Body Building Supplements
Body building supplements are taken by athletes in order
to aid the building of lean body mass, improve performance
during training, and decrease recovery time.
The most popular body building supplement is protein, often
taken before or after workouts, and in place of or in addition
to meals. Whey protein is preferred for its fast absorption
rate, and for the fact that it contains important amino acids
not naturally produced by the human body. Casein protein is
also popular due to its richness in glutamine, an amino acid
that aids recovery, and casomorphin which helps the body to
absorb amino acids over an extended period of time. Egg whites
are also a convenient lactose and dairy-free form of protein.
Soy protein is not used so commonly because it contains
isoflavones, which have estrogenic properties, although it
is a convenient vegetarian option. Amino acids are the building
blocks of protein, and as such form an important component
of any serious body builders nutritional plan. Glutamine is
the most important for body builders. It is the commonest
form of amino acid in muscle tissue and can be depleted during
intensive exercise, so replenishment of the bodies natural
glutamine stores can be beneficial. It is usually taken in
the form of a soluble powder and often mixed with protein
shakes.
Pre-packaged drink powders, ready-to-drink shakes and bars
are known as Meal Replacement Products or MRPs, usually consumed
in place of a regular meal for the sake of convenience. They
usually have balanced macronutrient ratios as well as vitamins
and minerals. Most MRPs use whey, casein, soy or egg protein,
or some combination of these, as well as carbohydrates derived
from maltodextrin, oat fibre, brown rice or wheat flour, and
essential fatty acids in the form of flax oil powder. MRPs
can also include things like creatine, glutamine and other
amino acids, or basically any other kind of popular supplement.
Prohormones are precursors to hormones. That is to say,
substances that are converted to active hormones inside the
body. The goal of prohormones is to achieve similar if somewhat
less drastic effects to taking synthetic anabolic steroids,
without the associated side-effects. They are classified as
dietary supplements and therefore not subject to many of the
regulations governing the use of anabolic steroids.
Creatine is an organic acid which occurs naturally in the
body and helps supply energy to muscles for short, intense
bursts of energy, such as during a workout. Creatine supplements
have been proven to help people exercise harder, for longer,
as well as improving general brain function and reducing mental
fatigue. It increased cell volumization by drawing water into
cells, effectively making them larger. Creatine is the most
popular and probably most effective bodybuilding supplement.
Thermogenics are supplements that cause thermogenesis, the
process of heat production in organisms. This results in increased
body temperature and metabolic rate, and therefore a corresponding
increase in the rate of body fat burning. Until recently,
supplements in this category virtually all contained ephedra,
caffeine and aspirin (known as the ECA stack), but many manufacturers
have replaced ephedra with synephrine, derived from bitter
orange.
Another common type of body building supplement is the testosterone
booster. Some naturally occurring plant extracts and vitamins,
as well as synthetic chemicals, have been found to cause an
increase in testosterone levels that can improve training
results.
The most common supplements of this kind currently on the
market include 6-OXO, ZMA and Tribulus terrestris. Weight
Gainers are often used by individuals who find it hard to
build body mass. They are essentially like Meal Replacement
Products but often with a higher than usual calorific content,
varying from around 250kcal to 1250kcal per serving. Weight
gainers can include other supplements in a similar way to
MRPs, including amino acids, vitamins and creatine.
Pre-workout formulas are also popular.
They are designed to increase energy, delay fatigue and reduce
muscle breakdown during intensive workouts. As well as protein
and carbohydrates, pre-workout formulas usually include creatine
to increase strength and performance, and stimulants such
as caffeine and taurine to increase alertness and concentration
and reduce mental fatigue. Other specialist ingredients found
in pre-workout formulas include Glycine-I-arginine-alpha-ketoisocaproic
acid calcium (GAKIC) to increase strength, and carnosine synthesizers
to delay fatigue.
The sheer variety of bodybuilding supplements available
on the market can be bewildering and intimidating. If you
are just beginning a bodybuilding workout plan, you should
take professional advice to allow you to formulate a supplement
regime best tailored to your specific needs and goals. Supplements
used correctly can dramatically improve workout performance,
recovery time and results in terms of lean body mass gains
and fat loss. They are an essential part of any serious body
builders nutritional plan.
Body
Building Supplements
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