Exercise is one of the best ways to get fit and healthy. To reap the benefits of exercise you need to ensure proper diet and nutrition, because to gain muscle and strength, diet plays a key role. And it holds aptly true for a person who is into competitive bodybuilding or looking to build muscle and body.
Competitive bodybuilding is a serious sport which requires quite a bit more effort than bodybuilding for physique or appearance. When you start bodybuilding competitively, every muscle in your body needs to be sculpted while preserving its aesthetic appeal. This is why you need supplements because you may need a strict diet and all essential nutrients to gain that physique. But the million dollar question is which supplements to pick as the market is loaded with bodybuilding supplements. Well, we are here to help you out!
What Are Bodybuilding Supplements?
Bodybuilding supplements are specially designed for people with physically demanding lifestyles. For example, bodybuilders, athletes, martial arts professionals, physical trainers or even sportspeople. The main aim of these nutritionally loaded supplements is to suffice the specific need of the person by providing all the essential nutrients. Moreover, they are also loaded with several benefits. Here are some of the most obvious benefits of using bodybuilding supplements:
– To increase muscle gain for competitive bodybuilding which needs a very high quantity of protein which is not possible via regular, albeit healthy, meals.
– To repair the constant tearing of muscles which needs a higher concentration of amino acids and other regenerative nutrients available in supplements.
Best Supplements for Muscle Growth
Merely knowing about the different types of bodybuilding supplements available in the market won’t suffice if your aim is to gain mass and improve your performance. You need to be aware about how these supplements work and which fits your bill to achieve your target. So here we list down some of the best bodybuilding supplements for muscle growth and strength that you can take note of!
1. Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine is a chemical already present in muscles which gives your body the energy needed during intensive physical work such as weightlifting. Using supplements that provide creatine monohydrate to the body is crucial when weightlifting competitively as they boost your energy and endurance[1]. Moreover, creatine supplementation can increase the availability of creatine and phosphocreatine and also speed up the recovery process between sets. Long term supplementation can not only improve resistance training but all overall performance and strength.
Talk a qualified nutritionist before you buy weight gain supplements!
2. Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
BCAAs consist of three major amino acids namely leucine, isoleucine and valine. These are particularly important for muscle growth and strength. Although found in most protein food sources like eggs, meat and fish, most people take it in the form of supplement to meet their needs. They are the single best supplement for alleviating post-workout soreness and muscle damage. They inhibit the body’s protein degradation and increase the synthesis of proteins in the body. Taking 100 milligrams of BCAAs per kilogram of bodyweight daily is the recommended dosage[2].
3. Weight gainers
These are weight gain supplements primarily used by and recommended to those who struggle to gain weight. For example, people with high basal metabolic rate are unable to gain weight despite consuming a large number of calories. Hence, weight gainers which provide more proteins and calories are ideal for such people.
The calorie content of weight gainer supplement varies; however, one serving can provide up to 1000 calories making them popular weight gain supplements. These are great for pre-workout and post-workout session due to the high protein and carbohydrate content. It is the carbohydrates that are responsible for the calories and not the proteins.
Check out some of the best weight gainers in India.
4. Whey Protein
Whey protein is rich in BCAAs and gets digested very quickly making it ideal for consumption after a heavy workout[3]. Whey protein is a natural protein found in milk along with casein and in its concentrated form can significantly fast-track the body’s response to physical stress. There are a plethora of whey-protein rich supplements available in the market, but the best ones are the ones with digestive enzymes in them. Ideally, the best time to consume whey is within an hour after a workout with an ideal dosage of 20g[2]. However, this dosage is for people who train or exercise regularly.
5. Glutamine
Glutamine is another amino acid that helps the body deal with the physical stress of heavy bodybuilding. It removes any excess ammonia that gets collected in your body when you exercise excessively or for competitive bodybuilding[4]. Excess ammonia in the body can severely imbalance the acid-base equilibrium that should exist in the body. Ideally, 20-30 grams of glutamine is recommended per day which includes consuming 10 grams post-workout.
If you are a competitive bodybuilder, just working out is not enough to get the desired results. You may need the help of these supplements and pick the one that best suits your needs from the lot. mentioned above are just the tip of the iceberg. Check out the wide range of bodybuilding supplements available online that can provide you the necessary boost.
(The article is reviewed by Dr. Swati Mishra, Medical Editor)
Recommended Reads:
What Are Weight Gain Supplements (Weight Gainers)?
Too Thin To Fit In Those Pants? 7 Foods To Have For A Healthy Weight Gain!
References:
1. Kerksick C, Wilborn C, Campbell W, et al. The Effects of Creatine Monohydrate Supplementation With and Without D-Pinitol on Resistance Training Adaptations. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2009;23(9).
2. Shimomura Y, Inaguma A, Watanabe S, Yamamoto Y, Muramatsu Y, Bajotto G et al. Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplementation before Squat Exercise and Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 2010;20(3).
3. Naclerio F. Effectiveness of Whey Protein Supplement in Resistance Trained Individuals. Journal of Sports Medicine & Doping Studies. 2013;03(03).
4. Roth E. Nonnutritive Effects of Glutamine. The Journal of Nutrition. 2008;138(10).