Turbo chargers: mf's complete guide to supplements

Whether you're looking to lift heavier, run faster, tackle harder, or simply live longer--or better--supplements can help. But with the literally thousands of options crowding the shelves of your local pharmacy or health-food store, it's hard to know where to start or what to take. After all, you've got vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, herbs, amino acids, extracts, enzymes--you name a problem, there are 10 types of pills starting with the letter C alone promising to fight it. Some of them work. Many of them don't. And the only thing they all have in common is that they want you to buy them.

So what's a young, red-blooded American guy to do? How do you navigate an entire world of pills when all you're really looking for is a bit more energy in the afternoon, an ounce of extra stamina on the court, or a bit more pump from your biceps in the gym? We'll tell you how. Flip the page and let us guide you through a crazy world we call Supplements U.S.A.

5 The Best Supplements for Men

There are literally thousands of pills you could be taking at any one time. Forget them. These are the five every guy should be taking in order to fight disease, counteract bad genes, and simply live as long as possible.

* A multivitamins. It's not exotic, but it is a must for everyone who doesn't get enough fruits and vegetables. (That's you, and up to 80% of other men.) Rather than megadoses of nutrients, look for one pill that provides 100% of your daily requirements for as many different vitamins and minerals as possible. (Amounts exceeding 100% are generally a waste.) And make sure you buy a men's formula, without extra iron. Excess levels of the mineral could increase your risk of heart disease (a condition called hemachromatosis), says Doug Kalman, M.S., R.D., director of clinical research at Miami Research Associates.

* Protein powder. You can get plenty of protein in your diet, but protein powder has other advantages: It's convenient and generally lower in calories than an entire "high protein" meal. Drinking a protein shake after every workout speeds muscle recovery and supplies your body with the amino acids needed for muscle growth. There are two widely used proteins: whey and casein. Whey is absorbed more quickly by the body, while casein is digested slowly--providing the body with a longer-lasting supply of muscle-building nutrients. (That's why many researchers recommend taking a mixture of the two to help sustain the release of amino acids into the blood for as long as possible.)

* Creatine. This synthetic version of an energy source produced naturally in the body is stored in the muscles for use during exercise. And it works! Multiple studies show that creatine does help speed recovery and the growth of lean-muscle mass after a workout.

Manufacturers used to agree that new creatine users should start with a week-long "loading phase" of 20 grams per day; however, recent research shows that this isn't necessary, according to Chris Mohr, Ph.D., R.D., adjunct professor of nutrition at the University of Louisville. You can start taking creatine at the normal dose of three to five grams per day after a workout. (You can even mix it directly with your protein powder.)

* Green tea. If we haven't beaten you over the head with the findings enough in the last year, here's a recap: Green tea fights fat. Animals who are given the extract in studies gain less weight and burn substantially more fat than animals getting a placebo. You can drink the tea--experts ideally recommend about eight glasses a day--or go the easier route and just take a supplement. (Aim for 90 milligrams three times daily.)

* Fish oil. Most guys in their 20s and 30s aren't thinking about their hearts. But if you have a family history of heart disease, you ought to start thinking about fish oil, the best protection available against the disease. Experts recommend taking at least one to two grams a day. Be aware: This is not the time to scrimp and save money. Cheap fish-oil supplements taste like fish and can leave you hiccuping herring all day. Higher-quality brands are more expensive, but they have much less of a fishy taste.

HANDLE WITH CARE

Store your supplements improperly and they'll break down and lose their potency. Here's how to keep them fully charged:

* Leave them in the bottles they came in. Most are opaque and keep light out.

* Store the jars or bottles in a dark, dry place--not your bathroom cabinet. After light, heat is the primary force for triggering chemical breakdowns.

* Keep the lids closed tightly to keep out excess humidity.

* Don't throw out the small white packets that come in some bottles. They're desiccants, and they absorb the moisture that would otherwise attack your pills and reduce their effectiveness.

* A few supplements need special care: Fish oil and probiotics break down at room temperature and need to be stored in the refrigerator. SAMe should be kept tightly capped in your freezer.

* Keep an eye on expiration dates. Most supplements become much less effective the older they get.

HERBAL ANSWERS

Herbs are confusing. That's why we've sorted out the top and bottom of the class:

THE BEST HERB FOR MEN

Saw palmetto. If your scalp seems to be showing a bit more these days, saw-palmetto extract could help. The herb helps to block the production of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a chemical in the body that may be linked to enlarged prostates and hair loss. Don't expect that a magic pill will help you regrow your hair, but there's a good chance it could help to slow the loss.

