Gym supplements and how to use them
Today I want to talk about gym food supplements: how to use, when to use them and most important, do I need them in my diet?
Food supplements, as the word says, are supplements, or rather “helpers” that we might need to supplement our body with nutrients that are not provided by our diet or by our busy schedule.
The top 3 supplements are: whey proteins, creatine and BCAA.
Whey Proteins
What are the whey proteins?
As the word says, “whey” proteins are proteins extracted from “whey”, which means extracted from the watery portion of milk. It is a concentrated, low calory, high percentage of protein in powder form which can be mixed with water, milk or any other liquid. It is used to access in a quick way, an high dosage of proteins.
Of course there are other versions, for example: eggs proteins, meat proteins and vegetable proteins. The usage and compositions are similar but I’ll focus on the most common whey version.
When do I need them?
The primary reason to use them is solely one. You need whey protein when you are conducting a diet composed by an high level of proteins, and you do not have another way (i.e. cooking) to source your body with such an amount of protein per day. As simple as that. You want to use whey because you do not have the time to cook raw proteins from animals or vegetables.
How much should I take per day?
It depends. Usually you will take one or two daily ratio (which is usually about 25/30gr, depending on the brand) and you want to take them away from your main meals, to compensate the lack of proteins. Could be ideal after a workout, mid-morning, mid-afternoon or as a snack before going to bed.
Creatine
What is Creatine?
Creatine is one amino acid. It is extracted from Meat, primarily red meat and from Fish. It is use by athletes to increase the overall performances during workouts or other form of athletic activities. The major benefit of using creatine is that creatine increase the overall performances of our muscles, increase the size of our muscles by retaining more water.
When do I need it?
You want to take creating, only if you are conducting a regular fitness activity, for example weight lifting, running, cycling, swimming AND, you want to increase the performances of your body. You do not have to take creatine, you might but it is not a mandatory requirement for a weight lifter. I know many, bulkier than me, that never took creatine.
How much should I take per day?
Usually, the average dose is between 3/5gr. per day. Every day, even if you are not exercising. Some people do “load” and “unload” to saturate their body but in reality, many studies proof that it is not necessary. Just take 3/5gr every single day and you will start to notice differences in power and performance within 15 to 20 days since the first day of assumption.
BCAA
What are the BCAA?
BCAA are another group of amino acid. They are composed, usually, by: Leucine, Valine and Isoleucine. Why are they important for weight lifters and overall for athletes? The BCAA allows you to recover and rebuild your muscles, faster than usual. Considering that hypertrophy is the process of increasing your muscle size and it causes constant damages to your muscle fibers, using BCAA on a regular basis reduces the time your body needs to rebuild the muscle fibers.
When do I need them?
Like creatine, for a better result, you should take BCAA every day. Why? Because even if you have an alternate routine at the gym, your body will be constantly in recovery mode, so the BCAA will help your body, even when you are not exercising, in recovering and rebuilding the muscle fibers. Personally, I take BCAA as soon as I wake up, to feed my body with the correct amount of BCAA required for the day. You might take them before your workout, as an alternative.
How much should I take per day?
I would suggest to check on the brand you are buying, but, as a regular rule, you should take around 200mg/kg of body weight. So, in my case, I am 74kg and I should consume around 15gr. of BCAA per day.
To summarize:
- Whey
Take it to increase the level of protein ingested per day, especially if you cannot source them via normal food. - Creatine
Take it to increase performances and volumes of your muscles. Take it everyday and drink plenty of water! - BCAA
Take them to increase the recovery of your muscles, improve the muscle growth and reduce soreness.
Few more supplements, that in my opinion are relevant, especially if you plan to have a busy schedule at the gym, are: Vitamin D3, Vitamin B12, Magnesium and Zinc.
Vitamin D3
Vitamin D helps control how much calcium and phosphate you absorb from food. Calcium is essential for bone health. Phosphate is needed for healthy bones and muscles. It is produced by our skin in summer, when we get sun exposure. Vitamin D3, especially in winter, has some very important benefits:
- It improves your mood and energy
- Boosts immunity and strengthens bones and muscles
- Reduce inflammations
From my personal experience, Vitamin D3 works best in the liquid form. I take it every day in winter, to compensate the lack of sun in my home town and it works like a charm!
Vitamin B12
First, our body is not capable to produce Vitamin B12, so we need to take it from a source: food or supplements. Usually, symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency are:
- Fatigue and tiredness
- Pale of yellow skin
- Depressing feelings and lack of concentration
Overall, taking Vitamin B12 will: boost your energy, improve your memory and prevent heart diseases.
Magnesium and Zinc
Magnesium is a mineral that it is uses by our body to process hundreds of chemical reactions! It improves: blood pressure, sugar management and reduce risk of heart diseases.
Zinc is another mineral present in our body. It is used by our body, again, to improve blood pressure, enhance immune system and also, it is helpful in increasing the production of testosterone, a fundamental hormone used by our body to increase muscle mass.
To summarize:
- Vitamin D3
Especially in winter season, it is a natural booster for mood, energy and immune system. - Vitamin B12
Feeling tired, depressed, with lack of energy and inspiration? Voilá, take some Vitamin B12 on a daily basis. - Magnesium and Zinc
Are you really taking these gym exercises to the next level? You need some mineral to improve blood pressure, overall energy and the production of testosterone.
