When
it comes to bodybuilding or building muscles in general, our body is
often limited by our nutrition. And regardless of how hard we train,
sometimes we just can’t make any progress as we are lacking important
nutrients that help us achieve better results. Therefore, people turn to
supplements.
Supplements are an amazing way to add valuable
nutrients that help us build muscle, recover faster or train harder.
They boost the results and push our limits, allowing us to make a
significant progress with each training.
And despite the fact that
we all have unique bodies and react differently to some supplements,
there are 5 essential supplements that every bodybuilder needs.
Whey Protein
Whey
protein is a fast-digesting milk protein that helps deliver essential
amino acids to the skeletal muscle. It is a foundation for muscle gains
and the most frequently used supplement.
Whey is quickly shuttled
into the muscles where it exerts its strong anabolic effects. Therefore,
it is often used as a pre-workout and post-workout meal to increase
protein synthesis and improve muscle restoration and recovery. Whether
your goal is to drop body fat or build lean mass, adding a whey protein
can speed both the loss and the gain process.
It can help with:
Recovery
– After the intense workout your body desperately looks for protein to
repair itself. If taken immediately after the workout, whey helps
trigger rapid muscle recovery and builds strong and lean muscles.
Appetite
Suppressant – Whey protein shake can be even used as a meal replacement
or a healthy snack that will increase body’s protein levels and reduce
daily calorie intake.
Amino Acids – Whey protein contains essential amino acids needed for protein synthesis.
Recommended daily dosage: 20-30g
Creatine
Creatine
is the second most used supplement and for a good reason – it is a
naturally occurring substance that promotes increased muscle cell
volume, lean body mass, post-workout recovery and increased muscle
performance.
Naturally produces in liver, pancreas and kidneys,
creatine is primarily found around skeletal muscle tissue (95%), where
it is transformed into creatine phosphate from which the energy molecule
ATP is produced.
Creatine increases energy and strength, allowing
harder workouts and better performance, which cause muscles to become
bigger and stronger.
The creatine level naturally found in our
body is sufficient for ongoing cellular function and is definitely not
enough to cause massive muscle growth. Therefore, people opt for
creatine supplementation to reap its full benefits.
Recommended daily dosage: 5-10g
Branched Amino Acid (BCAA)
Branched-Chain
Amino Acid, also known as BCAA, is another amazing supplement that
bodybuilders use to improve their workout results. Protein consists of
20 amino acids, and only 3 of them are referred to as BCAAs: valine,
isoleucine and leucine. They help regulate protein metabolism and
stimulate protein synthesis.
BCAAs have a similar function as
protein – they drive nutrients into the muscle tissue and help muscles
recover faster. They also serve as an energy source during workouts, so
taking BCAAs as a supplement can replace the nutrients lost during
intense exercises. They also improve metabolic recovery and reduce pain
caused by muscle fatigue.
Recommended daily dosage: 3-5 grams upon waking and 3-5 grams before and after the workout
Glutamine
Glutamine
is the number one supplement for a speedy recovery and therefore
essential for every serious bodybuilder. It slows down muscle-tissue
breakdown during intensive workout which elevate endurance and improves
strength. It allows bodybuilders to lift heavier weights for a longer
period of time and train harder, which cause the production of greater
lean muscles.
Glutamine also helps preserve the muscle tissue,
which helps burn additional fat, while slowing down the muscle loss. It
also improves the immune system by placing stress on the entire body
instead of just the muscle and quickly restores the health of the muscle
tissue, which ensures rapid recovery of the whole body.
Recommended daily dosage: 5 grams upon waking, 5 grams after the workout and 5 grams before bed
Beta-Alanine
Beta-Alanine
(BA) is a naturally occurring amino acid that increase intramuscular
levels of Carnosine by 60% in less than a month. During high-intensity
workout the body accumulates large amounts of hydrogen, which cause our
pH to drop and we become more acidic. This lactic acid can decrease
muscle performance, cause severe fatigue and shut down the nerve drive
(causing muscle failure).
By taking Beta-Alanine supplements,
bodybuilders maintain an increased level of Carnosine and delay the
accumulation of hydrogen and all its side effects. BA also elevates
endurance, delays fatigue, improves force output and repeated sprint
ability and works great with creatine.
Recommended daily dosage: 2-6 grams per day, taken in smaller doses throughout the day
Lean Nutrition, the UK’s newest and most exciting sports
nutrition brands, offering a range of high quality proteins, amino acids
and other essential nutrients that help enhance your performance and
maximise your results, is presenting its newest pure creatine
monohydrate formula, specifically designed for muscle growth, muscle
strength and endurance.