The Supplement market is no exception, as it's a common misconception that one can transform his/her body through the use of supplements only. We have received many inquiries from individuals looking to either lose weight or build muscle and the most common questions asked are usually along the lines of "What supplement can make me loose weight?" or "What supplement can I use to build some muscle?". Most of these individuals seem to be looking for "The Miracle Product" and sadly after much searching, we have concluded that no such product exists.
It's not that we are against the use of supplements, but, we have a strong belief that Supplements should be used as the name suggests, i.e. To Supplement one's diet and fill the nutrient gaps that exist. Using Protein as an example, it may not be possible for someone on a resistance training program with a busy schedule to meet his recommended daily protein intake of approx. 1g/lb body weight, via regular meals so he may choose to supplement with a protein shake to make up for the deficit.
Before considering the inclusion of supplements in a training program it is recommended to design a sound diet plan which meets your nutritional requirements as much as possible. Many people believe that a well designed diet includes a lot of boring and tasteless foods however, this is far from true as there are many tasty options available some of which can be found here. Once the diet has been taken care of, only then should supplementation be considered.
There are some supplements that, in our opinion, have no place in a healthy diet and these we would not mention. There are however, those that we endorse as beneficial to building muscle. The general categories we endorse are Protein, Creatine and Amino Acids. While there are other supplements that may also be beneficial to progressing one's muscular development, such as multivitamins, testosterone boosters and pre-workouts, we recommend that these only be used when necessary and after sufficient research.
Even in the categories we endorse, there are a number of factors to consider when selecting the right supplement some of which are as follows;
Protein
When selecting a protein, the following should be considered;
- The protein source (e.g. Beef, Whey, Casein, etc). This is important as each have different rates of absorption and will determine the timing for consumption. Tolerance for lactose is also a factor to be considered though some supplement companies have been adding digestive enzymes
- The purity of the protein must also be considered to ensure it is of a high quality and not packed with fillers
- The cost per gram of protein is especially important in this current economic environment
When selecting a creatine supplement, the following should be considered;
- The form of creatine (e.g. Monohydrate, Ethyl Ester, HCL, etc). While monohydrate is the most common form it is not suitable for everyone so it may be necessary to try other forms to assess tolerance and response. Creatine blends are also an option worth considering
- Like protein, the purity of the creatine must also be considered to ensure quality
- The creatine content of other supplements being used to prevent creatine overload
Amino Acids
When selecting amino acids, the following should be considered;
So in conclusion, the team at overPUMPED.com recommends that you first dial in your diet through your own research or with the help of a Nutritionist before even considering the use of supplements. Additionally, it is imperative to understand why you are supplementing and the benefits to be derived so you can monitor the results and tweak accordingly.When selecting amino acids, the following should be considered;
- There are two categories of amino acids, those produced naturally by the body and those that have to be derived from food and supplements, referred to as non-essential and essential respectively. The most basic amino acid supplements are Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) which include three essential amino acids (valine, leucine and isoleucine) which are key in any training program
- There are benefits to be derived from supplementing with other amino acids both essential and non-essential based on specific goals (e.g. Glutamine: to help speed up recovery, Argenine: for nitrogen retention, Methionine: to metabolise fat, etc)
