Overview of the different supplements
This nutrient can be found in many foods and is essential for bodybuilding and weight training. Carbohydrates are the most important supplier of energy in the human body, without which an immediate supply of energy is unthinkable. Besides the muscles, the brain and the human nervous system are especially dependent on carbohydrates.
They can be divided into complex carbohydrates (rice, pasta, potatoes) and simple carbohydrates (sugar, sweets).Only a balanced diet with sufficient carbohydrates, protein and fat ensures optimal muscle growth. Supplements can also be helpful here. One should pay particular attention to avoid finished products and sweets.
If you would like to add more carbohydrates to your normal diet, you can buy carbohydrates isolated in stores and add them to the protein shake. Long-chain maltodextrin or Vitargo are well-known supplements that can be bought additionally. When taking carbohydrates, it is recommended to mix 35g of carbohydrates in the morning into the protein shake on training days and add another 50g to the shake after training.
On non-training days, however, three grams in the morning is sufficient. Is also called D-Ribose and is a monosaccharide (multiple sugar), which occurs in all plant and animal cells. The body needs ribose for the formation of ATP, which in turn is needed for the entire metabolism, but above all for the provision of energy.
The molecule decomposes and is converted back into ATP with the help of ribose. In strength and endurance athletes, a large part of the energy required is taken up by the muscles. Supplements such as ribose can shorten the ATP production and thus also the regeneration phases.
Normally, the body can produce ribose itself and in addition, small amounts can be supplied by eating nuts, berries or spinach. Ribose also occurs in vegetable oils and is produced in the human body to a lesser and lesser extent, especially in old age. A supplementation can then make sense outside of sport.
As a dietary supplement, ribose can be purchased in the form of a powder which can be dissolved in water and drunk. The maximum dosage should be three to five grams and should not be exceeded. Pyruvate is also known as pyruvic acid and is a metabolic product at the end of the sugar metabolism.
Taking pyruvate as a supplement can lead to weight loss. Scientific studies have shown that the reduction of body fat is stimulated, the yo-yo effect is avoided and endurance performance is improved. In the 1990s, STANKO (1990) demonstrated an increase in endurance performance when taking pyruvate for seven days.
However, there is no scientifically proven evidence for the increased fat loss due to a higher heat release. Pyruvate occurs naturally in small amounts in vegetable foods. In 100 grams of a red apple, for example, there are 450mg pyruvate.
It is recommended to take pyruvate supplements over six weeks combined with a diet. The maximum dosage per day is about 6 grams. One should take 3 grams of it before training, to boost the effect of increased fat burning.
So if you want to increase fat burning and endurance performance, you can buy pyruvate as a supplement in the form of drinking ampoules. Side effects can be stomach cramps and diarrhea, especially at high doses. This group of nutrients is particularly important in bodybuilding and weight training, since proteins play an important role, especially in the muscle building phase.
Protein is composed of many different substances (BCAA, L-Glutamine, L-Arginine) in a chain form. The longer these chains are from which the protein is composed, the harder the protein is to digest. The advantages of taking supplements with protein in weight training are the encouragement of muscle building, the preservation of existing tissue and the fact that they act as a third source of energy after fat and carbohydrates.
Especially in competitive sports it is therefore sensible to take additional protein through supplements. When taking supplements, it should be noted that some foods contain more protein than others. For strength athletes who want to build up their muscle mass, it is important to consume about two grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
Directly after training, for example, a protein shake is used to support the growth stimulus of the muscles. Besides fats and carbohydrates, amino acids are a source of energy, but compared to the other two substances they contain nitrogen. Furthermore, amino acids are the only ones capable of forming skin, hair, organs and tissue.
Therefore, amino acids can also be considered as basic building blocks of the entire human body. Furthermore, amino acids are also involved in metabolism and regulate the processes in the human body.Without these supplements, a person cannot live or survive healthily. For athletes, amino acids are so important because they are involved in building and renewal processes in the body, and are found increasingly in muscle tissue, bone and skin.
Some amino acids promote e.g. the blood circulation and are therefore not uninteresting for athletes. Especially in the field of weight training, it was soon known that a deficiency of amino acids leads to a loss of performance, and therefore it was decided to supplement this substance. However, if you supply your body with sufficient amino acids, then muscle growth can even benefit from it.
The best known and most important amino acid for strength athletes is the so-called BCAA. BCAA is a branched-chain amino acid and is one of the essential amino acids that must be taken in with food because the body cannot synthesize it itself. BCAA describes a group rather than a specific amino acid and these include leucine, valine and isoleucine.
Especially in bodybuilding, everyone knows these amino acids and they provide for an increase in muscle growth, support in addition many other, even vital functions in the body. The energy supply of the muscles is also carried by the BCAA, which is one of the supplements, and they can even help with diseases and metabolic problems. Leucine is particularly important for the build-up and maintenance of muscle tissue.
Supplements like BCAA can also be effective in weight reduction. Studies have found out that a high consumption of BCAA is associated with a low incidence of overweight. BCAA is mainly found in very protein-rich foods and with a normal balanced and healthy diet, one should consume enough BCAA without problems.
The correct dosage and intake of BCAA depends on many factors, such as activity level, body weight or size. Glutamine is an amino acid known mainly among strength athletes, which among all amino acids is most abundant in the muscle and therefore most effective. This dietary supplement is interesting for the bodybuilding and weight training sector due to several modes of action.
On the one hand, the cell volume of muscle cells is increased, the regeneration capacity of the muscle is improved, the absorption rate of proteins is increased and the unwanted loss of muscle mass is reduced. Bodybuilders and strength athletes should divide the intake of glutamine into three different points in time. First, it should be taken before a workout to prevent muscle breakdown.
