Meet your 5 best bodybuilding supplements
There are a few sports supplements you'll find in any successful athlete's supplement stack. Some of them may surprise you. Are these five winning workout supplements in your stack?
Creatine monohydrate
Creatine is a naturally occurring substance found in red meats, fish, dairy, eggs, seeds and nuts, but we simply can't eat enough for our athletic needs. Creatine boosts ATP and enables the body to access stored energy more easily. It also enhances muscular contractions, and has been shown to help the recovery process after hard training. It's the most thoroughly-researched muscle building supplements around and is totally safe to take, but quality really counts. This is why clued-up athletes (including professionals and Olympians) take creatine monohydrate, ideally Creapure. Creatine is widely accepted to be beneficial and, since it's so cost-effective to buy from a bodybuilding shop, it's kind of a no-brainer!
Why take it: boost cell hydration for pump and hypertrophy, increases power, helps recovery, safe, well researched, great value.
When to take it: regularly. No loading phase is necessary and there's no evidence that it is best taken pre or post workout, since the body stores it.
Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs)
BCAAs are structural compounds of protein and important for building muscle, gaining mass, maintaining muscle whilst dieting or cutting, or for working through a body recomposition transformation. All BCAA supplements contain the amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine, but ratio is important. A regular 2:1:1 BCAA is absolutely fine, but today's high performing athletes are demanding 4:1:1 or even 8:1:1. Leucine is now considered the king of anabolic amino acids, switching on the m-TOR pathway. BCAAs are essential, meaning the body can't make them from the food we eat. So we simply have to supplement with them. Go for the highest ratio you can afford and always choose quality in this important muscle building supplement.
Why take it: protect muscle tissue whilst training, recovering, dieting and cutting
When to take it: between meals, before training, during training and after training
Whey protein
Every strength and power athlete uses a good quality protein supplement. Whey protein isolate is the best protein supplement for post-workout, because it's filtered using cross-flow microfiltration to separate out protein molecules, resulting in a very high percentage of protein, gram for gram.
Why take it: A fast, convenient source of quality protein and amino acids to avoid catabolism, boost anabolism and protect muscle mass
When to take it: After training
Simple carbohydrates
You could use superfine oats or dextrose, but maltodextrin could be your best muscle building carbohydrate. It's a great source of very fast energy from pure carbohydrates: great for strength and power athletes, hard gainers and anyone wanting to maintain weight. Take it after training for a strong insulin spike which will shuttle protein and amino acids into the muscle cells or slow it down with protein and a little fat before exercise.
Why take it: a complex carbohydrate with high GI value, ideal as a source of energy
When to take it: a great choice for post-workout, combined with whey protein
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)
Surprised to see fats in our top five? Don't be. Smart fats are part of every athlete and fitness model's regime. Could CLA be the smartest of them all? Dietary fat shouldn't be avoided. Just keep an eye on your macros (supplementing with CLA is totally measurable). The body needs omega 3s (alpha-linolenic acids) and omega 6s (linoleum acids); they're essential for a host of functions including hormone health, but the body can't make them by itself. It might seem counterintuitive, but CLA can actually help fat loss, and it's used by most competitive bodybuilders when they diet down for shows. CLA is incredibly anti-catabolic and is great for the immune system.
Why take it: essential fats are needed in dietary or supplement form for health, muscle protection and anabolism
When to take it: daily, splitting your dose throughout the day.
Stock up on these supplements to give your training routine the support it needs.
