Sports nutrition how to take. Overview of the basic types of sports nutrition. Nutrition program for gaining muscle mass

When, how and what sports nutrition is better to take for weight gain? Learn how protein, creatine, BCAAs and other supplements affect recovery and growth.

Even serious athletes often have times when their progress in the gym slows down or stops. Or even worse, regression begins. Then you need an additional impetus to growth. Properly selected sports nutrition can help you get the desired results again.

Whey Protein for Gaining Muscle Mass

Protein is the backbone of any sports nutrition regimen.obvious: it is convenient to take with you, it is easily digestible and effectively covers the body's need for protein. Protein comes to the rescue in those moments when you don’t have time to cook or just don’t feel like eating another chicken breast or steak.

Protein should be used at a certain time in the indicated dosage (the dosage is calculated for an athlete weighing about 90 kg):

20 g immediately after waking up: your body has been hungry for 8 hours or more, so it's wise to have a protein shake as soon as you wake up. This will take you out of the catabolic state and start the mechanisms of muscle growth. In the morning, we do not need complex carbohydrates or fats, just fast-digesting protein and some simple carbohydrates. The body will thank you for the influx of amino acids into the blood.

20 g pre-workout: at this time, again you need to raise the level of amino acids in the blood. Taking protein before a workout will provide your muscles with an influx of amino acids throughout your workout, due to which the recovery process will be much more productive.

40 g post-workout: at this time, the body needs fast-digesting protein and about twice as much simple carbohydrates (80 g). Drink this cocktail no later than half an hour after training. This will raise insulin levels, which will stimulate protein synthesis by supplying glucose and amino acids to muscle tissue.

Creatine for Strength

Creatine is an equally common sports supplement. It is converted to creatine phosphate in the muscles, due to which they are supplied with energy during training. Also, creatine promotes a greater flow of water into muscle cells, which leads to the creation of an anabolic environment for increased protein synthesis. This is the best supplement for gaining muscle mass and increasing strength.

3 –5 g pre-workout: this amount, taken with a small amount of complex carbohydrates and 20 grams of protein, will replenish the body's stores of creatine.

3 –5 g post-workout: within half an hour of finishing your workout, take creatine along with 40 g of whey protein and 80 g of simple carbohydrates. You will receive a cocktail containing everything you need for further growth. After a workout, your muscles need nutrients - why not give them to him? The insulin spike from simple carbs is guaranteed to send creatine straight to your muscles.

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Casein for better sleep recovery

Casein is a slow-digesting protein that will enter the bloodstream for a long time. Whey protein is used when the body urgently needs protein, but casein is needed in other cases: in between meals or when you do not have the opportunity to eat for a long time.

20 g post-workout: take 20 g of casein along with the rest of your sports nutrition. Whey protein will be quickly digested, and casein will nourish the muscles with amino acids for a long time, which will lead to better recovery. It will also help you stay full until the next full meal.

20 g in the middle of the night: Since casein is slowly digested, you will benefit from having a smoothie with it in the middle of your sleep. This will give your body the protein it needs to repair itself. During sleep, the body starves and because of this falls into a state of catabolism. Taking casein about 3-4 hours after you go to bed will help you gain mass. So set your alarm!

Glutamine is an amino acid that promotes recovery

The effect of taking glutamine is not as strong as taking creatine, but glutamine is not without its advantages. As one of the most abundant amino acids in the body, glutamine is actively involved in recovery by helping muscle cells store glycogen after exercise. It also helps to increase the level of growth hormone and supports immunity. Plus, glutamine reduces workout fatigue so you can last longer.. Glutamine is also needed for the digestive system to work: if you do not take it additionally in the form of sports nutrition, the digestive system will take it from your muscle tissue.

7-10 g immediately after waking up: should be taken with a small portion of protein, as we wrote above. This is necessary in order to bring the body out of the catabolic state in which it was at night.

7-10 g pre-workout: this will allow you to train longer at high intensity.

7-10 g post-workout: this will help glycogen flow into the muscles, which will put the body into an anabolic state and speed up recovery.

