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Know Your Supplements

Written by Bill Brannigan | May 5, 2014 12:47:31 PM

You are working out hard and eating right, yet, you feel there is more to be achieved.

The muscle gains or weight loss have stalled a bit. Maybe you feel sore or too tired after a workout; or you just want to take things to another level. If any of this sounds like you, supplements may be something to consider.

This article is not recommending any supplements, rather, outlining their potential benefits. Consult with a doctor, dietician, or nutritionist prior to beginning a supplement regiment. Although generally considered safe, some supplements may cause adverse reactions for people with pre-exisiting conditions.

Multivitamins: These help ensure you are getting adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals. With the typical American diet, people are often lacking in some aspect of their diet. This is due to the scarcity of fresh fruits and vegetables that are available, lower nutrient concentrations in soil, or just the low number of servings people eat daily. Multivitamins can fill in the gap. Be sure you are taking an organic/green vitamin, as fruits and vegetables are the sources from which they are derived. Many of the mega-dose vitamins are unnecessary, and a quality daily multivitamin will often suffice.

Protein powder: Proteins are the building blocks of muscle. Lifting weights can cause tears in muscle fibers. Protein is used to repair the muscle, and to make it stronger than before. Athletes, or just extremely active people typically need extra protein just for optimal recovery, let alone muscle growth. Whey protein is absorbed faster than other forms of powder or whole food. This makes it optimal to take shortly before and after a workout.

Creatine: This supplement has received a bad wrap over the years. Yet, if you were to look, you would be hard pressed to find a study showing negative effects of creatine in healthy individuals. Studies have shown that creatine can add weight by drawing water into cells. Along with this, creatine reduces fatigue, allowing you to train harder and longer. Lastly, creatine enhances activities that use fast-twitch muscle fibers. Lifting weights requires fast-twitch fibers, which means creatine will help you better utilize these muscle fibers.

Keep on The Lookout For More Information Regarding Supplements.

This Article Originally Appeared on Examiner.com. It Has Been Shared With The Author's Written Permission.
Bill's Blog Can Be Accessed Here: http://www.examiner.com/fitness-in-chicago/bill-brannigan