a) I always recommend that you cycle your supplements so that your body does not get used to them thereby decreasing their effect,

b) for variety sakes alone, it breaks the
monotony and allows you to try different brands,

c) to take advantage of
the unique qualities offered by various brands, and

d) it is a good idea to switch the powders you use on a frequent basis to not develop any food intolerances or even worse allergies (I have an article coming out on this subject in the near future.) A blend that combines various protein sources (i.e. casein, egg, whey, and even beef if you can find it) is your best bet. I highly recommend the following: MD+ Myosin Protein Complex, Beverly International Muscle Provider, Biotest Low-Carb GROW!, and Dorian Yates Approved ProPeptide.

High-quality whey protein powders are excellent choices for post-
workout nutrition since they get into your system fast to feed those
depleted muscles. Casein, on the other hand, is a slow releasing protein
as it recurdles into a solid in your gut prolonging digestion – this would be an ideal choice prior to your workouts or before going to bed.
Anyhow, as far as whey powders are concerned, amino acid complex
profile determines quality. I have in my possession a list of protein
powders that were analyzed for quality by an independent laboratory,
but since I don’t want any of these companies breathing down my neck, I
will only divulge that information to my clients. Remember one thing, you
get what you pay for! Keep that in mind. Also, some people are quite
sensitive to aspartame and lactose so you will have to find free versions
of those. Taste will ultimately determine whether you purchase that
powder again. Write in with some of your feedback on these products –
I’d love to hear your comments.

One more thing, you could even mix protein powder into other foods to
up the protein content and improve the flavor. Mixing protein powder in
(slow-cooked) oatmeal is one option, but here’s another. I call it my
“bedtime concoction.” Add a scoop of Xtreme Formulations Ultra Peptide
(vanilla) to a mixture of ricotta (whey) and cottage (casein) cheese. Not
only does this provide both an anabolic and anticatabolic effect during
sleep, it also tastes amazing – it’s like eating the cream filling of a cannoli without the pastry shell! Try it.

John Paul Catanzaro is a certified kinesiologist and professional fitness
and lifestyle consultant with a specialized honours Bachelor of Science
degree in Kinesiology and Health Science. He owns and operates a
private gym in Toronto, Ontario providing training and nutritional
consulting services. For additional information, visit his website at
www.BodyEssence.ca or call 416-292-4356.

There are published hoodia warnings which state that some products have been independently tested and do not contain genuine hoodia gordonii. But if you do a little investigative work, you will find that those products have laboratory tests that seem to support their claims. Who is telling the truth here? It’s hard to say.

The only known hoodia diet product side effects are thirst suppression and appetite suppression, which is what it is supposed to do anyway. There are customer comments stating that Brand X did not work for them, while Brand Y did, but who knows whether these comments can be trusted. There have been reports from customers of hoodia diet product side effects relating to stomach upset, but at this time there are no clinical studies which support or contradict these complaints.

If you are looking for US government hoodia warnings, then you will not find any. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends that consumers evaluate all diet products with a “healthy portion of skepticism”. The FTC investigates complaints against health supplement as well as other companies. At this time they have not reported any complaints about hoodia products specifically. There are several pending class action suits against products which claim to contain hoodia gordonii. These suits are not concerned with hoodia diet product side effects, but the possible absence of hoodia gordonii in the products.

Since there are no hoodia warnings that may not be suspect and there are no known hoodia diet product side effects, the best advice for dieters at this time is to read and fully understand a company’s guarantee before you buy the product. That way, if it does not work for you, you may not lose weight, but you will not lose money either.