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Bodybuilding Supplements Guide

With so many supplements on the market today, and the clever advertising which goes into their promotion, which supplements are really worth you spending your hard earned cash on? Of course, supplements alone will do very little for you, but there are a handful of tried and tested supplements which I believe can be useful when plugged into an already sound diet plan.

Protein shakes

I use the term protein shakes, and it covers a wide spectrum of different products available on the market. You can buy whey protein, in the forms of whey concentrate and whey isolate, flavoured or unflavoured. Casein protein, egg protein, soy protein, and many others.

Whey protein generally comes in two forms; whey concentrate and whey isolate. Whey concentrate is about 75-80% protein generally, and contains low levels of fat and carbohydrates. It is generally cheaper then whey protein isolate. Whey protein isolate has a greater percentage of protein and has lower levels of fat and lactose compared to whey concentrate. As you can probably tell, whey protein isolate is generally considered the superior choice of the two, but in real world terms the difference between the two in the way of results will be minimal at best. Isolate does however come in handy for those who are lactose intolerant due to the lower levels of lactose found in the isolated whey.
Whey can be used during the day to increase overall protein intake. Due to its fast uptake compared to other protein powders it is often taken post workout when we want a quick supply of protein digested and adsorbed by the body. Whey is sometimes also used first thing in the morning by those who find it difficult to eat any decent quantity of food, as the fast absorption can be ideal as the body has been unfed for several hours during sleep. Whey can also be used in cooking, check out our recipes forum for some tasty ideas!

Casein protein is the slowest digested protein and therefore has many benefits for times when we want a slow and steady supply of protein over a longer period of time. It would be a suitable choice to consume casein protein before bed time, or a protein blend that contained a decent amount of slow releasing protein, such as casein. You may also benefit from a slow released protein source such as casein protein if you go long periods without nutritional intake, such as if you have a job with long shifts or times when food is not available to you.

Milk protein concentrate is the complete protein portion of cows milk, with extremely low levels of fat and lactose. Milk protein concentrate is a slow digesting protein source, composed of whey protein (around 20%) and casein protein (around 80%). The casein within the milk protein concentrate is the much hyped micellar casein which is the natural arrangement of the protein molecules, supposedly very anabolic in nature.

Pea, rice and soy protein powders are vegetable alternatives to the dairy based powders on the market. They contain complete proteins, and are often fortified with specific amino acids that may be in low concentrations in the natural protein serving. Such types of proteins have grown much in popularity over the past couple of years, with a few online bulk suppliers offering these products to their customers.

Creatine monohydrate

Creatine monohydrate is a very popular supplement within the bodybuilding community, and also widely used by many people who take part in a whole verity of sports. Creatine monohydrate supplementation can increase the amount of creatine phosphate stored within the muscle, and creatine phosphates role is to replenish ADP to ATP. It is ATP which provides the energy for muscle contractions, and therefore by increasing the creatine stores within the muscle we can potentially provide more muscle energy. This can be beneficial for those who weight train, and also those who take part in sporting activities where short and explosive bursts of energy are needed. Creatine stored within the muscle can also draw water into the muscle, creating a fuller look to the person supplementing with creatine. The cell volumising effect has been shown to increase protein synthesis, which is a very beneficial effect for bodybuilders who want muscle growth. Not everyone experiences this with creatine monohydrate or creatine ethyl ester (CEE), and we could say the same for the results from the supplement. Some respond very well to creatine, others gain some benefit, and others do not respond much at all from the supplement. With the low cost of creatine however it can easily be tried by individual so they can gauge for themselves if the product has much use for them.

A loading phrase of 8-10g per day is often advised when supplementing creatine monohydrate, followed by a maintenance phrase of 2-3g of creatine monohydrate per day. Creatine may be better absorbed when taking it with simple sugars. For this reason it may be beneficial to add creatine to your post workout shake if you consume dextrose and/or maltodextrin.

There are other creatine supplements on the market, many with highly hyped transport systems. Personally I would stick to the basic tried and tested creatine monohydrate, supplemented in the above manner.

Fat burners

Due to the increasing rate of obesity in the western societies coupled with the intense body image culture, there has been a big demand for fat burning supplements and gimmicks. Due to the high competition for such supplements we have to break away from the marketing and promote that goes into these formulas and look for the few compounds that are actually effective as a thermogenic, or those that decrease the subjects appetite. The compounds that work via thermogenesis basically increase the metabolic rate of the person supplementing with the compound, and therefore is more likely to loose weight due to greater calorie output. The appetite suppressions work in the opposite way, they decrease the likeness of the person over eating and therefore actually decrease calorie input of the individual.

Ephedra is often considered the most effective supplement, acting as a great thermogenic. Its actions are heightened considerably when supplemented as part of the famous ECA stack (Ephedra, caffeine and aspirin).

Weight gainers

Weight gainers are popular with many new bodybuilders who want a formula which will pack on mass and weight onto their frames. There are some weight gainers that are full of simple sugars, cheap whey protein and have a silly amount of calories per serving. Weight gainers are meant to be an outlet for those who are trying to add weight and struggle to consume any more solid meals, and therefore choose a weight gainer supplement to increase macronutrient and calorie intake. Weight gainers that have around 500-600 calories, have a high level of carbohydrates (simple carbohydrates are not too bad for those who would choose a weight gainer formula - i.e. someone with a fast metabolism) , and a decent amount of protein, maybe 35-50g, are good choices. Such a weight gainer could be consumed between a meal. Remember, weight gainers are not meant to be a meal substitute, real food is a superior choice, weight gainers are easy to consume calories and macronutrients for those who need it to gain weight.

Meal replacements (MRP)

These can be confused with weight gainers by newbie's to the game, but they differ. Meal replacements are exactly that, they are created as a replacement for a meal. Such formulas therefore are often nutritionally rich, and contain a good source of protein, a medium serving of carbohydrate, fats, and a spectrum of micronutrients. Because of their usefulness they are often used by bodybuilders and trainers who have times during the day when they are rushed and need their nutritional intake in a quick and easy form.

It is best to consume MRPs only when necessary, as whole food is much wiser choice, and cheaper! Even so, MRPs are very useful for bodybuilders and weight trainers on the go.

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