The Five Best Bodybuilding Supplements You Don’t Want to Be Without

Bodybuilding supplements aren’t essential. The focus of your bodybuilding should be your training and proper nutrition. There are five supplements, however, that can help you achieve your results faster and are beneficial to both your muscle growth and your overall health.

1. Quality Multivitamin. A quality multivitamin will help you get all the essential nutrition your body needs. Look for one with high-potency. A more expensive multivitamin will not always be better, but avoid buying generic brands.

2. Protein Supplement. Whey is probably the most common and least expensive of the protein supplements that you can buy. In addition to its cost and availability, whey is good because it contains little to no fat, lactose, or cholesterol.

Another protein supplement you might want to consider is hemp. Hemp has the same benefits of whey, but is arguably superior. In addition to the complete protein, it’s also a source of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, fiber, and chlorophyll. Two-thirds of hemp protein is edestin, which is only found in hemp and is the protein that is most similar in form to that in the human body. The only disadvantage to hemp protein is that it is not as readily available as whey protein. Other protein supplement sources to consider are soy, egg white, or casein.

3. Monohydrate-Creatine. Creatine’s function is to help supply energy to muscles. Many bodybuilders take it to increase performce and to help build muscle mass. It is not a steroid and is not banned in sports in the US. Short term studies show it to be safe, but long term studies haven’t been conducted.

4. Glutamine. Glutamine is perhaps the most important supplement you can take if you are a bodybuilder. During exercise, the body uses its stores of amino acids. Glutamine helps to replenish your body with the amino acids. A deficiency of glutamine in your body can lead to a weakened immune system and possible wasting of muscle tissues. You can buy this as a powder from most health food stores or vitamin shops.

5. The final supplement bodybuilders need to consider is essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids are omega 3 and omega 6, also known as the good fats. These EFAs will help ensure that you have the energy you need for good performance. You can buy supplements in liquid or capsule form, or choose to incorporate adequate amounts of the food sources of the omega fatty acids into your diet. These food sources include fatty fish, flaxseed, hemp oil, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and leafy vegetables.