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Part 1
A Beginner's Guide to Sports Supplements
Protein Powders
One of the most popular products on the bodybuilding market. Protein is required to build muscle, without a good, steady supply of protein your muscles will not grow. Excellent food sources of protein include fish, poultry, milk and eggs. Protein Powders, usually mixed with milk or water, offer a nutritional shake / drink that is high in protein and relatively low in fat and carbohydrate. Protein shakes are often used for convience more than anything, though when consuming large amounts of protein daily, some people find it easier and less filling to drink it rather than eat it.
Various types of protein powder are available including Egg Protein, Soy Protein, Milk Protein and Whey Protein. Whey protein is acknowledged as one of the best sources of quality protein due to it's high biological value (The measure of efficiency). Protein shakes are usually available in a variety of flavours and the only way to find a flavour / brand that suits you it to try them.
Over the last couple of years, Protein Bars have become popular. These are snack bars (often coated lightly in chocolate) which are high in protein. Most protein bars also have quite a high sugar / carbohydrate content but a variety of low carb bars have slowly begun to appear on the market.
Amino Acid Tablets
Amino acids are the building blocks which make up protein. It was suggested that taking amino acids directly would be more efficient than digesting protein. Amino acid tablets are less popular today than when they first appeared, but are still widely available.
Carbohydrate Supplements
Our body uses carbohydrates as a primary energy source. There are many carbohydrate supplements available on the market such as Maltodextrin and are usually taken with milk or water..
Weight Gainers
Weight gainers are high calorie shakes / drinks used to aid or supplement your calorific intake to ensure it is sufficient for growth. Early weight gainers were loaded with sugar but as technology has improved, so has the quality of the supplements, the majority of todays weight gainers use
complex carbohydrates. Many people like to manufacture their own weight gainers by mixing a protein powder and a complex carbohydrate supplement, such as Maltodextrin, together in a single shake.
Meal Replacement Powders (MRP's)
Very similar to weight gaining powders, but have greater nutritional value via additional vitamins and minerals. A number of companies have started supplying MRP's in sachets or small packets. Whilst these offer convenience over larger tubs, they are often more expensive. Your choice would depend on your priorities.
Creatine
Creatine Monohydrate is one of the most talked about sports supplements of the last few years, especially in the media. Creatine is not a drug, but rather a substance that naturally occurs in muscle tissue. Creatine is a combination of 3 amino acids; arginine, glycine and methionine. It can also be found in high quantities in some foods (Tuna, Herring and Beef), though not high enough to be beneficial to be considered a method of supplementation. Creatine monydrate, the supplement form of Creatine, is a white, flavourless and odourless powder.
Creatine helps provide the energy our muscles need to move, particularly quick and explosive movements. Muscle contractions within the body are initially fuelled by ATP (adenosine tri-phosphate ). Our bodies have only a limited supply of ATP and can provide energy for only a short time before failure. Supplementation with Creatine increases the rate at which the body can supply ATP and hence allows an extra burst of energy. In basic terms,
creatine supplementation will allow you to lift more weight, or push out an extra couple of reps.
Creatine has been linked via anecdotal evidence to muscle cramps and headaches. Scientific studies have yet to substaniate these claims. Approximately 5% of people are non-responders, usually due to abnormally high levels of creatine in their skeletal structure.
Ribose
One of the newest supplements on the market. Ribose is a carbohydrate used in our body's energy production. The body only has a limited supply of ribose at any single time and there is no known food that increases the body's ribose levels. Supplementation with Ribose helps rebuild the body's energy levels much quicker after an intense workout. It is used to convert nutrients in ATP and research has shown that ribose increases ATP production in both fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscles.
Still relatively new, Ribose has yet to prove itself as a valuable supplement, longterm.
L-Glutamine
Glutamine is a non-essential amino acid which has a unique structure. It is the primary transporter of nitrogen into the muscle cell and is responsible for 35% of the nitrogen that reaches the muscle cells where it is synthesized for growth. Many research studies have shown that supplementation with L-Glutamine can achieve the following:
Increased Protein Synthesis which, in basic terms means the ability to build muscle. It spares muscle tissue being catabolized (broken down) in order to provide glutamine for other cells in the body, therefore allowing the muscle tissue to use glutamine to synthesize new protein tissue. Catabolism occurs when Glutamine leaves the muscle causing the cells to discharge water and become dehydrated. L-Glutamine supplementation ensures that high levels of Glutamine are maintained within the cells meaning no discharge of water or Catabolism.
Prevent Glutamine depletion in muscles after workouts. Under periods of stress, including hard and intensive workouts, your body may not be able to make all of the Glutamine that it requires. Studies have shown that supplementing with L-glutamine is effective in the replacement of these declining levels.
Elevate Growth Hormone levels. It has been proved that L-Glutamine supplementation can have a positive effect on growth hormone levels. Some studies have also shown that L-Glutamine may serve to boost our immune system.
Fat Loss Stacks
Especially popular around summer time, fat loss supplements are designed to accelerate fat loss when dieting. They are usually in capsule form, taken 3-4 times day. They are not magical pills, they are diet aids.
Many of these fat loss supplements are based around the Ephedrine, Caffiene, Asprin stack or their herbal equivalents. These thermogenic stacks work by increasing the heart rate thus allowing you to burn more calories throughout the day. People with previous heart problems should be careful of such supplements. Some of the latest stacks raise your metabolism but not via your heart, thereby making them a safer alternative.
Pro-Hormones
Prohormones are precursors to testosterone. In simple terms, prohormones are the closest legal sports supplement to anabolic steroids and large gains can be obtained from them. There are many diffierent types of Prohormones and the name can be long and confusing. If you are indoubt of which would be best for you, check with your supplier before purchase. Prohormones are not recommended as supplement for beginners.
HMB (beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate)
HMB is a metabolite of the branched chain amino acid Leucine. It is not a steroid or a drug and can be found in many foods (vegetables and meat). It is also manufactured by the body. HMB appears to increase the body's ability to build muscle and burn fat and has been shown to have a positive effect on protein metabolism. HMB is a supplement which causes much controversy. Many regard it as a useless supplement and a waste of money whilst other people swear by the use of HMB. The only way to find out for yourself it to try it.
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