Picking the Right Protein Supplement for Bodybuilding

If you are considering taking supplements to enhance your bodybuilding goals, the first step is to select the appropriate protein supplement . Protein is the single most important supplement since proteins are the actual building blocks of muscle. Without getting the proper amount of protein, no other supplements or exercises are going to help you build muscle.

The larger you are, the more protein you are going to need in a given day. The formula for grams of protein needed in a day is typically your body weight in pounds times 1.5. So, if you weigh 100 pounds and you are trying to gain muscle, you should have at least 150 grams of protein. If you are 200 pounds, you should be consuming 300 grams of protein every day to support your muscle growth.

You can’t just roll out of bed and pound 10 protein shakes though. Most of that protein won’t be absorbed. You need to diversify your protein sources and give yourself a constant stream of protein throughout the day and night. You can do this by eating several (5-6) high-protein meals throughout the day and supplementing with protein shakes.

Not all protein supplements are created equal. The main difference is the absorption rates that different protein sources have. Absorption rate is important, because sometimes you want a quickly absorbed protein, and other times, you want a much slower absorbing protein. Immediately after your workout, your body needs protein, so a fast-absorbing protein is best at this time. The most popular fast-absorbing protein is Whey Protein. At night, you are going to want protein that absorbs much more slowly since you typically don’t eat throughout the night. A casein protein is most appropriate for this use. Casein protein is usually a little more expensive, but is key for staying anabolic throughout the night.

Once you have your protein supplementation worked out, you can move on to more advanced supplements, such as creatine, nitric oxide, and other muscle builders.

Many thanks to Tom Noonan of  TheSupplementRating.com for submitting this informative article.

Beta-Alanine And Bodybuilding

Beta-Alanine is often described as the new creatine and considered by many, especially in the bodybuilding world, as the latest breakthrough supplement in the arena of sports nutrition.  It is used by the body to synthesize carnosine, which itself enables a variety of roles to be carried out, including the inhibiting of the formation of advanced glycation end products which can cause damage to tissues, and it also has the ability to deter or reduce the effect of hydrogen ions which are produced in skeletal muscle during high intensity exercise.

Research has shown that the use of beta-alanine supplements can increase the amount of carnosine in the vastus lateralis by almost 80% after 10 weeks.  This is a relatively new supplement but already the feedback shows signs that it could be a very popular one with bodybuilders.  Feedback states that beta-alanine helps with the recovery process and soreness following intense training routines.