Supplements

I just posted my daily log and included that I added a calcium supplement to help with cramping in my calves.  The worst two times have been during sleep where they've been fairly painful at times and after workouts when I'm pointing my feet to put my socks on.  Anyway, I thought it might be a good time to list the "supplements" I'm currently taking and why I'm taking them, and in what doses.  I didn't start these all at once, but added them over time as I researched things.

• Centrum multivitamin - I've been taking a general multivitamin for a few years.  Something everyone should probably do regardless of training regimen.
• Glucosamine 1,500mg & condriotin 1,200mg - This is supposed to help joint and connective tissue health.  I started taking this before getting back into the gym because I had problems with my knees.  I don't know if it does anything.  I'll call this one at least party BS.  I haven't found any real studies that proved it helps, other than anecdotal evidence.  I'm going to keep taking it though, because at 40 I figure I can use any and all help I can get in the joint area.  And, it's not very expensive at Cosco.
•  Calcium + D 500mg - Just started taking due to cramping in my calves.  Seems to have helped...knock on wood.
• Fish Oil 1,000mg - Tons of research and studies on how Omega 3 Fatty Acids (EPA & DHA) improve health in so many ways there's too many to list.  A few are boosting immune system function, improving fat loss and insulin sensitivity, etc.  Do a Google search.  I think everyone should be incorporating these into their diet.  I've been taking these for a while; before starting an exercise regimen.  I used to take one a day with my multivitamin.  Lately I've been taking 1-2 capsules 3X/day based on research and the fact that I'm on an extremely low fat diet right now, so a good portion of my daily fat intake actually comes from these. Once my diet changes back to more "normal", I'll reduce the dose.
• Whey Isolate - A milk protein that is very quickly absorbed into the body.  I'm currently using this in the morning when I wake up to get some protein into my system quickly and either pre or post workout.  It's almost 30g of protein/serving.  I'm using GNC Pro Performance chocolate flavor.  It mixes really well in a small amount of water and tastes like chocolate milk.  It's really good.
• Casein Protein - A milk protein that is not as soluble in water and tends to gel and release amino acids into the blood stream more slowly than whey over a period of hours.  It can also make you feel full longer.  I generally take this as my last "meal" of the day at night.  The theory is that your body will get protein (amino acids) released into the bloodstream during sleep in hopes of keeping your body in an anabolic state (or prevent the onset of catabolism).
• NOTE about protein supplements - they aren't necessary, but I happen to like them for the supposed benefits listed above (fast absorbing whey and longer lasting casein) as well as their convenience.  I'm trying to eat over 200g of protein/day.  That's a lot of protein for me to eat.  It's the equivalent of eating 8 cans of tuna fish a day.  That's a lot of eating, so I use the shakes to supplement the already fairly large amounts of grilled chicken breast and tuna I eat on a daily basis.  Ideally, it's best to eat, not drink, your food. 
• Creatine Monohydrate - I started using this a couple of months ago.  I started it with a load phase of about 5 days where I was taking 20g/day.  Then went to a maintenance load of 5g/day on non-working days and 10g/day on workout days.  I take it in the morning and after my WO on those days.  Creatine gets much praise from the body building/weight lifting crowd.  I'm not completely sold.  Creatine is supposed to be most effective taken with carbs or glucose when your insulin spikes to shuttle it to your muscles so you aren't just peeing it out.  Some people recommend not even bothering taking it while cutting and maintaining a very low carb diet.  I suspect I'm peeing a lot of it away, but think I have noticed some last reps at failure getting better after starting to take it.  Could be I'm just getting stronger and it's in my head.  I'll probably cycle off this soon for a couple of weeks to see if I notice a difference in performance, and/or a change in body size.  Creatine supposedly ads a few pounds of "water muscle" when starting it, and a subsequent loss of that "muscle" size when going off it, though any strength gains remain.  I don't recall ever noticing the weight gain, nor the extra size some report.

That's it for now, and I don't plan on adding anything else.  I'll keep with this plan for the time being with the exception of cycling off the creatine.