There are differing views on exactly how supplements work and for whom they are appropriate. Some athletes claim that the supplements improve muscle growth and performance, while others argue that these effects are limited and that careful use is important. It is important to consult a healthcare professional or dietitian before supplementation. When used properly, supplements can help athletes improve their performance and health. However, a healthy diet and regular exercise program are also important.
What is a supplement?
Supplements are food supplements, also known as nutritional supplements. These supplements are often enriched with protein, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids and other nutrients. It is common practice for athletes and exercisers to use supplements to build muscle, increase muscular endurance, burn fat and improve performance.
Supplements can only be effective when used in conjunction with exercise and other healthy lifestyle choices. Each supplement has a different function and many different brands and types are available. Therefore, in order to choose the right supplement, it is important to determine the one that suits your needs and use it in accordance with the instructions for use. Also, only trusted brands and sources should be used to ensure that supplements are safe.
What does the supplement do?
Supplement is a general name given to supplement products taken in addition to the diet. These products may contain various nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, protein, amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics, plant extracts and other natural or synthetic ingredients. “What do supplements do?” We can briefly state the following for the question:
Supplements are used for purposes such as bodybuilding, improving sports performance, weight loss, general health, energy increase and disease prevention. However, the evidence for the benefits of supplements is limited and for some they may have side effects. Supplement benefits include:
- It can improve exercise performance.
- It can help gain muscle mass.
- It can increase energy levels.
- It can aid weight loss.
- It can prevent vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
- It can strengthen the immune system.
- It can provide antioxidant activity.
Supplements should be used with care and can be dangerous, especially in overdose. It is important to consult your doctor before using any supplement.
Are supplements harmful?
Supplements are generally not harmful to health, but it is important to use them with care. Most supplements contain vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that can be supplied with food or by the body’s own production. However, some supplements can have side effects and cause health problems. Situations where supplements may be harmful include overdose, adverse interactions, sensitization or allergic reactions.
Side effects of some supplements can include liver damage, kidney damage, blood clotting issues, and other serious health problems. It is important to consult with health professionals such as a doctor or dietitian before the use of supplements. The use of supplements should only be considered as a complement to a healthy lifestyle and balanced diet. Supplementary harms:
- Some supplements can cause liver damage, especially when taken in high doses.
- Long-term use of supplements can cause kidney damage.
- Especially those containing caffeine and other stimulants can cause heart problems by increasing the heart rate.
- When taken in high doses, it can cause digestive problems.
- It can interact with prescription drugs and cause side effects.
- Plant-based supplements can cause allergic reactions.
- Supplements can cause poisoning and toxic effects when taken in high doses.
How should supplements be used?
Supplements are often used by athletes and fitness enthusiasts for goals such as increasing muscle mass, improving performance, increasing energy, burning fat. However, the correct use of supplements is very important. Misuse can cause health problems. The following recommendations can be considered for the correct use of supplements:
- It should be used in accordance with the instructions on the labels of the supplements.
- Supplements should be taken under the supervision of a healthcare professional.
- Many supplements should not be taken together. A single supplement should be chosen and not mixed with others.
- The dosage of supplements should not be exceeded. An overdose can cause health problems.
- Supplements should be used regularly. Regular use ensures better results.
- It should not replace a balanced and healthy diet. Healthy eating habits should be combined with supplements.
- Supplements should be stored under appropriate storage conditions. Heat, humidity and light can degrade the quality of supplements.
What are muscle building supplements?
The most frequently preferred supplements for those who want to build muscle are as follows:
- Whey Protein: It is used to accelerate muscle development, repair muscle damage and meet protein needs.
- Creatine: It increases muscle performance and endurance by increasing muscle energy metabolism. It increases the energy level in intense training and reduces muscle fatigue.
- BCAA (Branched Chain Amino Acids): It promotes muscle development by increasing protein synthesis in the muscles and prevents muscle damage after exercise.
- Beta-Alanine: Increases muscle mass and improves performance. It reduces muscle fatigue during intense training.
- Glutamine: It helps to repair muscle damage after exercise and helps to replenish glycogen stores in the muscles.
- HMB (Beta-Hydroxy Beta-Methylbutyrate): It increases muscle mass, reduces muscle damage and improves exercise performance.
What is a fat burning supplement?
Fat burning supplements are supplements that help increase the body’s fat burning. These often contain ingredients that have a thermogenic effect and help speed up the weight loss process. The most popular fat burning supplements are:
- It is one of the most popular supplements used to accelerate fat burning.
