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Amongst the pages of all good bodybuilding and fitness magazines are a myriad of manufacturers attempting to sell you supplements with wild claims of almost every kind. They all have the miracle answer to your problems. But do they? Many of the claims that are being bandied around these days lack substance and do nothing to aid the consumer in the search for the product that is right for them. So to help you make an educated decision when buying fitness supplements, bodybuilding supplements or general sports nutrition you need to adhere to the following basics. 1. The look of the product says a lot about the quality. It's usually true that packaging quality reflects the quality of the product inside, that is, if the packaging is poor, the product is likely to be inferior, and if the packaging is high-quality, chances increase that the product is a winner. 2. Now you need to do as any good grocery shopper would do and read the back of the label. I would suggest that the first thin...

Counting calories, exercising regularly, and still not seeing success? According to Alison Gosby, PhD, paying attention to the amount of calories of protein you consume may play a crucial role in your ability to lose weight. "Any dietary intervention that results in dilution or restriction of protein in the diet will promote overeating in the environment where food is abundant," she explains, when protein in the diet goes too low "we keep eating in an attempt to attain our target level of protein." But why exactly is protein so important and how much do you really need to stay healthy? Let's take a step back to learn all about protein and how to get the most benefits out of your diet. Why Protein is Important "Protein is one of the body's main building blocks for muscle, bone, skin, and other tissues," says experts at WebMD, and according to Donald Layman, PhD, "protein dulls hunger and can help prevent obesity, diabetes, and heart disease....

Protein supplements especially the powder type for protein shakes are very popular these days. Knowing what's in a protein powder is crucial in choosing what product to take. The three main proteins are whey protein, casein and egg white. For bodybuilders though it gets more complicated. Here's a brief overview of the types of protein powder you can get. WHEY PROTEIN  Whey protein is a by-product of cheese and is a good source of branched chain amino acids (BCAA) that is used to fuel muscles when working out. In the bodybuilding world, though, it doesn't just end on a product being whey protein based. This type is sold in three forms: whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate and whey protein hydrolysate. Isolate is more popular than concentrate. It is more expensive though; for a reason. It takes more to produce protein isolate. It is processed to remove fat and lactose so it is pure protein and the easiest to absorb. Most supplements are taken atleast 30minutes bef...

If you have been considering ways to bulk up fast with increased muscle mass, you likely have considered the option of taking supplements like creatine. You can take creatine monohydrate in a variety of formats, such as gel capsules, tablets, and a powder mixture to be mixed with water or another liquid beverage. Anytime you take a supplement such as this, however, you want to consider the ideal time to take it in order to maximize the benefits to the fullest. Supplements such as this are a great way to increase muscle mass and strength, and are commonly used by serious athletes, bodybuilders, and others. At one time it was recommended that you take creatine monohydrate as a supplement before your workouts. Taking such a supplement as this will replenish your body's stores of creatine, but is it really best to take it before a workout? Creatine is actually a substance that is naturally produced inside your body, and it helps your body produce adenosine triphosphate, otherwise kno...

Tribulus terrestris is a flowering plant mainly found in tropical areas. This plant has been known and used by people from all over the world to treat many diseases for a few centuries. In Greece, tribulus terrestris is used to treat diuretic problems. In China, it is used to relieve headache and early ejaculation. In Turkey, it is mainly used to treat hypertension and cholesterol problems. What benefits can it offer for bodybuilders? Testosterone, a hormone naturally produced in human body plays a great role in building muscle. Many bodybuilders use prohormone supplements to increase the secretion of testosterone despite their side effects. Some prohormone products are believed to cause a few side effects such as the increase of prostate size, hair loss, gynecomastia, cancer, and so on. In females, the use of prohormones may lead to increase in testosterone levels. This can cause them to look and sound like a man as facial hair appears and their voices become deeper. Excess amounts ...

Protein is crucial to the body for muscle growth and repair. We also need protein for healthy hair, nails and skin not to mention overall health and well being! Sometimes it can be difficult to know if we are eating enough protein to fit our needs, here are some signs that you may need to include more in your diet. Signs Your Body Needs More Protein #1 Lack of progress If you are training hard and eating a healthy diet filled with fruits and vegetables but still is not seeing progress, there is something amiss. This lack of progress is most likely due to not eating enough protein. ✓  Your body uses protein for a huge number of things and unfortunately building muscle is not at the top of its priority list. Therefore, if you do not eat enough, your body will not be capable of building muscle as the protein it does receive will be needed elsewhere in the body to keep you alive and moving rather than building your biceps! #2 Wounds heal slowly Slow-healing wounds are a sign of insuff...

People have been searching for the best way to build lean, muscular physiques for thousands of years. Some people think that the bodybuilding phenomenon is something that began only a hundred years ago, or so. The truth is that men and women have been exercising, experimenting with different foods, and trying various other techniques to improve their physiques for as long as written history goes back. From the athletes of ancient Greece to the modern day bodybuilder, there have always been people who want to get bigger, stronger, and leaner. Athletes and bodybuilders have it a lot better today than those ancient athletes did. Today we have a lot of science to point us in the right direction when it comes to exercise physiology and cutting edge nutrition. Athletes today have top quality protein - casein, whey and other types to choose from to help develop their muscles. No longer do people have to search around in the dark or use superstitious concoctions to grow bigger, stronger muscle...

