Sports nutrition wiki. What is sports nutrition? The benefits and harms of sports nutrition

Heating schedule 27.09.2020
Heating schedule

Not every one of us can boast of a flawless figure with ideal parameters. And even someone who has not been cheated by nature often finds certain flaws in himself, trying to fix them with the help of physical exertion and, thus, bring his body to perfection.

This applies to both women and men. But, if the beautiful half of humanity is chasing a slender body and fit forms, then the strong one is after sports performance: increasing strength, building muscle mass.

Sports nutrition preparations

To achieve them, people regularly go in for sports, lead an active lifestyle, and monitor their diet. In addition, specially for these purposes, specialists have developed sports nutrition preparations, equated to dietary supplements, and are designed to improve all physical indicators. They lead to the normalization of metabolism, strengthening of immunity, and more effective muscle building. At the same time, these drugs do not cause any harm to the body, and lead to a better and longer standard of living.

This group of drugs is developed by leading experts in the field of nutrition and physiology, before the release of each type of sports nutrition, thorough medical tests and scientific research are carried out so that each component is selected most accurately and in the best way combined with the rest of the components. At the same time, these preparations are made only from natural ingredients and using innovative technological equipment.

Advantages of sports nutrition preparations

The advantages of sports nutrition preparations are their instant digestion and absorption, high energy value and good health for many hours after administration. They are not drugs or chemical steroids, are not addictive and do not contain components harmful to the body. They also have nothing to do with pharmacological agents taken by professional athletes or any kind of doping.

Another advantage of sports nutrition preparations is the ability to avoid overeating, and this, in turn, helps to get rid of unnecessary stress on the stomach.

Sports nutrition is a healthy vitamin supplement that can enrich the diet of every person. In other words, it is an ordinary healthy food, only in a concentrated form. In this case, in no case should you completely replace ordinary dishes with sports drugs, because their effect is most effective when added to the main diet.

Sports Nutrition Categories

There are many categories of sports nutrition. So, the most famous are:

Vitamin and mineral complexes;

Protein;

L-carnitine;

Collagen;

Drugs designed to increase the level of testosterone in the blood;

Carbohydrate-protein mixtures;

Glutamine;

Arginine;

Amino acids;

Anticatabolics.

Protein

Protein, which is the best drug for gaining muscle mass, renews the amount of protein that is consumed during active physical activity. It is a basic element of any complex of sports nutrition, designed to accelerate the set of muscle mass and restore it after training. The amino acids supplied by protein are involved in the construction of all cells in the human body. Leads to the production of hemoglobin. Protein shakes are in the greatest demand in sports nutrition. Whichever type of protein you choose - whey protein, casein, soy - any of them will charge the body with useful elements in the shortest possible time.

So, whey protein leads to the loss of extra pounds, lowers cholesterol levels, and increases the body's performance. Its positive results in the treatment of cancer are also known.

Soy protein is necessary for those athletes who prefer plant foods, since it is a supplier of an important and always necessary element for the human body - lecithin, which fights radionuclides.

Creatine

Not a single complex for gaining muscle mass can do without creatine, since it gives the body strength and endurance. For athletes engaged in strength training, it increases the level of physical performance. To maximize the effectiveness of training in sports such as sprint, martial arts, you should introduce creatine into your diet. At the same time, studies have shown that the younger the athlete is, the better creatine is absorbed, and vice versa. An additional beneficial effect is provided by creatine for those individuals who do not consume animal fats. Its constant intake leads to a decrease in effectiveness, so it is better to take it periodically.

Vitamin and mineral supplements

Gainers

The purpose of the gainers is to support the internal resources of the body, they are easily and quickly absorbed and contain many useful substances. They are also indispensable for gaining muscle mass.

Fat burners

For getting rid of excess weight and drawing the relief of muscles, fat burners are recommended for use. They efficiently destroy fat cells and help build lean muscle mass.

Caffeine

Caffeine is most needed by athletes involved in long, grueling workouts, as it stimulates the central nervous system and enhances mental performance. You need to take it carefully, as in some cases it can increase blood pressure.

