You’ve spent months at the gym, working out and pushing yourself to the limits to get the muscles that you’ve always wanted. You’re eating the perfect muscle building diet, and you’ve done just about everything you can think of to get that perfect ripped physique. But instead, it seems like the harder you work, the slower those muscles are at building up. You’re frustrated, and ready to do whatever it takes to get to that next level. Thankfully, supplements are a real thing, and they really do work. Well, they do if you get the right ones! But, which bodybuilding supplements work the best, and why? Read on to see for yourself.
Beta-Alanine
This amino acid is found naturally within the body due to a diet of protein rich foods. But why is it useful as a bodybuilding supplement? Let’s break it down. When we work out, our bodies create hydrogen ions. These ions cause our blood pH levels to drop, causing fatigue and weak muscle performance, as well as increasing the chance of injury. Beta-alanine, however, raises the carnosine levels within the body’s muscles, thus blunting the effects of the ions. By doing so, the buildup of hydrogen ions in the blood is slowed by quite a bit, which allows for you to workout for longer periods of time and with a lower risk of injury.
Branched-Chain Amino Acids
Leucine, isoleucine, and valine are the three branched-chain amino acids that you absolutely want to look for when considering a bodybuilding supplement. These three little nifty amino acids can play a major role in not only achieving the muscle mass you’re looking for, but can greatly lower the risks of muscle damage and injury, as well as raising your endurance level. As a matter of fact, many endurance athletes such as rowers, cyclists, and runners use branched-chain amino acids in their own workout regimens and training.
Whey Protein
Who HASN’T heard of whey protein and it’s awesome bodybuilding benefits? Whey protein is a great all-around supplement. Drinking a whey protein shake before a workout can help you find more endurance, while drinking one after a workout can help restore and heal any muscle damage that occurred. This bodybuilding supplement can even be used to replace meals and help you feel fuller for longer, though it isn’t advised that whey protein be your only source of protein. Due to the supplements fast digestion and absorption, you’ll still need to find a dietary balance through food.
Caffeine
Caffeine is a favorite of athletes, and that’s not something that’s going to change anytime soon.
Caffeine not only allows you to workout longer, harder, and with more focus, but studies seem to suggest that it can give you the edge to build more muscle by allowing you to push yourself further than you normally would. However, this bodybuilding supplement should be used with care and experimentation. Only use enough to get you “pumped”, not enough to make you feel jittery or anxious. Too much caffeine can cause you to lose focus and actually make it harder for you to workout due to jumpy muscles and a lack of concentration.
Creatine
Creatine is a naturally occurring substance within the body, and is a real powerhouse when it comes to bodybuilding supplements. Creatine improves lean muscle mass, decreased muscle soreness and inflammation, increased endurance, increased muscle strength, and increased bloodflow. But, if you’re going to take creatine, you need to be consistent with your doses. However, some bodybuilders choose to “load” this bodybuilding supplement, taking 5x the recommended dose a day. There’s no real proof that doing so gets you results any quicker, and as a matter of fact can cause unpleasant side effects like water weight gain and stomach pain.
