Now although a lot of you out there are using these in
your everyday diet, some of you still don’t know why your using them or what
they are for and only take them for the simple fact that the big guy on the
free weights recommended them or the skinny girl on the treadmill is using
them. Today I’m going to clear up a few fact, myths and dangers behind some of
the most popular supplements.
Firstly, supplements are not to be used instead of
elements of your diet. For example, because you are using a protein shake,
don’t use this instead of eating chicken. The clue is in the name ‘supplement’,
in definition means adding, so therefore just adding to your diet, not
replacing. On a macronutrient level it is much better quality of nutrients in
good well produced food rather than supplements. There are many different
reasons for people to use supplements, a few of these include, poor diet, poor
appetite, vegetarian, recovery but in my career most people are taking them
only from recommendation from somebody else, or heard they should be taking it.
Protein
powders – remember your body can only absorb roughly
30g of protein at any one time, protein
powders boasting high amounts of protein is unnecessary as a lot of it will be
wasted or converted into fat.
Whey protein – this is the most common protein many of
you will have heard of. Whey protein is the best protein to have post exercise
within 15 minutes to rebuild muscle tissue as it is fast acting and quickly
absorbed.
Casein protein – This is one you may not have heard of
but still a great supplement. Casein protein is a slow releasing protein which
is not absorbed quickly like whey, this means it is great as a shake before bed
as it will slowly continue to feed your body and muscle growth throughout the
night.
Blend proteins – This is also another great protein as it
has the best of both, fast and slow releasing proteins which make it good if
budget is tight.
Weight
gainers – As a product these weight gainers normally
contain high amounts of calories for athletes such as bodybuilders as it can be
difficult for them to eat the amounts of calories needed for their muscle
growth. Many people use these as a ‘quick fix’ to get big but many end up with
excess body fat due to incorrect training. When mixed with a good diet and good training some good muscle
gains can be made.
Creatine
– This is a popular supplement among gym goers and fitness
enthusiasts as it appears to show great gains. Firstly rapid muscle growth,
this is not necessarily muscle. Creatine has a great water retention ability to
make your muscles appear bigger. Secondly, creatine is a natural substance that
is already produced by your body for your explosive energy system. Creatine is
only active in the muscles for 1 – 3 seconds for a lift before having to wait
for it to fill the muscles again. So, good for explosive power lifters, not
good for the average gym goer trying to gain lean muscle. Also creatine in
excess has proven in the past to have detrimental side effects damaging the
liver.
Fat
burners – although these tablets will burn fat, they
can be extremely dangerous to your health. They work by raising your heart rate
to elevated levels using stimulants such as caffeine, this is extremely bad for
your heart as it is not designed to be under pressure for consistant long
periods of time. Users have reported side effects such as, chest pains, stomach
cramps, headaches and tingling in fingers and toes.
Multivitamins
- Eating enough food that will supply your body
with the recommended daily value of nutrients your body needs is possible. Although we all know this can be difficult if
you’re on the go. A good multivitamin will have your RDA to allow you to
recover, boost your immune system and help your body to function.
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