If you take supplements such as glutamine after a workout, this serves to boost muscle growth and increase cell volume. The last time to take it is before going to bed. This important time ensures that muscle loss is minimized overnight and regeneration is improved.
Taking it in the morning after getting up can serve to bridge and close any nutrient supply gaps that may have arisen during the night. When dosing glutamine, the maximum daily amount of 25 grams per day should not be exceeded. Behind the letters HMB hides an organic acid with an essential amino acid leucine, which is also called “beta hydroxy beta methylbutyrate”.
The body can produce up to 0.3 grams of this supplement per day. With the additional intake as a dietary supplement, one hopes for an increase in strength with an increase in muscle mass in weight training. In addition, HMB ensures that the body fat percentage is reduced and the immune system can also benefit and become more robust.
As far as side effects are concerned, there is currently a lack of more in-depth studies with scientifically proven results for supplements like this one, however, acne formation should be supported. Long-term side effects have hardly been researched so far, so that one should generally contact a doctor before taking HMB. With the dosage one should pay attention to supply per day between 3 and 6 grams.
Higher dosages are not considered safe, so the general recommendation is: 3 grams at 3 times distributed at 1 gram each is an optimal start. L-carnitine is a vitamin-like and essential nutrient for the human body. It is a protein compound and is composed of two amino acids.
About 90% of the body’s L-carnitine is found in the muscles and heart, where it contributes to energy production.Other positive effects are a positive influence on fatigue, a strengthening of the immune system, an increase in strength and an increase in endurance performance. In addition to intake through food, L-carnitine can also be supplied with the help of supplements. The dosage is divided into two points in time.
On the one hand in case of general exhaustion with a dosage of 300 mg and 500 mg. And during a diet where between 750 mg and 2000 mg per day are taken. An overdose cannot be expected with L-carnitine, as superfluous L-carnitine can be excreted without problems. Since top athletes usually tend to avoid a lot of meat in their diet in order to consume a lot of carbohydrates, the additional intake of L-carnitine is a good idea.
Behind the name CLA (conjugated linoleum acid) hides the conjugated linoleum acid, which belongs to the unsaturated fatty acids. Above all strength athletes fall back on this product, because it fits perfectly as a supplement to a protein-rich diet. In general, CLA ensures that the cholesterol level in the blood is kept stable at a certain level.
This can be influenced by different eating habits and the use of other supplements such as BCAA, protein, etc. In combination with proteins, CLA unfolds its best effect, whereby one should make sure that one takes in protein throughout the day. CLA is found naturally in meat and dairy products.
However, it also causes a large proportion of the rather undesirable saturated fatty acids to be ingested and this is something that one usually wants to avoid. Therefore, supplementation of CLA is a good way to promote muscle growth and fat loss. The most sold CLA supplement in the world is Tonalin® CLA, which is derived from safflower oil.
All the benefits of CLA in one place: reducing fat storage, increasing fat breakdown in the cells, increasing metabolism and reducing the number of fat cells in the body. The International Society for Sports Nutrition (ISSN) confirmed that creatine is the most effective legally available supplement available on the free market. Especially in the area of weight training and endurance sports, good effects can be expected, provided the intake and use is appropriate and correctly dosed.
The effect is particularly noticeable in the energy supply, where creatine plays an important role in muscle contraction. Creatine also increases the volume of muscle cells, so that the entire muscle is enlarged. It is important to make sure that you drink enough fluids.
An additional five liters of water per day should be included. In the natural diet, creatine is found mainly in meat and fish. The body needs about two grams of creatine per day, of which it can produce about one gram itself.
The other half must be supplied by food or supplements. In the case of increased creatine requirements through strength or endurance training, supplementation therefore makes a lot of sense. The following applies to the dosage of creatine: more is not necessarily better.
Therefore you should start with small amounts and wait for the effect before you dose too high. It can be taken in combination with carbohydrates, as these optimize absorption into the bloodstream and thus into the muscle fibers. Tribulus terrestris is the Latin name for the earth root thorn or earth star.
This thorn plant contains, among other things, saponins (a steroid-like substance), which are known in the bodybuilding scene as anabolic steroids. In the form of powders and capsules, Tribulus terrestris can be administered to stimulate muscle growth through increased water retention in the tissue and increase endurance. When taking Tribulus capsules you should pay attention to a balanced diet and exercise.
The capsules can contain between 1200 mg and 2000 mg of the root extract. However, the recommended daily dose is 1200 mg. Although the supplement has a reputation of not causing any side effects, athletes have complained of gastrointestinal problems after a long period of use.
However, these side effects may indicate an overdose and a reduction in the daily intake of these supplements should reduce the side effects. Other side effects on humans are not known and could only be demonstrated in animals so far.Weight gainers are supplements that are widely used in the weight training and bodybuilding scene to help athletes gain weight. Especially people who are very slim due to their good metabolism, but who build up little mass, can benefit from weight gainers.
To achieve weight gain, weight gainers contain a large proportion of carbohydrates mixed with proteins, fats, vitamins and trace elements. Due to the high energy content of weight gainers, an increase in fat mass can occur in isolated cases, which is mistakenly interpreted as muscle gain. People who have a slower metabolism should therefore avoid Weight gainer, because there is a risk of building up fat mass.
Besides the effect of muscle building, weight gainer will also have a positive influence on the duration of intensive training phases. Weight gainer should be taken directly after a training session, so that the emptied energy stores can be replenished and more muscle mass can be built up more quickly. In some cases, two to three shakes of Weight Gainer can be taken throughout the day to achieve weight gain. However, athletes who value a low body fat percentage should do better without these supplements.
