Health & fitness mean different things to different people. The one thing that remains the same is that each person has their own goals & body ideals that they are trying to achieve or sustain. And while exercise and weight lifting is an essential part of working to reach those goals, muscle fatigue, and slow progress can be quite discouraging. That being said, many people within the weight lifting & fitness world utilize supplements that help them to reach their goals while also helping to fuel their workouts, and increase strength & endurance. But with so many supplements available on the market which ones will really help you to achieve your desired physique and fitness goals? After all, supplement ingredients can improve certain individual aspects of exercise, and thus should be chosen based on your exercise goals.
Best Supplements To Aid With Fitness Goals
Caffeine – this is a very popular ingredient in workout supplements. It helps to increase your output power as well as, helps to increase the force you exert instantly. Because caffeine is a stimulant it helps promote and increase energy. It is great for sprinting, cycling, and weight training workouts.
Creatine – creatine is actually a molecule found in our cells. It is a very important part of energy or ATP production and is regarded as the #1 sports supplement to increase strength and power. Research also supports creatine’s ability to safely and effectively increase overall muscle mass. It also aids in improving strength and exercise performance in general. In fact, it has been estimated that this sports supplement can increase strength gain anywhere between 5%-10%!
Sodium Bicarbonate – also known as baking soda this common household and baking necessity can also be used as a sports supplement. Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate acts as a buffering agent to help fight the buildup of acid in the body. It has also been said to help reduce fatigue during exercise. That burning sensation you experience in your muscles during exercise is actually your body’s signal that acid production has increased. So far it has been shown a small amount of benefit with intense exercise like running, cycling, and repeated sprints or HIIT type workouts.
Beta-Alanine – beta-alanine is an amino acid that helps fight muscle fatigue. After the build-up of acid in your body increases due to intense exercise, beta-alanine helps to reduce & lower acidity levels. It also has been known to help improve performance during intense exercise. But it should be noted that the benefits related to long-term endurance workouts are smaller than those associated with intense shorter workouts.
When it comes to choosing the supplement that is right for you it is not only important to keep your specific fitness goals in mind, it is also important to take into account any health-related issues. That being said you should absolutely speak with your doctor or healthcare professional when introducing any new supplements into your daily health regime.