Sure you can add muscle simply by having the right meal plan and hitting the gym. But to truly maximize your growth potential, supplements are a popular option.
But note: there’s no real replacement for good old-fashioned hard work. Different ingredients in pre-workout supplements improve particular aspects of exercise performance. Some will help you increase strength or power, while others will help increase your endurance.
The number of workout supplements out there are numerous, and they all claim to be effective.
Here’s a list of five proven supplements to help
boost your results.
1. Creatine
Creatine is a molecule that’s produced naturally in the body. It provides energy for the muscles and other tissues. However, taking it as a dietary supplement can increase muscle creatine content by up to 40% beyond its normal levels.
This muscle-building, power-enhancing supplement has an extremely high safety profile and a alot of evidence to support its efficacy. Creatine supplementation works by increasing the availability of creatine and phosphocreatine (PCr) within the
muscle, helping to maintain energy during high-intensity exercise such as weightlifting.
Furthermore, increasing the availability of PCr may help speed up recovery between sets of workout. Essentially, creatine gives bursts of energy and helps with muscle repair during your workout, to help you run a little faster, put up one or two more reps, and push your muscles to perform their best. If you want to increase muscular strength, creatine is probably the first supplement you should consider.
To maximize your result, take 20 grams for 5-7 days during the loading phase or initial stage of taking it, followed by the standard maintenance dose of 5 grams per day. Creatine comes in a lot of forms; powder, liquid, solids, etc.
Food sources with naturally occurring creatine include fish and red meat. One pound of beef contains about 5 grams of creatine. Considering some people don’t eat that much red meat in a day, supplementation makes sense for athletes and vegetarians alike.
What you should know about creatine.
Research shows that creatine supplementation causes water retention and subsequent weight gain, primarily in the initial stages of taking it. Because of this, it can cause some people to feel bloated. Typically the weight gain subsides, however, studies also show that sustained weight gain is typically due to increased muscle mass, not fat. This bloating does not affect everyone. However, you can take precautions to avoid it by keeping your dose to 10 grams or less per single serving during the loading phase. Furthermore, you can always split your doses equally throughout the day to avoid taking too much at one time.
2. Protein supplements.
Getting enough protein is crucial in gaining muscle. Specifically, to gain muscle, you need to consume more protein than your body breaks down through natural processes. While it’s possible to get all the protein you need from protein-rich foods, some people struggle to do so. If this sounds like you, you may want to consider taking a protein supplement.
There are many different protein supplements available, but some of the most popular ones are whey, casein and soy protein. Other protein supplements contain protein isolated from eggs, beef, chicken or other sources. However, the effects are probably largest for people who aren’t getting enough protein in their normal diet. An important thing to keep in mind is that protein shakes are supplemental to your daily intake. Your primary source of protein should come from actual food.
Whey Protein
Whey is one of the most popular ptotein supplement because it is relatively inexpensive and effective. It is also absorbed more quickly than other types of protein, making it a popular post- workout supplement. There are basically two types of whey protein: the whey concentrate and the whey isolate. Either is a good choice, but whey isolate is slightly more expensive with more concentrated protein. Also, isolate is better for people with even mild lactose intolerance, as much of the lactose has been processed out.
Fast- digesting protein like whey is optimal post-workout as it can help improve your muscles’ ability to recover and adapt after strenuous exercise. In fact, consumption of whey protein has been found to stimulate muscle protein synthesis to a greater degree than other proteins like casein and soy. To maximize results take 20 grams of whey protein powder in the 30 minutes before working out, and take 40 grams within 60 minutes after training. Also, consider taking 20-40 grams of whey immediately upon waking every morning to kick-start muscle growth.
Casein protein powder
Casein has a very slow digestion rate-yet this makes it ideal as a pre-bedtime supplement because it prevents catabolism while you sleep by emptying slowly and steadily. When casein is taken before workout, it boosts muscle protein synthesis much as whey does. It’s even suggested that a whey and casein protein shake ingested after training increases muscle growth better than either protein taken alone.
To maximize result take 20 to 40 grams right before going to bed. After workouts, add 10 to 20 grams of casein to your whey protein. Also, use 20 to 40 grams of casein in your protein shakes between meals. What you should know protein supplements. Some people who are allergic to milk may be specifically allergic to whey as well as casein. In moderate doses, whey protein does not typically cause any adverse events. However, consuming very high doses can cause: stomach pains, cramps, reduced appetite nausea, headache, fatigue Acne.
3. Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs)
The branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) consist of three important molecules: leucine, isoleucine and valine. The high-quality protein found in dairy, eggs and meat. Research has shown that these supplements may reduce muscle soreness after running and weight training.
Nevertheless, due to the possibility that they enhance endurance performance and reduce fatigue, BCAAs may be a beneficial part of a pre-workout supplement for some individuals. They are found in most protein sources, particularly those of animal origin like meat, poultry, eggs, dairy and fish. Basically their whole job is to help your muscles recover faster after a hard workout, which means you spend less days off from
being sore and tired, and more time in the gym putting up the heavy stuff.
Besides helping muscles repair themselves, these amino acids also help provide much-needed energy in the gym, but also curb the production of certain hormones that actually work against your body’s attempts to build muscles – most notably, cortisol.
The trick about BCAAs is that you really have to remember.
To maximize your result, Take 5-10 grams of BCAAs with breakfast, as well as before and after workouts.
What you should know about BCAAs For a vast majority of people, taking BCAA supplement is safe. However, Those with certain medical conditions could be negatively impacted by a dose of BCAAs; this primarily concerns those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or maple syrup urine disease.
4. Nitrates.
Nitrate is a molecule found in vegetables such as spinach, turnips and beetroot. Small amounts are also produced naturally in the body. Nitrate may be beneficial for exercise performance because it can
be converted into a molecule called nitric oxide, which can increase blood flow.
Nitrate consumed as a sports supplement is often obtained from beetroot or beetroot juice. Studies have shown that beetroot juice can increase running time before exhaustion, as well as increase speed during workout. To maximize results take 500 milligrams of beet root juice or pomegranate extract 30-60 minutes before and after your workout and 30-60 minutes before bedtime.
What you should know about Nitrates.
Nitrate supplements don’t provide nitric oxide directly, but rather deliver it in the form of the amino acid arginine, which is readily converted to nitric oxide in the body. When possible, take each dose without food and consider combining it with 500-1,000 mg of vitamin C, which can help maintain levels of nitric oxide for longer.
5. Fish oil.
Fish oil contains a super high amount of Omega 3 oils, which is a natural anti-inflammatory that can really boost the results from your workout. It will help ease joint and muscle soreness, and is vital to the recovery process.
Omega 3 fatty acids are integral to our general health and provide benefits in a number of areas, such as cognitive function, fat burning and hormonal output. Many of us struggle to get enough oily fish in our diet so supplementing with a fish oil supplement is one way around this.
Omega 3 fatty acids in fish oils help with hormone production – including testosterone, which is vital if you want to build lean muscle – and it’s also been shown to increase cognitive function.
What you should know about Fish oil.
Fatty fish like salmon, tuna and sardines are especially good sources of omega-3s, and the American Heart
Association recommends that people eat at least two servings per week. Fish oil can lower blood pressure and might cause blood pressure to drop too low in people who are being treated with blood pressure-lowering medications.
It is advised you look at the label to know the ingredients and doses of each of these supplements.
So there you have it five supplements to give you a boost on your journey towards staying fit and healthy.
Remember supplements alone can’t get the job done for you, you need to put in hardwork, eat the right meal and engage in the right workout.
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