SPORTS Why do you really need sports supplements?

Protein for weight gain: convenience and benefits

Protein is the safest sports supplement for gaining muscle mass. To obtain noticeable results, it is recommended to adhere to a certain regimen: use after waking up, shortly before training, after training, and instead of one of your regular meals. Sports nutrition for weight gain has 2 big advantages - huge benefits and convenience. Athletes do not need to break their diet and carry food to training; just take a protein mixture or shake with them.

The dosage regimen described above guarantees a constant supply of the required amount of amino acids for the body. Proper intake improves the absorption and digestion of food. Our store specialists will tell you about other advantages and costs of the product in our store.

Supplements after 30

After 30 years, sports supplements will help maintain health and functionality. Test boosters, Omega-3, coenzyme Q10, chondroprotectors, sleep complexes, etc. can help.

Age-related changes also affect athletes. This is, first of all, a slowdown in metabolic processes. And it will already manifest itself in excess weight gain, aging of skin and hair, weakening of ligaments and bone strength. In men, against the background of a decrease in testosterone, there is a drop in athletic performance, a decrease in strength indicators, and a reduction in muscle volume. This is unpleasant for anyone, but for athletes it is a disaster. And you need to turn, again, to sports nutrition.

1. Testosterone boosters are not doping or steroids. They do not pump the body with hormones, but only help to gently increase the synthesis of your own testosterone. From a physiological point of view, this means rejuvenation, or at least prolongation of youth. Yes, with uncontrolled use, side effects are possible, including addiction and a decrease in the production of your own testosterone, emotional instability, aggressiveness, etc., but this only means that it is necessary to use these drugs thoughtfully and carefully, under the supervision of a doctor.
2. Chondroprotectors - facilitate the regeneration of cartilage tissue and the restoration of the ligamentous apparatus as a whole. They are worth drinking to prevent diseases of the musculoskeletal system, even if a person is not in sports. To obtain results, take at least 6 months.
3. ZMA is a powerful complex of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6. Testosterone may not increase, but at least it keeps it at a high level during training, improves the speed and time of recovery processes, and also helps to increase muscle volume. Zinc improves protein synthesis in the body, which promotes growth and improves muscle recovery. Magnesium – improves heart function, bone health and metabolism.
4. Fish oil is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent. Helps with recovery after workouts. Taking healthy fatty acids at night allows you to regulate your metabolism and fat metabolism.
5. Coenzyme Q10 does not promote muscle growth, but prevents damage to cell membranes and provides energy processes at the cellular level. In this case, protein structures are destroyed less. It is significant in age-related bodybuilding, since after 30 the body cannot produce enough of it.
6. Sleep complexes will help you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly throughout the night, which is necessary to restore the resources of the nervous system, for muscle growth, as well as for the secretion of growth hormone, which peaks during sleep. Lack of sleep can slow down your progress. Supplements for solving sleep problems usually contain the following components: GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid - a neurotransmitter that reduces the activity of the nervous system), 5-HTP (hydroxytryptophan - another amino acid, a precursor of serotonin and melatonin, the sleep hormone), calming extracts of valerian, lemon balm, Passiflora.
7. L-Arginine, ornithine and lysine have a beneficial effect on the production of growth hormone. When taken before bed, its level increases, which will help with mass gain, fat burning and recovery.
8. Glutamine – helps in increasing immunity levels.
9. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that improves the formation of L-carnitine in the body.

Protein for mass gain: volume

A study was conducted to determine the optimal dosage of protein mixtures. Here are the main results:

• Sports nutrition for weight gain is recommended to be consumed in a dosage of 20-25 g at a time. It is at this concentration that protein is best converted into muscle tissue;
• Taking larger doses will not bring a positive effect;
• Scientists recommend taking whey-type protein for mass gain or isolate for rapid absorption.

These and other types of sports supplements are presented in our store. You can view the entire range in the online catalog on the company’s website. For advice and assistance in choosing, call our experienced specialists.

Criteria for choosing sports nutrition

Despite the fact that many athletes prefer foreign-made sports nutrition, Russian proteins and supplements are not inferior in quality. Here's what our expert says about it.

“Disputes about imported and Russian manufacturers are ongoing. But if we analyze this niche from the point of view of composition, it turns out that all raw materials and components are either imported or quasi-imported.”

Interesting data. Whey protein (the best in terms of absorption rate, amino acid profile and abundance) is produced mainly in the EU countries, Australia and New Zealand. The raw material for whey protein is whey, a by-product of cheese making and the production of curd products. In the post-Soviet space, we know only in Latvia an example of the production of whey protein (raw materials).

