Best Supplements For Athletes
Even if we could obtain all the nutrients we need from our diet, it’s
highly unlikely that any of us eats an ideal diet. Amateur athlete or a regular workout person, need to have
supplements to improved athletic performance. Supplementation fills in where diets fall short, and fall short they
will, especially given the high nutrient demands. Here’s supplements that every athlete or a regular workout person should have
in their gym bag.
Creatine
Monohydrate
Recommended
dose: 3 – 5 grams per day.
Creatine is
one of the most effective performance supplements in terms of improving
high-intensity work capacity, muscle mass, strength, and body composition. Creatine supplementation works by increasing
phosphocreatine stores within the muscle, allowing for quicker regeneration of adenosine
triphosphate, the body's source of energy. This is important for any physical
activity that requires a rapid energy source during high-intensity explosive
exercise, and it's why Creatine is so important for performance.
Protein Supplements
Recommended
dose: 20-25 grams of
Protein per day.
Protein is used for building and repairing muscle and tissues, red blood
cells, hair and finger nails and for synthesizing hormones. Protein is necessary
for reducing the risk of iron deficiency anemia and to improve healing. Physical activity puts stress on your
body, and that stress increases the longer, harder, or more frequently you
engage in fitness. Recovery becomes more critical as your training
increases, and protein is essential for recovery.
Fish Oil
Recommended
dose: 2 grams per day.
Fish oil is an excellent source of
omega-3 fatty acids, which are key players in the recovery process. Essential
fatty acids found in fish oils may support a healthy inflammation response
after exercise. This may help to reduce the post-exercise muscle soreness often
felt for hours or days after strenuous or unaccustomed exercise. Omega-3 are also critical for building
and maintaining muscles, and they may help you recover faster and train harder.
Caffeine
Recommended
dose: 1.8 - 2.7 milligrams
per pound of body weight (1.8 – 2.7 milligrams per 0.5 kg of body weight).
Most of us consume caffeine because of
its ability to increase alertness but this jack-of-all-trades stimulant can
also reduce the perception of effort, increase fat oxidation, and stimulate the
release of endorphin during your workouts.
BCAA
Recommended
dose: 20 grams of BCAA
per day.
The branched-chain amino acids
(BCAAs), leucine, isoleucine and valine, are unique because they are the only
amino acids used directly by muscle as energy during exercise. Thus, they can
become depleted quickly. BCAAs increase protein synthesis and muscle growth as
well as prevent the breakdown of muscle tissue.The BCAA supplement will help
keep you performing at an optimal level as the season grinds.
Vitamin D3
Recommended
dose: 400IU - 800IU per
day.
This vitamin is not
only important for strengthening the immune system (by fighting free radicals)
but also for increasing calcium absorption in the bones. The high-intensity
movements put a lot of pressure on the bones and the joints. Fragile bones will
eventually lead to injuries and impair your development. Vitamin D3 contributes
to a healthy bone structure. Vitamin D3 boosts your power output by increasing
fast twitch muscle fibre contraction. Adequate levels of vitamin D mean more
lean muscle mass and less body fat.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a nutrient
the body needs to stay healthy and regulate muscle performance. It can be found
in the bones and muscles of the body. Our bodies require magnesium to break
down carbohydrates and fats, which we then use for energy. It is also essential
for muscle contraction. It is a regulatory mineral that controls the hormones
that contribute to muscle and nerve function, blood pressure regulation,
glucose control and protein synthesis. Magnesium is also essential for skeletal
health and the transportation of calcium and potassium ions, which contribute
to normal heart rhythms and proper muscle contraction.
Multivitamins
A multivitamin is one
of the few supplements around that can be beneficial to everyone. While most of
the overpriced holistic offerings that you’ll find don’t actually give you
anything you’re truly missing, a multivitamin has required minerals you need on
a daily basis and it supports your baseline nutrition.
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