Body building supplements are specially formulated to enhance body fitness and aid the process of body building. Workout sessions can be very demanding and gaining that extra energy needed to push to your limits is required to achieve target goals in workout results. The increased level of workout makes your body demand more vitamins and minerals and as a result your body can suffer from deficiency which can in turn hamper muscle growth.

Work supplements should be chosen carefully as they shape and tone your body by influencing your workout results. So, if your objective is to just build muscle, you need to look into workout supplements, such as prohormones, testosterone boosters, whey protein and creatine. However, muscle building workouts don’t just look into building muscles, they also stress on losing fat. Supplements that can help you burn fat are appetite supplements, carb blockers, fat-burners and stimulant-free products.

Best Body-Building Supplements

The range of products available in the form of body building supplements is quite extensive. However, the main categories that body builder check out are protein supplements, glutamine supplements and creatine supplements.

Protein Supplements

Protein supplements are used by body builder because of their ability to enhance muscle. Body builders take protein supplements primarily because they are so effective in improving sports performance. Workouts are bound to induce stress because of the need to achieve desired results. Intake of protein supplements helps to bring down the stress factors. Cortisol is a hormone that gets aggravated by stress, which is a negative factor because it destroys muscles, which workouts are actually aiming to enhance. Protein supplements reduce cortisol, thus aiding muscle building by bringing down muscle destruction.

When choosing protein food sources, the most important aspect to check out is the Biological Value (BV). Proteins that have the highest BV enable the body to absorb more nitrogen and this in turn helps in better building of lean muscles. Whey protein is a much preferred protein source because it has the highest BV (104) and only Egg Protein (BV 100) can come close to it.

Though there are many natural foods that are a good source of high protein, body builders prefer protein powders because they are a good source of gaining high quality protein without any fat intake. The powder is mixed with milk and drunk at the end of the workout session. Preparing a complete protein meal is time consuming so it offers a quicker solution.

Natural protein food sources such as salmon or beef can be expensive, while protein supplements cost lesser. They do not require any refrigeration and are portable. Most of them are available in the form of isolates, concentrates, blends, meal replacements, and weight gainers. Important protein supplements available in the market are Gaspari MyoFusion, VPX Syngex Protein, MGN Pure Whey Protein Isolate, LG Sciences Lipotropic Protein, and VPX Zero Carb Protein. However, intake of protein supplements must be carefully regulated so that desired results in muscle enhancement are achieved quickly. It is necessary to take up a protein supplement or food source at every meal. The quality of protein supplement should be restricted to 0.8 to 1 gram per pound of bodyweight.

Glutamine Supplements

Glutamine is one of the most essential supplements for body’s fitness because it protects the muscle from harmful effects of the cortisol hormone. It has been proven to help build muscles and also build the strength of the body’s immune system against various illnesses. It is, therefore, important to note that Glutamine is available from various food sources such as protein, milk and also meat, but when performing workouts, such food sources alone cannot compensate for the level of Glutamine ( found in blood and skeletal muscles) needed in the body after. Hence it is necessary to take up supplements to replenish glutamine levels that have got depleted during the process of workout. It will prevent muscle deterioration which can occur because when tissues that are in need of glutamine, take glutamine that is stored in muscle cells.

Top five Glutamine supplements available in the market include BSN CellMass, Higher Power L-Glutamine, Xyience NOX-CG3, CytoSport Muscle Milk RTD and Prolab N-Large II. Glutamine supplements ensure faster recovery after workouts and aid in muscle building because of its increased ability to synthesize protein and absorb nitrogen. Athletes and body builders take Glutamine supplements because they help to prevent muscle breakdown and enable production of new muscle tissue by synthesizing protein. They boost the body’s growth hormones and strengthen the immunity system.

Creatine Supplements

Creatine occurs naturally in animal foods such as beef, tuna and salmon, but these alone cannot suffice the demand, when you want to gain lean muscle mass. Creatine supplements help to enhance body performance in such a way that you can go in for a higher intensity workout, lift heavier weights and also train that much more hard to gain results.

Creatine increases amino acid intake in protein and increased intake shows good results in muscle size. It is well know amongst professional athletes that creatine blends can considerably increase athletic performance and also physical strength. Taking creatine supplements can enable you to gain as much as four pounds in less than a week’s time. Creatine manages muscle acidity so that muscles do not get easily fatigued. It also regulates calcium levels in the muscle tissue so that proper contractions can be performed. Creatine supplements can strengthen muscle cell membranes and have a natural ability to repair them and to enable them to grow more efficiently. However, it is to be noted that intake of creatine supplements must be regulated as they can negatively affect kidney and liver. Popular Creatine Supplements available in the market include MuscleTech’s Cell-Tech Hardcore, JetFUSE NOX from German American Technologies, GlycerGrow from Controlled Labs, Universal Nutrition’s Micronized Creatine and Creakic Hardcore from MuscleTech.

Probiotics

Probiotic supplements help in better digestion of proteins, which can be tough to break down and they are used by body builder because they help them to gain more energy from the protein supplements such as bars, powders or shakes that they intake. Probiotic supplements are available in the form of capsules, powders and shakes. Important Probiotic supplements include Ultimate Flora Critical Care 50 Billion, Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics 12 Plus, PB 8 High-Potency Probiotic, and Jarro-Dophilus EPS. It is advisable to take probiotic supplements that are available in capsule form as they have higher bacteria levels that their powder or shakes counterparts.

Pre-Workout Supplements

Most often body builders take pre-workout supplements because they want energy that can keep them going through grilling workout routines. The supplements are especially formulated with ingredients that enhance energy and also build up muscle mass or strong, lean, hard muscles. Intense body workout sessions can make a person hit the plateau as they feel they are not getting the results they wanted through exercise. Taking pre-workout supplements helps to give body the sustenance or endurance that is required to go beyond their limits and help them to achieve their fitness results.

Are Body Building Supplements Really Beneficial?

Body building supplements are quite effective because they enhance performance and give the energy and stamina that is required to achieve required workout results. They are considered to be better than steroids because they do not alter the body’s natural hormone levels. However, it is important to keep in mind the fact that body building supplements are just that – supplements. They can be taken additionally but cannot become a substitute for real food sources and so before opting for them, it is vital to check if making any changes to normal diet can achieve the results that they provide. There are many natural or herbal supplements, but be aware of the fact that they may be unsafe or you might experience unpleasant side effect by taking them.