7–10 g 30–60 minutes before bedtime: this will protect your muscles from breaking down while you sleep. Together with a small dose of catabolism, this will prevent catabolism.

BCAAs to restore and reduce catabolism

Leucine, isoleucine and valine, which are part of the BCAAs, are used as fuel during intense workouts. They protect your hard-won muscles from decay. The rest of the time: Improve protein synthesis and reduce levels of the catabolic hormone cortisol.

5-10 g immediately after waking up: morning intake of BCAAs helps to get rid of catabolism after an overnight fast. The body will use the BCAAs for energy and the protein and glutamine will fuel the muscle tissue.

5-10 g pre-workout: this will help supply the body with energy and protect muscle tissue from decay. You will start the anabolic processes necessary for growth.

5-10 g post-workout: this will increase protein synthesis and suppress the production of the catabolic hormone cortisol, which causes muscle loss and limits the effect of testosterone on muscle growth.

Arginine to improve muscle blood supply

Arginine is converted in the body to nitric oxide (NO). This is a supplement with many benefits. Arginine increases blood flow to the muscles, as more nutrients (amino acids and glucose) as well as hormones such as growth hormone, testosterone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) enter the blood vessels. Also, a stronger supply of water to muscle cells increases protein synthesis, which leads to rapid muscle growth.

2-3 g immediately after waking up: at this time, arginine will dilate blood vessels, which will improve the supply of other nutrients to the muscles.

2-3 g pre-workout: this will increase the natural production of growth hormone before training.

2-3 g 30-60 minutes before bedtime: it will also help increase growth hormone levels.

Tribulus to increase testosterone levels

Tribulus increases the level of testosterone produced from cholesterol. It also increases your strength in training, so it is worth using if you need an additional source of energy before strength training.

250-500 mg pre-workout: A jump in testosterone levels before going to the gym will do you good.

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ZMA for Enhanced Hormone Production and Recovery

ZMA (a combination of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B) has been proven to 6 ) leads to an increase in the production of insulin-like growth factor and testosterone. Zinc improves recovery, while magnesium calms the nervous system, so it's easier for the body to relax. The better you sleep, the more room for your body to grow.

30-60 minutes before bed: 30 mg zinc, 450 mg magnesium and 11 mg vitamin B 6 .

Vitamins and Antioxidants for Better Health

Antioxidants help the body scavenge free radicals that are produced during times of stress, such as after strength training. Should, to cope with stress and keep the body in a state of anabolism.

500 mg of Vitamin C with a post-workout meal: Vitamin C helps keep joints healthy and supports immune function.

150-300 mg of vitamin E with a post-workout meal: vitamin E reduces damage to muscle cells and improves recovery. This antioxidant is also important for skin, nail and hair health.

Sports nutrition schedule

Now you know how and when to take sports nutrition. However, if you are still a beginner, start with whey protein and then gradually buy other sports supplements. This way you will know what works best for you. We are all different, and the choice of sports nutrition is a subjective matter. Stick to proper nutrition, because without a competent diet, supplements will not be useful. Get complex carbs from potatoes, durum wheat pasta, rice, and oatmeal, and protein from lean beef, turkey, chicken, eggs, and fish. So you will quickly achieve the desired result.

When buying sports nutrition, many athletes have a question about how to use protein, gainer, creatine or BCAA correctly and at what time in order to get the maximum effect from training in the future. In this article, we will point out the main recommendations that should be considered when using sports nutrition throughout the day.

Protein

It is desirable to mix various proteins with milk. If milk is poorly digested, then it should be mixed with ordinary drinking water. You can drink protein in the morning, at night, between meals and after training, depending on the type of protein and your goals.

Gainer

Also miscible with milk or water. Gainer must be drunk after training, as well as between meals and in the morning. Eating a weight gainer at night can lead to unwanted fat gain. The amount of gainer you need to calculate based on how many calories you need to get per day.

