What are good supplements for working out

ticklykayak said:

I agree that Protein has always been advisable. Well, you could also take it as a Protein shake. One thing, Vitamin C is also essential in helping the body deal with a strenuous workout schedule and even stress.

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NO NO NO NO! Protein is way overconsumed. A bodybuilder only needs a small amount extra. The rest just goes to expensive piss.

ZaraBeth420 said:

I'm a fitness instructor and personal trainer, and honestly the best nutrition comes from clean, healthy food. It takes planning and forethought, but it's so worth it.

But there are some supplements I use. I take a multi-vitamin (Sentrum for Women), and I drink a bit of chocolate milk before a strenuous workout like RPM cycle or TRX. The whey protein in milk acts fast, giving you an energy boost either before or after a workout.

If you're an extreme athlete or a body builder, additional supplements can help.

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Protein is NOT a quick energy source! or a desirable one.

Disadvantages Of Amino Acid Catabolism
Amino acid catabolism is the process of using amino acids as an energy source. Turning amino acids into molecules that can be used in the Krebs cycle takes energy, which means that burning protein for fuel is not as efficient as burning carbohydrates. In addition, your body needs amino acids to make new proteins. When amino acids are used as an energy source, it reduces the reserves of amino acids that are available for protein synthesis
Amino Acids And Ammonia
Another disadvantage of using protein as an energy source is the byproducts of amino acid catabolism. All amino acids contain nitrogen atoms. When these amino acids are broken down, the nitrogen is converted into ammonia. Ammonia can be toxic when it accumulates in your blood, so your body has to excrete the ammonia through your urine. Although your kidneys can excrete moderate amounts of ammonia, if you break down too many amino acids, the increased ammonia excretion can stress your kidneys

Additionally, the body won't use protein as an energy source unless there is no glucose available in the muscles or liver, which isn't likely.

for any exersice regiment I suggest you talk to a doctor as you are starting out. especially if you are over 35 years old, haven't worked out in a long time/never, or have had health problems in the past....

younger person and a noob- you need to ease yourself into the exersice schedule to avoid an injury that could set you back months. after your body gets used to the 'after workout burn' - start looking at supplements but don't just take them for the hell of it. you need to take them for a specific purpose and for good reason.

if not like somebody else said - all that will just be washed out of the body through expensive urine....

the rest is human phisiology and is not too complicated:

if you want to gain weight - you need to take in more calories than your body burns.

if you take in mostly 'sugar' calories - you will gain fat weight. if you take in more 'protein' calories you gain muscle, but only if you are working out to build muscle.

there's a thing about gaining more muscle - those muscles need to be put to work. muscle when it is not used turns to fat and gets stored. and burning off fat is very time consuming and difficult.....

a lot of people fail at their workout goals just because they don't understand calories and how taking in more calories(eating more) can translate to fast weight loss / muscle gain when paired with a good exercise program.

i believe that unless you are looking for a 'body builder' type body with extremely low water retention, very low body fat, a lot of 'cut' muscle, veins popping and lots of muscle you don't need to take supplements.

they help, especially recovering, but are not 'necessary' for us mere mortals who want to just be healthy or look a bit better in a swimsuit....... it all depends on your goals.