Caffeine/other supplement experimenting Forum

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izzy895

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Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by izzy895 » Sat Nov 16, 2013 10:46 am

I know there was a thread a month ago or so about this but I was wondering if anyone had been recently experimenting while taking pt's and had any good suggestions. I've been trying different caffeine sources while taking pt's around 830-9am and haven't really found the exact thing I like.

I have a high tolerance for caffeine due to all the gym supplements I've taken over the years so I really don't feel too much from a typical energy drink. I just don't want to over do it and find it hurting more than helping. Has anyone found themselves doing better without any type of supplement? Sorry if this is redundant but I guess I can direct this more for the stim junkies.

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foundingfather

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by foundingfather » Sat Nov 16, 2013 12:12 pm

I work 9-5, go to school in the afternoon to finish my undergrad and can pretty much only study late at night unless it's the weekend. Needless to say I drink a ton of coffee and other sources of caffeine just to get through the day. I drink about 3 cups of coffee per day and one half of a scoop of preworkout in the afternoon before I work out and then study.

For me, personally, coffee works fine. A mug of cuban coffee will keep me up and alert for a while. Sometimes I'll drink a pre-workout, do some cardio, come back and study just fine. I just make sure to drink protein and a scoop of synchro genesis (placebo?) when I come back.

Energy drinks... it depends. Sometimes I'll get too cracked out or they just won't do anything to me and I'll end up browsing the internet instead of studying.

For PT's and the October LSAT, I drink half of a 5hour before section one and the other half during the test break. This works wonders for my endurance. Wonders. The only thing is sometimes I feel like the caffeine hits me too hard (slight anxiety for a few minutes) but it usually subsides.

My caffeine tolerance is getting pretty ridiculous.

izzy895

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by izzy895 » Sat Nov 16, 2013 12:38 pm

I hear you on that, lately I've been trying to replicate text day so my coffe/energy drink mixing has been pretty steep. I'm usually working out 4/5 days a week and using a pretty damn strong preworkout now. Have you ever tried studying with a preworkout? I don't think it'd help me at least, the energy is to the type where I wanna sit and study.

I tried a 5 hr energy the other day and it was hard for me to decide if it really helped or not. All the extras in it like the B vitamins is useless to me due to me getting enough of that stuff in my gym supps. I'm just also trying to figure out how to best handle the 3 and 3 sections on test day. I don't know if its a good idea to get my fix for the first half then taking something more during the 15 min break. It's not something I really want to experiment with lol, having to do two doses.

Were you as tolerant when you split the 5 hr energy up? That was something I was really considering.

cloy26

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by cloy26 » Sat Nov 16, 2013 3:09 pm

Caffeine pills have helped me. Only 200mg, but it seems to hit me harder and help me keep a cleaner focus for a longer duration than coffee...

I had iced coffee w/ a shot from Starbucks in a water bottle for December. Slammed it at the break... I was ultra focused for section 4, but lost a ton of steam for section 5.

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wtrc

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by wtrc » Sat Nov 16, 2013 3:41 pm

For me I was careful about sugar. That's why energy drinks were a no-go. It's coffee and/or Synchro for me.

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izzy895

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by izzy895 » Sat Nov 16, 2013 3:49 pm

I always drink sugar free energy drinks, I'm sure they aren't any 'better' for you but I don't like drinking 60 grams of sugar. I may have to grab some caffeine pills and see if I like that. I find that coffee doesn't do that much for me but the stuff I'm drinking isn't really that strong to begin with.

Did most of u guys re-up during the 15?

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foundingfather

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by foundingfather » Sat Nov 16, 2013 4:32 pm

black cuban coffee for the win.

and yeah splitting a 5hr works best I think. next time I'm going to take my first dose about 30min before the test and 2nd dose as soon as the 15min break starts. what I like about the 5hr is that it doesn't seem to make you have to use the restroom as much as, let's say, a cup of coffee. bathroom breaks were an issue for me on PTs

izzy895

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by izzy895 » Sat Nov 16, 2013 7:45 pm

That's exactly why I'm considering the 5hr energy over the other stuff. Although having to use the bathroom isn't usually a problem for me, I'm sure it will be a bit different on test day. Are you planning on drinking anything earlier like idk before you leave to go to the exam?

