Whether you are a determined bodybuilder or whether you are just looking to get fit and healthy, food supplementation is something you can totally rely on. Established and renowned bodybuilders including the likes of former Mr. Canada and the Barbadian Canadian IFBB Hall of Famer, Roy Callendar advocate the consumption of healthy and genuine food supplements to achieve proper growth.
Even from a technical perspective, this holds true as with supplementation you’re basically giving your muscles that extra push to grow some more, aside from the support you’re already giving with the consumption of natural nutrient-rich foods. Besides, your muscles need that kind of supplementation in order to recover from workouts.
It may be true that a very determined and motivated body builder can achieve his fitness goals with the help of a strict and focused training program. There has always been a certain misconception as well, that supplementation is not always necessary for athletes and bodybuilders.
However, muscle recovery is something that needs to be catered to separately.
It is extremely important to make sure that your muscles have recovered before moving from one high intensity workout to the next, as otherwise it can lead to serious injuries. It for these purposes and to fill the gaps with adequate nutritional support that supplementation is always advised. Without it, there may be a gaping hole in the overall healing process after a workout.
Dr. Catherine Cooper of Yes Wellness highly recommends the use of dietary supplementation in order to achieve a well-rounded body building or fitness program. She says that all you need to do is ensure that you’re following a strict routine with exercises, food and supplements without fail on an ongoing basis.
That said, here are 6 supplements that you need to achieve explosive growth this summer. Whether you are just a beginner or a pro, this list is what you should go by.
Whey protein
Proteins are often considered to be the base foundation of muscle development, and whey protein is the most popular best absorbed forms of protein, recommended by fitness experts all over the world. It is usually required to be consumed post workout and also along with regular meals so as to ensure a full circle of protein balance. It is available in powder forms and is usually quite convenient to consume. It also has a very high biological value.
Creatine
Creatine is a naturally occurring protein in your body and can be found in red meat as well as seafood. It helps to gain lean muscle mass and boost strength, especially when consumed in conjunction with resistance training. Additionally, it also helps to increase overall muscle energy which allows you to work harder. It makes your muscles grow bigger and stronger in the long run as well as it hydrates the muscle tissues.
Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA)
BCAAs are basically found in proteins absorbed from foods. As the name suggests it is a chain of three amino acids namely leucine, isoleucine and valine. These are necessary for proper muscle recovery and in turn more frequent workout schedules. In addition, they also slow down the process of protein breakdown and help save muscle glycogen. The amino acid leucine also helps in synthesizing proteins and thereby improving strength and lean muscle.
L-Glutamine
What are the benefits of taking glutamine? L-glutamine is considered as a conditionally essential amino acid and is constituted by 60% of free-form amino acids, which is very essential for proper muscle recovery. The need to supplement its production stems from the fact that your other bodily tissues also need this amino acid for immunity purposes. Hence, you always need to replenish its content in your body.
Omega 3 fish oil
Fish oil and fish as a food source of protein has always been recommended by nutritionists world over. However, owing to various reasons, the essential fatty acids contained in the little quantities of fish you consume may not always prove to be enough or effective. Hence you need to take fish oil in supplement form as well, as it not only provided the essential Omega 3 fatty acids abundantly but also in their purest and most concentrated form. This helps to improve your overall workout performance and also ensure proper blood circulation, which facilitates the absorption of proteins and carbohydrates by the muscle tissues.
Regular vitamin and mineral supplements
Multivitamins and mineral supplements do not have a direct impact on body building or fitness. However, they are essential to maintain appropriate muscle cell conditions to facilitate muscle growth and higher levels of performance. Furthermore, the antioxidants contained in these supplements boost the immune system which ensures harmonized tissue growth and functioning as well.
An important point to keep in mind when planning out fitness regimes including these supplements is to ensure consumption of healthy and nutritious food at all times. As is evident from the discussion, these are mere supplements that act on absorbed food only and they don’t work alone.