Creatine

Contrary to the statements of some manufacturers that creatine should be taken with food or protein, creatine is best consumed separately and in a separate form, i. not as part of a protein or gainer, but in a separate form or together with a transport system. or with the transport system it will be learned many times better! Creatine is better to drink separately from everything between meals, stirring it in grape juice, 5 grams of creatine per 1 glass of juice. If creatine comes with a transport system, usually a mixture of carbohydrates, then creatine can be mixed in water, since carbohydrates that come with creatine will replace grape juice. Creatine is drunk separately from everything, so that in the process of digestion it does not break down and turn into a useless product, the transport system and grape juice are used for the same.

Amino acids

Amino acids can be drunk with water, juice, any liquid, both in the morning and in the afternoon, and between meals, and at night, as well as with food, before eating food and after, i.e. at any time, they will be assimilated always and at any time.

BCAA

BCAAs or BCAs are best taken before, during and after your workout, this is the ideal time to take them with water, juice or any other liquid. You can drink them with food, protein, and just about anything. In order for the effect of BCAAs to be felt, you need to drink about 5 grams at a time. In general, they are consumed from 5 to 20 grams at a time. Naturally, there will be an effect from 1 gram of BCA, but not what you expect from them.

Glutamine

A very gentle and unstable amino acid, glutamine must be mixed with water and drunk immediately. Glutamine is best taken separately from everything between meals or morning and night, but can also be mixed with protein or a gainer or regular food. The dosage of glutamine should be from 5 to 20 grams, since most of it is destroyed in the stomach without entering the bloodstream.

Vitamins, minerals

Vitamins can be drunk with water at any time of the day, but preferably with food, either immediately before meals or immediately after meals, since they are less irritating to the stomach with food and are better absorbed. Dosages of vitamins should be looked at depending on the manufacturer and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Fat burners

Fat burners should be taken with water, as directed by the manufacturer, or half an hour before training.

L-carnitine

As a tonic, you can drink L-carnitine at any time of the day with water or with food. As a fat burner, you need to drink 30 minutes before training, starting with a dosage of 1 gram and, depending on your feelings, gradually increasing it. Usually L-carnitine is already well felt at a dosage of 1-3 grams.

Pre-workout complexes

It is necessary to drink 15-45 minutes before training, stirring in water or juice. Pre-workout complexes must be drunk on an empty stomach, i.e. before using the pre-workout complex, you should not eat for at least 1 hour, but preferably 2, since the ingredients included in the complexes are destroyed in the stomach and the complex no longer works as it should work.

L-arginine or nitric oxide

Drink before training on an empty stomach, as well as a pre-workout complex, or in the morning immediately after sleep, while eating should begin half an hour after taking L-arginine so that it can be absorbed. L-arginine is very gentle and breaks down easily, hence the need to take it on an empty stomach.

Products for joints and ligaments

In order for strength training to bring maximum benefits, you need to take various supplements. They are represented by a huge assortment, which greatly complicates the choice for novice athletes. This applies to absolutely any specialized sports nutrition store.

It is impossible to achieve impressive effects if you do not take sports nutrition for beginners. Beginners in bodybuilding, having learned about the need to take sports nutrition, can easily get confused in the abundance of various products, not knowing which one to give their preference to. In order not to make the wrong choice and not be disappointed, you should thoroughly study which supplements really work and will be beneficial in achieving your sports goal already in the initial stages of strength training.

For people who have only recently started weight training, it is quite difficult to understand which supplements to buy and how much money to spend. It is impossible to act without confidence that the sports nutrition taken will bring effectiveness. Otherwise, the product will not benefit.

Beginner bodybuilders should be attentive to their training program. It is recommended to work with weights no more than four times a week. The duration of the session should be a maximum of 60 minutes. You need to give yourself a rest from training. Without following this recommendation, it will not be possible to achieve the desired result. Long duration and frequency of training will lead to overtraining.

It is necessary to understand the difference between nutrition for strength training and diet. To build muscle mass, you should give up three meals a day. It is recommended to eat seven or even eight times a day, but in small portions. This is the main key to the success of any novice athlete who wants to have an impressive amount of muscle. The most important substance that should be present in the diet of every bodybuilder is protein. The amount of protein per day cannot be less than 20 grams per serving. This applies to both training and non-training days.

