The Essential Supplements:
Before anyone asks should I use N02, should I buy any of the those killer nice looking products off the shelf (Nitric Oxide, Tribulus Terrestris,ZMA,etc.) I would like to address the essential supplements that actually will deliver results/ or serve a purpose for teens as well as others in bodybuilding. These essential supplements are more important then Nitric Oxide or such and should be the prime objective on our minds if we use/purchase supplements for bodybuilding. These essential supplements include Protein, Creatine, Multi-Vitamin and an EFA (Essential Fatty Acids). This combination alone is basically all we need to pave our way to better gains at our age.
Protein:
It provides the body with the necessary building blocks to produce amino acids that are used for building muscle tissue. We all know that protein by far is the most important thing our bodies need when it comes to repairing and building muscle tissue. Just by these facts alone it doesn't take many words to stress the importance of protein to bodybuilders or to anyone lifting weights and expecting to gain muscle. Whey Protein is maybe the best form of protein out there for many reasons. Price, effectiveness,quality. As teens we all take into consideration the fact that we do shop watching our budgets. If we don't shop for it, it's our parents who watch that. Whey Protein can range anywhere from $20-$35 for a 5lb container(60-80 servings). Some examples might include: Optimum Nutrition
100% Whey Protein, Dymatize
Elite Whey, Syntrax
Nectar and Higher Power 100% Whey. Whey Protein's effectiveness is also quite impressive. After a workout, our muscles are tired there's a chance that it will go into a catabolic(muscle breakdown) state if protein isn't ingested soon. Sure they are lots of protein to ingest but the beauty of Whey Protein is that it'll digest in as little as 30 minutes upon ingestion. This will make sure that our muscles receive the building blocks it needs to rest up and repair for another day at gym. Whey Protein delivers a good amount of the quality amino acids we need for muscle repair and growth. Aside from supplementing Whey Protein after we workout(Post-Workout) we should make sure that we get in atleast 1g of protein per lb. of bodyweight everyday to help increase growth and repair of our muscles. We can do this by eating high protein, low fat foods such as: boneless skinless chicken breasts, 97%-98% lean ground beef, tuna, lean turkey and many other foods that have high protein and low fat.
Creatine:
What is Creatine? Our bodies naturally make creatine, which is used to supply energy to our muscles. It is produced in the liver, pancreas, and kidneys, and is transported to the body's muscles through the bloodstream. This high-powered metabolite is used to regenerate the muscles' ultimate energy source, ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Many foods especially herring, salmon, tuna, and beef contain some creatine but their amounts isn't sufficient enough. After creatine enters the body or after it is produced by the body it firsts binds with a phosphate molecule to form Creatine phosphate.When a phosphate group is hydrolyzed, energy in the form of heat is given off and this energy is used to drive whatever process is being performed, for example muscle contraction. Because one phosphate has been lost from the ATP it is now called ADP (adenine Di-phosphate). The reaction is as follows ATP=ADP + Energy. Now you have free ADP as a product from the ATP hydrolysis. ADP is pretty much obsolete in the body unless it is reconverted into ATP. Now this is where creatine comes into play. The phosphate bound creatine donates it's phosphate group to the ADP to re-form ATP. By allowing you to return ADP to ATP, creatine will increase your ATP stores, thus allowing you to train harder and longer.Creatine is a combination of three different amino acids, glycine, arginine, and methionine.
Thats where Creatine Monohydrate Powder comes into effect. Price ranges anywhere from $20-$30 for 1000g of Creatine. Be sure to watch out for the Creapure trademark to ensure the Creatine made by that particular brand is 99% HPLC Certified and Pure. Oral supplementation of creatine increases muscle stores and may increase muscle strength and improve exercise performance. Creatine claims to increase energy, power output, and enchances muscle size and strength.
