Don, gosh darn it! Rhodiola my rump, you've been shopping for those high-falutin' body-builder supps again, haven't you? HAVEN'T YOU??? *grin!* Ok, I haven't much in my bag of arcane knowledge on these, but I'll dump it and let you be the judge of its contents.

Cordyceps sinensis is one of the Chinese herbs (a fungus, actually - a mushroom) which Peter recommends for nitric-oxide regulation in folks who possess a B antigen (Bs & ABs). For them, it also performs yeoman duty on the immune-enhancement, antibacterial and antimicrobial fronts. Its generally-advertised qualities include increased athletic endurance and protection against lung and kidney damage from environmental pollutants. From our POV, the lack of ABO-specific research somewhat limits the strength of our recommendations for Os and As. Try it and see if it makes you feel a little odd. That sounds crazy, but it's worked for me. "A little odd" means maybe this is not the mushroom for us. :->

Cystoseira canariensis is a salt-water algae found in Canary Islands waters, whose fractionated extract has the peculiar property of neutralizing the body's natural "stop building muscle" signal. Now you know this is bound to make me nervous, OK? I'm all about getting folks in harmony with their body's unique makeup, not circumventing it! You're type O, hey, we RULE on muscularity! right? Aint'cha got enough?? golly. Don, repeat after me: LONGEVITY OVER MASS.... LONGEVITY OVER MASS....

Rhaponticum carthomoides: here we have another myostatin (muscle-mass regulator)-inhibitor and "fat-burner" -- an herb which originated, like Rhodiola, in Russia and now has only proprietary supp-related info available on the Net. Don, I don't know a dang thing about this stuff. My herbals don't list it, and everything else I've found is either anecdotal or promotional. Buddy, will you just promise to watch your six if you decide to use it? and keep me posted? stay in touch, OK?

Everybody, I have no quarrel with all of you out there who experience great enjoyment and other significant personal benefits from body-building. I don't want you to think I'm sitting here in my little computer chair and denigrating people who possess an intense competitive athletic bent, whatever it may be. I applaud them! But in my knowledge and experience, extreme effort and extreme achievement most frequently come with a serious price tag, and I see my mission as bolstering their success while lowering the toll on body and mind that can come through narrow-purposed use of supplements. Maybe it's blind prejudice (or simple selfishness), but I'd like to see the premiere athletes of today and tomorrow stick around in vibrant health, long enough to become old folks ~ and teachers, and personal up-close inspirations to others.

By the way, readers ~ Don's been a regular contributor and a constant source of fascinating information (and delightful quirky humor) since this column began. He very courageously offered me his story recently. I was heart-struck and inspired to read it. Keep an eye out for it in the next week.