Ingredients To Look For In Pre, Post, And Intra-Workout Supplements
Are you starting to get serious about looking fit and buff? Have you been going to the gym regularly, but not seeing the fruit of your hard labour? If you are feeling frustrated because you are nowhere near your ideal body look despite following all the drills, then you might need a boost from workout supplements.
Are you starting to get serious about looking fit and buff? Have you been going to the gym regularly, but not seeing the fruit of your hard labour? If you are feeling frustrated because you are nowhere near your ideal body look despite following all the drills, then you might need a boost from workout supplements. By regularly consuming them, you are beating genetics and ensuring that your body is well-nourished. Before blindly buying anything, you must first know what to look for in pre, post, and intra workout supplements. This way, you can harness maximum benefits and get your money’s worth.
Fueling up before the workout
Your body needs a lot of fuel if you subject it to rigorous training. Ideally, a pre-workout supplement is consumed thirty minutes before workout. When choosing a supplement that you can consume before your practice, it would be helpful if what you will intake has beta-alanine and creatine.
Beta-alanine is a substance that reduces muscle fatigue by controlling your blood pH level. Once incorporated in your system, it would take a couple of minutes before your body converts it to carnosine. In high-intensity training, blood pH would typically drop, causing you to crash. However, this substance will ensure that your blood pH remains stable, allowing you to power through your training duration.
Meanwhile, creatine is a molecule that increases power, stamina, and strength. If you have more energy, then you have more opportunities to build up your muscles. However, just like beta-alanine, it takes a while to drink down, so it should be ingested early.
Keeping yourself going during training
Throughout your training, your body will be needing a lot of hydration and nutrients. One of the essential components that your intra workout drink should have is BCAA and electrolytes.
During your training, your body will be releasing a lot of amino acids that could break down your muscles. To prevent this, BCAA will preserve your glycogen so that your protein components will start building up.
Another thing that happens to your body during intense training is that you lose electrolyte. When this happens, you might experience cramps, spasms, and irregular heartbeat. Electrolytes come in the form of potassium and sodium. Thus, it is ideal that your drink has about 60-75 mg of potassium and 150-180 mg of sodium to ensure that you will not be dehydrated.
Nourishing your body after drills
After your training, your body must replenish your glycogen levels, so a critical component that your supplement should contain is carbohydrates.
Another vital substance that must be incorporated into your drink is an antioxidant. Free radicals are often produced during high-intensity activities, which contributes to anabolism or the breakdown of your protein muscles—as such, protecting your body against free radicals is directly tied to the protection of your muscle mass.
Lastly, having a drink with L-Carnitine will also help with your recovery since it reduces the soreness of your muscles. It repairs muscle damage so that you will feel good after the workout.
Taking all these supplements takes a lot of commitment. If you are just starting, you can experiment with one kind of drink per month and see how your body reacts. You can also check which combination would work best for you. The important thing is that you check the primary ingredients first before buying because not all supplements are created equal.