Creatine also has a cell volumization effect which means that it will fill up your muscles with water. This effect is a positive effect because more water in the muscle means greater nitrogen retention. Since the cell is holding more water, it can also hold more ions since the ions will follow water into the cell in order to keep the concentration the same. When more ions are present in muscle cells (the most important being nitrogen) muscle protein synthesis also increases. Nitrogen retention is anabolic simply because amino acids are not exiting muscle cells. They therefore are available for repair and growth instead of exiting or becoming an energy source.
*Note: It isn't a bad idea at all to include 5g of creatine monohydrate in your post workout protein shake along with 45-65g of dextrose(glucose) to help
restore glycogen stores as well as increase uptake of all nutrients in your postworkout shake. I also recommend that there is a ratio of 2:1 when it comes to carbs to protein in the Postworkout Shake. For Example: If you have 30g of protein in your PWO shake, there should atleast be 60g of dextrose in it. Don't forget to add that 5g of creatine to it to have a complete PWO shake that includes: protein, amino acids, creatine, and glycogen replenishment.*
Multi-Vitamin:
Multivitamin and mineral supplements are perhaps the most important single supplement that can be consumed by bodybuilders and athletes. Creatine and Whey Protein are also very important.
For the human body to perform at its maximum potential, it must be fed a vast and complex array of vital nutrients. Becoming deficient in just one of these essential vitamins or minerals breaks down the metabolic pathway that produces optimum efficiency and performance declines. Not good! Daily consumption of a high-potency multivitamin/multimineral formula may help ensure the presence of essential cofactors necessary for thousands of metabolic reactions.
"Many people underestimate the importance of them. They think that since you can not get 10 pounds of muscle, it is useless to take them. But here is something very important. If your body is deficient in just one of the essential vitamins and minerals over a thousand chemical and enzymatic processes in your body could be impaired. Each and every vitamin and mineral is responsible for thousands of biochemical reactions, including the formation of hormones. Bottom line? If you don't use a good multivitamin and mineral formula you will never reach your fullest potential.
When should you take multivitamin/minerals and extra antioxidants? Simply take your multivitamin/mineral formula first thing in the morning, and IMMEDIATELY after your weight training, take one multivitamin/mineral plus your extra antioxidants. On the days you don't train, take only one serving of vitamin/mineral formula in the morning, and in the afternoon take your antioxidant protection."
- John Stamatopoulos (Bodybuilding.com)
*Multi-Vitamins can be found at a reasonable price, I prefer Higher Power Nutrition's Multi-XS, AST Pro 32X is also good as well as Twinlab's Daily One Multivitamin.*
EFA(Essential Fatty Acids):
What they do?
Energy Production
Diffusion of oxygen into the bloodstream
Hemoglobin production
Vital for the transportation and metabolism of triglycerides and cholesterol
Brain and nerve tissue development
Control cell membrane fluids
Lower high blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels
Stabilize insulin and blood sugar levels
Treat arthritis
Anti-inflammatory effect
Helpful in inflammatory conditions
Relieve asthma.
Ease PMS symptoms
Decrease allergy response
Strengthen immune system
Reduce water retention, by assisting in sodium and water removal.
Aids in skin texture
Alleviate psoriasis
-Taken from Bodybuilding.com EFA FAQ
You can get EFA's from foods such as:
Omega 3:
Flax Seeds
Flax Seed Oil
Hemp Seed Oil
Pumpkin Seeds
Salmon
Soy Bean Oil
Tuna
Trout
Walnuts
Omega 6:
Corn Oil
Pumpkin Seeds
Safflower Oil
Soybean Oil
Sunflower Oil
Walnuts
*EFA are relatively cheap, I use Optimum Nutrition's 1g Flax Seed Oil Softgels.*
Final Words:
We must remember that it isn't the supplements that gain us the muscle, it is ourselves who gain the muscle. The supplements only help aid us in this process. Having tons of supplements means nothing if you don't have proper nutrition, lifting consistency and a good workout plan/routine.
All Topics were written by me except for: Multivitamins and the functions of EFA's and credit was given to the sources who wrote those pieces.
All Cliff Notes (*----*) are suggestions and solely reflect my opinion.
I wish all teens and all members best of luck and happy lifting!
-Andy Sookai
