Bodybuilding Supplements

Bodybuilding supplements are a type of dietary product that are often used by athletes who are trying to grow their muscles. They can be used for a number of different reasons, including as meal replacements, to enhance weight gain, to encourage weight loss, or to better the overall performance of the athlete.

These goals are accomplished through bodybuilding supplements of many different types. They can be sold either on their own in single formula preparations, or as “stacks”, which are proprietary blends that combine a number of different types of supplements in order to combine their benefits.

Though bodybuilding supplements are often consumed by the general public, their benefits and design are meant specifically for a specific type of athlete.

Among the various types of bodybuilding supplements:

• Protein
• These can come in many forms, which can range from pills to bars or – perhaps most common – milkshakes. The shakes come in the form of a powder that needs to be mixed with milk, water, or juice. It should be used either instead of a meal, or immediately before and after exercising. Some kinds of protein – whey protein, for example – should follow a workout, whereas others – casein protein, for example – should be taken before going to bed.
• Branched Chain amino acids
• These are the building blocks of protein, which are made up of three different types: valine, leucine, and isoleucine. Each of these has a different function within the body, but a great deal of it has to do with the repair and maintenance of muscles.
• Glutamine
• This is the most abundant form of amino acid that can be taken in supplements but that is naturally found in human muscle tissues. It is taken to replace the amount that is used up when anaerobic exercises are performed.
• Essential Fatty Acids
• These consist of linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid and is a frequently used among bodybuilding supplements as it is required in order to allow several body functions, but cannot be readily made by the body.
• Meal Replacement Products
• These bars or drink mixes are meant to replace a typical prepared meal. These bodybuilding supplements are generally low in fat and high in protein, with a small to medium carb level. They generally include a broad spectrum of different vitamins and minerals.
• Prohormones
• These hormone precursors are typically sold in the pre-form of testosterone. Side effects to these types of bodybuilder supplements are not uncommon.
• Testosterone Boosters
• These products claim to help to increase the levels of the hormone testosterone in the body. There is a great deal of controversy over the effectiveness and safety of these bodybuilding supplements.
• Creatine
• This is an organic acid which already occurs naturally within the body in order to give the cells of the muscles vital energy by replenishing ATP. It has also been indicated in some studies that this substance may help to boost strength.
• Thermogenic Products
• These are bodybuilding supplements that promote thermogenesis, which is a process in which the body temperature is increased, raising the metabolic rate so that fat burning can occur more quickly and easily.