More:

Arginine is a useful and vital acid found in many foods. Its reception leads to improvement blood flow, helps in the production of growth hormone. Its ability to regenerate new cells has been proven. Recommended for those sports that involve minimal rest, as arginine instantly accelerates the blood and fills the body with additional energy.

Deanol - improves the mental capacity of the brain, helps its concentration. Restores body strength after training and improves endurance.

L-carnitine allows you to fight fatigue during physical exertion, gives a charge of energy and vigor, promotes muscle mass growth, and also helps to fight liver diseases, viral infections.

It is important!

In order to correctly determine the required type of sports nutrition, it is better to contact a specialist who will help you choose the drugs in the most balanced way and in accordance with the training program. The human body is able to function smoothly with the correct ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, an overabundance of any elements can lead to malfunctions of certain organs. The glycemic index of each product and the rate of its absorption are also taken into account.

It is very important to adhere to the dosage indicated on each package of sports nutrition preparations, since exceeding it can lead to allergic reactions, cause insomnia, and increased blood pressure.

For maximum results, sports drugs should be taken in a complex manner. They can be selected independently or with the help of a trainer, or you can purchase ready-made complex products that are ideal for certain purposes.

When choosing sports nutrition, it should be remembered that each organism is individual and may react differently to drugs. Therefore, you should start taking any type of sports nutrition very carefully, while monitoring the body's response. If no side effects are found, you can continue taking the drug.

Myths and legends

Along with the growing popularity of sports nutrition, a huge number of myths arise. So, one of the most famous - sports nutrition preparations are harmful to human health. In reality, this is not the case. Numerous studies do not confirm this fact even indirectly. And those who insist that they tested their negative actions on themselves, either used low-quality counterfeit drugs, or significantly violated the permissible intake rate.

Another persistent misconception is that this group of drugs can be taken without any physical exertion, the muscles will continuously grow by themselves. This statement is fundamentally wrong, in itself, the use of sports nutrition drugs, which is not confirmed by physical exercise, will not make you a bodybuilder. The only thing that such a technique will lead to is a set of fat mass, which has nothing to do with impressive muscles.

We often hear that taking this group of drugs is fraught with multiple side effects and complications in the work of various body systems. In practice, these statements are not confirmed in any way. After all, every person daily, along with food, takes a variety of vitamins and minerals in various doses, they are an integral part of the body. The same supplements contain sports nutrition preparations, the only difference is that the latter are absorbed and digested much faster and more efficiently. The only possible side effect is individual intolerance to one or another component.

One should not believe the opinion that athletes do not need additional protein, since the body already has a lot of it. The thing is that if the body does not receive an additional portion of protein, it will actively consume the available reserves, only in this case the muscles will also leave, while no growth of muscle mass will be observed.
The same goes for the conclusion that athletes do not need fat-burning drugs. This idea is only partially true: people with high metabolism and low body weight, they really do not need anything. But in the presence of even a few extra pounds, the aforementioned drugs help burn excess fat and at the same time achieve maximum efficiency from stress.

The next myth concerns whey protein. There is a misconception that its use leads to obesity. In practice, this thesis is not confirmed. When consumed correctly, this supplement promotes optimal muscle building.

It is also believed that with proper and balanced nutrition, the body does not need any additional supplements. We can only partially agree with this statement, since even the system of the most correct and healthy nutrition, taking into account all the vitamins and elements necessary for the body, cannot provide it with the required amount of amino acids, especially with daily training. The body should be additionally nourished with sports drugs to reimburse the costs.
You shouldn't believe the statement that more expensive drugs are identical in composition to cheaper ones, and we overpay for the brand and advertising. Remember that any quality sports supplement cannot be cheap a priori, any decrease in cost leads to the use of poor quality raw materials. But health and results are much more important, so you should be very careful when purchasing nutritional supplements.

The best drugs

Recently, according to the results of sales of sports nutrition products, a rating of the best drugs was derived to help you in their choice. It looks like this. In the first place - tasty and nutritious protein - 100% Whey Gold Standard chocolate - the standard of pleasant rich taste and excellent quality.