- The ingredient in green tea called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) can increase fat burning.
- It is an amino acid that aids in energy production in the body and can help increase fat burning.
- Protein is known to increase the feeling of satiety and accelerate metabolism.
- It can increase fat burning while preserving muscle mass.
- It can help speed recovery after exercise and increase fat burning.
Supplements cannot replace a diet and exercise program and should be used as part of a healthy lifestyle. It is also important to consult with a doctor or dietitian before using supplements.
Which supplement to increase muscle mass?
The supplements that athletes should use may vary depending on their needs and goals. However, in general, some supplements that athletes’ bodies may need are:
- Whey protein: It is a protein powder that supports muscle growth.
- Creatine: It is an amino acid supplement that improves muscle performance.
- BCAA (Branched Chain Amino Acids): They are essential amino acids that cannot be synthesized in the muscles and support muscle repair.
- Beta-alanine: It is an amino acid that increases muscle endurance.
- Caffeine: It increases the training performance by providing an energy boost.
- Vitamin A: It supports the functions of the muscles.
- Vitamin D: It is important for muscle and bone health.
- Magnesium: It is important for muscle contractions and performance.
- Iron: Iron supplementation, a deficiency frequently encountered by athletes, is important for improving performance.
In addition to these supplements, it is recommended that athletes pay attention to a healthy diet and adequate water consumption. In addition, it is necessary to consult a doctor or dietitian before using the supplement.
What supplements should athletes use?
Supplements that athletes should use are products that help increase sports performance and accelerate the recovery process after training. However, the use of supplements is not always necessary for athletes and should be used to support needs that can be met with a balanced diet. Here are some supplements that athletes can use:
- Whey Protein: It is used to support muscle development and accelerate the recovery process.
- Creatine: Increases muscle mass and strength.
- BCAA: It increases protein synthesis and helps prevent muscle breakdown.
- Caffeine: It improves performance and reduces fatigue.
- Beta-Alanine: It reduces muscle fatigue and improves performance.
- Glutamine: It supports muscle repair and strengthens the immune system.
It is recommended to consult a specialist before using the supplement.
How should the use of supplements under the age of 18 be?
Individuals under the age of 18 should be careful about the use of supplements. Because individuals in adolescence may have goals related to bodybuilding and think that they can reach these goals more quickly by using supplements. However, there are risks associated with supplementation as young individuals’ bodies are still developing. For this reason, it is recommended that individuals under the age of 18 should consult a doctor and talk to their parents before using the supplement.
Individuals under the age of 18 should also be careful about dosage when using supplements. Excessive use of some supplements can cause health problems. It is important for young individuals to research well which supplement does what, how much it should be used, and what side effects it may have before using the supplement. In addition, it is important for health to buy supplements from quality and reliable brands.
Which supplement does what?
Supplements differ according to what they do, what they are used for, and their content. Here are some popular supplements and what they do:
- Whey protein: It is a supplement that helps increase muscle mass and meets the body’s protein needs.
- Creatine: It is a supplement used to improve the performance of athletes who do intense exercise.
- BCAA (Branched-chain amino acids): It is an amino acid supplement that helps accelerate muscle repair by preventing muscle breakdown.
- Omega-3 fatty acids: Fatty acids, which are important for heart health, may also support inflammation and muscle repair.
- Vitamin D: It is an important vitamin for bone health and immune system and is a supplement frequently used by athletes.
- Caffeine: It is a supplement used by athletes to increase their pre-training performance due to its energy-boosting effect.
What is a dietary supplement?
Dietary supplements are also known as food supplements and are products containing substances such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, plant extracts and other nutrients added to your diet. These supplements are used to help fill deficiencies as well as nutrients from the diet. They are usually available in capsule, tablet, liquid or powder form and are mostly derived from natural sources. Dietary supplements can help supplement the nutrients the body needs, but it is recommended to use these supplements in conjunction with regular diet and exercise. Also, since many dietary supplements can have side effects, the use of these supplements should be discussed with your doctor beforehand.
What is a food supplement?
Food supplements are nutritional supplements that are added to your daily diet and used to ensure adequate nutrient intake. These supplements often contain vitamins, minerals, amino acids, probiotics, herbal extracts or other nutritional components. Nutritional supplements should not replace regularly consumed food, but they can help meet your missing nutritional needs. Food supplements come in a variety of forms, such as tablets, capsules, liquids and powders. However, food supplements do not always replace a healthy diet, and in some cases they can cause side effects. Therefore, it is better not to use it before consulting a healthcare professional.