Body Banao

Supplements are one thing that every gym-goer wants to know more about. Market is flooded with many supplements. However not all of them are effective. Rather it is the training, nutrition & persistence in doing the job and not supplements that have yielded results.

However, it is advisable to use supplements as they simplify life to a great extent. Here are some of the most effective supplements for improving the efficiency of the workout.

Whey: While a very common supplement, not many are aware of its benefits. Here are 3 benefits of whey:
Develops Muscle. You require at least 1g/lbs protein to develop muscle. A scoop of whey contains around 25g of protein. If you have problems getting your 1g/lbs protein every day, 1 or 2 scoops per day will help. Simple. Put a scoop in your shaker, to it add milk or water, drink. The simplest solution if you don’t have sufficient time.
Economical Protein. $75 for a 10lbs tub which lasts for 5 months if you take a scoop every day. Whey is the most economical protein.
Irrespective of the brand selected, choose pure whey. Avoid mass gainers with extra sugars. If you require a mass gainer, do it yourself by mixing oats & olive oil.

Fish Oil. Omega 3 fats have become popular supplements for many years now. Advantages of omega 3 are:
Decreased Inflammation, acne, tendinitis, etc.
Lower Body Fat. Fish oil promotes fat loss.
Decreased Soreness. Lesser soreness caused by strength training.
Reduced Cholesterol. Protects against heart disease, cancer, depression.
Consume fatty fish numerous times per week to obtain the necessary quantities of omega 3. Needs lot of time and is costly
Taking fish oil is simple, in either capsule or liquid form. You can opt for liquid form with lemon taste to eliminate the fishy after-taste. Look out for the EPA/DHA content, as some brands have very low ratio.
How much fish oil should you consume? While expert opinion on this question differs, begin with 1 tsp. daily & adjust accordingly.

Multivitamins. Eat a healthy diet containing various different foods to obtain your vitamins. Take veggies and/or fruits with each meal. Include meats, fish & eggs. Few pros of multivitamins:
Improved Sleep. Zinc promotes quality sleep.
Better immunity. Vitamin C strengthens your immune system.
Speedy Recovery. Calcium & iron speed up recovery from strength training.
Consuming a healthy & diverse diet is quite difficult. With multivitamins, you can prevent vitamin deficiencies.
However some maintain high doses of multivitamins & anti-oxidants lead to cancer. So always consult your doctor before taking multivitamins.

Creatine. Creatine is one of the most popular yet controversial supplements. While some maintain it is useless, others say it works. Here are some of its benefits:
Increased Recovery between sets & workouts.
Improved Strength & performance.
Purchase Creatine Monohydrate as powder and stay away from liquid, since it is a waste of money. Creatine in liquid form is quite unstable.

Other Supplements? You can take all the supplements you want, but you’ll not get results if you avoid hard training and healthy diet in the first place. Supplements are add-ons to your training, nutrition & most important your attitude.

Check out the supplements if you so desire. But remember the placebo effect.