The industry of supplements is continuously becoming more and more popular. Active adults or athletes may include supplements to help meet their nutritional needs, improve nutrient deficiencies, enhance athletic performance or achieve personal fitness goals.
Dietary supplements usually contain carbohydrates, protein, fat, minerals, vitamins, herbs, enzymes, amino acids, or various plant/food extracts. One group of dietary supplements are sports supplement.
These can be found in multiple forms and provide a convenient means of meeting essential energy or macronutrient needs such as capsules, tablets, energy bars, meal replacement powders, or ready-to-drink shakes.
Some are also designed to support caloric control, weight gain, weight loss, and performance enhancement. These supplements are taken either before (pre-workout) or after exercise (post-workout).
What are these supplements? When should you take them? Do these supplements live up to the hype? Are those supplements necessary or even safe?
Like other dietary supplements, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve workout supplements as safe or effective. Therefore, it is recommended to check the ingredients, research their effects and consult your physician before adding them to your fitness routine.
Nowadays, the use of dietary supplements in the athletic population is widely going up. However, their need, safety, and efficacy remain questionable. Dietary supplements have a significant role in helping athletes consume the right amounts of calories, and macro-, and micronutrients.
However, supplements should never replace a healthy diet! Numerous dietary ingredients can potentially enhance training, recovery, and/or performance. Thus, supplementing your food intake with these nutrients in proper amounts and at appropriate times can improve your diet and optimize your performance.
Therefore, sports dietitians must be aware of the current data regarding sports nutrition and exercise and should educate their clients.
Pre-workout supplements are intended to boost your energy and endurance during your workout. These supplements are taken 15-30 minutes before a workout and can also be consumed during exercise.
Find out about the common ingredients present in pre-workout supplements that the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine have approved as having evidence-based uses in sports nutrition.
These supplements have been recognized as safe and effective by the International Society of Sports Nutrition. However, it is still important to consult a physician or dietitian prior to using these supplements, as they are not reviewed by the FDA for safety or effectiveness
Creatine is a chemical molecule synthesized naturally in the body from amino acids and can be obtained from red meat and seafood. Research has shown that creatine increases muscle mass and can help improve performance in resistance exercise or in sports involving intermittent sprints or other brief repeated high-intensity exercises (soccer, basketball…).
L-Carnitine is produced endogenously by the liver and kidneys and is involved in lipid metabolism. Some research has shown that L-carnitine supplementation can benefit athletes in endurance competitions, and prolonged high-intensity exercise, and can help in recovery during high-intensity resistance exercise. It also helps burn fat and get increase muscle mass.
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These supplements are intended to increase muscle mass through enhanced muscle repair, recovery, and growth.Find out about some of the most common ingredients used in post-workout supplements.
Find out about some of the most common ingredients used in post-workout supplements.
Click here to check the multiple post-workout supplements available on our website
Carbohydrates aid in replenishing glycogen stores after a workout which is important for muscle recovery and can improve exercise performance. Your usual dietary intake is usually enough to replenish muscle glycogen stores after low-intensity exercises (walking, yoga…) and also for moderate-intensity exercise (one hour of walking, jogging, swimming…). Post-workout supplementation with carbohydrates and protein is only recommended after long and strenuous physical activity (interval training, running, swimming, bicycling, soccer, or basketball).
Generally, the recommended daily intake of protein is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Protein supplementation during exercise varies based on the age, quantity, and quality of protein intake and type, intensity, and duration of exercise. For individuals participating in strenuous exercise, the International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends an overall daily protein intake of 1.4 – 2.0 g/kg of body weight/day to build and maintain muscle mass. This amount can be either ingested in the form of protein foods or taken as protein powder.
These are found in cow’s milk. About 80% of milk proteins are casein, while the other ~20% are whey. They contain all essential amino acids and are easily absorbed by the body, but their speed of absorption differs. Whey protein is water soluble and rapidly metabolized into amino acids, while Casein is not water soluble, and its digestion is slower than whey. There are also different types of whey protein (which will be discussed below).
It is derived from soybeans and contains all essential amino acids. It is a common alternative to milk protein for vegans or people with dairy sensitivities or allergies.
t is made from yellow split peas and can be an option for vegans or people with allergies or sensitivities to soy or dairy. It contains all 9 essential amino acids.
It is derived from the seeds of the hemp plant. It contains omega-3 fatty acids and a number of essential amino acids.
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The three branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) are leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They are found in red meat, fish, poultry, and eggs or sold as dietary supplements in powdered form. BCAAs contribute to an increase in the rate of protein synthesis and reduce the rate of protein catabolism, and therefore are important for muscle growth.
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Learn about the major differences and decide.
Click here to find the different types of whey protein on our website.
Whey protein concentrate is a protein supplement characterized by:
Whey protein isolate is a protein supplement characterized by:
Whey protein hydrolysateis characterized by:
Whey protein hydrolysate is a protein supplement obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of peptide chains. Thus, it is partially digested and therefore, rapidly absorbed in the gut then both whey protein isolates and concentrates. It is recommended for people with sensitive stomachs and severe lactose intolerance. It also allows the fastest recovery after an intense workout.