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foundingfather

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by foundingfather » Sat Nov 16, 2013 8:20 pm

no idea. I remember waking up pretty stoked for the Oct test and I felt like I didn't need anything to wake me up. but I'm retaking even though I scored somehwhere around my average score

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jbagelboy

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by jbagelboy » Sun Nov 17, 2013 12:58 pm

Neurosonic. 35 cal per bottle, incredible mental focus and vitalization, no anxious twitching. Drank one throughout my LSAT, victory. Just dont drink more than 3 bottles or you'll puke.

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OVOXO

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by OVOXO » Sun Nov 17, 2013 1:10 pm

Highly rec 5 hr energy. Don’t need to pee and the rush is really good. I drink a lot of coffee (though I’ve cut back, 3 cups a day was ordinary at one point), and this worked quite well w/o side effects.I take 3/4 of the bottle 30 mins before the PT and 1/4 at the break.

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Ahamilton

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by Ahamilton » Sun Nov 17, 2013 1:11 pm

Nuvigil. Used for narcolepsy. Get a script first.

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Brettanomyces

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by Brettanomyces » Sun Nov 17, 2013 1:16 pm

cloy26 wrote:Caffeine pills have helped me. Only 200mg, but it seems to hit me harder and help me keep a cleaner focus for a longer duration than coffee...

I had iced coffee w/ a shot from Starbucks in a water bottle for December. Slammed it at the break... I was ultra focused for section 4, but lost a ton of steam for section 5.
I took those 200mg caffeine pills, but they were nothing compared to chugging an iced coffee or energy drink.

I had one of those 8oz? Red Bulls in October at the break. It kept me focused. I didn't take anything before even though I hadn't slept shit. I was afraid I'd crash.

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izzy895

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by izzy895 » Sun Nov 17, 2013 1:32 pm

I think I'm gonna pick up a neurosonic drink and try it out I always like new things. I'm leaning towards the 5 hour energy come test day so far. To the guys using the 5 hr do you prefer splitting up for the 3 and 3 or just taking it full beforehand.

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fnma2jd

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by fnma2jd » Sun Nov 17, 2013 1:46 pm

izzy895 wrote:I know there was a thread a month ago or so about this but I was wondering if anyone had been recently experimenting while taking pt's and had any good suggestions. I've been trying different caffeine sources while taking pt's around 830-9am and haven't really found the exact thing I like.

I have a high tolerance for caffeine due to all the gym supplements I've taken over the years so I really don't feel too much from a typical energy drink. I just don't want to over do it and find it hurting more than helping. Has anyone found themselves doing better without any type of supplement? Sorry if this is redundant but I guess I can direct this more for the stim junkies.
I have a feeling that you're like me. I can drink an energy drink or coffee and go to sleep. I've built up a tolerance because I've used it as a crutch throughout undergrad.

It makes me laugh when people are like "one cup of coffee and I can't sleep at night"

Have you tried "redline" it's the only thing I haven't really built up a tolerance for. It's almost makes me too manic to PT but maybe just drink half of one

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Ahamilton

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by Ahamilton » Sun Nov 17, 2013 2:06 pm

caffeine pills are a waste of time. i've tried everything under the sun. adderall/dexedrine/provigil/nuvigil/ritalin/caffeine pills all with scripts of course. for lsat purposes nuvigil/provigil is the best. look it up OP and thank me later.

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Ahamilton

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by Ahamilton » Sun Nov 17, 2013 2:07 pm

fnma2jd wrote:
izzy895 wrote:I know there was a thread a month ago or so about this but I was wondering if anyone had been recently experimenting while taking pt's and had any good suggestions. I've been trying different caffeine sources while taking pt's around 830-9am and haven't really found the exact thing I like.