It is followed by the multivitamin complex Animal Pak, widely used by bodybuilders, as it gives the body strength and vigor, the result is noticeable from the first days of intake. Contains more than 50 components.

The honorable third place in the ranking was taken by the SYNTHA-6 protein, which, according to consumer reviews, has a wonderful aroma and delicious taste. Suitable for use throughout the day. It contains six types of protein. One serving is enough for up to 8 hours.

The next position is occupied by Jack3d nitric oxide, capable of charging the body with energy and endurance, giving it maximum strength and endurance. The best pre-workout complex, according to users.

It is followed by Matrix 5.0 protein, which has a good taste and is easy to use. It is completely soluble in the drink and contains a combination of three of the highest quality and most effective proteins.

Adjacent steps of the hierarchy were occupied by the SmartShake shaker, Xtend training complex, OxyELITE Pro fat burner, Opti-Men vitamins, Up Your Mass gainer.

Protect your health and longevity by keeping your body in good physical shape. And to make the result more perfect, take sports nutrition preparations aimed at restoring strength after training, increasing the level of endurance and stamina, filling the body with all the necessary microelements. But don't expect miraculous results from sports supplements. They are effective only with a correct and balanced diet and constant physical activity.

If you think that sports nutrition is steroids and protein in syringes, then you should definitely read this material.

For starters, what is sports nutrition - sports supplements that complement your main diet. These include many different products. I've experienced the following:

  • Protein
  • Amino acids
  • Creatine
  • Fat burners

For a year I have taken all these sports supplements, some (protein and amino acids) of different brands, and now I will try to describe the results they gave.

Protein

Protein is a concentrated protein. This is the same protein found in everyday foods: eggs, chicken, milk. It differs from them only in consistency and concentration. Therefore, all those who shout that protein is harmful can ... continue to shout about it, as I can hardly convince them. Protein is used to quickly get a serving of protein without cooking anything.

Experience

Protein can easily replace one meal a day. A feeling of satiety immediately comes from him, and if you add a banana to the cocktail, you can safely forget about hunger for several hours.

Amino acids

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Muscle is 35% composed of three amino acids:

  • leucine
  • isoleucine
  • valine

This is why amino acids or BCAAs (the complex of the 3 most important amino acids) are often used in supplement to protein, as they complement each other rather than replace. Most often, amino acids are drunk in the morning, before bedtime or during exercise, since catabolic processes are at their maximum at this time, and amino acids prevent these processes.

Experience

Like all other sports supplements, amino acids are tasteful and pure. Pros recommend drinking pure amino acids, but that's just wild crap. Seriously, it's much easier for me to force myself to eat a bunch of chicken breasts every day than to drink this disgusting powder. Therefore, I advise you to still take amino acids with taste, so you at least feel pleasure from the process of taking it.

Personally, I did not feel any changes, neither in the growth of muscle mass, nor in my own feelings. It is difficult to say that they did not work, perhaps without them everything would be even worse. But if I choose between them and protein, I would leave protein, since its effect is more pronounced than that of amino acids.

Creatine

Creatine is a special acid that is involved in the growth of muscle mass. The main goal of creatine is to increase muscle strength. And as you know, the more strength, the more muscle.

Experience

Creatine is perhaps the most potent supplement. Starting to take it, you will literally in a few days feel an increase in strength, albeit a small one. This is due to the fact that during exercise, the muscles consume ATP (adenosine triphosphate) reserves, and creatine replenishes these reserves.

A very common theory is that at the beginning of taking creatine for several days, you need to do a creatine load, taking it in large quantities. I did not dare to do this, and many famous athletes, whose opinion I trust, do not advise doing this. It does not cause any harm to the body (as well as the other supplements listed in this article), but sensitive people with prolonged use may have digestive problems. You will not know without trying :)

Vitamin and mineral complexes

Everyone accepted them, and everyone knows what it is. But sports vitamin and mineral complexes (VMC) are slightly different from the usual ones that can be bought at any pharmacy. The main differences:

  • high concentration of vitamins and minerals
  • a slightly different composition, which is more suitable for sports loads

Experience

I really regret that I did not start taking vitamins and minerals at the very beginning of my workouts. Now I have to put up with the old injuries in the joints, which I received when I came to the gym and started lifting, like an idiot, huge weights. The body has not forgiven me for this. It seems to me that IUDs could prevent this, or at least mitigate the consequences.

