Bodybuilding supplement
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Bodybuilding supplements are substances taken by bodybuilders and other athletes to aid in the building of muscle mass or aid fat loss. Supplements may also be used to improve sports performance and improve recovery from athletic events.
Amino acids and proteins
Bodybuilders often take a powdered form of protein, the essential building blocks for muscles, as a supplement as it is necessary to consume large quantities and protein shakes are convenient. The most commonly consumed type is whey protein since it is a naturally complete protein and is a rich source of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), containing the highest known levels of any natural food source. It is also very quickly absorbed by the body and metabolized.
Casein is the richest in glutamine, and has casomorphin which help release aminos over a long time. Soy protein is also naturally complete, however due to isoflavones (phytoestrogens) that may exhibit estrogenic activity in people, some bodybuilders avoid it. Many people also will use egg (white) protein, as it is a lactose- and dairy-free complete protein. Protein powder is generally consumed immediately after exercising, or in place of a meal. As muscles are primarially made of protein, increasing the intake of protein in the diet allows muscles to repair themselves and grow more readily.
Glutamine
Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid found in human muscle and is supplemented as supplement manufacturers claim the body's natural glutamine levels are depleted during anaerobic exercise and therefore may cause a deficiency. Glutamine is not an essential amino acid which means the body can naturally replenish its own stores. It is argued that supplementation by bodybuilders may still be required as deficiency may lead to a weakened immune system and wasting of muscle tissue. Many bodybuilders supplement with glutamine. It plays a vital role in protein synthesis. It is sold as a micronized, instantly soluble powder.
Branched chain amino acids
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein – the body breaks consumed protein into these in the stomach and intestines. There are three branched chain amino acids (BCAAs); each has numerous benefits on various biological processes in the body. Unlike other amino acids, BCAAs are metabolised in the muscle. Some claim that BCAAs have an anabolic/anti-catabolic effect on the muscle (build muscle/work against muscle breakdown). For more information on this visit the articles on each of the specific aminos: leucine, isoleucine, and valine.Meal Replacement Products (MRPs)
The majority of MRPs use whey protein, calcium caseinate or micellar casein, soy protein and Egg albumin as the protein source. Carbohydrates are typically derived from maltodextrin, oat fiber, brown rice, or wheat flour. Some also contain flax oil powder as a source of essential fatty acids (EFAs).
MRPs can also contain other ingredients that are deemed beneficial to bodybuilders. These can include, but are not limited to creatine monohydrate, glutamine peptides, l-glutamine, calcium alpha-ketoglutarate, additional amino acids, lactoferrin, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and medium chain triglycerides (MCT).
Prohormones
Prohormones are precursors to hormones - and were most typically sold to bodybuilders as a precursor to the natural hormone testosterone. This conversion requires naturally occurring enzymes in the body. Side effects are not uncommon, as prohormones can also convert further into to DHT and estrogen. To date most prohormone products have not been thoroughly studied, and the health effects of prolonged use are unknown. Although initially available over the counter, in 2004 their purchase was made illegal without a prescription in the US, as it now is in almost all countries and sporting bodies.
Creatine
Although some have theorized that creatine is harmful to the kidneys (due to primary renal elimination via creatinine) this has not been proven in a scientific study.
Thermogenic Products
Thermogenics is a broad term for any supplement that the manufacturer claims will cause thermogenesis – resulting in an increased metabolic rate, increased body temperature and consequently (the promise of) an increased rate in the burning of bodyfat. Until recently almost every product found in this supplement category was comprised of the "ECA stack": ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin (however these were normally found in their herbal form of Ma Huang, Kola nut or Guarana, and white willow bark, respectively). However, on February 6 2004 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the sale of ephedrine and its alkaloids and manufacturers were forced to look for alternatives. Nowadays, the "ECA" stack is more likely comprised of bitter orange or Citrus aurantium (containing synephrine) instead of the ephedrine. To date the effectiveness of this new combination is far from conclusive.
Testosterone Boosters
There are several naturally-occurring plants and vitamins as well as synthetic chemicals that supplement companies claim may produce an increase in testosterone levels. However, the validity of many of these products is questionable due to a lack of valid scientific research showing their effectiveness at this time. The most commonly taken supplements of this type are ZMA and Tribulus terrestris.
A relatively new drug/supplement marketed as 6-OXO is gaining popularity as a testosterone booster.
Nitric Oxide Stimulators
Many studies show that nitric oxide (NO) acts as a signaling molecule that plays a vital role in causing the relaxation of the smooth muscle tissue that makes up the walls of blood vessels. NO freely crosses the endothelial cell membrane into the smooth muscle tissue of the blood vessels to facilitate vasodilation. Promoters argue this allows more blood and oxygen, and hence more nutrients to be delivered to muscle tissue, while increasing waste removal – aiding muscle growth. This is called active hyperemia. However, NO supplements do not actually contain nitric oxide but the amino acid arginine and other precursors such as citrulline, Pycnogenol, L-aspartic acid, and ginsenosides – which the body uses to synthesize NO.
NO supplements are at this time very controversial. While nitric oxide does give a noticeable increase in "pump" (muscle swelling during exercise), there exists little evidence to prove it's effectiveness.
Also, most NO supplements also include creatine and high levels of mild stimulants like caffeine, the workout intensifying properties of such may be responsible for gains seen with NO products.
See also
- Dietary supplement
- List of nutrition related topics
References
- ↑ Birch, R. et al. (1994). The influence of dietary creatine supplementation on performance during repeated bouts of maximal isokinetic cycling in man. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 69, 268-270.
- ↑ Becque, M. et al. (1999). Effects of oral creatine supplementation on muscular strength and body composition. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 32:3, 654-658.
- ↑ Rae, C. et al. (2003). Oral creatine monohydrate supplementation improves brain performance: A double blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London: Biological Sciences, 270:1529, 2147-2150.
- ↑ Ferrier, C. H. et al. (2001). NAA and creatine levels measured by H MRS relate to recognition memory. Neurology, 55, 1874-1883.
- ↑ Watanabe, A. et al. (2002). Effects of creatine on mental fatigue and cerebral hemoglobin oxygenation. Neuroscience Research, 42, 279-285.
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