Beginning bodybuilders should be clear that sports nutrition is an integral part of training with weights. Supplements contain substances that are necessary for the growth of muscle mass. The main thing is not to overdo it and not get carried away with such products.

It is no coincidence that they are called supplements, since they cannot be taken as a complete meal, but only serve to compensate for the lack of elements required to build muscle. The main disadvantage that is typical for sports nutrition is that many quality supplements are quite expensive. This must be taken into account in the long term.

There is a certain basic set of sports nutrition for beginners that should be considered for purchase. Each product has its own characteristics, as well as for which specific sports purpose they are best suited.

Protein

To build good muscle mass, you need a protein that contains whey protein, which is distinguished by the fastest delivery of this substance to the muscles. This supplement is the main source of amino acids. Without them, volumes practically do not grow.

The best result is obtained when they drink protein both before and after training. Thanks to whey protein, the muscles receive exactly those substances that stimulate an increase in volume. It is this supplement that is the best among all products containing protein.

Whey protein is the most easily digestible. In addition, you can make a cocktail from it absolutely anywhere. It can be taken at home and taken with you to the gym. The disadvantage of this supplement is considered to be a rather high cost, as well as the fact that it is quite high in calories. This is a significant disadvantage for those who are trying to lose weight.

Slow carbs

Dietary supplements with complex carbohydrates often contain vitamins, as well as calcium, magnesium, and potassium. They allow you to get the energy necessary for training, so it is best to take this sport nutrition before starting a workout.

You can take dextrose and maltodextrin, but they are much more expensive. A more affordable option is to mix whey protein with banana or rice milk. Healthy alternatives include sweet potatoes, dates, and oatmeal.

The main benefit of slow carbohydrates is that they promote fat burning and also keep blood sugar levels stable. If you buy the supplement in powder form, the price will be quite high.

Creatine

The supplement, as various studies show, increases strength and stimulates the set of lean muscle mass, that is, without fatty subcutaneous complications. They take creatine both before and after training, and on non-training days. The optimal daily portion is 5 grams.

Thanks to creatine, the athlete receives the necessary boost of energy to perform a high-intensity workout. The main advantage of creatine is that it helps to "push" the limits of one's own capabilities, that is, to train much longer and more productively. It comes in a variety of formats so you can choose the one that suits you.

Cretin helps to train harder because it makes the athlete stronger and more enduring. The disadvantage of the supplement is water retention in the body, which negatively affects weight, as well as a breakdown that can be felt after exercise.

This product is not only a useful sports supplement, but also an excellent anti-inflammatory agent, which is an undeniable advantage for post-workout recovery. Its effectiveness can be compared with a drug such as Ibuprofen, but fish oil also has no side effects.

The daily dosage depends on the needs of the body. People who play sports a day are recommended to consume from 2 to 4 grams of fish oil. The product is rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 acids, which are usually insufficiently supplied with food.

Fish oil promotes faster recovery and is the main supplier of Omega-3 and -6. But when taking this product, you should be prepared for an unpleasant aftertaste, nausea, heartburn, belching with a fishy smell.

It is not uncommon for athletes to experience the uncomfortable feeling that their muscles are starting to burn when performing heavy sets. This phenomenon is called muscle acidosis, which makes it impossible to continue training. Taking beta-alanine relieves muscle fatigue and allows you to make classes longer, and, therefore, accelerates progress by increasing strength indicators.

It is recommended to consume this supplement half an hour before training. On rest days, you can drink it at any convenient time. Thanks to beta-alanine, fat disappears faster, muscle mass and strength increase. The cost of the product is high. Often athletes feel a tingling in the body, but it is absolutely harmless.

Other Workout Supplements

There are two more supplements that can help beginners improve their workouts.

Fully justify their name. Pre-workouts are used before training to increase the productivity of training. This supplement is recommended to drink half an hour before training. It is a mixture of various components, the most popular are: caffeine, L-tyrosine, creatine nitrate, beta-alanine, arginine.

The main advantage of pre-workout complexes is the energy they give the body. The cost of the supplement is high, and the components included in its composition are found in other products, so sometimes it is more expedient to dwell on them.

