- A Guide to Basic Supplements & More ... -

Due to demand find below a BASIC GUIDE to some of the major, vitamins, antioxidants, whey, amino acids, glutamine, protein, etc. . .

- Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s) –

These are the most critical aminos for building muscle. Not only do they boost insulin, but they also turn on muscle-protein synthesis, the process of building muscle. BCAA’s provide your muscles with more energy and stall fatigue by tricking the brain into thinking you’re still fresh and strong. Plus they blunt the catabolic hormone cortisol, which could increase muscle breakdown, and limit both testosterone production and function.

- Caffeine –

This central nervous system stimulant is probably the most popular drug in the world! It is also should be the most popular bodybuilding supplement because it enhances fat loss, aids focus and drive, and can immediately increase strength. That makes it a great morning pick-me-up or pre-workout boost to get you through a tough session.

- Calcium –

In addition to its bone boosting effects calcium is also important for muscle contractions and it even aids fat loss. But calcium may boost testosterone, too. One study found that subjects taking 16milligrams of calcium per pound of bodyweight (about 3,000mg for a 200pound guy) had higher testosterone levels during workouts then subjects not taking supplemental calcium.

- Carnitine –

This amino acid like compound transports fat into the mitochondria of muscle cells to be burned for fuel. Research show that Carnitine taken before exercise helps the body burn more fat and decrease fatigue. It has been found to enhance blood flow to muscle, aid muscle recovery and increase the amount of androgen receptors in muscle (to which testosterone binds to stimulate growth.)

- Casein Protein –

Casein a fraction of milk protein provides a steady stream of amino acids over a long period of time.  (Such as during sleep or between meals.) The body digests and absorbs it more slowly than whey, the fast digesting milk protein. Research shows that adding casein to a whey shake post-workout can better enhance muscle growth than taking whey without casein. In addition, casein has been shown to provide about 16% greater metabolic availability of key sulphur-containing amino acids compared to soya. Look for protein powders that include casein in the form of miceller casein, calcium caseinate, sodium caseinate or potassium caseinate.

- Creatine –

The undisputed champ for adding size and strength. It enhances mass by releasing muscle cell volume and aiding molecular pathways that stimulate growth. It boosts strength by increasing the level of Creatine phosphate in muscle cells, which is used to supply a quick source of ATP (the energy source muscles use to contract.)

- Dextrose –

The sugar has the same structure as your blood sugar (glucose). That means it requires no digestion and basically gets absorbed straight from your gut into your bloodstream. This helps spike insulin production, opening tiny doors on muscle fibres that allow nutrients to rush inside.

- Glutamine –

This amino acid aids muscle growth by increasing the levels of leucine in muscle fibres. It also helps decrease muscle breakdown and fatigue, boosts immune function and even helps to keep metabolism elevated. In addition, research shows that glutamine supplementation significantly boosts GH levels. Researchers believe this may be due to the ability of glutamine to stimulate arginine production. That makes glutamine a good supplement to stack with arginine.

- Green tea Extract –

Green tea extract is the perfect fat-burning supplement. It contains the active antioxidant compound epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). This inhibits the enzyme that normally breaks down norephinephrine (a neurohormone that raises metabolic rate and enhances the release of fat from cells).

- Omega-3-Fatty Acids –

Omega-3-fatty acids fight muscle inflammation, which leads to better recovery. They help the body retain the amino acid glutamine, which has been shown to play an important role in immune support. Generally, when glutamine levels fall the immune system takes a hit, which can negatively impact on recovery. Omega-3’s can make receptors located on muscle more sensitive to the effects of the hormone insulin. This can lower insulin levels in the body; lower insulin levels encourage the body to remain in fat burning mode.

- SOYA –

 Soya Protein contains all essential amino acids, more than four times the arginine as whey and almost twice that of casein, making it a great pre-workout protein. Body builders tend to avoid it because of its phytoestrogens, yet several studies now prove that soya protein promotes muscle growth just as well as whey and doesn’t alter levels of testosterone or oestrogen in males. Research also shows that soya’s antioxidant content helps improve muscle recovery following exercise. This fact, not to mention that soya digests almost as fast as whey, makes it a great choice for after workouts.

- Taurine –

This amino acid is critical for maintaining both strength and endurance within muscle fibres. It enhances muscles ability to contact, which means more strength, and it prevents fatigue so you can perform more repetitions with a given weight.

- Vitamin B12 –

Known technically as cobalamin this B vitamin plays a critical role in numerous biochemical reactions in the body including the production and utilisation of energy from dietary fat and protein during exercise. This means that it not only enhances energy levels but it also prevents fat gain.

- Vitamin E –

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that is especially protective of polyunsaturated fats and body tissues. Vitamin E also prolongs the life of red blood cells and is necessary for the proper use of oxygen by muscles. Vitamin E acts as a preservative that prevents many substances such as vitamin A, from destructive breakdown by oxidation in the body. Most multivitamins don’t contain enough vitamin E so it’s a good idea to take a Vitamin E supplement in addition to multi.

- Whey Protein –

Getting protein into your body before and after workouts is critical to maximising muscle mass. One of the best protein sources pre- and post-workouts is whey protein. As a very fast digesting protein, whey quickly delivers its amino acids to muscles. This results in a rapid boost in protein synthesis (the biochemical process that leads to muscle growth) at the most crucial time of day – immediately following workouts.

- Zinc Magnesium Aspartate (ZMA) -

This potent combination of zinc and magnesium Aspartate plus vitamin B is supported by strong clinical research. ZMA increases anabolic hormone levels including free testosterone and IGF-1, which could otherwise be suppressed in hard-training athletes. ZMA also improves the quality of sleep. Enhanced recovery from work-outs due to improved sleep efficiency, increased hormone levels and greater gains in muscle and strength and power are the ultimate benefits of ZMA supplementation.