This is an article written alongside another one in Spanish. Dave liked the idea so much that he asked me to write one in English as well. So let's get started.
First of all, as I'm sure you can tell, I'm not a pro bodybuilder and won't be anytime soon, but I am someone who's been lifting for about ten years. I've been lean, I've been fat, but overall I've been happy all along, because I'm always learning something new. In my book you're a bodybuilder if your primary goal in the gym is to build a muscular, symmetrical physique.
Whether you succeed or not (or at what level you find yourself) that – to me – is pretty immaterial. So, as bodybuilders we should always be open to new training philosophies and regularly do research on the supplements we're taking.
Now let's face it, the supplement industry is saturated with a variety of products, all promising wonderful results. Whether they're from supplement giants or out of some guy's house. But, hey, you can't knock the supplement brand outta some guy's house... in time it might develop into one of the biggest companies on the market. You also can't paint all supplements with the same brush; some companies actually do set aside money for R&D and don't blow it all on ads or signing big names to their rosters.
I'm of the firm belief that bodybuilders – natural or ‘other’ – all need three basic supplements: protein, creatine, and amino acids. Everything else, ZMA, GABA, HMB, Beta Alanine, Tribulus, etc., you'll never see me paying money for any of those. Not saying they don't work, just saying I'm not a sucker.
Protein
Now everyone knows protein builds and repairs muscle, but as many campaigns have correctly stated, not all proteins are created equal. In fact, I think there's almost as much money in protein powder today as there was at the inception of creatine in the early 90's. But the demand isn’t because the supply is scarce; it's because of ridiculously innovative advertising in an ever high tech environment – the internet. You can't do with TV, magazines, or even expos, what you can do with the internet. The experience is just astronomically different, and more and more kids are buying novelty items or just plain crap because they like what they see. Packaging has also come a long way from a plastic tub with a label clumsily slapped onto it. That's right, the branding, packaging, and advertising for most companies is on the money; sadly, much of what they're selling you is rubbish.
Let's start at the bottom of protein chain. The byproduct of whey, that lovely protein that your body has so much trouble digesting and wreaks havoc on your GI tract. Ah, yes, the slow-digesting, 8-12 hour nocturnal miracle supplement… casein. Don't go catabolic at night, drink this gunk and you'll be anabolic while you sleep. This isn't the case and most responsible supplement companies won't use it. In my book casein is the lowest level of protein. And the new products like "Casein Isolate" are even more whimsical.
Next up we have collagen. Now let's not confuse ourselves. Collagen is an effective skincare product, which coupled with Vitamin E and Lysine, can do remarkable things. However, the collagen we're talking about is a low grade ingredient in many of the hyped up and mass marketed protein shots. The consumer shells two, three, sometimes four dollars for 20-40 grams of vastly inferior protein. The only plus? The convenience (and probably more so the novelty) of drinking four ounces of slime as opposed to enjoying 8-10 ounces of a protein shake.
Again, to each their own, but the body needs protein to repair – namely after a grueling workout, and novelty or no novelty, I couldn’t imagine feeding my starving, catabolic muscles anything but the best money could buy.
Next up we have Whey Concentrate, which for many years was the gold standard. Most WC's today have a 75-85% protein level per 30-35g scoop of product. This protein is far more digestible than the other two dairy-based proteins listed so far, and has a far better result in repairing and rebuilding. But it also has its shortcomings. Most people can't consume this type of protein very long before having some kind of gastro intestinal issues, and people with any kind of lactose intolerance certainly can't supplement with it. Still, as of the 1990's (and possibly earlier), it's been considered the gold standard because of the fact that it's such a fast-acting protein.
Next up, and arguably the best protein source today, is Whey Isolate. Here we have a protein source that enjoys the fast-acting digestive benefits of concentrate, that's even more pure at 85-90% per scoop, and perfectly suitable for anyone with a lactose problem. Some companies have brought another, even more pure form called hydrolysate, but the differences are rather de minimus in my book. All in all, I think WPI is the new gold standard for all intents and purposes. A great WPI product to read up on is Isolyze by Species Nutrition.
Creatine
This is quite possibly the greatest blessing to a bodybuilder on the market. While protein powder is key and very convenient when food's not around, creatine can't be 
supplemented with from whole foods alone like protein can. This powerful non-hormonal supplement is often considered to have an amino-acid like profile, while at the same time looking like an anabolic steroid. If used properly (and by that I mean a sensible 3-5g dose post-workout, drinking plenty of water, and using a good product) it can used year-round and the consumer shouldn't ever endure any negative side effects. What other supplement could this be said about (save for protein powder)? None.
As stated earlier in the article, creatine at one point was quite the money maker (early 1990's). As of the 2000's, some companies tried to recreate the market by coming out with long chain creatine peptides and sometimes bizarre administrations; however, the best creatine to date remains the most basic – creatine monohydrate. Some companies do in fact offer innovations backed by science (Krealkalyn, Water Soluble delivery systems), but if you do your due diligence, you'll find plenty of great products. Check out Lockout Supplements for great blowout deals!
Amino Acids
I often believe aminos are a bit of a luxury supplement. If you're on a budget, your two top supplements are a solid WPI powder and creatine. But if you have a little more cash to invest into yourself, I highly recommend a good BCAA powder.
Some skeptics argue that while aminos are in fact the building blocks of protein (and therefore already found in protein-rich foods and beverages) that there's no need to supplement with them directly. Here's the problem with that theory. Unlike protein powders and/or whole foods, BCAA powders are virtually calorie-free, they don't have anything but aminos, and they're much easier on the GI tract.
When looking for a quality product your top priority should be quality (check out how much you're getting in your essential aminos), next look at price, and finally, consider taste. An example of one great product that's delicious, reasonably priced, and very high quality is Muscle Martini by German American Technologies (GAT).
In conclusion, I think it's very important (especially nowadays) to be well read and informed. Fortunately, we have great resources like Rx Muscle and the Rx Muscle Forums where we can read about and interact with others to help us find the products that will improve our chances of succeeding on our muscle-building journey. Between sophisticated branding, packaging, and advertising, those without the resources offered by pages like Rx Muscle, will find themselves lost in a sea of clutter.
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