A Bigger Boost To Your Workout

Exercise is one of the best ways to stay healthy, get stronger, and manage weight. At any level, people who work out soon realize that the body hits a plateau. Exercise consistency and sometimes working harder will bring incremental gains. However, the body needs the proper nutrients to take workouts to the next level. The cells, tissue, and muscles go through several processes to produce energy, burn more calories, and add muscle. Even with an excellent diet, foods may not have enough for maximum performance. Supplements are a great way to fill the gaps necessary to improve workouts. Can these 4 provide that edge?

1. Bet on BCAA

Protein helps create new cells and is essential for muscle growth and development. What many people do not know is that protein is made up of 20 amino acids. Of these acids, 9 are essential and must come from external sources. Three of these acids make a chain known as branch-chained amino acids (BCAA). These BCAAs form part of the building blocks of muscle growth. The body is constantly using protein to break down and build new muscle. However, muscle buildup is only activated through resistance exercise or protein consumption. After exercise, the body needs as much high-quality protein as possible to activate protein synthesis. Before and during workouts, high protein synthesis can even improve the quality of exercise. BCAA supplements a diet that has low-quality protein. Studies show that a supplement increases the time to exhaustion, enhancing the quality of workouts.

2. More than a cup of Joe

A cup of coffee contains caffeine to help navigate a lazy day. Caffeine is a stimulant that appears naturally in many plants. This stimulant blocks certain chemicals from binding to receptors in the brain, namely adenosine. The result is a more alert, more energetic body. Caffeine also stimulates muscle contraction and heart rate. Supplements provide a higher, cleaner concentration of caffeine. Taken before exercise, caffeine provides prolonged energy and promotes higher-intensity exercise.

3. Crank up the creatine

Along with BCAAs, creatine is another supplement loved by gymgoers. Creatine is one of the best supplements for improving workout quality. This chemical is naturally created by the cells for energy use, specifically the energy needed for high-intensity movement. Muscles quickly exhaust adenosine triphosphate (ATP) during workouts, which creatine replenishes. To improve the levels of creatine in the cells is to improve the ability to perform. Using a high-quality supplement increases performance by substantially increasing creatine levels.

4. A highlight on leucine

Leucine is one of the 9 essential amino acids, and part of the 3 in BCAAs mentioned earlier. However, this amino acid needs special mention. Leucine triggers the processes that start protein synthesis. Without a diet high in leucine, muscle growth and performance decrease. Because protein synthesis is so essential, many athletes use separate leucine supplements. In some cases, supplementing with leucine alone or with BCAAs significantly improves workouts.

Invest in high-quality supplements

From after-work gymgoers to high-performance athletes, there is always a desire to improve workouts. Supplements provide the catalysts that are missing in diets. In some cases, a supplement adds much more, giving a significant boost in performance. BCAAs, creatine, and leucine help with protein production, synthesis, and muscle growth. Caffeine brings more energy to high-intensity exercise. Talk with a pharmacist or doctor about adding these supplements to boost performance.