In the last 5 years, Russia has also begun producing specialized sports nutrition, but the production capacity of domestic companies can cover no more than 1% of market needs. If you compare, for example, the quality of Russian and imported protein, you will not see the difference. Advanced athletes, as a rule, choose according to taste and composition: flavors, vitamin premix, dietary fiber, additional inclusions (pieces of freeze-dried fruit, etc.) are equally important to them.

Two simple tips for those who have not yet found the right sports nutrition for themselves:

• buy not from hand, but in specialized places and online stores;
• carefully study the composition for the presence of substances that may cause you food intolerance or allergies.

The right approach

Sports supplements are an expensive pleasure, but necessary due to their effectiveness. But they must demonstrate this effectiveness. To do this, you need to take them correctly. In many cases, an important component of success is the optimal distribution of training loads. The attitude - the more you use, the better - is not suitable. For example, let's take a few popular supplements.

Protein

The most beneficial whey protein is in the morning after waking up, in the afternoon after training, before bed - casein protein, preferably micellar protein. Serving dose: 0.3 g of protein per 1 kg of weight.

BCAAs

BCAA's are most effective in a 2:1:1 ratio. No more than 15 g is absorbed at a time. BCAA is optimally taken before, during and after training. As for BCAA forms, powder is better. Capsules and tablets are the same powder, but more expensive. Liquid BCAA contains more preservatives and stabilizers.

Glutamine

About 5 g of this amino acid is absorbed at a time. But this product is fuel for the small intestine and immune cells. It is better to take one dose immediately after training along with BCAA.

Carnitine

Its effectiveness directly depends on the metabolic rate and the body's need to extract energy from fats. From this it is clear that carnitine will only work if there is active training. Without physical activity, it will be money thrown away. It is better not to exceed the recommended dosage (2 g per day), as this can lead to problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

Creatine

This is the most effective supplement for increasing strength and accelerating muscle growth. The best form of creatine in sports nutrition is creatine monohydrate. It is optimal in terms of efficiency-price ratio.

The course of treatment is 6–8 weeks (then 4–6 weeks of rest). The absorption of creatine does not depend on loads and time of day, so a single dose of 5–6 g: immediately after training; on a non-training day - in the morning after waking up.

Beta-alanine

This amino acid is found in many pre-workout supplements. It is best taken with creatine. It neutralizes lactic acid, meaning it increases strength endurance and speeds up recovery. The amino acid is positive for 4–5 weeks. Then a break - 2-4 weeks. Dosage - 3-4 g per day in 2 doses with a break of 8 hours.

Beneficial features

The benefits of protein are as follows:

1. Suppressing the feeling of hunger. As a result, daily calorie consumption decreases and the weight loss process starts.
2. Reduces the amount of sugar in the blood.
3. A hearty and healthy snack.
4. Contains essential amino acids for body restoration.
5. It is easily digestible and does not leave a feeling of heaviness in the stomach.
6. Charges the body with energy, makes it stronger and more resilient.
7. Normalizes insulin levels.

Possible side effects

But protein mixtures also have some disadvantages. The main ones include:

1. Digestive disorder. It occurs mainly in people with lactose intolerance.
2. When consuming large portions at one time, the kidneys and liver suffer, as they do not have time to absorb the incoming protein.
3. Presence of flavors and artificial sweeteners.
4. Obesity that occurs in the absence of physical activity

When purchasing a jar of protein powder, carefully read the label; the manufacturer indicates all possible side effects on it.

Protein mixtures have a high price; this is the only thing that can discourage you from purchasing a two-kilogram jar of this mixture.

Creatine

To perform movements, especially with maximum load, your muscles need as much energy as possible. Without going into a lot of chemical details, creatine = energy. It is stored in your muscles and your body is able to produce it itself. But the body is a miser, it doesn’t like to store anything for use just like that, especially if it has to be produced from valuable resources - amino acids. Therefore, it often turns out that during training you find yourself unable to perform one or two more repetitions... for which the strength of your muscles is enough, but the energy stored in them is not enough.

As a result, taking creatine will help you do more reps of an exercise or sprint a little longer at top speed. This will increase the work done by the muscles and make them grow a little faster. In addition, you may get a serious jump in mass in the first month of taking creatine, but most of it will not be muscle, but water, which creatine likes to retain.

As a result, creatine is a popular and useful drug that can boost your results in strength sports and sprinting. It is important that it works even better for beginners and intermediate level athletes than for pros. Over time, the body of an experienced athlete understands that the muscles are constantly working, and begins to independently store the required amount of energy - the supply of creatine from the outside is simply unnecessary. Well, while your own plant for the production of this substance has not yet started up, it makes sense to make up for its deficiency with store-bought ones.