What to think about supplements in muscle building – does it work? | Muscle building – strength training for muscle growth

What to think about supplements in muscle building – does it work?

Dietary supplements – so-called supplements – have established themselves irretrievably in the fitness market and rightly so. Even if the necessity of some preparations can be argued about, there are a lot of products whose effects cannot be denied. Protein shakes, for example, help most athletes to cover their daily protein requirements.

They also offer vegetarian and vegan athletes an excellent alternative to protein from meat. Since proteins provide the basic building block for muscle building – namely amino acids – a sufficient protein supply is essential. As a rough guideline, about 1-1.5g of protein per kilogram of body weight can be assumed.

Of course, it must be said that a diet with supplements does not replace a full meal and should normally only serve as a supplement. Purely limited to the benefits, most supplements fulfil their promises. However, it is not possible to give a blanket answer to the question of whether the price is right for each individual, but rather it must be decided by each individual.

As already mentioned, not all supplements show such clear differences between taking them and not taking them, so that not every available dietary supplement has to be used. As mentioned above, protein, or to be more precise, amino acids, is the component of our muscles. Protein that is absorbed is broken down into its components – the amino acids – in the intestine.

Only these can then be absorbed into the body and transported to the muscles via the blood. Here the amino acids are absorbed into the individual muscle cells and only then are they reassembled into proteins. From this execution it is actually already evident that muscle building without amino acids can not function.

However, the question arises: How much protein does a person need per day? According to the Federal Ministry of Health, 15% of our daily calorie intake should come from proteins. This can be sufficient for muscle building.

However, with an intake of one to one and a half grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, muscle building should work better. However, claims of three grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day are exaggerated and, according to current knowledge, do not bring a significant difference to the one and a half grams mentioned above. Beyond that the proteins can be of animal or vegetable origin.

So far the animal protein is regarded as the higher-quality one, since it has a larger similarity with the human one. However, the extent to which this aspect affects muscle building has not yet been sufficiently researched.or protein powders for muscle buildingAnabolic steroids actually have their origin in medicine and are used here mainly for the induction of puberty in boys and for growth enhancement. Due to their mode of action, however, they are also wonderfully suited to increase muscle growth.

Steroids pass through the cell membranes of the muscle cells and stimulate protein synthesis. Steroids would thus even be able to make the muscles grow without further training. However, this effect can be significantly increased by training.

However, the use of steroidal anabolic steroids should be advised against under all circumstances. They increase the risk of a heart or brain attack by massively advancing atherosclerosis of the vessels. With constantly increased testosterone levels in the blood, the body also ensures that the body’s own testosterone production is shut down.

The corresponding cells in the testicles therefore shrink and, in the worst case, can end up in male impotence. Due to testosterone abuse, men also tend to develop a female breast attachment, whereas women can develop more hair in the facial area. From a medical point of view, therefore, the abuse of anabolic steroids can only be advised against in order to avoid the long-term consequences.

As already mentioned, protein is the basic substance of human muscles. However, since these proteins must first be broken down into amino acids in the body, there are preparations that circumvent this first step by consisting of amino acids. These “protein sources” can then be absorbed more quickly.

Mostly, so-called BCAAs are offered in this category. BCAA stands for branched chain aminoacid. These are essential for the human body and make up a large part of the composition of human muscles.

But even at first sight rather unusual protein sources are already available. For example, you can buy hemp or pea protein. Another point are so-called boosters. These are often caffeine-based drinks, which are supposed to lead to better concentration and higher performance during training by supplying the muscle better with blood and thus also with oxygen. This is generally supposed to enable the user to move larger weights, which in turn means a greater load and thus growth stimulus for the muscle.