What if workout supplements could supercharge your workouts? Sharper focus, more precise performance, boosted energy, strategic support for muscle growth and recovery – that sounds like smarter fitness, right?!
Imagine being in the zone every time you exercise and getting a better recovery after. Workout supplements are designed to give a boost to your efforts, making weight loss and muscle gain easier. But a lot of supplements are surrounded in hype and “too-good-to-be-true” marketing, too.
The key to finding a reliable supplement is to determine your specific fitness goals first. Focus, energy, muscle support – what could you benefit from the most? Then find a clean workout supplement that can help get you there.
What’s the Goal with Workout Supplements?
In a nutshell, a workout supplement is designed to do one of two things: help build muscle or help boost athletic performance for a supercharged workout. In other words, bulk up or lock in! Some supplements even try to do both with a combination of active ingredients.
Depending on the ingredient list (carbs, electrolytes, protein, etc.), you can usually determine which goal the workout supplement is best suited for – and whether it’s intended to be taken before a workout or after.
What to Look For: Ingredients in Pre-Workout Supplements
Often used for short-term effects, pre-workout supplements have ingredients that help with focus, energy and endurance for a supercharged session. Look for these common ingredients:
- Caffeine – Stimulants combat sluggishness so you can achieve more reps.
- Creatine – Like molecular fuel for muscles, creatine increases athletic performance, especially useful for weightlifting and resistance training.
- Beta-Alanine – This amino acid reduces muscle acidity during intense activity, meaning muscles feel less fatigued and capable of enduring longer workouts.
What to Look For: Ingredients in Post-Workout Supplements
While pre-workout supplements can encourage more efficient exercise, post-workout supplements promote better recovery by repairing and growing those muscles after you hit the gym. Post-workout supplements often include:
- Protein – Muscle growth relies on protein, plain and simple. Supplements draw from a variety of protein sources, including whey, soy, pea and hemp.
- Carbohydrates – Post-workout carbs help replenish glycogen, gearing the body up for the next workout session.
Some workout supplements include additional ingredients that support wellness before and after exercise. For example, electrolytes are often included to help with hydration. Some amino acids (L-tyrosine and L-citrulline) are commonly included for muscle recovery, too.
Supplements Can Work – But Can’t Replace a Good Diet!
Workout supplements come in the form of pills and powders. And while ads often make lofty promises, supplements can never replace a well-balanced diet that fuels the body naturally.
In fact, most individuals can get a sufficient amount of nutrients from whole foods. Chicken, red meat, fish and eggs are protein-rich foods packed with the amino acids often included in workout supplements. Red meat and seafood are also natural sources of creatine and beta-alanine.
Of course, getting these nutrients naturally can depend on the quality and timing of a meal plan – as well as your commitment to it! Performance athletes and people with specific fitness or weight loss goals may turn to workout supplements as a way to “make sure” they’ve got the boost they need to maximize the effects of exercise.
