general well being

Sporting supplements & what do they do?

By Paul Peroy

Supplements are dietary ingredients that have been manufactured for the purpose of improving an aspect of an individual’s life, in this case for sports enhancement. An individual may choose to take a supplement to increase consumption of one specific ingredient or another for the reason of increasing muscle mass, decreasing body fat, or improving strength or endurance.

One of the most common mistakes a beginner makes is assuming that supplements are necessary to achieve your fitness goals. This is not true. Supplements are intended to supplement (i.e. be an addition to) a diet and training routine and improve upon that. If an individual’s diet and training are not up to par, then no supplement will help with that, despite what the supplement companies might have you believe. Remember; always put diet, training and rest before supplementation. This goes for spending money as well. Always spend money on the gym bill and food before buying supplements. But once your training & eating plan are fine tuned, supplements can aid you to achieve your targets.

1. Multivitamin is a blend of essential vitamins and minerals. They are taken in order to compensate for loss of vitamins and minerals used when exercising, used as growth factors and can add additional vitamins and minerals deficient in your current diet which may be beneficial. We should aim to receive all our requirements thought food especially fruit & vegetables. Though for many of us this is not happening so multivitamins can be an essential requirement. Whatever your body doesn’t need it will excrete.
2. Protein Powders consist of different types of protein such as soy, egg, whey and casein. They are used during the day to either increase consumption of protein or to act as a meal replacement. There are many different kinds of protein powders with different ingredients and flavors. Increasing your protein intake aids in muscle growth & repair after training. It helps you bounce back from your workouts faster & stronger.
3. Creatine is an amino acid metabolite. It is composed of arginine, methionine and glycine. Creatine is supplemented with to increase phosphocreatine in the muscle, which in turn increases ATP which is used by the muscle as energy. Creatine is found in most red meat, however, most of it is removed when the meat is cooked. Creatine can improve strength and body mass by hydrating muscle cells and other factors, it also is great for fat burning.
4. Glucosamine can be helpful in alleviating joint pain associated with osteoarthritis. They can also act as a preventative measure by helping to build up the joints and keep them strong. Many Dr’s are asking those with pain to take this product & others like it, available at health stores & chemists.
5. Carbohydrate powders & drinks can be helpful in endurance sport, to keep the energy up in a long marathon type situation. Though for most gym goers, this is definitely not an essential or something that is highly recommended. Its popularity has died down greatly with the no Carb diet.