top workout supplements
TRANSCRIPT
Workout Supplements
Whey Protein
Whey protein is a staple in most athletes’ diets for a
good reason: it’s digested quickly, absorbed efficiently,
and easy on the taste buds.
It’s also especially popular with us fitness folk because
of its amino profile, which is high in leucine (leucine is
an essential amino acid that plays a key role in
initiating protein synthesis).
How to Take Whey Protein
You can take whey protein whenever you’d like. There’s no “wrong” way
to take it, really, but you should keep two things in mind:
Majority of my protein from whole food
70-75% of my daily protein is from food, mainly because food is much
more satiating and satisfying.
Protein powder can’t help you lose fat.
Weight loss requires compliance to a proper meal plan, which can
include a lot or a little protein powder.
whey protein is a particularly effective form of pre-workout and post-
workout protein. (The faster protein is digested and the more leucine it
has, the more muscle growth it stimulates.)According to one study, 20
grams of whey protein eaten as a post-workout meal stimulates
maximum muscle protein synthesis. That is, eating more than 20 grams
of whey protein after a workout will not increase muscle growth.
Which Type of Whey Protein is Best?
The three forms of whey protein sold are whey concentrate, isolate,
and hydrolysate.
Whey concentrate is the least processed form and cheapest to
manufacture, and it contains some fat and lactose. Whey concentrates
range from 35 – 80% protein by weight, depending on quality.
Whey isolate is a form of whey protein processed to remove the fat
and lactose. Isolates are 90%+ protein by weight, and as they’re more
expensive to manufacture than whey concentrate, they’re more
expensive for consumers too.
Whey hydrolysate is a predigested form of whey protein that’s very
easily absorbed by the body and free of allergenic substances found in
milk products. Research also indicates that the hydrolysis process
improves solubility and digestibility.
Creatine
Creatine is one of the best workout supplements you can take.decades
of research has conclusively proven it can help you build muscle and
improve strength, improve anaerobic endurance, and reduce muscle
damage and soreness from exercise.
You may have heard that it’s bad for your kidneys, but these claims
have been categorically and repeatedly disproven. People with kidney
disease are not advised to supplement with creatine, but in healthy
subjects, creatine supplementation has been shown to have no harmful
side effects, in both short- or long-term usage.
Casein Protein
It’s a popular type of supplement in the world of
bodybuilding because it’s digested slower than whey (it
causes a smaller spike in amino acids in the blood, but a
steadier release over the course of several hours).
-Due to its rapid digestion and abundance of leucine, a 30-
40 gram serving of whey is probably your best choice for
post-workout protein.
-Due to its slow release of amino acids, casein is a great
all-around protein supplement.
-Casein is a good protein to have before you go to bed,
which can help with muscle recovery.
Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
Branched-chain amino acids, or BCAAs for short, are a group of three
essential amino acids (amino acids that your body must get from your
diet):
Leucine
Isoleucine
Valine
Leucine is the star of the trio, as it directly stimulates protein synthesis via
the activation of an enzyme responsible for cell growth known as the
mammalian target of rapamycin, ormTOR.
Isoleucine is number two on the list, as it improves glucose metabolism
and increases muscular uptake.
Caffeine
Caffeine helps you lose fat by simply increasing your
body’s daily energy expenditure.
As weight loss boils down to energy consumed vs.
energy expended, caffeine helps you maintain a calorie
deficit.
Caffeine has other benefits for us fitness folk, though. It
improves strength, muscle endurance, and anaerobic
performance, and also reverses the “morning weakness”
experienced by many weightlifters.
