Who doesn’t get tempted to have a well sculpted body? However burning your flab is a herculean task which not only requires a well planned diet and exercise regime but also a strong self control and tremendous hard work. On the top of it, a dedicated trainer will help you stick to your goal. Amidst all the sweating, dieting and exertion, body building supplements are your all time companions. They increase your stamina; enhance muscle mass and help to indulge in intense work out with ease. Your health store offers a myriad of supplements for body building, and choosing the right one can be tedious. So, it is better to keep your knowledge updated and go for the best supplements for overall health benefits. Following are some of the popular supplements that body builders use.
CASEIN and WHEY PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS
Casein and Whey milk proteins exhibit their best chemistry to form a complete protein supplement for body builders. Whey peaks up faster and provided the much needed protein boost whereas casein delivers its amino acids slowly over 6 to 7 hours to maintain optimum protein levels. Also most of the casein whey supplements are allergen free and are suitable for people with lactose intolerance. Casein-whey proteins are primarily present in protein shakes that are powdered body building supplements and can be mixed in milk or juices.
CREATINE
Do you practice high intensity gym exercises? If yes, then creatine is just your cup of tea! Creatine acts as a battery and replenishes the ATP in your body, thus keeping your energy levels gushed up. It is considered one of the most efficient supplements. Although it is found in meat naturally but if you are a vegetarian, you might have to consider creatine supplementation. So, before you jump out to order your body building supplements enriched with creatine, remember to pick up creatine monohydrate for maximum benefits.
POST-WORKOUT DRINKS
If you love protein shakes, you will certainly like to try these out. Post work out drinks contain simple sugars and other nutrients that promote muscular growth. Whey is the major protein found in these supplements and sugars help in the rapid absorption of this protein by the muscles. As the post work out drinks help in the rapid delivery of amino acids to the muscles, a drink before hitting the gym can boost up your energy levels and improve your stamina. And if you are worried about the sugar intake through these drinks, remember that any sugar consumed within 3 hours of rigorous physical training don’t add up to your fat! So guzzle the body building post work out drinks sans tension.
MULTI-MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS
You cannot afford to run out of minerals during the body building regime. Minerals help to activate several enzymes in the body. Also, as most of the vitamins are coenzymes, they are rendered useless without minerals. They interact with various hormones such as insulin, testosterone and growth hormone which are required for a healthy metabolism and growth. During physical exercises, you tend to lose a major portion of minerals in sweating or in other ways. Hence, include mineral supplements for body building so that you don’t miss out on these essential nutrients.
GREEN TEA
Rejuvenate yourself before or after the work out with the goodness of green tea. Green tea has maximum amount of anti oxidants as compared to any other beverage. Loaded with catechins, which are several times stronger in antioxidant activity than Vitamin C and Vitamin E, green tea makes the best beverage during strenuous work outs. However if green tea fails to lure you, you can go for tablets enriched with green tea to enjoy its benefits.
FIBER SUPPLEMENTS
Don’t miss out on fiber in the race for a well built body. You may be keeping all the essential nutrients in check but fiber just can’t be ignored. It helps in better absorption of food, lowers body inflammation, reduces blood pressure levels and also maintains blood glucose levels. So, if you are endorsing a low fiber diet, add fiber supplements such as wheat bran, oatmeal, pectin, guar gum etc. to your diet plan. Or else include at least five servings a day of various fruits and vegetables in your meals. Fiber supplements are useful in body building as they maintain a healthy metabolism which is a prerequisite for building up your muscles.
Apart from all the above supplements, taking ample of antioxidants with your meals can be quite beneficial. Citrus fruits and colored vegetables are rich sources of antioxidants. You can also consult your doctor on consuming glutathione and chondroitin supplements to relieve you from exercise-induced joint pains. Also, take extra care of your diet to remain healthy. So, go ahead and chart out your body building schedule and enjoy a toned up physique.