Here’s a short descriptions of the most common supplements used to achieve better fitness and health results.
Protein Powders:
Is the fastest and easiest way to increase your protein intake, which makes it very useful in your diet.
Whey based is the most popular and budget friendly. Made of a concentration of milk proteins.
Casein is also made from milk and is
absorbed slower by the body which makes it great to drink before bedtime.
If you have milk allergies or you want a vegan option, there are many options available. You can get protein powders made from; eggs, beef, peas, hemp, soy etc.
To find the best protein powder for you it is useful to do some research on the contents and try a few to find your best match when it comes to taste, price, nutritional content and availability.
Find one with a low carb (Less that 1 gr pr. serving and no added sugars.)
BCAA’s
Branched Chain Amino Acids. BCAAs can help protect your muscles against the catabolic effects of dieting. It increases the protein synthesis, and helps reduce protein break down. It is a tasty way to help your body achieve better results. Blend with water and drink before fasted cardio and before and/or after workout to aid muscle recovery and function. Find one with a low carb (Less that 1 gr pr. serving and no added sugars.) Comes in powdered form and capsules if you don’t like the fruity drinks.
Pre-workout (PWO)
A preworkout is a nice cocktail of many ingredients that can help you have
better workouts. Common ingredients are:
Creatine for strength and energy.
Beta-alanine which helps you push harder and longer.
L-citrulline increases arginine blood levels, which increases blood flow and pump. L-citrulline also combats exercise fatigue, increases time to exhaustion, and substantially decreases muscle soreness during your workouts.
Caffeine stimulates nervous systems and gives you a boost of energy and focus. A range of different amino acids are also common ingredients.
Some preworkouts also contain niacin which is a vitamin B that promotes a better blood flow and cardiac health. But can cause a flushed and tingling feeling on you skin in high doses.
Finding the right preworkout for you is also best done by some research on the ingredients list, and testing a few out to find one that tastes nice and give you the right amount of energy.
Many preworkouts may have to high caffeine content for some and depending on if you are sensitive to caffeine or working out later at night you might look for one with less caffeine.
Glutamine
The most common amino acid, 61% of skeletal muscle is glutamine. A critical part of the immune system and muscle recovery. Glutamine has a special role in intestinal health. Your body naturally produces this amino acid, and it is also found in many foods. Glutamine plays key roles in protein metabolism, cell volumizing, and anti-catabolism. Glutamine’s anti-catabolism ability prevents the breakdown of your muscles. Most BCAA’s have glutamine in them.
Creatine
also called adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. Creatine is a substance that is found naturally in muscle cells. It helps your muscles produce energy during heavy lifting or high-intensity exercise.
Scientifically proven to increase strength and endurance when used as a supplement. Can make you retain water. It is a common ingredient in many
pre-workouts.
L-carnitine
can boost both your training and your physique. In the gym, it can mean more endurance and bigger pumps. In the
mirror, picture more muscle and less fat. L-carnitine helps to transport fat, particularly long-chain fatty acids, into the mitochondria of cells. Once there, the fatty acids can be oxidized—used as fuel—to generate adenosine
triphosphate, or ATP.
Fatburners
Do they work? The answer is it depends, on you genetics, your diet and training regiment. And how fast your natural metabolism is. If you’re a hard-gainer ectomorph with a fast metabolism, this won’t make a big difference however someone who’s an endomorph with a slower metabolism, it can be helpful.
Most fatburners/thermogenics use the same type of ingredients that can help the body burn fat more fat than normal by increasing your heart rate and trigger receptors in cells that will make it easier for the body to use fat for fuel.
Caffeine along with some other common ingredients can also help with feeling less hungry. But the effect is limited and practically useless if your diet is not in a caloric deficiency or your not exercising.
I recommend introducing fatburners at a point in your diet when you fat loss has hit a plateau.