The New Year is approaching fast and it's right about now that resolutions and goals are being made for 2018. Losing weight and building muscle are the most popular goals each year and while the foundation of these goals is built around nutrition and exercise, supplements can dramatically increase your chances for success. Three supplement ingredients in particular, L-arginine, whey protein, and creatine, can help you achieve your fitness goals.
What is L-Arginine?
L-Arginine, a non-essential amino acid, has a variety of duties in the body, including assisting with protein production and utilization.
Benefits of L-Arginine
L-Arginine is an ideal pre-workout ingredient to use as it can support several fitness benefits including performance, weight loss, and muscle building. Studies suggest that L-arginine can support the following:
- May enhance exercise performance via increased nitric oxide production
- May promote muscle building through increased work output
- May support post-workout recovery by reducing inflammation and alleviating soreness
How Can L-Arginine Help You Achieve Your Fitness Goals?
Studies show that L-arginine is a potent nitric oxide booster, which may help with increasing performance. Better performance may equate to being able to achieve specific acute variables for muscle building, performance enhancement, or fat loss. What's more, L-arginine can support post-workout recovery to get you back in the gym faster.
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What is Whey Protein?
Whey protein has become a staple in most homes for muscle building or meal replacement. Whey protein can come in concentrate or isolate form. It provides the amino acids you need to support a variety of fitness goals.
Benefits of Whey Protein
Countless studies have been focused on whey protein and it has applicable benefits inside and outside the fitness world. Studies show that whey protein can be used for the following benefits:
- May promote lean muscle growth via increasing the anabolic environment inside the body and boosting protein synthesis
- May enhance post-workout recovery by providing muscle repairing amino acids
- May ensure healthy weight management as a health meal replacement option
How Can Whey Protein Help You Achieve Your Fitness Goals?
If you want to build muscle, whey protein is a necessity. It contains amino acids, which have been shown to promote anabolism and muscle growth. Whey protein is also an ideal supplement for performance athletes as it may help with recovery and gains. Those looking to lose weight can use it as a meal replacement.
What is Creatine?
Creatine has been used just as long as whey protein and it's considered one of the veterans of the industry. This amino acid by-product provides the muscle tissue with a direct form of usable energy called adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
Benefits of Creatine
The newest forms of creatine are rapidly absorbed by the body and provide a number of scientifically validated benefits including:
- Converts into adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which may increase energy levels and force output
- May be able to increase intra-workout strength levels – In turn, this may help to promote muscular hypertrophy
- May support post-workout recovery
How Can Creatine Help You Achieve Your Fitness Goals?
Once converted, creatine provides the preferred form of energy for muscle tissue. This can dramatically enhance your intra-workout or competition performance. It's also going to be a key factor in your recovery and how quickly you get yourself back into the gym.
Make sure that 2018 if your year for fitness success. Try the Amino Z Supplement Builder today!
References
- K. Hnia, J. Gayraud, G. Hugon, M. Ramonatxo, S. De La Porte, S. Matecki, et al. L-Arginine Decreases Inflammation and Modulates The Nuclear Factor-?b/Matrix Metalloproteinase Cascade In Mdx Muscle Fibers. Am J Pathol, 172 (6) (2008), pp. 1509-1519.
- B.I. Campbell, P.M. La Bounty, M. Roberts. The Ergogenic Potential of Arginine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 1 (2) (2004), pp. 35-38.
- Tsutsumi R, Tsutsumi YM. Peptides and proteins in whey and their benefits for human health. Austin J Nutri Food Sci 2014;1(1): 1002.
- Phillips, S. M., and L. J. Van. "Dietary Protein for Athletes: From Requirements to Optimum Adaptation." Journal of Sports Sciences. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2011. Web.
- Blomstrand E, Eliasson J, Karlsson HK, Köhnke R. Branched-chain amino acids activate key enzymes in protein synthesis after physical exercise. J Nutr. 2006 Jan; 136(1 Suppl):269S-73S.
- Negro M, Giardina S, Marzani B, Marzatico F. Branched-chain amino acid supplementation does not enhance athletic performance but affects muscle recovery and the immune system. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2008 Sep;48(3):347-51.
- De Lorenzo A, Petroni ML, Masala S, Melchiorri G, Pietrantuono M, Perriello G, Andreoli A. Effect of acute and chronic branched-chain amino acids on energy metabolism and muscle performance. Diabetes Nutr Metab. 2003 Oct-Dec;16(5-6):291-7.
- Kreider RB. Effects of creatine supplementation on performance and training adaptations. Mol Cell Biochem. 2003 Feb;244(1-2):89-94.
- Robert Cooper, Fernando Naclerio, Judith Allgrove, and Alfonso Jimenez. Creatine supplementation with specific view to exercise/sports performance: an update. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012; 9: 33. Published online 2012 Jul 20. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-9-33.
