Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 at
12:43 pm
You don’t have to be a professional bodybuilder to know how hard it can be to gain muscle mass. Male or female, young or old, it’s a challenge. Often you experience rapid results during the first few weeks of your regimen, but then the visible results begin to plateau. Because of this, many turn to fitness supplements and specialty vitamins to help them achieve results.
Know The Basics
It’s important to understand these products before you start using them. Whether it’s creatine or just plain old vitamin C, you should understand that these are sold as “dietary supplements.” That means they are not regulated by the FDA like medications and food are. Rather, the manufacturers are responsible for determining whether their products are safe or not and whether they actually work.
So basically, you need to trust the manufacturer you’re buying from, because for the most part there is no one else verifying their claims. That’s why muscle, anti-aging, and nutritional supplements can often get away with making outrageous product claims… when in reality the actual benefits may fall short of expectations.
Which Supplements Work?
While it’s true that many products fall short, there are plenty of others which really do deliver on their promises. There are certain ingredients which have been proven beneficial for the body. For example, creatine is probably the most widely used. It’s known as a quick way to bulk up. However many say it’s mostly water weight that is dropped as soon as you discontinue using it. So that’s one thing to keep in mind if you are aiming for long term results.
I’m by no means a doctor, so please don’t misconstrue what I say as medical advice. But based upon my personal experiences, I have found that the best long term solution is to use general health supplements like a good multi-vitamin, instead of those “get ripped quick” gimmicks. They also benefit the body in more ways than one. For example, not only does vitamin E help with cardiovascular health, but there are a number of vitamin E skin benefits, too. The same goes for alpha lipoic acid. In the oral supplement form, it is said to assist with building lean muscle mass. Meanwhile, when applied topically, alpha lipoic acid cream may help fight wrinkles and age spots.
The Number One Rule
Of course your nutrition is important, but there’s no such thing as a supplement which will magically build your muscle on its own. In order to be successful, you need to stick to your exercise routine. Many of us do this the first few weeks or months, but soon after we begin to slack off and before we know it we are right back where we started.
So whatever you do, just don’t give up. There really is no excuse. Even if you don’t have time to hit the gym, there are some great at-home personal fitness products out there which are not only effective, but also affordable.