Glutamine

Promotes better recovery after physical exertion. It is recommended to take it after the end of the workout, which will help to experience less pain and speed up the healing process. If you recover faster, then you can return to classes faster.

The only drawback of glutamine is the high cost, and otherwise the athlete receives only benefits. The use of this supplement helps to strengthen the body, minimize pain, remove excess ammonia from the body.

Testosterone Boosting Supplements

In men, testosterone levels inevitably drop with age. It can be increased by taking certain drugs. They stimulate the natural production of this hormone in the body, which allows you to get many benefits in the performance of physical activity.

Produce such drugs based on natural ingredients. They stimulate libido and provide a surge of energy, help build muscle. The disadvantage is that the increase in testosterone is not very significant.

If the drug is taken uncontrollably, there is an excess of the hormone, the man becomes more aggressive, acne and baldness appear.

ZMA

It is a supplement for increasing strength indicators and the level of anabolic hormones. ZMA is not a testosterone booster, but it has been shown in studies to keep testosterone high during exercise.

This sports nutrition improves the speed and time of recovery processes, stimulates the production of androgenic testosterone, as well as an increase in muscle volume. If you exceed the dosage, an excess of minerals and vitamins accumulates in the body.

Conclusion

Sports nutrition is necessary for athletes to improve strength, endurance, recovery processes, and accelerate fat burning. It does not replace the usual diet, but allows you to compensate for the lack of substances that are necessary for a quality set of muscle mass.

Sports nutrition has become an integral part of the lives and careers of many athletes. Beginners, looking at professional athletes, begin to think that they can only become the same with the help of sports nutrition. So they run headlong to the stores, spend their money on supplements, and end up disappointed in the results. And this outcome is not at all surprising, because the variety of different products and supplements can confuse anyone at first. In this article, we will break down sports nutrition and advice for beginners on this matter.

Sports nutrition for beginners

Before we dive into all the supplements in detail, it's important to note some sports nutrition tips. Don't compare yourself to professional athletes. The cabinets of some of them are packed to capacity with various additives that differ from each other in their action. They use so much sports nutrition because their bodies have already reached their maximum performance, and it will not be possible to surpass it with simple food alone. Sports nutrition for a beginner will only have to play the role of support, and you should not focus on it.

Protein or gainer?

All beginners, without exception, have a reasonable question at first: where to start taking sports nutrition? It's actually quite simple here. The main goal of any visitor to the gym is to gain muscle mass. And nothing can cope with this task better than a gainer or protein. The choice between them is the first stage of acquaintance of novice athletes with sports nutrition.

A gainer and a protein, although they perform the same function, differ from each other not only in composition, but also in the principle of action. A gainer is a complex supplement that contains a large amount of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. In addition, it often includes vitamin-mineral complexes, additional components to improve digestibility, and other ingredients. It is distinguished by high calorie content, often high sugar content, and large portions. Gainer is best suited for those who have trouble gaining mass, or who have a naturally lean physique. With its help, the total body weight is gained, which at first we need.

The protein, on the contrary, contains a minimum of ingredients, and is presented in the form of a protein of one of the types (as a rule). We will not delve into each of the types of protein in detail, we will only say that it is necessary for gaining pure muscle mass. These supplements are low in calories, rarely include additional ingredients, and are easily absorbed by the body. They are best used by those who have a full physique, or those who want to gain only pure muscle mass.

Sports nutrition for beginners should begin with these two supplements - they are the main ones in terms of mass gain.

BCAA or complex amines?

There are very interesting substances in our body - amino acids. They perform a variety of functions in the body, and normal life is impossible without them. In fact, protein in the body is not an end product. In the process of decay, it is transformed into amino acids, from which the muscles of our body are built. But what, then, is the difference between BCAA and complex amino acids, and how to choose sports nutrition for a beginner?

