Supplementation is essential for sports performance and overall well-being. Some of the supplements that you’ll find on a website like Reviewingthis will help you with your performance, while others, such as the NEURO-PEAK brain supplement will help your brain operate more effectively. Whether you are an Olympic athlete or a recreational athlete, food supplements will be beneficial. Websites like https://slinkyslender.com/ultra-omega-burn-review/ mean that you can check out some reviews on the latest supplements, before you buy them. The number of supplements available is substantial and would require an entire book to go through, but for the purpose of this article, we’ll go through the most essential supplements that you need.
Let’s break down supplements into essential and non-essential. The essential supplements will sustain your health and well-being while non-essential supplements are used for optimizing performance.
ESSENTIALS
Whey Protein
Whey protein is the by-product of cheese production, so yes it is natural. Protein is the main building block of your muscles and it’s the main macronutrient that helps in building and repairing your tissues and bones. It’s best if you take your protein shake right after your workout and early in the morning as a meal replacement. Whey protein comes in three main forms: concentrate, isolate and blends. If this is something that you are interested in taking then you can check out protein powder uk here.
Whey concentrate is the pure by-product of cheese production without removing the carbohydrate and fat content. Usually, this type is the cheapest since it contains the dreaded macronutrient: fats.
Whey isolate is the result of removing fats and carbs from whey concentrate, so you are left with protein only or protein with very small amounts of fats and carbs. This is the most expensive type since everyone wants a fat-free product.
Whey blend is as simple as it sounds. It’s a mix of both, and sometimes other types of protein can be added like casein, a slow digestion protein that is used before bed to fuel the body during sleep.
Multivitamins
Multivitamins are almost always ignored by everyone, but when you think about it, without the essential vitamins and minerals, your body will cease to function. Vitamins and mineral are responsible for every bodily function you can possibly imagine, starting from muscle contractions during workouts to how your internal organs function.
Fish Oil
Fish oil is simply Omega-3 – yes, the one you find in fish, especially salmon, that’s why they call it fish oil. This supplement is extremely beneficial as it helps reduce inflammation. This means less soreness and better performance. Fish oil has many other benefits as well, like boosting memory, better cardiovascular health, lower possibility of heart disease and increased fat loss.
BCAA
BCAA stands for branched chain amino acids and this refers to three types of essential amino acids that the body can’t produce and that have to be provided either through food or supplements. The three amino acids are called leucine, valine and isoleucine and their main function is recovery and revitalizing the body. Drink your BCAA during your workout or right after to keep fueling your body.
NON-ESSENTIAL
Pre-Workout Boosters
These products are used to increase focus, reduce fatigue during the workout and increase the blood flow for nutrient transfer to the muscles. There are different products that serve the same purpose and they include ingredients like caffeine, arginine and nitric oxide. There are two downsides to this type of supplement: It increases your heart rate and blood pressure during training and if taken at night, it might cause insomnia.
Creatine
Creatine, as ancient as Greek mythology, has been around forever. All athletes have used creatine at some point during their training. Creatine is basically used during strength cycles and it has been proven that it can contribute to strength gains up to 5%. A lot of people have argued against the safety of creatine, but it has been proven to be very safe as long as your water intake is sufficient.
Weight Gainers
These are very famous among hard gainers, or people who want to gain weight desperately. What’s the main difference between gainers and whey protein? The answer is the carbohydrates and fats content. Gainers have a huge amount of carbs, fats and calories; a serving can contain up to 1250 calories! The downside to these products is that the serving contains a lot of powder, which makes it hard to mix with water or milk, and after mixing, it’s very thick and dense.
Testosterone Boosters
These products are fun to try if you want increased muscularity and strength without injecting synthetic anabolic steroids. These products contain compounds that help you increase the testosterone hormone naturally. If you don’t already know, testosterone is the main anabolic hormone in the body responsible for building muscles, bones, ligaments, increased strength and sex drive.
Fat Burners
It’s obvious from the name that these products help your body burn fat. Some of these products work on increasing the body’s temperature, which increases your metabolism, leading to fat loss. Other types of fat burners work on suppressing appetite so you would eat less and lose weight. Some products mainly work as carb blockers to reduce your blood sugar level and help in fat loss. Also, you can find products that combine all of that.
There are hundreds of thousands of products in the market, so before buying any product, make sure you read reviews about it on trusted websites that share users’ experiences. These reviews talk about how good the product is, how it tastes and any problems faced, which is seriously beneficial.
Forget about the sales guy standing in the supplement store, he just wants to sell the product. Always rely on a trusted friend, professional or informed reviews on the Internet.
As for the amount you should use for each supplement, let’s agree that the instructions on the label are your only reference. If you friend is taking 10 pills and the label says take only five, then advise your friend to stop because he’s hurting himself. Finally, supplements are really good for you, so it’s about time you start trying the essentials out and experience the major difference in your everyday activities.
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