Active adults or athletes 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 supplements. They are designed to support caloric control, muscle gain, weight loss, and performance enhancement. Sports supplements include:
Protein powders can come from a variety of sources, including:
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Eggs
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Milk (casein, whey)
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Plants (soybeans, peas, hemp)
Protein powders are not reviewed by the FDA for safety or effectiveness. They can often contain non-protein ingredients, such as vitamins, minerals, thickeners, added sugars, non-caloric sweeteners, and artificial flavouring. It is important to always read the nutrition and ingredient labels while choosing the supplement.
Casein and whey: 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 metabolised into amino acids, while Casein is not water soluble, and its digestion is slower than whey. There are also different types of whey protein.
Soy protein powder: 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.
Pea protein powder: IIt 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.
Hemp protein powder: It is derived from the seeds of the hemp plant. It contains omega-3 fatty acids and a number of essential amino acids.
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.
Mass gainers: are high-calorie supplements containing various amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that aim to maximise 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.
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.
Sports drinks: contain water, carbs, and electrolytes. These are important for different aspects of your exercise performance. Water and electrolytes are lost in sweat. Therefore, it is important to replace them, especially if you are engaging in a high-intensity, long-duration exercise. Similarly, your body stores carbs in your muscles and liver in the form of glycogen. The latter is used as a fuel source during exercise. For that reason, consuming carbs before or during exercise can slow down the exhaustion of carbohydrate stores, therefore, preserving your energy for longer. Sports drinks are intended to provide these three important ingredients with the goal of improving exercise performance and recovery.
Electrolytes : are essential minerals such as sodium, calcium, and potassium. These are crucial to many key functions in the body and aid in hydration, muscular contraction, pH equilibrium, and nerve communication. A loss of electrolytes can be associated with dehydration. Therefore, electrolyte drinks are designed to replace the minerals lost through sweat.
Top brands:
BSN TRUE MASS: is designed to support muscle growth and recovery, especially for athletes who are looking for weight gain and greater muscle mass too. What distinguishes BSN TRUE MASS from other shakes is the unique carbohydrate blend that contains a 2-1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein, in addition to healthy fats, helping you to reach your high caloric objectives that cannot be fulfilled by regular daily meals.
BSN TRUE MASS could also be used as a post-workout shake to help with muscle recovery, especially after intensive training sessions. BSN TRUE MASS weight gainer is also considered to be effective in other applications such as enhancing performance and greater endurance.
An amount of 6gm of dietary fibres has been added to BSN TRUE MASS, to deliver great nutritional value with each serving. BSN TRUE MASS is available in two tasty flavours: Chocolate Milkshake and Strawberry Shake, made for you to enjoy your muscle mass building and weight-gaining journey.
Benefits
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Gain muscle mass with 50 gm of protein
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700 calories per serving to fulfil your needs with 90 gm of carbohydrates
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Enhanced endurance and faster recovery
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Healthy fats and fibres to support your nutritional needs
Dymatize Elite 100% Whey Protein Powder
Each serving of Elite 100% Whey Protein is packed with 25g of high-quality, fast-digesting and absorbing whey protein, including whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate and whey peptides to support even the most rigorous athletic and fitness goals.
The superior quality of Elite 100% Whey Protein utilises cross-flow microfiltration processing to preserve the important muscle building properties of whey protein and whey protein fractions such as alpha lactalbumin and beta-lactoglobulin, serum albumins and immunoglobulins. Elite 100% Whey Protein is formulated by in-house research and development scientists by carefully selecting ingredients that meet our high quality standards and specifications.
Benefits:
Elite 100% Whey Protein flavours are developed in-house so they are delicious every time you enjoy an Elite 100% Whey Protein shake. Think of it as an indulgent, smart reward for your hard work and dedication.
Real Science & Quality: Dymatize proteins are formulated based on the latest science and put to the test in university studies and at elite professional training facilities. Dymatize protein powders are always manufactured in GMP and Sport Certified facilities, meaning that all ingredients and final products are rigorously tested and validated clean and safe. They are banned substance tested for athlete's reassurance by Informed-Choice
Xtend Original BCAA: is suitable for low-carb dieters to maintain physical fitness to increase the ability to intense exercise and bodybuilding to stimulate the ability to lift weight and endurance during exercise and increase training intensity to improve muscle response
Benefits:
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Helps gain weight
- Improves endurance during exercise or competition
- Helps increase training intensity
- Sugar Free
- Carb Free
- Optimal Muscle Protein Supply
- Improve muscle performance and response.
Core Champs Mass Gainer: is made with 100% whey protein which provides 1,250 calories when mixed with an 18-20 oz. From water. Core champs mass gainer contains 50 grams of high-quality protein, fast-digesting carbohydrates, and other minerals. This advanced mass gainer is designed for anyone who has a hard time adding volume, is in the bloating phase, or wants to break through their strength stability.
Benefits:
Core champs mass gainer is loaded with massive amounts of branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) in every serving - all essential for building muscle, strength, and recovery from workouts.
Ingredients:
Maltodextrin, whey protein concentrate, cocoa powder, non-dairy creamer, natural & artificial flavours, gum blend (cellulose, guar, xanthan), sucralose, acesulfame potassium, creatine monohydrate, salt, soy lecithin.
Sunshine Nutrition Isotonic Electrolyte Effervescent: is a refreshing Isotonic drink in effervescent tablets. Refreshing Isotonic drink in effervescent tablets designed for active people to stay hydrated and replenish the lost electrolytes during excessive sweating, vomiting or diarrhoea. This unique formula of electrolytes with the essential B-vitamins and Vitamin C provides physical energy throughout the day.
Benefits:
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A unique formula of electrolytes
- Designed for active people to stay hydrated
- Contains essential B-vitamins and Vitamin C
- Lemon-Lime Flavour
FAQs:
What are sports supplements?
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Sports supplements contain the right amounts of calories, and macro-, and micronutrients as they have a significant role in boosting the energy and endurance of athletes during their workout. Furthermore, other sports supplements are intended to increase muscle mass through enhanced muscle repair, recovery, and growth.
Can I take sports supplements without following a healthy diet?
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Supplements should never replace a healthy diet! Numerous dietary ingredients can potentially enhance training, recovery, and/or performance such as protein, carbs, healthy fats and caffeine.Thus, supplementing your food intake with these nutrients in proper amounts and at appropriate times can improve your diet and optimise your performance.
What are the most common sport supplements?
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Sports supplements include a variety of products such as protein powders, BCAA, creatine, L-carnitine, L-carnitine, arginine and others.
What are the benefits of using sports supplements?
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Enhanced mental focus
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Boost of energy and strength
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Muscle recovery and repair
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Increased muscle mass
Are sports supplements safe to use?
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Not all sports supplements are considered safe, you have to make sure you are choosing a high quality brand and the product does not contain any banned ingredients. Moreover, you need to stick to the recommended dose on the product, as overconsumption of some products may lead to serious side effects.
