Over the years and the emergence of supplements, the way athletes nourish themselves has changed. Following the recommendations, the consumption of proteins and vitamins, and in some cases, supplements, complements the traditional diet. In addition, they are factors that help improve performance. Today, reaching fitness goals with supplements is considered important.
Sports, food, and medicine are topics that have always been linked. Eating well allows athletes to enhance themselves physically and, in the process, channel their energies to achieve high performance, which will later mean living up to the requirements in various competitions.
Parallel to natural foods, over the years, protein supplements, vitamins, and substances have been created that seek to help in the physical and psychological development of the athlete and, in some cases, come to replace traditional nutrition.
On the other hand, there are a series of methods that help the athlete achieve the physical maturity that their specialties demand. Exercise and the consumption of substances to strengthen the body play a fundamental role. However, not all athletes achieve the expected performance since the results depend largely on how the body receives the supplements consumed.
Despite being a contribution to the development and growth of the athlete, many supplements have contraindications that, if not followed step by step, can become an enemy for the athlete. How much does a good diet influence performance? What is the real contribution of supplements to the physical training of athletes? These are some of the questions that arise when exploring a topic that currently has tremendous importance for athletes.
Variation By Discipline
It is scientifically proven that not all sports demand the same physical and psychological demands. For example, tennis does not generate the same physical exhaustion as soccer, and basketball does not use the same strength as rugby.
In sports, we talk about cycles and periodization, so each exercise is related according to its intensity or duration. According to these concepts, nutrition and the use of energy substrates can be worked on. For an athlete, the closer the competition date is, the lighter, with more strength and power, the better the conditions are to face discipline with high performance.
There is a concept that we know as ‘invisible training’, which consists of practicing in a directed way, including concepts to meet the competition parameters and being an important help at a nutritional level. All by applying knowledge such as verification of the anthropometry profile (total body measurements), types of foods and ways to incorporate them each day, reduction of some foods days before each competition, and considering daily water intake and sweating rate. And in the end, the use of supplements is the ultimate weapon. What this means is that the effects of supplements can be so great that they lead to significantly different results. But how to deal with them? How to choose the right supplements?
Not all supplements promise everything they are supposed to, so you should not trust everyone when making a purchase in a specialized store.
If a supplement promises that you will gain 4 kg of muscle in one week and lose 4 kg of fat in two weeks, that is enough reason to be suspicious. As we know that many gym users consume protein, creatine, or other types of supplements, we are going to give you five useful tips so that you do not waste your money or time on products that you should not trust.
Brands
Select commercial brands manufactured by reputable companies with experience in sports nutrition. Large companies that have been in business for many years are more likely to produce higher-quality products than smaller, relatively new brands. Reputable manufacturers usually carry out strict safety controls on the ingredients in their products. Top quality steroids in Canada are of course produced by big companies.
Be careful with new products
Be wary of new products that pop up overnight and claim to be the latest powerful muscle gainer. It takes many years of clinical research to prove the benefits of a new supplement, so don’t be fooled and check, ask, and study as necessary.
If it’s too good to be true…
Be skeptical of ads that seem too good to be true or promise unrealistic or impossible things like drastic muscle gains or massive fat loss. Additionally, the “scientific references” cited by many products can often be false. If the name of the publication is so abbreviated that it cannot be recognized or is written in another language, the source is likely fictitious. Another suspicious element is when the studies have not been carried out in humans since it is not possible to predict the effect it will have on people if it has only been tested on other species.
Be careful with products by mail and internet
Although online shopping is increasingly safer, it never hurts to pay a little attention to what we buy. Sometimes, the fact that a product cannot be found in stores means, neither more nor less, that it is illegal. It can happen to you with extreme fat burners or even anabolic steroids sold as “prohormones.” There are reports of some so-called natural anabolic supplements that are actually contaminated with illegal and potentially dangerous substances. One of the most prevalent forms of assessment in custom web development
Put the product to the test if you have doubts
If you’re not 100 percent sure what you’re buying, do your own research. Buy a small container and follow the instructions on the label. Continue with your usual training and nutrition program, and if you don’t notice in about a month that you have increased your strength and muscle mass or lost the fat that the product promised, it is probably of no use. Be careful of side effects, and if you notice any, contact your doctor immediately.
And remember…supplements are just that, supplements. They do not replace exercise or a healthy diet, they are only a small help in case you comply with your training, your nutrition, and your breaks. Don’t trust any miracle product because it doesn’t exist.
