I think I've mentioned it in my workout log, but I'm taking a couple of supplements now that I'm back in the gym doing weight training.. 

The first one is BSN's NO-Xplode, which is a creatine/nitric oxide combination.  I haven't used NO-Xplode before, so I'll give my impressions of it after a few weeks.  I have used other creatine products before, and they did seem to help me eke out a few more reps in weight training exercises.  http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/bsn/xplode.html

I'm also using a post-workout recovery drink called RecoverX, by MuscleLink.  It is a protein/glutamine/high-glycemic carbo combination, in powder form, that you mix with water.  The theory behind this supplement is that right after a workout, your muscles are most receptive to nutrient intake..  Eating solid food is ineffective at this point, because by the time the food is digested and nutrients pass into the blood stream, the 'anabolic window'; the heightened receptivity of the muscles to nutrient intake, has passed.  Also, it's hard to digest solid foods right after a workout.  Liquid nutrients are handled by the digestive system more easily at this point, and pass into the bloodstream more quickly.  The high-glycemic carbs in RecoverX cause an insulin spike, which helps to drive the glycogen, protein, and amino acids into the muscles.  I use this after jogging, too, and it seems to help me recover faster from the exercise.   http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/ml/recover.html

A couple of observations about ergogenic supplements- it's very difficult to get hard, clinical evidence of the claims that these companies make for their products..  Ideally, they should cite independent third-party clinical trials, with all of the proper scientific controls, showing the benefits of the product, or at least of the ingredients in the product.  But that kind of clinical proof is rare, so far. 

I get the feeling that most of these companies are masters of marketing, similar to the junk food manufacturers.  Just look at some of the six-page ads in the bodybuilding magazines.  They just want to sell product, and they will probably convince even themselves that their products are beneficial to their target audience, in the absence of valid clinical evidence.  So it's 'caveat emptor', just as it is for other products we see on the market.

Some authorities say that there is no value in ingesting extra protein, even for bodybuilders.  But the practice of mixing up and drinking a post-workout protein shake is so entrenched in the bodybuilding community that it would be hard to convince a serious bodybuilder that it is superfluous and a waste of money. 

There is some value in believing that one product or several used together, will help you in reaching your workout goals.  If you really believe that "SuperTurbo-Charger Mega-Creatine X-9000 T-Bomb" will enable you to squat 700 lbs, then maybe eventually you will squat 700 lbs.  You'll throw your all into each workout, and will probably progress.  Even if the product itself is not physically helping you.  Psychologically, it is.

all i'd say about nitrigen oxide is that its great for erections -

What the heck happens when I am half asleep in the dentist chair?
(Is the dental assistant amused?)

I actually have refused the gas for the last 20 years. Supposedly 10 minutes on pure oxygen brings you back to 'normal'.  But for me it was 10 minutes of pure oxygen and 4 cups of coffee sitting at least a hour at the restaurant a half block from the dentist's office.

However, the last time I was given a prescription for codeine for pain with the warning label about drowsiness, I was awake most of the night.

I know, I am weird, tell it to my ex-wife.