I'm starting at the gym and I wanted to use a good pre and post workout supplement, drink, or pill that won't give me the jitters just for an extra burst of energy... Any ideas?

At this stage of the game, there is no need for supplementation. You aren't going to be performing at a level that will require BCAA'S or lucine or anything like that.

What you will need is a complex carb like shredded wheat, bran or oatmeal. A second of those will give you a safer and more natural source of energy.

Sent from my phone. Please forgive brevity and spelling.

Okay that sounds good. But when should I incorporate bcaa's?

Creatine won't give you a feeling of an energy boost, but it will help with endurance while lifting. There's two main types - creatine mono and creatine ethyl ester (CEE). Mono is more likely to give you some Water bloat, so if you decide to take it don't be surprised if you don't see much change on the scale or maybe even an increase.

Most people will do an initial loading phase with creatine to get the muscles saturated. Depending on the loading phase you choose to do it can take a few days to weeks until the loading phase is complete.

There's a host of things I'd like to suggest but I'm gun shy not knowing if they would effect the body differently in a post surgery world.

Creatine is a difficult supplement for me. It gives me monster headaches because it requires you to drink a ton of Water. It's hard on the kidneys if you don't increase your Fluid intake properly. You had best be peeing clear if you are taking creatine. It's also not meant to give you energy (they aren't calories to be burned). BCAA's are just taken to be used in tissue repair more quickly than a complete Protein that must be broken apart before use. As to when you can start taking them, that would depend on your lifting regimen. If you are just doing a circut routine, you don't need them. If you are seriously training, go ahead and start. Until you are lifting at a stage where you need 24-48 hours to recover though, there is no point.

In regards to the loading phase, I've heard it both ways. I've tried it both way. I don't see a difference personally. The one thing for sure is that creatine never gave me a permanant change. As soon as I stopped taking it, the mass I gained went away. Probably because it is mostly just water being held by the body.

If you have any issue with your blood sugar, be wary of creatine. If you have issues with your blood pressue, be wary of creatine. If you have a history of headaches be wary of creatine. If you have trouble hitting your fluid intake, don't even consider taking creatine.

17 minutes ago, BigViffer said:

Creatine is a difficult supplement for me. It gives me monster headaches because it requires you to drink a ton of Water. It's hard on the kidneys if you don't increase your Fluid intake properly. You had best be peeing clear if you are taking creatine. It's also not meant to give you energy (they aren't calories to be burned). BCAA's are just taken to be used in tissue repair more quickly than a complete Protein that must be broken apart before use. As to when you can start taking them, that would depend on your lifting regimen. If you are just doing a circut routine, you don't need them. If you are seriously training, go ahead and start. Until you are lifting at a stage where you need 24-48 hours to recover though, there is no point.

Did you ever try or notice a difference between Mono and CEE? It's been years since I've used either. I used to be a major gym rat before my arthritis sidelined me, but I did notice a difference in stamina going through sets. Then again I was taking so much crap back then it's hard to pinpoint what worked best and what didn't.

@tigraq08 - We always used to tell people that all the supplements in the world won't do jack if you don't have a solid routine down. If you're really new to the gym you'll make good progress in the beginning without any need of supplements. I think Viffer is right in that some extra carbs and/or a protein shake post workout will probably be your best bet at this point.

Nah, I can't tell a difference. Pretty much every personality I trust agrees that monohydrate is the best way to go if you are going to do creatine. And it doesn't have to be the expensive brand either. Bodytech is what I was using and I think it was like $10.

Supplementation is only really necessary when you cannot obtain the results naturally. I cannot get in the 150-200 grams of protein I need for my lifting regimen so I supplement protein. I do use BCAA's because I tend to take a while to recover. I tried creatine again late last year and cycled on/off on 30 day stints. The only difference I truly saw with the creatine was jitteriness and water weight gain.