Creatine
If there’s one supplement that you have to take, it should be creatine. According to research, creatine can improve strength, power and muscle size. It is naturally produced in the body from three amino acids (proteins) and can be found in meat and fish, but not in sufficient quantities to boost muscle building on its own, thus the need for a supplement. Creatine provides more of the high energy releasing chemical compound phosphor-creatine into your muscles, allowing you to train more intensely. Take a loading dose, generally recommended to be 5g, four times a day for five days and then a maintenance dose of 2g a day for a month. Once the month is up you will get no further loading benefits and should cease use for a further month, before starting the process again.
Protein Supplements
Weight training breaks down muscle protein. Optimum protein replacement (and recovery) is needed to maintain and build bigger muscles. Aim to take on 1.5-1.7g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
Weight Gain Supplements
If your goal is to maximize your potential to build muscle, increase your calorie consumption to provide energy for your training and sufficient muscle building materials. Your normal calorific consumption won’t be enough to achieve your workout goals. A weight gain supplement can be useful because of the hundreds of additional calories it packs. These usually combine quick digesting whey protein with equally quick energy releasing carbs. Some also contain specific fats that are calorie dense, good energy suppliers and less likely to be turned into body fat
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HMB (Beta-Hydroxy Beta-Methylbutyrate)
HMB is produced in the body from proteins. The few foods that contain HMB are grapefruit and catfish. It can increase muscle size and strength and decrease body fat. According to research, it can reduce muscle soreness. The recommended dose is 3g a day.
Fat Burners
Fat burners are designed to elevate the body’s metabolic rate and mobilize fat as an energy source. Many of them contain the stimulants caffeine and guarana. However, fat burners are avoided because regular training and a balanced diet will up your metabolic rate by as much as 20 per cent, which will already help burn fat naturally.
Glutamine
Found in muscle cells and is crucial for optimum immune system functioning, Glutamine is made from amino acids. It should be taken immediately after exercise and again within two hours after your initial intake. However, according to research, Glutamine claimed benefits is much less consistent compared to that produced for creatine, for example. The recommended glutamine dose is 2-3g per day. If you are taking a protein supplement then you will invariably be increasing your body’s glutamine stores in any case (look either for glutamine or glutamic acid as part of the product’s content).