There is a huge number of IUDs on the market. Compositions have been written for all of them, so go through all of them carefully and compare. The price can turn out to be completely different with the same composition, and it is very easy to overpay for the brand. However, as elsewhere. The only side effect may be yellow urine on first visits. This is due to the fact that the complexes contain vitamin B2, which gives this characteristic color.

Fat burners

Fat burners are special preparations that help reduce body fat. Please do not be under the illusion that these drugs will remove extra pounds from you. They can help you, but only if you add them to your workout and nutrition.

There are two types of fat burners:

  • thermogenics
  • lipotropics

The action of thermogenics is to increase body temperature, and due to this, increase calorie consumption. Lipotropics, on the other hand, accelerate the release of fatty acids from cells and thus contribute to weight loss. Decide what to choose for yourself, I would recommend not using this product at all, and here's why.

Experience

The first times after taking fat burners, you feel incredible euphoria, as if you drank a bunch of cans of energy drinks. In training, you don't think about anything other than working out in the gym, and this concentration is a really cool feeling. After adding fat burners to my diet for a month, I lost about a kilogram more than I lost before without them.

But not everything is so good. Fat burners hit the psyche hard enough. First, there is a warning on the packaging that they should not be taken less than 5 hours before bedtime. In fact, I took them in the morning or afternoon, and still very often I could not sleep all night. Secondly, after a while you may become more aggressive (not in my case). After taking fat burners, I was constantly euphoric, so I cannot confirm this 100%.

Do not forget that this is a fairly strong load on the body, and the fact that your body will constantly maintain a temperature of 1-2 degrees above normal will not have a positive effect on it. To say that they should not be taken is hypocrisy, because I took them and do not particularly regret it, but if you have any health problems, then be sure to consult a doctor.

Conclusion

I hope you understand that the stories that sports nutrition is bad are just a myth. Sports nutrition is more of a convenience than a necessity. If you have the opportunity to eat right and get all the necessary elements from regular food, then you may not even look towards sports nutrition.

How do you feel about sports nutrition? Do you think this is harmful to the body?

Today, sports nutrition has become an urgent issue not only for professional athletes, but also for ordinary people who train in the gym or are engaged in fitness. Let's figure out what goals the sport food is intended to serve and what it is.

Assessment

When a person decides to go in for fitness, as a rule, he pursues very specific goals. This can be weight loss, muscle building, shape correction or general strengthening of the body. To achieve this or that goal, training alone is not enough, sports nutrition (diet for athletes) also plays an important role.

If you do not get enough of the correct calories during physical activity, the body is depleted, and health problems begin. If you are losing weight, then you should not allow muscle tissue to lose weight - this requires protein. If you are building muscle, your body must consume more calories than it expends in order for it to have reserves to build muscle. However, it must be the right calories, otherwise it will grow instead of muscle

Amino acids

Amino acids are the building blocks of our entire body, from muscles to brain. They help restore muscle tissue after exercise, thereby reducing pain and preparing muscles for further stress.

Fat burners

Fat burners like L-carnitine help burn fat. They only work when you have physical activity and help speed up the process of losing weight.

Energy

With intensive training, when the body does not have time to recuperate, energetics enter the battle. They are composed of fast carbohydrates and instantly fill the body with energy. It is the energy workers in the gym that the pumped up guys drink during training.

Vitamins

Special sports vitamins are designed to support the body during increased stress. They are drunk in courses, increase endurance and immunity.

Sports nutrition has nothing to do with doping, drugs and other prohibited drugs, it is an active supplement to fill the diet of a exercising person with the necessary amount of protein, amino acids, vitamins and carbohydrates.

Of course, this is not a panacea, and there are those who achieve results only with the help of conventional products, building their diet. In this matter, everyone should make their own choice.

