Health Informative Council

An all new branch of nutritional supplements has developed around sports and boosting athletic levels. Stores, like GNC, specialize in those strange named minerals that promise to make the muscles leaner, stronger, work harder and show results of exercise very quickly. They help muscles recuperate after workouts and increase metabolism.

The best sports nutrition, experts say, is good and balanced nutrition that takes into account how many calories you burn in a workout and supplements it later. A few products help make this process quicker :-

Protein supplements – in the form of powders, pills, shakes or bars. While these sources for protein are of those most popular ones, there are also others sources of protein like Casein, Egg, and Soy proteins. It is a fast absorbing supplement and is to be taken before workout to increase stamina and performance. The Whey protein is derived from milk and contains up to 90% pure protein.

Creatine – Helps in rebuilding muscles and increase energy. The creatine is produced naturally in the body in the liver. With higher energy levels you can exercise longer and harder. In itself it will not make your muscles more defined but the vigorous exercise you are able to perform will do that.

Glutamine – an Amino Acid found in big quantities in the muscles. It also helps restore and rebuild tired muscles by transporting nitrogen. It helps in the digestive system by increasing the absorption of nutrients from food.

Nitric Oxide – Is found in the body in the form of gas, but in supplements in forms of pills and powders. It increases blood flow to the muscles and is very popular with body builders. It helps increase muscle size.

Testosterone supplements – Help boost the level of testosterone in a man’s body. Also called anabolic steroids, they increase strength and body mass, give more energy and libido and elevate the mood.

Some supplements like Ephedrine are known for their ability to stimulate the brain, increase the rate of the heart, and constrict blood vessels which raises blood pressure and expends the lungs so you can absorb more oxygen. It increases metabolism by increasing body heat. This supplement which was very popular for weight loss programs has been banned by the FDA for causing heart attacks in people who took it in large doses.

This comes to show that not all the information about sports nutritional supplements is widely known. This is a relatively new field of nutrition and supplements that are used today by body builders, and some of them might be banned in the future or cause damages yet unknown. This field is not yet regulated and the difference and effectiveness of different brands varies wildly.