There are several differences between them. Firstly, complex supplements also contain BCAA, but in much lower concentrations. The main function of BCAAs is to maintain and increase muscle mass, as well as reduce the percentage of body fat. Complex amino acids are more tuned to maintain a positive amino acid and energy balance in the body. Therefore, it is impossible to say unequivocally which sports nutrition is better for a beginner of these two. In this matter, everyone should decide for himself, focusing on his goals.

Learn all about BCAA powder as the most convenient form of essential amino acids!

Vitamins and minerals - only a complex!

To ensure life processes, the body uses the energy obtained from food. But there will be no full-fledged work of the body if it does not have a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals. These substances are involved in absolutely all internal metabolic processes, and also affect the processes of growth, development, respiration, blood formation, and so on. Therefore, if you are interested in what kind of sports nutrition a beginner needs, then vitamin and mineral complexes are definitely what should be in your arsenal! Here you can say even more - they are necessary for any person, even for those who do not play sports.

Athletes need these substances in increased quantities. During heavy physical work, all internal processes are accelerated. Accordingly, the consumption of vitamins and minerals is also accelerated. In addition, some minerals leave the body with sweat, and due to their lack in the body, many negative processes can occur.

Sports nutrition for beginners - what to look for? First you need to decide what goals you are pursuing. Most inexperienced athletes already in the first days of training try to get the “secrets” of fast pumping from experienced builders, and what kind of sports nutrition is needed for this. As a result, having heard enough useless advice from a "pumped" but not knowledgeable athlete, beginners go to stores and waste money. And the first advice for beginners will be a recommendation - forget about all the "miraculous" ways! Of course, sports nutrition will help you achieve your goal. But here the emphasis is on the word "help". It won't do all the work for you. If you want to get the body of your dreams, then be prepared to spend more than one, or even two years on it. Only then can you see real results.

Move on. Never, under any circumstances, call sports nutrition chemistry. In fact, all sports nutrition is ordinary food. Not quite ordinary, but food. Sports nutrition is a concentrated form of everything that you consume in your diet. And all this is obtained from organic and natural sources. Sports nutrition has some advantages over regular food, but it will never completely replace natural food! Therefore, remember rule number 2 - sports nutrition food, which should be eaten in moderation.

What kind of sports nutrition should a beginner take additionally?

After you have already got used to the gym enough, learn how to do the exercises correctly, and your first muscle mass will begin to show through, then you can start thinking about other miracles of sports nutrition. There are several other sports supplements that have been proven to work well for certain purposes. So let's figure out which sports nutrition is better to take additionally for muscle growth ...

Creatine This is one of the cheapest, but at the same time effective assistants for athletes. It performs several functions at once - it increases indicators of strength and endurance, and also has an indirect effect on the growth of muscle mass. Creatine is a substance that can be synthesized by the body on its own, but in insufficient quantities. Its additional intake will only increase its effectiveness, and will have a positive effect on the general condition of your body. With it, explosive training is much easier to perform and more strength appears in training.

Pre-workout complexes. They often contain creatine, stimulants, and other ingredients. Their action lies in the fact that they allow the body to use additional sources of energy during training, and also stimulate the work of the central nervous system. As a result, your brain feels like you are not tired for longer, and you still have a lot of energy to train.

Experts call this capacious term an extensive line of products containing substances necessary for the life of the body, and in a concentrated form.

Sports nutrition features and difference from other products

• athletes;
• supporters of an active lifestyle;
• people whose work is associated with significant physical exertion.

It is possible to use it by those people who simply want to improve the quality and variety of their diet without increasing calories, as well as those who want to lose weight.

It should be understood that these products have nothing to do with the "chemistry" - doping and anabolic steroids, popular in competitive bodybuilding. Doping is a line of prohibited substances that boost the physical capabilities of the body. Their reception is carried out by unscrupulous professional athletes, for whom victory is important at any cost. And this price can be very high - up to serious injuries.

Steroids are used by bodybuilders. These substances are also prohibited, but almost all performing bodybuilders still use them, and the judges do not pay attention to it, so taking anabolics is an established practice of classic and even beach bodybuilding. Steroids play a rather important role:

• significantly reduce the phase of catabolism (destruction of muscle fibers) after hard training;
• cause increased muscle growth (anabolism effect);
• increase power performance.