Before including sports nutrition in your diet, be sure to consult with a trainer.

Not all athletes have the correct understanding of sports nutrition. Many refer to it as anabolic steroids, doping, etc. - this is fundamentally wrong. Proper nutrition for a bodybuilder or weightlifter is not a bucket of borscht and a pot of porridge. So, sports nutrition is a group of nutritional supplements used by athletes during training or preparation for competitions. Key points here: natural composition, exclusion of the presence of harmful substances, hormones, minimum side effects. Unpleasant consequences usually appear only with an overdose or individual intolerance. Sports nutrition does not completely replace the diet, but only supplements with the necessary substances: amino acids, vitamins, micro and macro elements.

Typical situation

Those who do not recognize the importance of sports nutrition for muscle development (or simply do not know about it due to inexperience), almost always face a lack of results. A common example: a guy trains sparing no effort, shakes the barbell, but the muscles do not grow. Yes, he is getting stronger, but he looks as slender as before. And the reason may simply be a lack of protein to build new muscles. And the solution to this problem can be a protein pack, which you can buy at any sports store.

Protein is essentially a concentrated protein. Any schoolchild knows that protein is the building block for the growth of not only muscles, but also bones, tendons, ligaments, enzymes and hormones. Weight training should be accompanied by protein intake. At least in the form of meat, fish and eggs. But if you can't absorb a lot of protein, then you can increase the amount of protein in the diet with a protein supplement.

What to do?

Special supplements will help correct the situation. Proteins, gainers, amino acid complexes, vitamins, omega-3, creatine, carnitine will help to fill the lack of certain substances in the body.

For example, there are several types of protein: whey, egg, casein, soy, etc. There is no concept of better or worse among proteins, they are used for different purposes, but they always have a natural origin.

A gainer is also muscle food. Protein helps build muscles, creatine charges them, now you need a button to make everything work, that is, carbohydrates. Protein should be supplemented with carbohydrates - that's the bottom line. Moreover, in a certain ratio. Gainer is a combined version of protein and carbohydrates invented by specialists "in one bottle", completely complementing each other.

Moreover, the gainer is most important in those cases when fast weight gain is critical. If the trainee is an ectomorph with a fast metabolism, then even protein does not always help to gain mass. The gainer not only provides a lot of protein, but also increases the calorie content of the diet. Before training, it will saturate the muscles with glycogen and amino acids, and drunk after it will quickly restore strength. Weight gainers often include vitamins, minerals, amino acids, or creatine. Each athlete decides for himself whether to accept a ready-made complex or to buy everything separately.

Creatine is a source of energy needed for muscle function. Without it, at the beginning of classes there is a lot of strength and energy, but after several exercises, fatigue will come. The task of creatine is to restore the reserves of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) - the main source of energy for cells. It is involved in nourishing muscle cells during strength training.

Amino acids, namely "BCAA" (BCA) - Branched Chain Amino Acids - branched chain amino acids. It is an integral part of proteins. The main feature of these amino acids is anti-catabolic properties, i.e. reducing the breakdown of muscle proteins during exercise. In the form of separate supplements, they are absorbed much faster than in the protein composition. Plus, in the ability to take them immediately before training or even during it, while protein intake is recommended no later than 40-50 minutes before training.

Important! Free from stress at night, the body begins to synthesize proteins. A complex of amino acids, drunk before bedtime, will turn into muscle mass in the morning.

Vitamin and mineral complexes are also part of sports nutrition. They are essential to achieve great results. Athletes are advised to take sports IUDs.

L-carnitine (levocarnitine) - transports fatty acids to the mitochondria, which gives a fat burning effect. Omega-3 fatty acids - speed up metabolism, increase hormone production and suppress cortisol. These supplements will help move the situation when the diet is built correctly, with a calorie deficit, training is carried out regularly, and the weight is in place.

