Trying to find the right bodybuilding supplements can be like searching for a needle in a haystack!
There’s a deluge of information out there about supplements, and much of it is conflicting, with experts on each side claiming passionately that their recommendations are the very best. So what’s a new bodybuilder to do?
This report seeks to simplify your search – at least at the beginning – by recommending just 5 bodybuilding supplements you can take for greatest benefit.
Now, the title of this report is perhaps misleading. You don’t really “have to” take a supplement. It’s optional.
Natural bodybuilding happens without any drugs, enhancers or even supplements. Just understand that it will take a little longer, and you’ll have to concentrate on eating the right foods to provide all nutrients that you’ll get more conveniently and easily from a bodybuilding supplement.
Supplements serve as a complement to what you eat, filling in any gaps and providing your body with all ingredients necessary for peak performance.
Ok, with that out of the way, which are the 5 top bodybuilding supplements everyone can take? The one bodybuilding supplement everyone should take is a multi-vitamin.
Here are some others.
1. Protein
Regular diets for people not actively working out to build muscle or gain weight must include 10% of calories in the form of protein. For bodybuilders, this figure is nearer 30% – and that’s a lot of protein.
Eating as much protein in your diet is critically important when you work out. Animal sources of protein are the best, and eating enough of it can be expensive. Athletes who train hard might have to eat protein every 2 to 3 hours!
If you don’t want to (or cannot) eat that much protein-rich food, a diet supplement is an alternative. A protein bodybuilding supplement is convenient and affordable. Shortly after a bodybuilding workout, a protein shake can quickly provide your body with the building blocks of new muscle.
Whey protein is the best form for a post-workout bodybuilding supplement. Other options include casein, soy, egg and plant protein.
2. Fish Oil
There are numerous health benefits to taking fish oil supplements, all due to their high content of omega 3 fatty acids rich in EPA and DHA. While fresh fish like salmon and trout are rich in natural omega 3, they are hard to find in all parts of the world. Non-fish sources like walnuts or flax seed are relatively poorer in content of essential fatty acids.
Fish oil bodybuilding supplements are a great choice to make up this deficit. They help build muscle or burn off fat. Small fish oil capsules are easy to swallow and a once-daily dosage is convenient to stick with.
3. Branched Chain Amino Acids
BCAAs are needed for muscle development and help with recovery following a heavy workout. They also prevent muscle breakdown and help bulk up your physique. Leucine, isoleucine and valine are the 3 branched chain fatty acids most necessary for your body during workouts.
BCAAs are already present in most of the popular bodybuilding diet plans. Taking it as a bodybuilding supplement can help meet the increased demands of your body during intense workouts over a prolonged period of time.
4. Glutamine
Glutamine is an important amino acid that makes up muscle cells and adds mass. It helps muscles grow, prevents breakdown and is therefore an important component of your bodybuilding diet.
Another advantage of glutamine supplements for bodybuilders is that it helps build up stores of glycogen in your muscles. A bodybuilding supplement containing glutamine is best taken after a workout, when it helps rebuild muscle without the release of insulin.
5. Creatine
Among the most carefully researched bodybuilding supplements in the market today, creatine has been proven to enhance athletic performance in runners and swimmers who engage in high-intensity activity. Weight and strength training is also improved with creatine supplementation.
How does creatine work? Well, among other things, it increases cell volume and makes muscles bulkier. This gives you greater endurance so that you can lift for longer and heft heavier weights. The best form to take as a bodybuilding supplement is creatine monohydrate.
So there you have it – a list of the five best bodybuilding supplements to take, even if you’re just starting out. The big question is whether supplements alone are enough. The answer is a bigger ‘No’.
Supplements are, as the name implies, additions or enhancements to your regular bodybuilding routine. This means you workout actively and eat sensibly before throwing a bodybuilding supplement into the mix.
You can add muscle and burn off fat just through proper diet and weight lifting. Many people do that without ever taking a bodybuilding supplement. But if you’re looking to maximize your potential, supplements will be helpful.
A constraint that many bodybuilders face is a limited budget. Supplements can be costly, and taking every one that is beneficial can burn a hole in your wallet! That’s why you should be smart about the bodybuilding supplements that you will take.
The 5 listed here in this report are a good starting point. See if they work for you. If you like, try out others that provide added benefits.