Before you buy any supplement, check the basic rules of sports supplementation. Thanks to this, you will avoid dosing errors and you will not fall for the marketing tricks used by producers. Here are 7 rules of supplementation, the observance of which guarantees the best results in the increase of muscle mass and improvement of sports results.

Getting to knowrules of sports supplementationis the first step you should take before you go to the store for the conditioner or buy it online. Buying blindly, without basic knowledge of supplements, can end up spending money unnecessarily at best, and serious he alth problems at worst.

If you want your supplementation to be effective, safe and inexpensive, find out what rules you should follow.

1. Ask yourself: do I need supplementation?

If you have had the thought to start additional supplementation with pills or nutrients, you have certainly noticed an increased need for building substances. However, if the need for supplementation is not the result of self-observation, but only the fashion or pressure of the environment (all my friends who go to the gym use supplements, so I must too) - better give up buying any preparations. Contemporary nutritionists advise against taking any additional "boosters", instead they recommend a well-balanced diet.

2. Set the goal of supplementation

If your body needs additional supplementation as a result of intense workouts, determine for what purpose you want to use the supplements. To sculpt your figure, gain weight, lose weight, improve overall fitness and condition? In each of these cases, different supplements are recommended.

To gain muscle, you need to focus primarily on BCAA amino acids with the best proven effectiveness, and then protein. Gainers are dedicated to an ectomorph who wants to gain weight, but their positive effect is questioned by some specialists. These types of products are poorly absorbed by the body, and their producers often give false ingredients. Thermogenics containing e.g. green tea extracts, caffeine, capsaicin, CLA. However, it is not worth believing inAdvertisements for L-carnitine supplements, as the claim about its allegedly slimming effect has been scientifically refuted.

People who train as amateurs only to improve their overall condition usually do not need to take supplements at all. If they exercise no more than 3 times a week, a properly composed diet is enough for them.

3. Choose supplements depending on your training experience

If you are just starting your adventure with sports, buying a whole arsenal of supplements is a waste of money. Both beginners and advanced players should choose BCAA amino acids as the basis of their supplementation. This supplement provides the optimal amounts of ingredients needed to build muscle mass and has a proven effectiveness. Then you can get whey protein - although its effect is also scientifically proven, this supplement is not always tolerated by the body and often contains additional, harmful substances. Other nutrients, such as GABA or beta alanine, are dedicated to more advanced people who have more experience in training and preparing a diet.

4. Choose supplements to your diet - not the other way around!

Supplements should complement the diet, not replace it. Therefore, you should buy a nutrient with an already established nutrition plan. Only after analyzing the composition of the diet, incl. its calorific value, the amount of protein, carbohydrates and fats supplied, you can buy the appropriate supplements.

5. Establish your supplementation plan

Many supplements differ in their dosing regimen - for example, whey protein should only be consumed after training, and casein at bedtime, similar to ZMA. Confusing the time of taking the supplement lowers its effectiveness and destroys the effort put into training. Sometimes it can even result in a decrease in concentration during exercise and a greater risk of injury - this is the case of ZMA, which contains magnesium that relaxes the nervous system. Consuming this vitamin before training can cause a decrease in muscle tension and make it difficult for them to work.

In order not to get confused, it is worth writing your own supplementation plan, taking into account which supplement, in what dose and at what time. This is a good solution, especially for those athletes who take several preparations at the same time.

6. Read labels carefully

Producers of supplements, like food producers, often feed on our ignorance and use various marketing tricks. Attractive packaging and a suggestive advertising slogan (eg "The best BCAAs on the market") do not prove good quality or effectivenesssupplement. The only way to verify whether we are dealing with a valuable supplement is to carefully check its composition. Very often, products in the same price category differ significantly in quality. An example is ZMA - a package containing 90 capsules costs PLN 51 from one manufacturer, PLN 72 for another. After analyzing the composition, it turns out that the cheaper product contains 30% more magnesium and 20% more zinc. So the price does not always go hand in hand with the quality of the preparation.

7. Follow the recommended doses

Each supplement package contains information on the amounts to be taken. Often, however, especially in less experienced athletes waiting for the first effects of training, there is a temptation to increase the dose of the preparation yourself. It is supported by thinking "the more I take, the sooner I will notice the effects" - a mistake! In this way, we increase the risk of side effects, and supplementation is not more effective. Consistent adherence to the dosage rules is the only way to benefit from the use of supplements. Patience is essential for this, because only regular training is able to stimulate the muscles to grow. Taking supplements without exercise will do nothing.

Category:

ABC of exercises