I have a high tolerance for caffeine due to all the gym supplements I've taken over the years so I really don't feel too much from a typical energy drink. I just don't want to over do it and find it hurting more than helping. Has anyone found themselves doing better without any type of supplement? Sorry if this is redundant but I guess I can direct this more for the stim junkies.
I have a feeling that you're like me. I can drink an energy drink or coffee and go to sleep. I've built up a tolerance because I've used it as a crutch throughout undergrad.

It makes me laugh when people are like "one cup of coffee and I can't sleep at night"

Have you tried "redline" it's the only thing I haven't really built up a tolerance for. It's almost makes me too manic to PT but maybe just drink half of one
redline is very strong. strongest energy drink by far. i'm like you energy drinks just dont do anything for me.

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izzy895

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by izzy895 » Sun Nov 17, 2013 2:56 pm

Just did a quick search of it, what could you compare nuvigil too? I'm more thn likely not going to be seeing my physician before test day but I may consider in future.

Yea redline is more of a preworkout for the gym. I've tried countless gym preworkouts, I don't think those would help most people study though that's like rage energy. If you wanna talk pwo's I know some particularly good ones.

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Ahamilton

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by Ahamilton » Sun Nov 17, 2013 3:01 pm

izzy895 wrote:Just did a quick search of it, what could you compare nuvigil too? I'm more thn likely not going to be seeing my physician before test day but I may consider in future.

Yea redline is more of a preworkout for the gym. I've tried countless gym preworkouts, I don't think those would help most people study though that's like rage energy. If you wanna talk pwo's I know some particularly good ones.
nuvigil is the type of drug you saw in limitless.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/provigil-s ... d=16788001

All my highest PTs came on it. Might be useful in LS so keep it on the backburner.

"Provigil is approved only for narcolepsy, sleep apnea or for people who work irregular hours, but hidden among those who take it are pockets of healthy Americans taking it just to boost energy and enhance focus. It excites the mind so much that Provigil has been nicknamed "Viagra for the brain."

Nuvigil is basically provigil but an offshoot that came when the patent for provigil expired.

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fnma2jd

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by fnma2jd » Sun Nov 17, 2013 9:15 pm

Have you guys had any experience with nootropics like alphabrain. I tried a few but always felt like it increased the fog.

Also I see a lot of stuff on here for that synchro genesis stuff, which I think is just protein and vitamins. I thought about ordering it but I can't help but to think the reviews are all placebo. Have you guys tried it?

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foundingfather

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by foundingfather » Sun Nov 17, 2013 11:16 pm

fnma2jd wrote:Have you guys had any experience with nootropics like alphabrain. I tried a few but always felt like it increased the fog.

Also I see a lot of stuff on here for that synchro genesis stuff, which I think is just protein and vitamins. I thought about ordering it but I can't help but to think the reviews are all placebo. Have you guys tried it?
I mix Synchro with my post workout shakes before I study. Nothing to rave about... but this is coming from someone with a high tolerance to caffeine. I probably won't purchase it again.

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Otunga

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by Otunga » Sun Nov 17, 2013 11:52 pm

foundingfather wrote:
fnma2jd wrote:Have you guys had any experience with nootropics like alphabrain. I tried a few but always felt like it increased the fog.

Also I see a lot of stuff on here for that synchro genesis stuff, which I think is just protein and vitamins. I thought about ordering it but I can't help but to think the reviews are all placebo. Have you guys tried it?
I mix Synchro with my post workout shakes before I study. Nothing to rave about... but this is coming from someone with a high tolerance to caffeine. I probably won't purchase it again.
I've had it a couple times and the positive effect is that it satiates my appetite. Otherwise, it has some good nutrients but if you're looking for a stimulant, I don't think this is it.

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Ahamilton

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Re: Caffeine/other supplement experimenting

Post by Ahamilton » Sun Nov 17, 2013 11:57 pm

synchro is a waste of time compared to actual performance enhancing pills that are legally prescribed. like comparing creatine to steroids.

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

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