It is always important to support your training with a well-balanced diet that provides you with all your needs. However, because it can be challenging sometimes to get all your nutritional requirements from meals, you may need to consider supplementations. Specifically, when you need to gain muscle mass and strength faster, mass gainers may help you achieve your goal.
Mass gainers are high-calorie supplements containing various amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that aim to maximize your caloric and macronutrient intake by means to assist you in gaining weight, precisely, muscle mass. They are also helpful for people who are skinny and struggle to add muscle easily, along with people who train intensely. They can also help anyone who is underweight and struggling to get the nutrition they need from their regular diet.
The amount of protein in a Mass Gainer may be less than that of Whey Protein but the level of carbohydrates and fats is certainly on the higher side to increase the calorie intake. There are various types of Mass Gainers available in the market today with different caloric content. Thus, before purchasing a mass gainer, make sure you choose the best one that suits your specific needs. Try to go for a mass gainer made with less sugar and more complex carbohydrates per serving.
Click here to find the different mass gainer supplements available on our website.
- Rich in carbohydrates
- Rich in high-quality whey protein
- Rich in vitamins and minerals
- Rich in fiber
- Helps in muscle recovery and growth
NB: Gaining necessary mass is good. However, getting unnecessary fat is totally not. Therefore, you should make sure you are following a good workout regime that requires taking these supplements. Otherwise, taking a Mass Gainer would be a waste of time and money. Without training, you would just gain weight and fat.
A wide range of sport supplements products are available on our website, below you can find some of them:
Vitamin c, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, L-leucine, L-isoleucine, L-valine, L-lysine, L-threonine, L-phenylalanine, L-histidine, L-methionine, creatine monohydrate, creatine hydrochloride, peak ATP, sodium chloride, dipotassium phosphate, sensoril ashwagandha extract, carb blend. Silicon dioxide, natural flavors, citric acid, sucralose, malic acid, acesulfame potassium, vegetable juice powder, beta carotene, anti foam.
Processed in a facility that also processes milk, egg, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish, wheat ingredients.
Not available.
Muscletech Cell-Tech Elite creatine formula provides 5g of creatine per serving to help muscles produce energy during heavy lifting and maximize the performance. In addition to 400mg PEAK ATP as a primary source of energy cells, helping to maximize performance and building more muscle. Plus, 6g of essential amino acids in order to slow the muscle breakdown and enhance muscle growth. And 4g of BCAA that promotes a rapid recovery.
Vitamine B6, sodium, potassium, L-leucine, L-valine, L-isoleucine, L-glutamine, citrulline malate. electrolyte blend. Citric acid, malic acid, silicon dioxide, natural & artificial flavors, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, FD&C yellow #5, FD&C red lake #40.
Sugar, calories, carbohydrates.
Xtend The Original Bcaa Mango Flavor Protein Powder is used for the recovery after an intense workout: muscle recovery and growth, and also with its electrolytes content helps restore the electrolytes losses during workout. Powered by 7 grams of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), which have been clinically shown to support muscle recovery and growth.
Maltodextrin, Whey Protein Concentrate, Cocoa Powder, Non-Dairy Creamer, Natural and Artificial Flavours, Gum Blend (Cellulose, Guar, Xanthan), Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Creatine Monohydrate, Salt, Soy Lecithin. Manufactured in a facility that processes sesame, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, fish, shellfish and wheat products.
Not available.
CORE CHAMPS MASS Gainer is a product under the category of mass gainer or muscle building. It contains 50 grams of high-quality protein, quickly digested carbohydrates, and other minerals. This advanced mass gainer has been designed for any individual who has a tough time adding size, is in their bulking phase, or wants to break through their strength plateaus.
L-Carnitine, vegetable cellulose, vegetable stearic acid, polyvinyl alcohol, silica. Contains <2% of: calcium carbonate, magnesium silicate, polyethylene glycol, vegetable magnesium stearate.
Artificial flavor, artificial sweetener, preservatives, sugar, starch, milk, lactose, soy, gluten, wheat, yeast, fish, sodium.
Nature’s bounty L-carnitine 500mg promotes energy production and provides support for fat metabolism.
Protein blend (whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, whey peptides), natural and artificial flavors, lecithin, cellulose gum, xanthan gum, salt, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, lactase.
Gluten, sucralose,
Optimun Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder vanilla ice cream is a powder that helps build muscle and increase strength. It provides 24g of 100% whey protein isolate per serving.
Change requires effort, but it doesn’t have to be hard if you have the right knowledge and tools. We believe the first step in being your best healthy version is knowledge. We encourage everyone to be informed about their health and understand how nutrients, supplements, and products affect the overall wellness. And we are here to do just that. We are committed to educating the world about what wellness truly means.
