While some people are rather scared and apprehensive of taking supplements, the other lot is concerned about the use of food supplements and their impact upon muscular size and bodybuilding.
What do I really need?
In reality You only “need” to exercise hard and eat a diet high in protein and essential fats, and consume a slight calorie surplus over your body’s daily calorific requirements. You don't necessarily require supplements provided the above is being met. What you don't need is a whole lot of JUNK that is easily consumed by most people. We tend to overthink about supplements and its harmful effects but we normally don't ever think before having a large coke (140 calories) , a Big Fat Cheese Burger (300 calories)or a spicy Chola Bhatura (600 calories)! No matter how bad these are for our body we don't think twice!
However, there are plethora of highly effective supplements in the market that can aid in the muscle building process both by speeding up the accumulation of muscle mass, and by helping take you beyond that which can be achieved merely by eating “3 hearty meals” a day. Below is our recommendation for the supplements that you can consider.
What is creatine, and can it help me get bigger?
Creatine is one of the most researched supplement. It’s a miracle supplement in particular for vegetarians who don’t get it from their diet.
Creatine is that amino acid derivative which is incorporated into muscle as creatine phosphate. By regenerating Adenosine Tri Phosphate (ATP is fuel for muscle contractions) it can improve anaerobic endurance, strength, power and recovery between sets of demanding exercise. More power means that you can lift more, for longer. Which equates to improved performance all round. Also, a well hydrated “full” muscle also provides better leverage, allowing heavier weights to be lifted, and therefore further enhancing long-term performance in your workouts.
Is creatine safe? What about its effects on my kidneys?
At the time of writing this, there are no known negative side effects associated with high dose creatine use. It has been widely available for over a decade with no reported negative consequences. Cycling it’s use however is the smart way to go in order to keep the body responding, as is the way with all supplementation, nutritional and exercise programs. A 3gm-5gm dosage of creatine is what is recommended to see positive effects.
Do I need to take a protein powder?
Absolutely not. A better question to ask would be “what are the advantages of supplementing with a protein powder?". Based on your exercise, nutritional and athletic goals, one can find the right answer. If you are looking to build muscle then a MINIMUM rule of thumb should be to take in 1 gram of protein per pound of lean bodyweight. For hard training athletes seeking to really ramp up their muscle mass, we see great success when we step up protein consumption as high as 2 grams per pound of lean bodyweight. If a 180lb (82kgs approx.) man was to eat this amount of protein purely from solid food that would be an awful lot of food to digest. Protein powders are highly convenient to take anytime, anywhere. Imagine shifting 6 chicken breasts to the office – and then swap it with 6 scoops of protein powder.
Will protein powder make me grow muscle?
No. The only thing that will promote an initial anabolic (growth) response in your body is exercise! There is no preferable outcome unless you push your limits and train optimally.
Intelligent use of protein supplements will assist your body to adapt to any exercise stress by utilizing the protein at a cellular level for repair, remodeling and ultimately growth.
Below is our recommended supplements which can be considered for muscle building and strength training. I personally am a big fan of amino acids as I train fasted in the morning and 20-25 i.e 2 scoops of COREBOLICS RE-CORE is what I consume to negate catabolism. I also consume pre and pro-biotics for gut health. A healthy gut is pre-requisite for overall wellness, however this is a completely different topic and I would leave this out for a different article.
Which supplements can I consider taking for muscle size and strength?
1. A clean Whey Protein Powder to cover the daily protein requirement.
3. Omega-3 capsules
4.EAA ( Essential Amino Acid) in case you are training fasted in the morning. This would help immensely with muscle preservation.
5. Zinc. A good zinc supplement has numerous benefits and can affect a number of metabolic processes in the body.
6. Magnesium. Almost everyone is deficient in magnesium which is responsible for over 400 metabolic processes in your body. Different forms of magnesium are used for sleep, heart health and muscle recovery.
7. A good pre- pro biotic for optimum gut health.
8. Boron. A good boron supplement can double free tests, which declines with age. A must for men over 40.