Muscle building continues to be one of the most frequently mentioned training goals of gym members in Germany. Female exercisers are mostly concerned with toning flabby parts of the body by building muscle and having a crisp figure overall, while male exercisers work specifically on defining certain muscle groups. Shoulders, upper arms, chest and abdomen are the main problem areas here. In order to effectively support strength training and achieve faster, better results in muscle building, there are various preparations for nutritional supplementation and supplements. The market today is literally flooded with a wide variety of supplements, powders, shakes, bars, cookies, drinks, pills and capsules, so it is difficult to even classify the different products. We have compiled an overview of common products and their mode of action for you here.
Proteins
Muscles are mostly made of proteins, these basic building blocks of our food are also needed for muscle building. Proteins are made up of up to 20 different amino acids . The more similar the amino acid pattern of a supplied protein is to the body's own protein, the faster the body can build muscle.
During muscle-building training, microtraumas, i.e. small injuries in the muscle tissue, are intentionally caused. To repair these destructions, the body needs protein, among other things. At the same time, increased protein is stored in the muscle cells, thus causing protection and strengthening of the muscles. Therefore, an increased protein intake is especially useful and important in the regeneration phase after the actual training.
The recommendation for a person who is not overly active in sports is an intake of approx. 0.5 - 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. An 80kg person should therefore consume 40 - 70g of protein per day. For an effective muscle building process, the amount of protein that should be supplied to the body increases to 1.5 - 2g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. So an 80kg athlete who wants to build muscle should consume 120 - 160g of protein per day.
Which dietary supplements and supplements can I offer in the gym?
Multicomponent Protein
Multi-component protein is composed of different proteins. Common multi-component preparations rely on 3 components, a mixture of Whey, casein and soy protein provides by the different utilization times for both the fast as well as the medium and long-lasting protein supply throughout the day and is recommended for both muscle building and muscle maintenance.
Whey Protein
Whey protein passes very quickly into the bloodstream and is characterized by its easy digestibility and very good tolerability. Due to the rapid utilization in the body, Whey Protein is ideal for muscle building and provides a quick protein kick directly after training. However, Whey Protein is not suitable for medium and long-lasting protein supply throughout the day or night.
Soy Protein
Soy protein has a high biological value and is - like Whey protein - a short-chain protein, which is accordingly well suited for the short-term supply of protein. Soy protein has a balanced amino acid spectrum and contains the essential amino acid arginine. Thanks to its good compatibility with allergy sufferers (egg, lactose) and its high biological value, soy protein is becoming increasingly popular in the fitness sector. Soy protein is purely vegetable and also suitable for a vegan diet.
All-in-one protein
All-In-One Proteins are special supplements that combine high-quality protein powder with other ingredients such as amino acids and creatine. Compared to weight gainers, all-in-one proteins do not require large amounts of carbohydrates. Depending on the formula, all-in-one protein preparations still contain individual amino acids such as creatine and often various vitamins and trace elements. Similar to multi-component proteins, they are well suited for the medium and long-term supply of the
Casein Protein
Casein is the second milk protein next to Whey. Unlike Whey, casein has a very long-lasting effect, the metabolism of casein can take up to 7 hours. So while Whey and the somewhat slower metabolized soy protein are ideal for a quick protein kick, casein is ideal for long-lasting absorption throughout the day!
Amino acids
There are a total of 20 different amino acids. Biologically, a distinction is made between essential amino acids and non-essential amino acids. The human body can only produce the 12 non-essential amino acids itself, the remaining 8 essential amino acids must be supplied with food from the outside. Amino acids do not have to be metabolized by the body first, but are already present as individual building blocks. Therefore, they can be used by the body directly where there is a need.
For the athlete, this means that amino acids have a very short-term effect, the effect occurs quickly, but also subsides very quickly. For long-term coverage of protein requirements, protein preparations are therefore useful, after a particularly hard workout, the increased physical demand can be covered quickly and easily with amino acid preparations.
BCAAs
Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are the proteinogenic amino acids valine, leucine and isoleucine. All three amino acids are essential amino acids, i.e. they cannot be produced by the body itself, but must be supplied with food.
BCAAs have an anabolic, i.e. muscle-building effect. When taken with carbohydrates, BCAAs stimulate insulin secretion. Insulin belongs to the anabolic hormones and thus also stimulates muscle building.
EAAs
EAA stands for "Essential Amino Acids", under this abbreviation all 8 essential amino acids are summarized. EAAs are especially recommended for athletes who generally take little protein with food. A combination of EAAs and BCAAs is not necessary.
Creatine
Creatine consists of the amino acids arginine, glycine and methionine and is formed in the liver, kidney and pancreas. Creatine serves in the muscle above all as an energy reserve. In the resting muscle, about 60% of the creatine present is in the "resting form", the phosphocreatine, 40% is available to the muscle as free creatine as an energy precursor. The intake of creatine is therefore useful shortly before training, since the creatine can increase the performance of the muscles above all.
Conclusion
For muscle building, protein and amino acid preparations in various dosage forms are the main options. Amino acid preparations are ideal for the short-term supply of the body before, during and after training, protein preparations provide the body with the valuable nutrient protein in the longer term. Due to the different modes of action of the various preparations, various effects can be achieved by supplementing the diet with protein or amino acid supplements - from a quick protein kick during training to a long-lasting supply of the body during the day and night.
Published on: 22 October 2019