When you're shopping for pre-workout supplements or post-workout ones, keep in mind that it is ingredients that pack the real value more than the brand itself. If you happen to be starting out on your gym journey, shop exclusively for gym supplement products for beginners. These come bearing little to no physical risks or upsets.
In this blog, we're going to cover two distinct supplement-based benefits for fitness enthusiasts. Trainers and experts in the field recommend some or all of these supplements. Again, it comes down to the type of exercise regimen you aim to perform.
Gym Supplements For Muscle Gains
You'll need energy and endurance for muscle gain exercises. Pre-workout online supplements are the best options for this demand. Exercisers are generally asked to take one or two of these supplements 15-30 minutes before they start working out. Some supplements even come designed to consume during regimens.
Let's explore three of the most popular pre-workout supplement ingredients out there.
- Beta-Alanine
Produced in the liver, this amino acid can be found in food sources like meat, poultry, and fish.
- The recommended dosage is 4–6 grams per day for about 2–4 weeks.
- High-intensity exercises lasting a few or more minutes stand to gain from this ingredient.
- Such exercises include high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and short sprints.
- If you're an older adult, you'll certainly appreciate the reduced neuromuscular fatigue this supplement is known to provide.
- It improves muscle carnosine concentrations. Carnosine is a proton buffer, meaning it reduces muscle acidity during high-intensity regimens, thus reducing fatigue.
- A commonly observedside-effect of this ingredient is paresthesia, or skin tingling sensations.
- To counter this, lower doses are often recommended. You can also choose sustained release instead of rapid release formulations.
This ingredient helps you exercise for longer, thus resulting in better muscle gains over time.
- Caffeine
A popular organic stimulant for workout purposes, caffeine promotes both energy and focus in good measure.
- It supports athletic performance for short-term high intensity regimens.
- It also serves endurance-based activities quite well.
- You will need to check with your doctor before using supplements containing caffeine.
- Most quality studies in this regard observed high-performance athletes.
- In biological terms, caffeine has proven to increases the release of endorphins.
- It also improves neuromuscular function, alertness, and vigilance.
- It also does not make you feel as though you are exerting yourself too much.
In some people, it has shown side-effects like nausea, anxiety, and insomnia, which is why we again suggest you consult with your doctor before opting for caffeine gym supplements.
III. Creatine
This naturally occurring compound resides in skeletal muscles and is synthesized in the body via amino acids, which are obtained from seafood and red meat.
- Your muscles gain energy thanks to the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) produced with the help of this ingredient.
- Creatine has proven to enhance athletic performance, particularly for weight training purposes.
- Some research has also observed that this ingredient (in supplement form) supports muscle availability of natural creatine.
- This in turn enhances exercise capacity and training potential in not only adolescents and younger adults but also older adults.
- The ingredient has direct connections to increased training volume, meaning the ability to perform more repetitions using the same weight(s).
- This can result in greater increases in lean mass and muscle strength/power.
- Creatine can also stimulate muscle glycogen levels.
It is not deemed apt for those with bipolar disorders or kidney disease. It also has a few 'body water' gain issues, so talk to your doctor before choosing this ingredient as one of your daily gym supplements.
Gym Supplements For Weight Loss
All the best gym supplements include the promise of weight loss. It is a no-brainer for fitness enthusiasts who, at some point in their lives, desire to lose weight. Post-workout supplements are ideal for this sort of demand. Any quality supplements website will have an adequate range of weight loss alternatives for you to select from.
Let's explore four of the most popular post-workout supplement ingredients out there.
- Carbohydrates
Following any rigorous workout, your glycogen levels need to be replenished. Adequate carb intake helps ensure this.
- Carbs are needed for optimum muscle recovery between workouts.
- Exercise performance has shown to increase when there is enough muscle glycogen content.
- As a supplement ingredient, carbohydrates are ideal for strenuous or tough workout regimens.
- Such exercises include: interval training, basketball, running, swimming, soccer, and bicycling.
- Recommended carb dosage: 6–12 grams per kg body weight per day.
Carbs are best for moderate to high intensity workouts, so plan your supplement shopping accordingly.
- Protein
Protein in supplements can be considered a 'key component' in sundry fitness routines.
- The best exercises to benefit from protein supplementation include endurance training (long-distance bicycling) and resistance training (weight lifting).
- Protein helps optimize muscle protein synthesis, which is a natural physical process required for muscle recovery and growth.
- Major sources of protein in supplements include: casein, whey, soy, pea, and hemp.
Several factors depend on the person and their particular workouts, so be sure to check with your trainer and doctor before adopting protein in your daily gym supplement.
III. Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
Of the nine essential amino acids, three of them possess chemical structures that have a side-chain with 'branches'. These are basically central carbon atoms bound to three or more carbon atoms.
- Leucine, isoleucine, and valine are the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) found in various supplements.
- Protein-rich foods like red meat, chicken, eggs, and fish are rich in BCAAs.
- This ingredient blend is significant for muscle protein synthesis.
- Leucine in particular has proven to promote protein synthesis and suppressits breakdown.
- BCAAs also accelerate the repair of muscle damage following vigorous exercise.
Check with your doctor, because BCAAs impart potentially negative effects on glucose metabolism and those with diabetes. They have a tendency to disrupt the normal functioning of insulin.
- Electrolytes
Almost everyone has heard of electrolytes, and many are knowledgeable about its beneficial effects in fitness regimens.
- Sodium, potassium, and calcium are the prime electrolytes an exercising body demands.
- These chemicals conduct natural electricity to your body once mixed with water and consumed post-workout.
- Aside from optimum hydration, electrolytes are also known to regulate nerve and muscle function by helping support ideal muscle contraction.
Exercise entails sweat, which is fluid containing natural electrolytes that are leaving the body. Electrolyte supplementation helps replenish those lost chemicals.
Conclusion
Pre- and post-workout supplements are not guaranteed to work, especially if you have certain pre-existing medical conditions or undiagnosed ones. This is precisely why we recommend consulting your physician or doctor for all or any of the supplements detailed in this blog.
If circumstances and your personal blood-work align with your preferred workout regimen, then some or most of these supplements can work wonders for you. Take time to do some research of your own before coming to a final decision.
Happy Workouts!