ArA advice?

[xjpmx03]

For somebody with moderate to below average joints should I give this stuff a go or pass? I've been lifting quite some time and don't have any injuries right now but heard this stuff can aggravate joints which is likely not what I need despite looking for something new to try. I've seen a lot of people recommend it and wasnt sure if there was something else you can take to offset the joint issues

 

[bigsmall]

Try Folidrone 2.0 - its an anti-inflammatory vs ARA which is a inflammatory.

 

[Chudmuffin]

Ara is part of my current stack (x-gels) and the joint pain is definitely there but not enough for me to stop taking them. I am also taking the max recommended dose. Definitely seeing good results so far but if you have joint issues Ara might not be for you. Just my 2 cents

 

[Miikew]

I have a bad shoulder, and bad knees. I'm also 20 years old **** me right? Anyway, I was skeptical at first, but I'm about to finish my first bottle of my x gels cycle and I have loved it. I made it about halfway through my first bottle before my knees became too sore to get a really good leg day, so I stopped my ARA for a week and then jumped back into it. So far so good after that.

 

[xjpmx03]

Take it WITH ArA or just instead of it? Not sure if its worth it for me to try. Might go with Tr1umph and Follidrone 2.0 instead

 

[Chudmuffin]

I've heard good stuff on FD2, probably going to try it in my next stack

 

[xjpmx03]

Tr1umph, Follidrone 2.0, x-gels, and Test1fy are the 4 I'm debating right now. Will likely only take 2 and trying to narrow it down.

Tr1umph is pretty much a lock and I'm trying to debate on the other 3 as of now...

 

[Chudmuffin]

My current stack is ABE/x-gels/tr1umph. 5 weeks in and I'm seeing great results. Thinking about making tr1umph a staple. Love it

 

[bigsmall]

Tr1umph, Follidrone 2.0, x-gels, and Test1fy are the 4 I'm debating right now. Will likely only take 2 and trying to narrow it down.

Tr1umph is pretty much a lock and I'm trying to debate on the other 3 as of now...

Its not recommended to use Folidrone 2.0 and ARA at the same time.

 

[The Express 42]

X Gels and Epi-plex make for a great stack, many have found great success using X gels and ABE. I personally want to give X gels and MassMax XT a run for 8 weeks in a caloric surplus

 

[Jiigzz]

Each person may have different results with the same product so it's hard to say what you will experience.

If you are prone to inflammation, you could go for the min. Recommended dose of 500mg to start and build up as you go on. See how that treats you

 

[jameschoi]

Its not recommended to use Folidrone 2.0 and ARA at the same time.

Why is that and what else can you sub for FD2.

 

[Miikew]

Why is that and what else can you sub for FD2.

ARA promotes inflammation, follidrone is an anti-inflammatory. They counter each other, so they should not be used together.

 

[LeanEngineer]

Take it WITH ArA or just instead of it? Not sure if its worth it for me to try. Might go with Tr1umph and Follidrone 2.0 instead

I would say if you have joint problems then go with triumph and follidrone 2.0. If you do decide to run an ARA make sure to get a good joint supp like joint support xt or something along those lines.

 

[ZachH]

ARA promotes inflammation, follidrone is an anti-inflammatory. They counter each other, so they should not be used together.

Can anyone else confirm this they should not be used together?? I have 3 bottles FD2 and 3 bottles x gels just trying to plan my stack out

 

[jameschoi]

Can anyone else confirm this they should not be used together?? I have 3 bottles FD2 and 3 bottles x gels just trying to plan my stack out

Just try it out for a few days.

 

[VO2Maxima]

Tr1umph, Follidrone 2.0, x-gels, and Test1fy are the 4 I'm debating right now. Will likely only take 2 and trying to narrow it down.

Tr1umph is pretty much a lock and I'm trying to debate on the other 3 as of now...

I've used all but Follidrone.

Tr1umph stacks with just about anything. Stacks especially well with X-Gels due to the LCLT and soy lecithin.

