If you are into bodybuilding or weightlifting, I am sure you have heard supplements can help you boost your performance during the workout. But which supplements?
Thousands of supplements are available in the market, and all promise that they are best for you. But it isn’t true! All supplements work differently in different bodies; they may be best for others but maybe not for you!
That is why we are here with the top 5 supplements that experts suggest for every weightlifter and bodybuilder. This article will provide you with all the best supplements—why to take them and how to take them.
So, let’s make bodybuilding and weightlifting a bit less difficult!
Best Supplements for Weightlifters and Bodybuilders
An athlete, weightlifter, or bodybuilder needs extra nutrients than an average person, which he cannot fulfill through diet alone. Here comes the role of supplements.
Supplements fill the gap of nutrients in our bodies and help boost energy levels and strength. Some of the must-have supplements that can fulfill most of the nutritional needs are the following:
Whey Protein
Whey protein is the protein extracted from the whey (a liquid part of the milk left after the milk is curdled).
It is one of the most popular supplements among weightlifters and bodybuilders. And why not? It contains all the nine essential amino acids needed for muscle growth and strength, i.e., amino acids that are not produced by the body.
How Whey Protein Helps Bodybuilders and Weightlifters?
On the one hand, whey helps increase lean muscle mass for bodybuilders; on the other hand, it helps increase the strength of muscle for weightlifters.
Other benefits that whey protein can provide are the following:
- Easy to digest
- It helps in weight loss but increases the muscle growth
- Improves metabolism and muscle repair
- Boosts immunity and energy levels in the body, thus improving performance during the workout.
- Increases muscle protein synthesis, which major helps in weightlifting.
Overall, Whey protein is one of the must-have supplements for every weightlifter and bodybuilder.
Recommended Dosage
You can consume it either as a pre-workout or post-workout supplement. We suggest you take 20-30 grams of whey protein per serving with your pre and post-workout supplements.
BCAA (Branched Chain Amino Acid)
Another common and popular supplement that every weightlifter and bodybuilder should take is BCAAs.
BCAAs are a combination of three essential amino acids—Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine. All three amino acids work differently to build muscles that mainly help in weight lifting and muscle building.
Benefits of BCAAs
- Increases Muscle Protein Synthesis and regulates protein metabolism in the body
- Improves endurance and strength by keeping the muscles fuelled
- Reduces soreness and helps mitigate muscle damage after a workout
- Increases lean muscle mass
Overall, it is best for anyone who wants big muscles with strength and endurance.
Recommended Dosage
The ideal dosage is 3-6 grams either before or after a workout. The ratio of BCAAs in the supplement also matters; it should be two parts of leucine and 1 part of each isoleucine and valine.
Note: Whey Protein includes BCAAs. So, it depends on you whether you want only BCAAs or all essential amino acids through Whey protein. Also, there is no harm in taking both together.
But make sure that BCAAs are 3-6 grams per serving.
Creatine
Creatine is one of the essential supplements for body and strength building, with tons of research on its uses and safety. Although they are naturally occurring, i.e., produced in the body, 95% is stored around skeletal muscle tissue.
Weightlifters and bodybuilders consume creatine supplements for instant muscle building and maintaining energy during workouts.
Benefits of Creatine
- It promotes lean body mass.
- Creatine helps replenish ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate—the house of energy production). It means More Creatine = More ATP = Boost Endurance and Energy level in our body.
- Helps in faster post-workout recovery of nutrients and muscle loss
- Improves performance during intense and productive workouts
- Increases muscle volume and growth
Overall, it has an impressive stamina-building process making it a powerful supplement for bodybuilders and weightlifters.
Recommended Dosage
You should take 5-10 grams of Creatine throughout the day. We suggest you divide the dosage into pre and post-workout.
Beta-Alanine
Beta-Alanine is a non-essential amino acid which means our body produces it. With the help of supplementation, an increase in beta-alanine helps to increase the carnosine levels in our body by 60%.
It is a must-have supplement for bodybuilders and weightlifters because, during highly intense workouts, our body starts accumulating a high amount of hydrogen that can lead to severe fatigue and muscle failure.
When you take Beta-alanine supplements, it increases the carnosine levels that help delay the accumulation of hydrogen.
Other Benefits of Beta-Alanine
- Reduces muscle acid and maintains the pH level of our body.
- Helps in fast recovery of muscles after a workout
- Enhances the performance of athletes and delays fatigue during workout
- Increases endurance and strength
Overall, it is a necessary supplement to delay fatigue and improve performance during intense and productive workouts.
Recommended Dosage
4-6 grams of Beta-Alanine throughout the day that too every day to increase the carnosine levels.
Caffeine
Doing heavy and intense workouts is more than just strength. Both bodybuilding and weightlifting need massive focus too. That’s what caffeine does!
Many studies have shown that caffeine helps improve physical and mental health. While physically increases strength and energy levels, mentally, it helps improve focus, learning ability, and alertness.
So, overall, with other supplements, it becomes a must-have supplement for bodybuilders and weightlifters. Otherwise, you can take pre-workouts; caffeine is the essential ingredient in pre-workouts.
Recommended Dosage
You should consume 150-300 mg of caffeine throughout the day. But make sure to drink it 30-60 minutes before doing exercises.
Parting Words
There are so many supplements out in the market claiming to increase your muscle mass and strength. But believe me! All the supplements mentioned above can really help you enhance your performance and are completely safe if consumed in the correct amount.
However, you must be careful while taking a combination of two or more supplements. Do some research or consult a doctor or trainer.
Do you take any of the above-given supplements? Or do you prefer any other? Please share your answers and experiences with supplements in the comments. And don’t forget to eat well with or without supplements!