If you ask any successful athlete or weight lifter what their essential supplements are, odds are that most, if not all of them will say "Creatine Monohydrate." Ever since creatine hit the market, it has been one of the most in-demand, best-selling supplements of all time. After all, being an athlete or someone trying to get in better shape is all about results. Creatine monohydrate has been talked about a lot for the results that it delivers, so let's take a look at just what this popular supplement is, and how it works. Creatine is Natural Your body naturally produces creatine. In fact, if it weren't for naturally occurring creatine, your body wouldn't be able to do any serious physical activity. That's because creatine helps to supercharge your body with ATP, an essential fuel for hard physical activity, like lifting weights. In other words, creatine is one of the building blocks of the energy resources your body needs to work out with more intensity. The...

Even eating alone is not considered a best mass gainer. To assure eating is going to be effective, most people compliment this with supplement intake. Many supplements exist in the market all declaring they're the best when in fact they are only after the money. To help people that would like to truly gain weight, the following are considered the most effective weight gain supplements. Natural weight gain supplements Without having to spend too much, these are the best weight gain supplements. Protein powders - it is an important nutrient used in muscle repair and growth including bone health. Protein sources are actually foods that are meaty, various legumes like beans and also dairy products like milk and cheese. The most common individuals who take protein are weight training athletes who wish to build muscles. Protein is normally considered the top mass gainer among weight lifters. Creatine - these are definitely compounds necessary to supply energy to our muscles. The issue...

I have been visiting the gym for several years now and have managed to reduce my weight by more than 10 kg over the whole period of time. Over these years, I have considered and attempted to consumer bodybuilding supplement to enhance my training and help me achieve my objectives possibly faster and more effectively. I have tried consuming the Whey, as well as some muscle gain supplement, creatine and a host of other supplement known to be helpful to my workout. However I have thought why is it that the food we consume everyday seems not enough to cover the nutrient needs like protein? Are we not supposed to consume balanced diet so that our body has the necessary nutrient to function or grow even more in our bodybuilding program? Well, the food that we consume does contain enough protein as well as other necessary nutrients that help in growth of our body system. However, the nutrients are generally adequate only for our daily normal living needs. When we go to the gym, we exhaust a...

Whey protein is usually the first choice for those involved in rigorous workouts. However, whey has a larger role to play in terms of health benefits. These uses go easily unnoticed as whey is enshrouded with its fame to assist in muscle mass. In this article, let us uncover the 7 other health benefits of whey protein. Weight Management Whey protein is often used as a meal replacement. It takes a little longer while to digest than other proteins. The more it stays in the stomach, better it helps reduce food cravings. Stomach does not empty easily. This prompts you to lower your calorie intake. Whey also speeds up the metabolic activity. Storehouse of Amino Acids Even though proteins are known to contain amino acids, every protein may not be as efficient as whey. Whey protein is made up of all the 9 essential amino acids. These are the amino acids that cannot be obtained from dietary sources. This is why whey may even be considered as the best amino acid provider. The Power of BCAAs...

For years the accepted dogma was that 1g per lbs of body weight was the minimum protein intake an athlete or bodybuilder should consider in order to grow. This was idea was perpetuated by supplement companies saying that the more you train and the harder you train you should think about upping your protein intake to 1.5g/lbs or even 2g/lbs! How true is that though? We know that when you train you induce an injury response in your muscles. The more frequent the injury response, the more you grow or the more you adapt. What do you need in order for the muscles to grow? Well you need the three basic macronutrients - protein, carbohydrates and fat. Of course there are other micronutrients you require for various reactions in your body but for the most part we can assume they'll be contained in the wholefood we eat. People have been repeatedly spouting (and I'm guilty of this) that if you go below 1g per lbs of body weight you won't maintain the musculature you have. In fact, ...

There seems to be little debate as to the benefits of whey protein. It helps in building muscle, protects the body against illnesses such as blood pressure and cancer, helps in battling degenerative illnesses, is used by expecting mothers for their child's development, and can help promote weight loss. Certainly this is an impressive list of positive uses of the product for many people. But with all health benefits of whey protein and what it has going for it, are there any dangers inherent with a product that can be so influential on the human body? The four areas of major concern by most health experts are: 1. Potential for osteoporosis. Though never been proven, it is known that the consumption of high levels of protein may lead to an imbalance of minerals in the bones. This could have an effect on bone mineral density, eventually causing osteoporosis. 2. Kidney function. Many experts caution there is a risk to the kidneys with the protein, but this, as well, is somewhat circu...

While most amino acids are more commonly known to act as neurotransmitter precursors (chemical substances that transmit messages from one nerve to the other) which can: improve mood, improve performance, and improve cognitive function, significantly improve  muscle repair , regrowth and recovery as well. Research shows that when you train at an intensity above 90% of your maximum heart rate, or close to exhaustion, your oxygen usage sky rockets, in turn, causes an increase in the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles, which in the case of turning your body alkaline reserves to pull from bones and other mineral dense sources. Not to mention the muscle tissue is torn and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels in muscles become exhausted. Amino acid Glutamine The good news is the amino acid glutamine has been proven to help boost the body's immune system and help keep your training on track. In addition to playing a vital role in cell volume and transfer of nitrogen, it has also b...