Supplements after 30


After 30 years, sports supplements can help support health and functionality. Test boosters, Omega-3s, 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 a set of excess weight, 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 sports results, a decrease in strength indicators, and a decrease in the volume of muscles. This is unpleasant for anyone, and 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 its own testosterone. From the point of view of physiology, this means rejuvenation, or at least prolongation of youth. Yes, with uncontrolled intake, side effects are possible, including addiction and a decrease in the production of one's own testosterone, emotional instability, aggressiveness, etc., but this only indicates that it is necessary to use these funds deliberately 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 should be drunk to prevent diseases of the musculoskeletal system, even if a person is out of sports. To obtain the result, the reception is at least 6 months.
  3. ZMA is a powerful complex of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B 6. Testosterone may not increase, but at least keeps it high during training, improves the speed and timing of recovery processes, and also contributes to an increase in muscle volume. Zinc improves protein synthesis in the body for growth and muscle recovery. Magnesium - improves heart function, bone health and metabolism.
  4. Fish oil is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent. Helps in post-workout recovery. Taking healthy fatty acids at night can help regulate your metabolism and fat metabolism.
  5. Coenzyme Q10 - does not promote muscle gain, but prevents damage to cell membranes, provides energy processes at the cellular level. Protein structures are less destroyed in this case. 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, sleep better all night, which is necessary to restore the resources of the nervous system, for muscle growth, and also for the secretion of growth hormone, the peak of which occurs during sleep. Lack of sleep can stunt progress. Sleep supplements 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, sleep hormone), soothing extracts of valerian, lemon balm, passionflower.
  7. L-Arginine, Ornithine and Lysine - have a beneficial effect on the production of growth hormone. When taken before bedtime, its level rises, which will help in 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.

Prerequisites for Success

Sports supplements are an expensive pleasure, but necessary because of their effectiveness. But they must show this efficiency. To do this, you need to take them correctly. In many cases, optimal distribution of training loads is an important component of success. Setting - the more you use, the better - will not work. Let's take a few popular supplements as an example.

Effective use of protein

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

Effective use of BCAA

BCAAs are most effective in a 2: 1: 1 ratio. At a time, no more than 15 g of BCAA is absorbed, it is optimal to take before, during and after training. As far as BCAA forms go, powder is better. Capsules and tablets are the same powder, but more expensive. Liquid BCAA contains more preservatives and stabilizers.

Glutamine

At a time, about 5 g of this amino acid is absorbed. But this product is fuel for the small intestine and immune cells. It is better to take one time off immediately after training with BCAA.


Carnitine

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

Creatine

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

The course of admission is 6–8 weeks (then 4–6 weeks of rest). The assimilation of creatine does not depend on the load and the time of day, therefore a one-time intake 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 is a lactic acid neutralizer, that is, it increases strength endurance and accelerates recovery. The amino acid is positive for 4-5 weeks. Then a break is 2-4 weeks. Dosage - 3-4 g per day in 2 divided doses with a break of 8 hours.

Summarizing

So, sports nutrition is absolutely safe and necessary, but you can achieve results without it. This applies to young athletes. The goal is not always to build muscle and walk in circles to demonstrate their volume. Sports nutrition is needed only when you slow down the process of moving towards your goals. In other cases, it is not worth abusing it just because many people do it.

What is sports nutrition and what are sports supplements for?

Sports nutrition Is a special complex of nutritional supplements, developed, as a rule, for active people.
Sports Supplements - it is a source of substances for the purposes of supplementing the diet and developing human physiology. Its use is intended for people involved in sports and leading an active lifestyle in order to increase the physical performance of the body. Those. we can conclude that sports supplements and sports nutrition are one and the same, just one concept includes another. Basically, sports supplements contain concentrated elements found in everyday food. Their difference is that the processes of splitting, absorption and assimilation of substances by the human body become more rapid, and the sports supplement has a higher energy value in contrast to ordinary food and acts only as an addition to the basic human diet.
Their forms can be different - powder, tablet, bar, concentrate and others.

The benefits and harms of sports nutrition

A person who uses sports supplements can pursue various goals, the significance of which may vary for everyone:
- improve performance by providing the body with energy;
- replenish vitamins and nutrients in order to be in good shape;
- build muscle mass;
- burn fat faster;
- protect vulnerable ligaments and joints, which are more involved during the training process, and more.