An athlete who heavily uses anabolics is immediately visible. He has terribly hypertrophied muscles and sometimes completely loses his human appearance. That is why the performances of professional bodybuilders, the appearance of athletes are unpleasant for the mass audience. In addition, long-term use of steroids causes serious health problems.

What are supplements for?

All the substances that the body needs for life, we get with food. That is why for any average person there is no particular need for sports nutrition - provided that it is properly, nutritiously fed. It is hardly possible to call hamburgers and pies from the cafe closest to the office “real” food. The stormy rhythms of life force us to eat not only "fast food", but also semi-finished products, instant products, so that the body clearly lacks useful substances. Just their lack can be filled with the use of sports nutrition products.

And their use is especially shown to people who are active, involved in sports, whether amateur or professional. At the same time, these additives do not belong to prohibited substances that are harmful to health.

Sports nutrition performs several important functions in the body:

• allows you to replenish the supply of trace elements, nutrients and vitamins;
• provides a good supply of energy for training and other vigorous activity;
• helps during the period of following diets - it maintains metabolism at an acceptable level and does not allow the body to “burn” muscles along with fat;
• controls appetite;
• promotes the growth of muscle tissue and rapid recovery after a hard workout;
• protects joints and ligaments.

It should be understood that all these and many other properties do not belong to any one type of sports supplements, but to different ones. So the choice of a particular product should be conscious, meeting certain goals. A universal, suitable for all cases sports supplement simply does not exist.

Sports nutrition includes several different products, each of which is used for its own purposes. There are quite a few of them. Here are just the most popular and sought after ones:

• proteins;
• gainers;
• complexes of amino acids;
• energy;
• casein.

Proteins - a product that provides muscles with building material

Protein - a mixture containing up to 90% protein. Most often, athletes who build muscle mass take proteins. During training with iron, muscle fibers receive many microtraumas and even break down (a phenomenon called catabolism). After training, the muscles are restored (anabolism phase), and with a margin. The material (proteins) for recovery the body takes from food. It is not difficult to guess that the nutrition of an athlete should be complete. Proteins, which are a concentrated protein, help to fill the lack of nutrients and speed up the recovery process.

Proteins promote muscle growth, in which fats are burned. Therefore, this product is also useful for those who want to lose weight as soon as possible. In addition, it makes up for the lack of protein without increasing the calorie content when following strict diets. Receiving a protein shake is quite possible to replace dinner.

Gainers - energy for training

Gainers are another product designed for athletes. This is a protein-carbohydrate mixture with a ratio of 50% protein and 30% carbohydrates. Provides a good supply of energy for a hard workout and enough protein for muscle recovery and growth. It has a high calorie content, and therefore is not indicated for people who want to lose weight.

Creatine

Creatine is one of the most popular energy drinks. Just one teaspoon of creatine monohydrate will fully provide the athlete with energy for training. Increases endurance and strength performance.

Amino acids

It is the material that ultimately makes up all the cells of our body, including muscle tissue. Among athletes, the most popular complex consists of leucine, isoleucine and valine. A supplement that contains these essential amino acids is called a BCAA. It is useful to use before, during and after training. Of particular interest is the property of BCAAs to stimulate fat burning processes in the body. Helps not to lose muscle mass during drying.

How to choose a supplement

Sports supplements will only benefit if you choose the right one. You can’t buy a product just because it was praised by a friend in the hall. It is possible that he does not pursue the goals that are relevant to you. Think carefully about the purpose for which you will use the supplement.

• If you need a quick set of mass, then the best option is gainers.
• For fat burning, it is better to buy L-carnitine. And one serving of protein (45 grams per glass of milk) is a complete meal replacement, excluding calories.
• During hard workouts, BCAAs will help a lot.
• Proteins (preferably whey or casein, soy should not be taken) are a universal supplement that is useful for everyone.
• Creatine - buy safely if you want to get energy for training and strength without gaining mass.

Sports supplements can be used both individually and in combination with each other. There is no antagonism between them. Remember that there may be individual intolerance.