Although there are many supplements that claim to increase muscle mass, elite physiques require hard training and careful nutrition. Supplements are only the frosting on the cake.
These science-backed supplements will help you to get your body back once your nutrition and training are in place. These three items can help you gain weight, and they are the good kind.
Here are the essential facts!
Creatine
Creatine, a substance that naturally occurs in our muscles cells, is one of the main sources of cellular power. Creatine, or the creatine phosphate-energy system, is what you use to power your movements.
Creatine has been used as a supplement since the 1990s and has been the subject of hundreds of studies. There are many forms of creatine, but none have been proven to be as effective and cost-effective as creatine monohydrate.
Creatine Supplementation: Benefits
- Strength training can increase lean muscle mass.
- Muscle strength increases
- Exercise-induced inflammation is reduced and muscle soreness is decreased
- Training results in improved blood flow
- Performance improvements during intense training
Although athletes often follow a loading protocol that involves 25g per day for five days, it is not essential. However, as Ciaran Fairman explains in the article “Do You Need to Load with Creatine?” you can get the same benefits with just 5 grams per day. This may avoid mild side effects such as stomach pain or weight gain. You must take it regularly. Do not skip it!
Dosage Recommendation:5 grams can be taken at your convenience. It can help you remember to take half your daily intake pre-workout and half afterward.
Beta-Alanine
Beta-alanine, a non-essential amino acids that naturally occurs in the body, is introduced to the body by eating foods high in protein. Beta-alanine (BA), which is able to increase intra-muscular carnosine levels, has a performance-enhancing effect. Supplementation can increase beta-alanine levels by more than 60 percent in just four weeks.
This is important because high-intensity exercise can cause our bodies to accumulate large amounts of hydrogen ions. This causes the blood pH level to drop. Acidification can lead to severe fatigue, decreased muscle performance, and a shorter time before you reach muscular failure. Lactic acid is often caused by hydrogen.
Beta-alanine acts as a buffer to prevent ions from building up in your blood. This allows you to do more reps, stay longer in your workout, and maximize your long-term gains.
Beta-Alanine Supplementation: Benefits
- During intense training, you may experience fatigue.
- Training volume has increased
- Increased power production
- Muscle building is increased
- Enhanced endurance during intense training
- Creatinine’s effectiveness is increased and vice versa
Go Now Recommendation: You should consume 4-6 grams daily. Beta-alanine must be taken on a regular basis to make it work. Your pre-workout may not give you all the information you need. To reduce the skin-tingling sensations that can occur with higher doses, you might consider taking it in smaller amounts throughout the day.
Whey Protein
The post-workout whey proteins shake is the best supplement to say “I’m an athlete.” It’s a good choice. Whey Protein provides the body with high levels of protein and amino acid that can jump-start the anabolic processes.
Whey is best consumed after a workout in order to increase protein synthesis. However, Nick Coker wrote that it can also be used before training.
Whey Protein Supplementation has Many Benefits
- Fast digestion and easier absorption than other protein sources
- Increased muscle mass, especially if taken after-workout
- You will feel fuller and have a better appetite control.
- It contains more leucine than any other source of protein
Dosage Recommendation:You should consume between 20 and 30 grams of whey proteins per day, before or after your workout. It can be used as a meal substitute or to increase your protein intake. However, supplemental protein should not replace your main source of protein. Still, you should get most of your nutrients from food.Protein from food.
Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAA).
Branching-chained amino acid (BCAAs) are another category of muscle-building supplements used by bodybuilders and lifters to increase their results. Only three of the 20 amino acids that comprise protein are called BCAAs. They are leucine (isoleucine) and valine. These amino acids have been proven to increase protein synthesis and regulate protein metabolism.
BCAA Supplementation has many benefits
- Increased muscle protein synthesis
- Exercise can reduce muscle damage
- Exercise can reduce muscle soreness
- Exercise endurance can be improved
Dosage Recommendation: Consume 3-6 grams of leucine before and during exercise. The best ratio for leucine to valine is two to one. Krissy Kendall, Ph.D. explains it in”The Top 7 Supplements that Boost Endurance Performance”BCAAs are just as effective for endurance athletes such as runners, rowers, cyclists, and swimmers as they are for bodybuilders and lifters.
Caffeine
Preworkout formulas often include caffeine to ensure you are able to work out at your best. Caffeine can help you get pumped up to work out. It can also lower your feelings of fatigue, exertion, and post-workout soreness.
Pre-workout supplements can help you train harder and keep your mind and body engaged for a longer time. A caffeine jolt could make all the difference in a workout that builds or maintains muscle.
- Caffeine Supplementation: Benefits
- Motivation to work out is improved
- Sensible exertion decreases
- Muscle fatigue delayed
- Greater endurance