What Natural Workout Supplements should you take?
If you’re looking to really step up your diet and exercise routine and take your physique to the next level by piling on as much lean muscle mass as you possibly can, chances are that you’ve been spending a lot of your free time researching various supplement stacks, looking for the ultimate supplements to help you do just that.
The supplement industry is currently booming and doing better than ever before. We understand how beneficial health supplements can be, yet unfortunately, one common mistake that people tend to make is to rely solely on these supplements. Natural workout supplements are indeed hugely beneficial, but they are still designed to be used in conjunction with a healthy and balanced diet and an effective training routine.
If you’re happy that you have your diet and training down to a tee, however, then you may consider looking at some natural workout supplements in a bit more detail. To help you choose the ultimate workout supplements stack, here’s a look at five of the best natural workout supplements to improve muscle growth and athletic performance.
Whey Protein
When talking about supplements and muscle growth, we simply cannot ignore whey protein, and for very obvious reasons. Whey protein is the number one best-selling natural workout supplement in the entire world because it has been proven, time and time again, to help provide numerous benefits for bodybuilders, athletes, and people generally looking to get fitter and healthier. Whey protein is derived from milk and is actually a by-product left behind when milk turns to cheese.
When milk turns to cheese, it separates into curds, which are solids, and whey, which is a liquid, containing the whey protein. This liquid is then processed, filtered, pasteurized, etc., and undergoes various processes until it becomes the powdered supplement we know and love. Whey protein comes in concentrate, or isolate form. The concentrate contains around 80 – 85% protein per serving, whereas the isolate, contains 90 – 95% protein per serving, and so is slightly more expensive.
Casein Protein
Not all proteins are created equal and even though casein protein also comes from milk, it acts very differently from whey protein, and so it is designed to be used differently as a result. Whereas whey is a fast-digesting, fast-absorbing protein, casein is a slow-digesting protein and can take several hours to be fully digested and absorbed. Because of this, many people drink casein protein right before going to bed, to help keep their bodies in an anabolic state by supplying proteins, amino acids, and various other nutrients to the body for several hours whilst we sleep.
Creatine
Whilst whey protein is the number 1 best-selling supplement in the world, the second most popular natural workout supplement is actually creatine. Creatine is ideal because it helps to boost the body’s natural supplies of ATP (Adenosine Tri-Phosphate), which the muscles use as a form of energy. The more energy the muscles have, the harder they can work, and the longer, meaning your workouts become more efficient and so you get much more done as a result. Creatine helps boost ATP energy stores and also helps cells in the muscles absorb more water, oxygen, and nutrients, which also aids in cell volumization, which happens to make the muscles appear bigger and fuller and can lead to more impressive muscle pumps.
Pre-workout Supplements
Another vastly popular form of natural workout supplements that appears to be growing in popularity day by day is pre-workout supplements. We all have days where we’re feeling tired, unmotivated, run-down, and simply cannot be bothered to go to the gym and workout, and that’s where pre-workout supps come into the mix. These supplements contain natural stimulants and amino acids such as caffeine and taurine, not to mention Nitric Oxide in the process.
The stimulants provide mental and physical increases in energy, focus and stamina, whilst the Nitric Oxide helps to increase circulation by acting as a vasodilator, widening the blood vessels and allowing more oxygenated blood to pass through them to be supplied to the muscles all over our bodies. The more oxygen the cells in our muscles can absorb, the more energy they will have and so the more effective they will become.
This can lead to impressive muscle pumps, enhanced performance, and can help to fight fatigue and act as a lactic acid buffer. Also, as it dilates the blood vessels, vascularity is also increased, which helps to lead to a more aesthetic and impressive looking physique.
Omega 3 Supplements
Sometimes keeping things simple can be the key to success, and that’s especially evident when it comes to omega 3 supplements. Omega 3 supplements can be purchased pretty much anywhere, they aren’t too expensive, and they’ve been proven to provide a number of health benefits. For example, omega 3 fatty acids can help improve brain health and prevent degenerative diseases like dementia or Alzheimer’s. They promote joint health, they reduce inflammation, they boost metabolism, they enhance organ function, and much more besides. For optimal results, choose an omega 3 supplement such as cod liver oil, swallow one or two capsules per day with a whole food source, and go about your day as usual.