X-Gels a great supplement, one of the more proven natty single compound supps out there. However, with a history of "moderate to below average joints," I'd be careful with this one. I have yet to make it out of an ArA run without my joints feeling worse than normal. Some people have less issues than others, so you may end up being fine, but remember, progress without ArA will still be much better than progress with ArA + injury. If you stack it with a joint supp or fish oil or something to that effect, dose it as far away from the X-Gels as you can. You might also want to go with a low dose your first run (possibly 500-750mg instead of the 1000-1500+mg that people often use).

Test1fy is a cool supp, especially as a bulker, since I'd expect you to get an appetite increase from the anacyclus, and it keeps the gains fairly dry since it uses DHAA. Plus it has ashwagandha, which is a popular compound around here and has a host of benefits (hormone optimization, cortisol modulation, etc).

Weigh out pros and cons of each and make your choice based on that. All of the listed supplements are solid.

 

[ZachH]

As far as the inflammation from ARA goes and it affecting joints, what exactly is it referring to when it says joints? Knees shoulders elbows etc? The entire joint? As in, if i had previous and continuous meniscus troubles in my knee (and only the meniscus) would ara further inflame that issue and aggravate it? And also, do you feel it affecting your joints after 1 to 2 doses or prolonged use? If ARA DOES affect your joints negatively, how long does it stay in your system or how long until youe joints return to normal after you stop using. Obviously a good joint supp like SNS joint support xt plus cissus and fish oil would help the process, but whats best and worst case scenario?

 

[Chudmuffin]

There is an Ara guide thread. I would post it but it I do not have enough posts to be able to post links. I would check in there. For me I didn't notice the joint pain until I upped to the max dosage, even then it is not too bad for me atleast

 

[Jiigzz]

As far as the inflammation from ARA goes and it affecting joints, what exactly is it referring to when it says joints? Knees shoulders elbows etc? The entire joint? As in, if i had previous and continuous meniscus troubles in my knee (and only the meniscus) would ara further inflame that issue and aggravate it? And also, do you feel it affecting your joints after 1 to 2 doses or prolonged use? If ARA DOES affect your joints negatively, how long does it stay in your system or how long until youe joints return to normal after you stop using. Obviously a good joint supp like SNS joint support xt plus cissus and fish oil would help the process, but whats best and worst case scenario?

I do think this can be blown out of proportion sometimes. Some people notice almost no change in joint pain during an Xgel run, while some people notice a slight flare up over time - usually at higher dosages. One thing to note however, is that it is hard to say if it is the Ara directly, or whether the pain stems from increasing loads on compromised structures for longer duration.

I run deloads on week 4-5 of my training cycles, which is likely why at 1.5-2g dosages over 50 workout days didn't impact my joints as much. Plus I incorporate a lot of mobility, activation and remedial work into my programs (usually first 10-15mins).

on the follidrone combination with xgels, they can be run together but often not suggested to because follidrone is anti inflammatory in nature. Xgels works through the same pathways as the normal inflammatory response to exercise, so unless you plan to stop exercising on follidrone, it shouldn't impact your run in the greater scheme

 

[bigsmall]

Why is that and what else can you sub for FD2.

Not sure. The maker of Folidrone 2.0 does not recommend it. I know ARA is an inflammatory and that Folidrone 2.0 is anti-inflammatory so I think it is they work against each other.

 

[bigsmall]

As far as the inflammation from ARA goes and it affecting joints, what exactly is it referring to when it says joints? Knees shoulders elbows etc? The entire joint? As in, if i had previous and continuous meniscus troubles in my knee (and only the meniscus) would ara further inflame that issue and aggravate it? And also, do you feel it affecting your joints after 1 to 2 doses or prolonged use? If ARA DOES affect your joints negatively, how long does it stay in your system or how long until youe joints return to normal after you stop using. Obviously a good joint supp like SNS joint support xt plus cissus and fish oil would help the process, but whats best and worst case scenario?

Fish oils negatively impact the effects of ARA btw. Everything gets inflammed - muscles, joints, tendon attachments etc... Its the inflammation that causes the pump and that causes the muscle to be worked harder and thus recover with adaptation to the additional stress. Kinda scary. I ran ARA a number of times as recommended and each time I ran it - I got more and more inflammation to a point where I can no longer run it anymore.