JB Approved: Berardi's Recommended Supplements

[Madmick]

http://www.johnberardi.com/articles/reviews/supplements.htm
This is a link to a page where Berardi lists the supplements (product and manufacturer) that he and his team use with their athletes and the Canadian Olympians at Precision Nutrition.

At one point in the article Berardi mentions these four supplements as his only staple supplements:
#1 Biotest Metabolic Drive (formerly "Low-Carb Grow")
#2 Biotest Surge
#3 Greens+
#4 Essential Fatty Acids (Nondescript)

Below I've listed the supplements and the best prices (bulk is chosen when available) I've found using froogle and checking the online megastore DPS Nutrition. I've taken the liberty of adding "Scivation, Neurostim + C" in the "Recovery Stimulants" category as an alternative to "Biotest, Power Drive". Berardi mentioned Neurostim in his "Precision Nutrition" book.

1) Protein Supplements
Biotest, Low-Carb GROW!* (2 lbs, $27)
Dorian Yates, Propeptide (2 lbs, $24)
Labrada, Pro V (3 lbs, $27)
Met-RX, Protein Plus (2 lbs, $22)
*This product is now named Metabolic Drive

2) Recovery Drinks
Biotest, Surge (2 lbs, $21) [Special Note: Berardi designed this formula himself]
Pacific Health, Countdown (4 lbs, $18)
X-Treme Formulations, Relentless (2 lbs, $27)

3) Recovery Supplements
Biotest, Power Drive (8.1 oz, $17)
Scivation, Neurostim + C (212g, $22)
Muscle Link, Cort Bloc (60 tab, $27)
Nature's Science, Vitamin C 1000, (100 tab, $6)

4) Creatine
At Large Nutrition, Creatine 500 (500g, $15)
ProLab, Creatine Monohydrate (1000g, $18)

5) Essential Fatty Acids
Nature's Way, Fisol (180 caps, $18)
Zone, Perfect Omega 3 (120 caps, $16)
Health from the Sun, Flax Liquid Gold (24 oz, $12)
Udo's Choice, Choice Oil Blend (17 oz, $15)

6) Digestion Aids
Integra Nutrition, IB-Zyme (by sale to health professionals only)
Garden of Life, OmegaZyme (180 caps, $48)
Nature's Way, Acidophilus (45 tab, $6)

7) Minerals
Biotest, ZMA (90 Cap, $12)
Nutrina, Calmac Sport (5 oz, $12)

8) Fat Burners
AST, Dymetadrine Xtreme (100 caps, $20)
At Large Nutrition, Thermocin (60 caps, $24)
Ergopharm, Ergolean MC (90 caps, $20)
Biotest, Hot Rox (72 caps, $23)
Nature's Way, Green Tea Extract (60 vcaps, $15)

9) Greens+
Greens Plus, Greens+ (9.4oz, $24)

10) Snacks
Ostrim, Meat Sticks (10 pack, $11)


Manufacturers Appearing in this List:
Biotest (5)
Nature's Way (3)
At Large Nutrition (2)
AST
Dorian Yates
Ergopharm
Garden of Life
Greens+
Health from the Sun
Integra Nutrition
Labrada
Met-RX
Muscle Link
Nature's Science
Nutrina
Ostrim
Pacific Health Labs
ProLab
Scivation
Udo's Choice
X-Treme Formulations
Zone

 

[BoxingFanNoMore]

Not to surprising.

BTW, does Biotest even make ZMA anymore? I was under the impression they discontinued it.

EDIT : Nevermind I thought this was a new article.

 

[GSPFAN291]

thanks

 

[Madmick]

Not to surprising.

BTW, does Biotest even make ZMA anymore? I was under the impression they discontinued it.

EDIT : Nevermind I thought this was a new article.

The article isn't new, but I found a current retailer for every supplement he had on that list. I was surprised, because I thought "Power Drive" had been discontinued, but it looks like they're hawking it again on T-Nation.

 

[Rjkd12]

Good post man. You never dissapoint.

 

[Rjkd12]

TTT

You guys would be much better off reading this than one of the hundreds of crappy daily threads about creatine, fixing ones diet, and govermental propaganda about ephedra and how that relates to being a GNC manager.

 

[Madmick]

TTT. I'm with RJ.

Plus, has anyone else noticed how prevalent are the products from manufacturers who also tend to deal in hardcore supplementation?: Biotest, Ergopharm, Xtreme Formulations, Scivation, At Large Nutrition, Muscle Link, Integra Nutrition. There's also Nutrina on there.

I can only believe that an egghead like Berardi would back the highest quality manufacturers with the most cutting-edge formulations, and it doesn't surprise me that the same places that are hiring chemists to design steroids (Patrick Arnold himself is at the center of the BALCO scandal) are producing the most scientifically controlled and formulated supplementation.

 

[Monger]

Does anyone know if Countdown was replaced by Endurox R4? The nutrion lables aren't exact but they seem to be similar. DPS sells Countdown but only in their closeout section. When I go to Pacific Health's website http://www.pacifichealthlabs.com/site/pages/exercise_sport.html

There is no mention of Countdown. So I'm thinking that it's replaced or discountinued.

 

[Madmick]

Does anyone know if Countdown was replaced by Endurox R4? The nutrion lables aren't exact but they seem to be similar. DPS sells Countdown but only in their closeout section. When I go to Pacific Health's website http://www.pacifichealthlabs.com/site/pages/exercise_sport.html

There is no mention of Countdown. So I'm thinking that it's replaced or discountinued.

Well, Supplements101 and Netrition.com both sell it.

But yeah, the Endurox is more or less its replacement. Endurox looks like a more refined formula for less money, too, although I wish it had the rice starch.

Either should give you great results.

 

[Monger]

Well, Supplements101 and Netrition.com both sell it.

But yeah, the Endurox is more or less its replacement. Endurox looks like a more refined formula for less money, too, although I wish it had the rice starch.

Either should give you great results.

Thanks, I was just curious. Right now DPS is selling 28 servings of Countdown for $18 which is an awesome price in my opinion. Endurox is at $27. I'm just thinking ahead if I can no longer buy Countdown.

 

[Monger]

Madmick,

I've got one more question for you, if you don't mind. Is there a rule of thumb as to how many carbs/protein a person should take post workout relative to body weight? What I'm getting at is that I weigh around 200lbs and I'm wondering if one serving of Countdown (or similar products) would be sufficient.

 

[Madmick]

Yeah, I just checked DPS myself. That price is insanely good. Everybody, if you're running low on PWO powder, jump on that shit NOW.

As per your other question:

How do I use it?

Strength athletes/weight lifters interested in increasing muscle mass

 

[Monger]

Thanks again, Madmick. I just read the whole 2 part article that you quoted from, great information.

 

[Madmick]

We're not done yet. Research at the Texas Medical Branch (if you read much T-Nation, you'll be familiar with his lab as the most respected for research into athletic nutrition) revealed that drinking BEFORE you lifted might be more beneficial. Berardi affirms the validity of that study in this article, and concludes by saying that he decided to use the information to split his own drink into halves: one half taken immediately before (<5min) his workout, and the other half immediately after (within 30 minutes):

Post-workout Drinks? That

 

[Monger]

Nice find Mick, thanks!

 

[brownboy]

Wow thats amazing. Thanks!

 

[brownboy]

what product is suggested for essential amino acids?

 

[Madmick]

He doesn't mention any, and I have none, myself.