Supplements for building muscle

Supplements respectively food supplements are substances that in addition to the daily diet be fed to Compensate for nutritional deficiencies or one targeted nutrient density to accomplish. This is the largest area of ​​application for the supplements Bodybuilding. Various products are used to achieve the Muscle building to support or achieve increased amounts of calories. There are many different uses for supplements, for example Muscle building products (e.g. Protein powder, Creatine, amino acids), for the Weight gain and to Weight loss support (e.g. L-carnitine, Guarana).

In order to support muscle building, personal nutrition needs to be optimized, if necessary with nutritional supplements. The diet when building muscle includes, in particular, increasing the intake of calories and proteins. The basal metabolic rate is usually increased through exercise, which means that more calories are consumed than the body needs.

It is not possible to make general recommendations for supplements because it is difficult to make definitive statements about the effectiveness of supplements for the rapid and permanent qualitative build-up of muscle mass. An unhealthy and unbalanced diet can in no case be replaced by dietary supplements.

Read more on the topic: You can recognize a magnesium deficiency by these symptoms

Selection of muscle building supplements

There are a variety of supplements on the market that are designed to help build muscle.

• These include, for example, supplements with the ingredient creatine. Creatine is an endogenous amino acid that is made from other amino acids in the human body. Creatine increases physical performance during strength training, especially with short-term intense physical exertion, as it improves the transport of nutrients into the muscle cells, which promotes muscle building.
• The so-called BCAA (branched-chain / essential amino acids) are also among the most popular supplements to support muscle building.
  The BCAA consist of the essential amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine, which cannot be produced by the body but must be taken in through diet.
• Read more on the subject: BCAA - you have to pay attention to this!
  BCAA's are primarily anti-catabolic, which means that they prevent muscle breakdown when the body has to fall back on the body's own protein reserves. BCAA are therefore sensible to take after training.
• Read more on the subject at: BCAA to build muscle
• L-glutamine is the amino acid that makes up about 60 percent of the muscles' own amino acids. L-glutamine can be produced by the body itself, but this amount is probably not enough to achieve an anabolic (building up body tissue, e.g. muscles) and regenerative effects. In combination with short-chain carbohydrates, the supplementation of glutamine can support muscle building and the regeneration phase.
• Protein supplements are also used as supplements to help build muscle. The so-called whey protein is made from fresh milk and mainly consists of very short-chain amino acids. They can lead to an increase and maintenance of muscle mass.
• Casein is a rather long-chain protein that is taken in the evening before sleep, as it is used relatively slowly.
• Soy protein and egg protein products are an alternative for athletes with lactose intolerance.
  Please also read: Protein powder for muscle building
• Carbohydrates can also be supplied in the form of dietary supplements. Carbohydrates (sugar, e.g. maltodextrin) are mainly offered in products for weight gain.
• L-arginine, beta-alanine, and L-taurine are popular amino acids mainly used by bodybuilders for building muscle. L-arginine, for example, dilates the blood vessels, which facilitates blood circulation and can lead to a lowering of blood pressure. In addition, the increased transport of nutrients into the muscles accelerates the regeneration of muscle fibers, which can support muscle growth in the long term.
• The minerals zinc and magnesium are often required in larger quantities by athletes, as they are lost in large quantities in sweat. Magnesium contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system and to the reduction of tiredness and tiredness, while zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood and normal eyesight.

Also read: Protein powder

Another group of supplements that are used to support muscle building are the so-called "workout boosters". This includes substances that, for example, by stimulating the central nervous system, provide more energy in the short term. Above all, caffeine and related substances such as synephrine or yohimbine should be mentioned here. The substances usually work within a few minutes, but experience has shown that the best effects of increasing performance are seen when a workout booster is taken 30 to 45 minutes before training. Through an improved training intensity, muscle growth can be supported by supplements with caffeine, especially in the build-up phase. However, too high a dose of caffeine can lead to nervousness, insomnia, and other undesirable side effects. Hard training to build muscle creates harmful free radicals. Antioxidants (e.g. vitamins C and E) are supplements that neutralize free radicals and improve muscle regeneration.

The list of the supplements mentioned above is only a selection of the supplements on the market that are used for muscle building. In principle, the manufacturer's instructions for use should be taken into account and should only be taken in consultation with the family doctor. In principle, it is not necessary to take supplements and cannot replace physical activity to build muscle, at most the supplements can have a supportive effect on muscle build-up in addition to training.