Weight training: What supplements should I take?

Let’s start by saying that the verb in the question that is part of the title of this article is not the most appropriate one, since it can lead us to think that it is necessary (that one must) consume one or more supplements to obtain results when we train with weights, and that is not true at all. Get it into your head now.

In fact, if we wanted to answer the title question honestly, I’m afraid the answer would be a resounding NONE, but then this would be the end of it, you’d freak out and I’d have written the skinniest supplement article in the world, so we’d better start over.

How about changing it to something like “what supplements are worth investing in if I want to improve the results of my weight training using Viasil Avis “? I like that better 😊

The truth is that, if we focus on what the evidence-based scientific evidence says, most of the supplements sold today do not do what their sellers claim, so it is clearly not worth investing a cent in them.

So, is there any nutritional supplement focused on weight training (or any other kind of load that generates resistance, which my exercise mechanics students then read about and scold me) that is worth it? Well, the answer is Depends

And as always when someone answers “it depends”, his thing is to get a syrup and tell him “what does it depend on”, here is the explanation: It simply depends on whether you have made sure you are training properly, you have checked that you are eating properly and you have sleeping habits that allow you to recover like a baby.

If only one of these three factors is not checked and approved by a competent professional, I recommend that you make sure you correct any errors before you even think about buying any supplements on the market, whether they are backed by evidence or not.

Once you’ve done your homework, then let’s see where we can get objective, up-to-date information on which supplements are doing what they promise and whose use is supported by science.

Bodybuilding nutrition supplements

Let’s see… we’re in luck! Just a few months ago, in March of this year 2018, the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism edited by the renowned Human Kinetics published an Academic Review of almost a hundred publications of the scientific literature carried out by several Australian researchers entitled “Evidence-based Supplements for Athletic Performance Enhancement” (look, chance!)

This review separates the supplements it analyzes into three groups, according to the level of scientific evidence supporting their use to improve sports performance:

Group 1) Supplements for which the evidence is established
Group 2) Supplements for which the evidence is unclear
Group 3) Supplements for which the evidence is still developing

The FIVE (yes, only five) that we are going to summarize here are ALL the ones belonging to the first group (that money and illusions do not play), but you can check the rest in the original article that you will find in Google when you finish reading this one.

Caffeine

This compound produced by plants to defend themselves against insects has been used for centuries and is very popular among sportsmen.

You should try your own strategies in training or low-level competition to create a useful protocol with the least side effects, the review recommends.

Creatine

This well-known supplement is naturally found in the meat of animals, as it is their muscles that store it for use as an energy source, mainly for short, intense efforts.

Creatine supplementation increases intramuscular reserves of this compound by 30%, responding better the lower the initial levels of it.

Nitrate

(usually in the form of beet juice, poof!)

It is a compound found in green leafy vegetables such as spinach, rocket or celery and the edible roots of vegetables such as beets.

Its use has been associated with performance improvements in prolonged sub-maximal exercise (such as circuit and cardiovascular training), and in high-intensity, short-duration intermittent stress (such as typical strength training).

Beta-alanine

It is one of the most recent and widely studied. It is a compound produced by the organism and involved in the production of Carnosine, a substance with a buffer function for acid compounds that produces the energy metabolism of the muscle when it contracts in a sustained manner.

Sodium Bicarbonate

Bicarbonate (yes, the one your mother buys at the pharmacy or at the al lao supermarket in your house, which is less than 5 euros per kilo) works by reducing the fatigue produced by the acid compounds that are generated by the energy metabolism during training, Beta-alanine roll.