 Bodybuilding - Supplements |
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| Supplement | Description | What it does for you | ||
| Multi-Vitamin Multi-Mineral |
If we become even moderately deficient in any one of the 29 essential vitamins or minerals, our body will not function properly. Supplementation of a high-potency vitamin and mineral will act as a "safety-net", assuring proper intake of these indispensable nutrients. Vitamins and minerals are bio-active micronutrients involved in literally thousands of vital chemical reactions within the body. For example: Iron - Necessary for production of all red blood cells. Vitamin C - Vital co-factor in the synthesis of connective tissue. Vitamin E - Involved in production and protection of all cellular membranes. | See Description We Recommend: The Opti-Pack is the highest potency, best balanced vitamin formula in the world. The Opti-Pack is recommended to U.S. Elite Athletes.  Opti-Pack |
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| Creatine Check out a book on this supplement here |
Creatine is a biochemical, which is made in your body and stored in muscle cells. Creatine is a necessary substrate for producing useable energy in muscle cells. When muscles "fail" during intense exercise, such as lifting heavy weights, it is an indication that creatine energy reserves have been overwhelmed.
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By taking creatine monohydrate as a supplement it is possible to increase the level of creatine in muscle cells, thus increasing energy reserves. Studies have demonstrated that muscular endurance can be significantly extended after supplementation with creatine [1]. Saturating muscles with creatine also tends to cause a "cell-volumizing" effect, which actually expands the size of the muscle cell. This volumizing has been linked to enhanced muscle growth and greater strength. This natural nutrient is probably the best thing to hit the athletic supplement market in the last 25 years. | ||
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L-Glutamine |
This amino acid is the most abundant free-amino in muscle tissue. It is a necessary component of all cellular production and repair. You can think of glutamine much like the mortar in a brick house. Although glutamine is not considered an essential amino acid, it may be "conditionally" essential. When the body is stressed (through illness, injury, or intense exercise), it has a hard time creating enough glutamine to meet the body's demands. When this happens muscle tissue begins to breakdown, the immune system is weakened and other vital body functions are compromised. | It has been demonstrated that when patients are given glutamine following extensive surgery or severe injury, it is possible to help them recuperate more quickly and maintain muscle mass and a stronger immune system. Thus, supplemental glutamine is recommended for anyone who is enduring any type of physical stress.
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| Whey protein |
It has long been suggested, but only recently accepted, that people involved in consistent, intense exercise require more protein intake [2]. Studies have shown that the muscle-building effects of weight-training can be enhanced by a high-protein diet [3]. Whey protein has also been shown to stimulate and support the immune system and support glutathione (the most potent antioxidant made in the body) production [3,4].
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Whey protein is arguably one of the best protein sources available. It has a very high biological value, is low in fat and lactose, and contains a high percentage of branched-chain amino acids (good muscle fuel) as well as glutamine. In order to obtain the amount of protein necessary without consuming a lot of fats and antibiotics from animal products protein supplements can be very helpful. | ||
| HMB (beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate) |
Clinical research has demonstrated that when HMB is taken as a supplement it has the ability to protect muscle cells from excessive damage during intense exercise. The byproduct of this protection is enhance recuperation, increased muscle and strength gains, as well as enhanced fat loss [5,6]. HMB has also been shown to help lower cholesterol levels [7]. | This nutrient is relatively new to the supplement market. It is a metabolite of the amino acid leucine and is made naturally in the body. This product appears to work best for those who train at a very intense level. | ||
| CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) |
It is believed that CLA is a conditionally essential fatty acid. Much like glutamine, it appears to be very protective and helpful during times of physical stress, such as intense exercise. Preliminary animal studies have shown that supplementation with CLA can cause significant shifts in body composition, increase in lean mass and decreases in fat stores [9]. Not only can CLA help optimized exercise efforts, it has been shown in numerous studies to have some very potent anti-carcinogenic properties as well [10]. | This unique fatty acid is one of the newest products on the market. There is very little research in exercising humans to date, however some evidence does support the effectiveness of CLA in humans as well. | ||
| Post-workout carbohydrate/protein shake |
By consuming a high-carbohydrate, high-protein, low-fat shake right after exercise it is possible to optimize glycogen replacement as well as amino acid supply to the muscles. By doing so, recuperation is dramatically enhanced and muscle growth is supported. | A vital component of any exercise program is recuperation. If we don't support the recuperation process all of the weight-lifting in the world will do us no good. One of the most important aspects of recuperation promotion is proper feeding of the muscles. The best time to re-feed the muscles and begin the healing process is directly after a workout. Research has shown that directly after exercise, muscles are much more sensitive to replenishing depleted fuel stores [8]. | ||
| Vitamin C |
This water soluble vitamin has a multitude of functions in the body. Vitamin C provides strong antioxidant protection, immune system support and connective tissue production and repair. All of these are of great importance to someone involved in consistent exercise. Vitamin C also appears to have the ability to attenuate the production of cortisol secondary to intense exercise. Cortisol is one of the main catabolic (meaning it breaks down tissues) hormones in the body. By suppressing cortisol production vitamin C changes the cortisol to testosterone ratio, thus creating a more anabolic (tissue building) environment in the body. | See Description |
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