In this part of our series “Vitamins and Supplements” we are going to exclusively talk about Supplements. Supplements are immensely helpful to increase the strength and size of muscles and also helps to increase the muscle mass. There are a variety of supplements available which help athletes and adults alike to improve their athletic performance. In this post, we are going to discuss 5 necessary supplements, they are:

  1. Creatine: Being a chemical, which is normally found in the body; Creatine, is an important supplement to improve performance and increase muscle mass in athletes and adults. It is also found in seafood and red meat.

Importance:

  • Increases the size and strength of muscle
  • Enhances proper brain functioning
  • Broken down into creatinine, which can help measure kidney function

Uses:

  • Enhances the recovery of damaged muscles
  • Common supplement used by strength trainers

 

  1. Beta – Alanine: Beta – Alanine is a non-essential amino acid and it is another supplement, which can be made by our body. Since amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, they can improve athletic performance.

Importance:

  • Increases exercise capacity
  • Builds muscle mass
  • Increase the strength and power output

Uses:

  • Improves athletic performance
  • Helps delay muscle fatigue
  • Can Improve the physical functioning and coordination

 

  1. Whey Protein: Extracted from milk after its separation from casein; Whey Protein is known as the “complete protein” which is fast and very easy to digest.

Importance:

  • Helps to increase muscle mass
  • Improves muscle conditioning
  • Dairy derivative

Uses:

  • Muscle building
  • Improving muscle endurance and recovery time

 

  1. Branched-Chain Amino Acid (BCAA): Branched-Chain Amino Acids are very important nutrients that our body obtains from the protein found in foods such as dairy products, meats and legumes.

Importance:

  • Improves exercise performance in athletes and adults
  • Reduces protein and muscle breakdown during intense exercises
  • Provides support to the immune system

Uses:

  • Prevents the loss of lean muscle mass
  • Protects against amino acid deficiencies
  • Reduces symptoms of muscle disorders such as tardive dyskinesia

 

  1. Glutamine: Another amino acid which our body produces is Glutamine. It is often known as the most potent antioxidant in the body.

Importance:

  • Helps to maintain healthy liver function
  • Helps to boost the immune system
  • Used to counter side effects of medical treatments

Uses:

  • Detoxification due to free radicals in the body
  • Some evidence available to support skin lightening