type, level of activity, and overall health. Bodybuilders and trainers have devised a standard cycle that works for most athletes and ongoing users, but results do vary by individual. Adjusting your NO supplements will depend largely on your reaction to certain levels at each stage. A desired and common cycle would be: 12 weeks on, 4 weeks off. But the time cycled varies by person. The pump that N.O delivers can dissapear with a lack of cycling. Cycling will ensure that the pump will always be there when you hit the gym. Now, not everyone has to cycle N.O. products, but many who are new to the product should.
Some Supplements Which Do Not Need Cycling Protein, fortunately for bodybuilders, is one of those things which doesn't need to be cycled. You can consume protein to your liking but experts suggest anywhere from 1-2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight in order to maximize muscle gains.
Glutamine, the most abundant free form amino acid in the body, is another supplement which doesn't need cycling. Glutamine, whether you choose to believe it or not, is extremely important for muscle recovery.
Multivitamins/Antioxidants fall into this category. Most of us can't get enough of the vitamins and minerals just from the foods we eat so we decide to supplement. Of course, it supplements the diet in a positive way.
I'm sure there are many others that don't need to be cycled but here those^ are common ones...
Do research on your supplements before just taking them endlessly. You want to get the best bang out of your buck, so do it right. Many supplements need cycling to keep your tolerance low. Many people know this, but
MANY people don't.
Good luck, hope this gets taken into consideration for anyone who doesn't cycle their Creatines
Kevin
not cycling could also make your body reliant on the substance and once usage is stopped, they could lose gains
”A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he gives up.”
