At Lifespan, we believe an educated buyer is a confident buyer. Based on this, this guide was written by the fitness specialists at Lifespan to help inform customers looking to enhance their workout and hasten their progress with supplements. This guide will cover on understanding the different types of supplements, what the ingredients do and the right supplements to match your workout goals.

Generally, supplements are consumed before or after workouts to enhance athletic performance. Dietary supplements are considered safe products and are not considered to be in the same bracket as anabolic steroids.

Getting Started (Part 1)

The first step into supplements is to make sure you have the right accessories. A shaker or blender for will be suitable to mix the contents of your supplements. If you’re looking for supplements in pill form, be sure to check out some pill boxes for convenient handling and storage.

The next step is understanding what the supplements are, and what they do.

Protein

Protein is used for the production of muscles, manufactures hormones, enzymes, cellular messengers, nucleic acids and immune-system components. Without adequate protein, our bodies can’t put together the structures that make up every cell, tissue, and organ or generate the substances needed for muscle growth, contraction and healing.

It should be noted that ingesting protein alone won’t build muscle. Your muscles need to be worked first at which point protein is effective in feeding muscles during your workout and will aid in the rebuilding process afterward.

Protein powders are a quick way to absorb needed protein after an intense workout. It is best to take a protein shake immediately after a workout, since protein shakes only take about 30 minutes to reach the muscle after ingestion.

Protein bars are also popular where it requires no preparation at all and can be consumed on- the-go. They usually have low carbohydrates and low fat nutritional value with high protein content. They are a quick and easy means of meeting your protein intake.

Health Supplements & weight loss

ZMA supplements are a blend of Zinc, Magnesium & Vitamin B6, and is known to support & promote healthy testosterone levels. ZMA is traditionally used by athletes wanting to gain lean muscle size & strength, including bodybuilders, rugby players and other strength athletes. ZMA is also widely used by endurance athletes as it helps prevent the drop in testosterone levels from high volumes of training.

Testosterone is a hormone vital in regulating muscle growth. According to a survey, more than 3 out of 5 people consume less than the recommended daily intake for magnesium and zinc. Studies generally show that low zinc diets exhibit little muscle growth. As for magnesium, intense workouts may increase magnesium losses through sweat, and deficiencies may cause insufficient minerals to supplement muscle growth.

Generally fat burning supplements are known as thermogenics, can increase the body’s temperature enabling the body’s ability to burn calories as heat; to be used as energy, thereby preventing them from being stored as fat.

Be sure to look for weight loss products that have the following key ingredients:

Citrus Aurantium, which is an effective calorie & fat burning ingredient. Burns body fat and helps increase energy levels.

Green tea is another key ingredient in helping burn fat. Generally, fat is burned through higher metabolism levels with caffeine, prevents fat absorption and regulates glucose levels. Green tea not only helps in losing weight, but provides other health benefits such as:
• Reduce our risk of developing many forms of cancer.
• Inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
• Lower total cholesterol levels.
• Improve the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.
• Help reduce the risk and treat rheumatoid arthritis.
• Reduce the risk of experiencing cardiovascular disease.
• Treat impaired immune function.
• Help prevent tooth decay.
• Prevent food poisoning.

Amino acids (BCAA blends and Glutamine)

Amino acids are known as the building blocks of proteins and are responsible for the development of all body enzymes, including those responsible for digestion. Amino acids will help in the repair and growth of muscles when taken in conjunction with your workout. There are generally two types of Amino acids (20 in total), essential and non-essential. Essential amino acids are not produced naturally by your body and must come from food sources, where non-essential amino acids are produced naturally in the body.

When the body is put under stress, it demands higher levels of amino acids and its often difficult to consume enough in their daily diets. That is why amino acid blends (BCAA/EAAs) such as Re-fuel help users meet their amino acids quota, and assist in building, repairing and strengthening of muscles.

Previously mentioning non-essential amino acids, Glutamine is an amino acid that is produced in the highest quantity by your body. The reason why Glutamine is so important is because it assists in preventing the breakdown of muscles, which helps maintain muscle mass and aids the recovery from athletic training. The body tends to burn up its store of glutamine when it is under stress, especially after training where natural sources of glutamine are often just not enough.

Creatine

Creatine monohydrate is one of the most well researched and documented supplements available, and is made from amino acids, glycine and methionine in the human body. About 95% of the body’s total creatine is stored in skeletal muscles. A large part of the stored creatine comes from food sources such as meat. Creatine is widely used by athletes everywhere, and is extremely popular as a muscle building supplement. In simple terms, Creatine works by increasing the energy of your muscles. Having extra creatine in your body allows you to work your muscles to maximum potential for a more effective workout. This allows for enhanced strength during workouts, reduces lactic acid and promotes quick weight gain.

Typically the average person uses up about 2 grams of creatine each day, and athletes will use up much more creatine. Although creatine is found mostly in meat and fish, consuming these alone will not be sufficient to get enough creatine in your body for workout purposes. Consuming creatine monohydrates supplements is the only easy method of gaining enough creatine to reap the workout rewards.

Energising supplements

Pre workout supplements tend to have a very stimulating effect on the body and the mind. Packed with ingredients like guarana, caffeine and other amino acids, pre workout supplements are designed to provide focus, motivation and energy prior to a workout to give you the boost you need to push yourself to the limits.

Nitric oxide is a great supplement to increase oxygen and blood flow to targeted muscle areas. It allows your muscles to relax with an increase of oxygen, meaning they will be worked harder during your workout resulting in increased muscle size over time. Nitric oxide actively enhances and increases muscle mass by allowing your muscles the relaxation they need prior and post workout sessions and eliminating the often debilitating Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) for a more successful workout.

Reductabol is an alternative to caffeine or nitric oxide, and is more effective at the expense of side effects. The way reductabol works is the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is known to be more potent than testosterone, but will have greater side effects and must be used less than 2-3 times a week. The combining ingredients in reductabol will allow users to feel more stronger, more focused and allows the user to train with more intensity.

Now that you understand how these supplements work, check out our next guide on how these supplements will meet your workout goals.

Choosing the right supplements (Part 2)

DISCLAIMER: Please note that this guide does not indicate in any way that the following supplements will be used as a sole source of nutrition. We recommend that it is used in conjunction with appropriate physical training or an exercise program, and that they are taken under medical or dietic supervision. Always read the product’s label prior to use.