Let's say you'd like to lose some fat and a little muscle wouldn't hurt either. You already eat healthy, regular cardio and you also see the pressure bench once a week, so you start looking for some nutritional supplements.
Immediately you are overwhelmed by a plethora of choices and alternatives, each with an even more difficult name to pronounce than the other. So how do you know where to start? Don't worry, these six supplements all have scientific backing and you should strongly consider them in your quest for physical perfection.
- Multivitamins
- glutamine
- CLA
- protein
- creatine
- Amino acids
1 – Multivitamins
Do you ever hear your own body talking? Probably not, but if you could, you'd be told that training takes a lot out of you. This includes the loss of vitamins that you need to keep yourself healthy. Research shows that many people who train intensively and also want to stick to a specific body weight often have a vitamin deficiency. You can prevent that loss with a good multivitamin . Therefore, start the day with such a supplement, but take the recommended amount and no more.
2 – Glutamine
Do you feel exhausted or even sick of all that training? In that case, glutamine could help reduce inflammation and the risk of infection, according to a team from the University of Trieste. Glutamine also seems to stimulate muscle growth by regulating your body's glycogen levels, according to researchers at the University of Dundee.
3 – Conjugated Linoleic Acid
You can immediately replace that with the much easier CLA ( conjugated linolic acid ). Did you think all fat is bad? Not really. CLA contains omega fatty acids, also known as 'good fat'. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have found, in a study published in the Journal of International Society of Sports Nutrition , that CLA helps you lose weight and maintain muscle mass. In this study, 71 participants who took CLA lost an average of three pounds. Make sure you get omega fatty acids in your diet or with a supplement.
4 – Protein Bars and Powders
If asked, any expert will confirm: protein before and after a workout is essential to stimulate muscle growth. Unfortunately, few are able to arrange a meal shortly before or after that workout. That's what protein bars and powders are for. Quickly eat something before you go for a walk? Forget that fatty unhealthy bite and grab a bar that is full of high-quality proteins plus the necessary carbohydrates and essential fatty acids. Do you have some more time? Then make a refreshing protein shake .
5 – Creatine
Do you want more strength and muscle mass? Try creatine . After an eight-week study, a group of Canadian scientists concluded that insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), known to have anabolic effects in adults, increased by more than 20% in participants taking creatine. . Beware of excessive use as various side effects have been observed. According to the European Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, three grams per day is a safe amount.
6 – Branched Chain Amino Acids
The international abbreviation is easier and better known: BCAAs, Branched-Chain Amino Acids. Do you have muscle aches and fatigue but are you not losing as much fat as you hoped? Then you should try BCAAs. Researchers at the University of Birmingham recently discovered that taking BCAAs before and after a workout greatly reduces muscle soreness . BCAAs consist of the essential amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine and make up about 1/3 of all essential amino acids and about 70% of protein in muscle. read our note: best calf exercises for mass