I just completed my order for my first homemade supplement.  I ordered it off of iHerb.com, which I found to have the cheapest ingredients while still using product names that I have heard of before.  Plus, upon ordering, I obtained a referral code, MOF807, which when anyone uses it, gives them $5.00 off their first order.  PLUS, it gives me 2% or so off of my next order anytime someone uses it for their stuff.

When the stuff I ordered comes in, I will begin the following plan.  I will keep this updated and link to various articles I write on how this recipe is working for me.

I did a ton of research on the internet into the supplement industry.  Why does a can of NO Explode cost $60?  Why does Nitrotech cost $70?  What makes these products so valuable?  From all the forums I read, all the articles, all of the info from people who have been doing this a lot longer than me, I have no idea what makes these products so valuable and neither did the afore-mentioned articles.  I have found out what they all have in common, though, and that knowledge mixed with this recipe I found, is going to make up my supplement.

There are two ingredients that every weightlifting supplement has in common: L-Arginine and Creatine monohydrate.  Why is that?  Because these two ingredients have been proven to work time and time again. 

According to building-muscle101.com, creatine is produced naturally in the liver and kidneys at a rate of about 2 grams a day.  Once created, or consumed in a supplement, creatine travels to the muscle cells via the blood stream.  Once there, the creatine turns into a substance known as creatine phosphate.  Creatine phosphate is used for very short term energy bursts such as  those used when lifting weights.  Basically it works at replenishing your reserves of adenosine triphosphate, ot ATP.  ATP releases energy to your cells when it is broken down into ADP, or adenosine diphosphate, by breaking off one of the phosphates.  Increasing your muscle cell’s stores of creatine phosphate means that you have the capability of storing more ATP leading you to have the ability to bang out those last two reps instead of reracking the weights.  More specific info can be found here.

L-Arginine is an amino acid that is found in a person’s daily diet.  L-Arginine has been linked to the production of Nitric Oxide which has been proven to widen blood vessels allowing blood to flow more freely.  Why is this important?  There are two reasons.   The first is that during intense exercise it is essential that the muscles get oxygen in order to keep producing the strength you need to lift(that is why it is so important to breathe properly when lifting weights…); the second is that more blood means more creatine delivered to the muscles.  Also, much of what I read says that the production of natural human growth hormones is enhanced when in the presence of L-Arginine.

So for the recipe.
Ingredients:
Dextrose, 5 bags at 2 lbs a piece- $22.13
Creatine Monhydrate, 1 kg – $18.46
L-Arginine Powder, 1 lb – $20.39

Why the dextrose? Insulin spikes. Insulin is released in response to the sugar and does its best to shove that sugar into your body’s cells. The creatine and the L-arginine piggyback on the sugar and get shoved into the cells too. It is quite an efficient delivery system.

How To Make It
1. Pour one full bag (2 pounds) of dextrose into an empty gallon sized milk jug.
2. Add two bags of your favorite kool-aid mixture
3. Fill about half way full with water and dissolve the dextrose, adding water as needed.
4. Fill the jug completely to the top.
5. Pop in the refrigerator to keep cold
***Do not add the creatine or L-Arginine! left sitting in water, they will break down into unusable sub parts of their former selves!***

Serving Size
According to what I read, you want 35 grams of dextrose, 5 grams of creatine, and 3 grams of L-arginine per serving. This is referred to as a maintanance serving. If you choose to do a “loading” phase, that is your decision. Some people even use this as a post workout drink as well as pre-workout. You should experiment and see what works best for you. In order to get the correct amount of the dextrose mixture, pour out 5.2 ounces or 154 ml in order to get the 35 grams. Add 5 grams of creatine and 3 grams of L-arginine to the mixture and stir. I bought this gram scale to do the measurements.  Drink 30 -45 minutes prior to your workout.

How Much Do I Save?
There is enough dextrose for 130 servings.
130 x 5 grams of creatine = 650 grams creatine w/ 350 grams left over
130 x 3 grams of L-arginine = 390 grams L-arginine w/ 64 grams left over
I was able to purchase all of this for 59.98 with extra creatine and arginine for the next round. That comes out to $.46 per serving PLUS what I save with my left overs.
The cheapest NO Explode I could find was $37.50 for 40 servings (I have seen them at GNC for $60.00+!. That comes out to $.97 per serving. To get 130 servings of NO Explode, you would have to spend $112.50!

What This Will Not Do
Most supplements have some sort of caffeine in them. Studies have actually shown that the caffeine and the L-arginine in supplements will negate some of the positive effects of the L-arginine. This is because caffeine is a vasoinhibitor which means that it actually causes the blood vessels to decrease in size while the nitric oxide produced by the presence of the L-arginine fights to increase the size of the blood vessels. This recipe is obviously lacking any sort of caffeine, so don’t expect to be bouncing off the walls like other supplements make you do.

What This Will Do
This mix is designed for the serious weightlifter who does not need extra motivation induced by a caffeine high but who wants energy to rep out those last few squats.

Disclaimer
I was a math major with a physics minor in college. I am by no means an expert on the body or weight lifting supplements. The above information is compiled from months of reading articles on how the human body works, weight lifting forums, personal testimonies and medical journals. Please consult a doctor or medical professional before beginning any sort of weight lifting supplement.