THE WORST HERB FOR MEN

Saint-John's-wort. Studies show it doesn't really help with depression, as often suggested. Even worse, taking it can interfere with the effectiveness of many medications, including antidepressants, blood thinners, COX-2 inhibitors, cholesterol-lowering drugs, and asthma medications. If you think you're depressed, don't self-medicate. See your doctor instead.

ORDER

at your own risk

Buying supplements online seems easy--home delivery, cheaper prices, and no teenage drugstore clerk snickering over your "libido enhancer." But not all Web sites are on the up-and-up. Choose the wrong one, and your order could be contaminated, incorrect, improperly dosed, or nonexistent.

Signs of a suspicious site.

* Sells prescription drugs without a prescription.

* Doesn't list a U.S. phone number or address.

* Doesn't provide access to a registered pharmacist who can answer your questions.

* Advertises outrageous claims, such as "new cures."

* Has claims that doctors or the government have conspired to suppress a "breakthrough" medication.

* Lists pages of anecdotal success stories but no true scientific evidence.

To find a licensed and legitimate online pharmacy, look for the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Site seal of approval. If the site you're looking at doesn't have it, check it out with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (nabp.net). Avoid foreign Internet pharmacies-importing drugs from other countries is almost always illegal, and our government won't help you if you have a problem with your order.

WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?

A symptom-by-symptom guide to supplements use

Here's what to take when ... You're under stress: Vitamin C. Supplemental doses help lower the levels of stress hormones circulating in your blood, It can also boost immunity, which is usually lowered during times of stress.

You feel like you're catching a cold: Zinc, Take it within the first 48 hours after your throat starts itching or nose starts dripping and it could cut the time of your cold in half. If you're not sick yet--but people around you are--start popping vitamin E. The amber pills may reduce your risk of getting sick by 20%.

You're trying to lose weight: Calcium. A boatload of data suggests that calcium can help burn body fat, For example, in one recent study, adults who consumed 1,100 mg of calcium every day lost 22% more weight than those getting less.

You can't sleep: Melatonin. You need only about 0.3 mga night to catch some ZZZs. (Most supplements contain nearly 10 times that amount,) If necessary, cut tablets into pieces to avoid developing a resistance caused by larger doses,

You have no energy: Ginseng. Assuming you're sleeping, exercising, and eating well--and still feeling down--ginseng could perk you up. Experts aren't sure how the herb works, but you should feel its effects within a couple of weeks' time.

You just finished a hard, grueling workout: L-glutamine. Levels of this amino acid can be depleted by up to 40% during a tough workout: replenishing it speeds up muscle recovery.

You have a hangover: Nothing. No pill (except aspirin) can help an existing hangover go away. But next time you want to drink to excess, try taking a bit of prickly-pear-cactus extract beforehand. By altering your body's chemistry, it may help reduce the severity of impending hangovers.

Natural Powerhouses

The five items are so high in nutrients, consuming them is like taking a supplement

Salmon Oatmeal Blueberries Wine Broccoli

Too Much of a Good Thing?
An overdose of these five supplements could easily do you more harm
than good

VITAMIN/    RECOMMENDED   SAFE         WHAT CAN HAPPEN IF YOU
MINERAL     AMOUNT        UP TO ...    TAKE TOO MUCH

Vitamin A   3,000 IU      10,000       Liver problems, reduced
            per day       IU per day   bone-mineral density, central
                                       nervous system disorders

Vitamin C   60 mg         1,000 mg     Nausea, diarrhea, stomach
            per day       per day      cramps, possibly kidney stones

Vitamin D   200 IU        2,000 IU     Nausea, vomiting, poor appetite,
            per day       per day      constipation, weakness, weight
                                       loss, excess calcium in the
                                       blood, confusion, heart-rhythm
                                       abnormalities, deposits of
                                       calcium and phosphate in the
                                       body

Vitamin E   22.5 IU       1,500 IU     Can thin the blood and lead to
            per day       per day      out-of-control bleeding problems

Zinc        11 mg         40 mg        Low copper status, altered
            per day       per day      iron function, reduced immune
                                       function, reduced levels of
                                       high-density lipoprotein (HDL,
                                       or "good" cholesterol)