Sports supplements are growing increasingly popular by the day, and many aspiring athletes and established work-out pros alike are realizing that they can achieve new heights through the help of these supplements. Nonetheless, a flood of misinformation exists when it comes to some of today’s leading supplements, and few know where to turn for accurate and reliable information when it comes to what they’re consuming.
Luckily for you, there’s plenty of expert testimony and objective information out there for you to rely on when it comes to picking a sports supplement. The followings truths about 3 leading supplements will help you make your pick when the time arrives for you to make your decision as a consumer and an athlete alike.
The truth behind whey protein
Whey protein remains one of the most popular sports supplements out there, with countless athletes relying on it to boost their performance when it matters the most. While it’s often unfairly maligned as a tool for meatheads seeking to make their muscles bigger at any cost, the truth is that whey protein can be leveraged by anyone to help meet their workout and fitness goals.
For those who aren’t in tip-top shape but are still trying to trim down on their levels of fat, for instance, Whey protein can prove invaluable. One study found that the usage of whey protein helped subjects increase their fat losses while still sparing their lean muscle mass, for instance. Around the world, shredded bodybuilders, slim cyclist, and athletes and fitness gurus of all shapes and sizes rely on whey to meet their workout demands, and for good reason.
Whey isn’t the only protein supplement you can rely on to enhance your workouts, however. Another popular supplement, creatine, has been used by untold millions on their quests to become stronger, faster, and prouder of their bodies.
Leveraging the power of creatine
Creatine powder and supplements remain perhaps the most popular sports supplement for a good reason; creatine works tremendously, and many studies have found that it helps athletes on the path of fat elimination and muscle bulking. Still, just because something is popular with the pack as a whole doesn’t mean it’s right for you, so why should you buy into creatine – literally – in hopes of upping your workout game?
While creatine – like virtually all supplements -fades with effect after incredibly long periods of usage, it remains invaluable to athletes who are just setting out to up their workout routine and those who have been using it for some time alike. Not a steroid, but rather a supplement naturally found in your muscles and in lots of red meat, creatine remains internationally popular because few, if any, major sports organizations outlaw its usage.
The International Olympic Committee, for instance, allows athletes to rely on creatine because it realizes the legitimate value of the supplement and correctly notes that its long-term side effects aren’t worse nor more notable than any other workout supplement. As countless Olympian gold-medalist can account for, creatine is literally the substance of many of today’s leading champions.
Tapping into BCAAs
BCAA, or branched chain amino acids, are three amino acids that are also incredibly popular in the fitness universe for good reason. These essential amino acids can prove to be a boon towards anyone’s workout, but, like all supplements, should be taken carefully and done in tandem with regular workouts. No supplement acts as a magic wand that can be waved to instantly grant you muscle mass, and BCAA is no different. Employed properly alongside of adequate training sessions, however, BCAA can seriously help you sculpt your muscles during your workout routine.
More so than many of the supplements it competes with, BCCA helps fuel your skeletal muscles in the midst of a fiery workout when they otherwise may run out of steam. This can help prevent injuries which are sometimes only detectable with an MRI scan you’d get with an affordable MRI scan. Even more importantly, however, they prove invaluable during the recovery process, something that’s flouted far too often by athletes who don’t understand that your muscles need to rest after a workout if they’re to properly grow.
Whey protein sources often contain small amounts of BCAA, but it’s entirely acceptable and commonplace to supplement your workout with BCAA-only mixtures as well. Like many popular supplements, it’s widely enjoyed because you can intake it at almost any point in your workout regime – whether you’re just getting started, in the middle of pumping iron, or having just finished, BCAA is virtually always a positive part of the muscle-building process.
None of these supplements can contribute to your workout if you don’t maintain an iron discipline when it comes to hitting the gym. No substance on earth can grow your muscles for you – for that, you’ll need your own blood, sweat, and tears. Leveraged properly, however, the proper use of the 3 substances above will push you to new heights, and help you achieve your workout goals.
