Unless a doctor recommends you take a supplement based off an illness, nutritional, or hereditary problem, it actually isn't required to take any supplements. We can thrive without them, as they're made to enhance or improve your effectiveness that's already there. If you want to increase your performance though, here's everything you need to know about taking fitness supplements.
Workout Supplements For Weight Loss
If you're looking to lose weight, there are workout supplements that can assist with this. Before jumping into them though, let's go over which ones to avoid. Weight loss pills are a big NO, as they can be dangerous and don't provide permanent healthy results. You also never want to take laxatives for weight loss, as it just decreases your overall water weight and continued use can cause long-term damage. Along the same lines, detoxes and water pills make you lose weight in a short amount of time - but the results aren't real and only last a day or two. Therefore, try weight loss supplements and performance enhancers with caffeine as the main ingredient. It'll speed you up physically, along with speeding up your metabolism on the inside. CLA, or conjugated linoleic acid, can also help reduce body fat mass and "lean you out."
Workout Supplements To Build Muscle
If you're trying to build muscle, then protein powders can be your best friend. Protein is an important part of building muscle, since your muscles need that protein to function and execute results. You can get this from a protein supplement, or from food such as meat, eggs, or nuts. Thus if you’re getting enough protein in your diet already, there is no need for you to also take a protein supplement. On the other hand, if you're too busy and trying to build muscle, consider taking one of these daily protein powders: whey protein, egg protein, or soy protein. You may also want to consider branched chain amino acids, or BCAA’s. which are three amino acids that play a role in protein synthesis and muscle gain.
Weight Lifting Supplements
If your goal is oriented towards power-lifting, increased athletic performance, or weightlifting, then you may want to consider creatine. Creatine is the most commonly used supplements in the world, even though it's already a substance that’s naturally occurring in your body. Nonetheless it can also be found in food such as meats, eggs, dairy, and of course - fitness supplements. This helps with cellular function and makes your muscles retain more water, which helps your muscles work more efficiently, and weight lift better.
What Supplements Should I Take?
With the above in mind, of course there's a ton of other supplements out there. So what are the best fitness supplements and vitamins for working out? It really boils down to your current state and overall fitness goals. And remember - supplements make up less than 5% of the equation and will only work if you’re also eating a great diet and training correctly. Nevertheless, you're safe with trying any of the above and below to get started:
- Beta-Alanine
- ZMA (zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B)
- Fiber, Calcium, Vitamin D
- Fish Oil
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-Gina