All of the above reflects the positive effects of sports nutrition. As a rule, supplements are made from natural products, if you pay attention to the quality and shelf life, then they can harm the human body in the same way as everyday food. But do not forget about the peculiarities of each person, because someone cannot consume lactose, chocolate, someone is allergic, etc.

So, there are three reasons for the harm to the human body by sports supplements:
1) Allergy or individual intolerance;
2) Low quality products;
3) Additives are not applied correctly.

Types of sports nutrition and their brief characteristics

The main types of sports nutrition include:

  • Proteins (protein);
  • Amino acids;
  • Weight gainers (carbohydrates);
  • Vitamin and mineral complexes;
  • Special drugs (creatine, anti-catabolics, BCAAs)
  • Drugs affecting testosterone levels
  • Preparations that strengthen joints and ligaments
  • Energy
  • Isotonic

If the diet contains a small amount of protein, then you need to take protein. The daily rate is 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of weight. The intake of amino acids into the human body depends on the variety of protein consumed, which affect the rate of increase in muscle mass. Protein includes the entire variety of amino acids.

Proteins (proteins)

The most popular types of protein supplements are:
- whey (milk). They are responsible for muscle growth, immunity, weight loss, etc. Recommended for use in the morning.
- egg (chicken eggs). Use immediately before or after training.
- casein (milk). Differs in slow absorption, therefore it is recommended to use at night. Allows you to build muscle mass.
- soy (soy beans). Can be used before or after training, or before bedtime.

Amino acids

For faster absorption, amino acids such as lysine, arginine, glutamine, taurine and others are used. Glutamine improves the functioning of the small intestine and supports immunity. Beta-alanine prevents lactic acid from accumulating in human muscles. Therefore, thanks to this amino acid, endurance can be increased.
They should be used in the morning on an empty stomach, before, during and after the training process.


Special sports supplements

Creatine is the most effective supplement for increasing strength and therefore accelerating muscle growth. Its use has the greatest effect during training (strength).
The BCAA sports supplement contains three amino acids (leucine, isoleucine and valine). Recommended to be taken before, during and after training. The supplement provides additional energy and helps recovery.


Carbohydrate Supplements

If the human body has a fast metabolism, then you need to connect carbohydrate-protein mixtures (gainers) to increase energy. Taking this type of supplement has a better effect with meals. They should not be consumed by people who are overweight (there is a possibility of gaining subcutaneous fat).


Omega-3s, L-carnitine, caffeine, and others help burn fat and are therefore classified as a fat burning supplement. Their effects on the body are different. They can promote a more intense metabolism, suppress fats, and reduce appetite. But we must not forget about physical activity and follow a diet.


Vitamins and mineral complexes

It is necessary to use vitamins and minerals to maintain immunity, especially for athletes. They also help speed up the work of enzymes in the body, which are responsible for all internal chemical processes.


How to choose sports nutrition?

First, you need to decide on a goal. In accordance with the goal set by a person starting to use sports nutrition, the most effective will be:
1) Goal: build muscle. Supplements: protein, gainers, creatine, vitamin and mineral complexes, amino acids are less effective.
2) Purpose: to develop endurance. Supplements: protein, gainers, amino acids, less effect from the use of fat burners and vitamins.
3) Purpose: development of strength. Supplements: creatine gives the fastest action, then protein, gainers, and vitamin-mineral complexes and amino acids give the least result.
4) Purpose: weight loss (weight loss). Supplements: protein, fat burners, vitamins and minerals, amino acids.
5) Purpose: work on the relief. Supplements: Protein is best, followed by fat burners, amino acids, vitamins and minerals.

Secondly, the selection of certain sports supplements should be individual and in accordance with the person's goal. It is better to coordinate the intake of drugs with an instructor, doctor or trainer, and also independently study each drug. Your diet should include cereals, fresh vegetables and fruits, dairy products, meat, fish, poultry (steamed, boiled foods or baked dishes). Sports nutrition should also be varied, that is, you need to change supplements to ensure the most balanced nutrition.

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