Protein helps your muscles grow and recover after exercise by providing your body with crucial amino acids. Many people get protein in their diets from food products like eggs and chicken, but getting a high amount of protein from foods can be difficult due to work and other commitments – and this is where supplements like protein shakes can help.
A “proprietary blend” is a group of ingredients that may disclose every ingredient, but not the exact amount. They make their appearance on product labels, often with names like “Blend” or “Matrix.” The total weight of the blend per serving is indicated, but never the proportions of each ingredient. To make it even more confusing, some proprietary blends contain other proprietary blends.
The power of protein shakes
When you consume protein from food or powder, your body will use this to repair and grow its muscles. While eating high-quality fish, meat and poultry gets expensive, protein shakes are an affordable alternative to help hit your daily quota. Protein shakes, such as our whey protein powder, allow you to consume a high-quality, fast-absorbing protein source without unwanted fats and carbs. They come in two main types: dairy and non-dairy. Shakes are then further differentiated by whether they consist of a single ingredient, like whey, or a mixture in the form of a protein blend.
The importance of a balanced diet
Protein shakes aren’t designed to solely support muscle growth. If you’re trying to build muscle mass and are currently consuming protein shakes, you still need to be eating a nutritious balanced diet.
However, to meet the high protein demands of a muscle-building programme, shakes do have their place. When you finish your workout, it’s difficult to instantly consume a cooked meal. It’s much easier to add water to your protein powder and drink it immediately after training.
The myth of proprietary blends
Supplement companies use the term proprietary blend and expect you to believe that this formula has been carefully produced over years of research to deliver the best product. And that its hidden behind a blend as they don’t want other supplement companies ripping them off and creating their own version. In reality ‘Proprietary blend’ means that the company doesn’t want you to know how little of each ingredient they put in their formula. Instead they hide the insignificant dose behind the term ‘proprietary’ and assume customers are none the wiser.
Using a product that fails to list the doses of each ingredient can lead to a drop in progress. You wouldn’t purchase a protein powder without knowing its content, because you know that you need a certain amount of protein before and after workouts to maximise muscle growth. So why wouldn’t you want to know the quantity of any other supplements?
You also need certain amounts of these ingredients to guarantee genuine progress. Taking a product that doesn’t list the doses of its ingredients not only makes it impossible for you to ascertain the effectiveness of that product, but it makes it impossible to work that product in with the other supplements that you also take.
Ingredients for pre-workout success
Protein is an invaluable tool for muscle gain and fitness, but there are additional supplements that can be taken to enhance your training regime. The following ingredients are perfect for the gym-user looking to invest in themselves outside of strictly protein shakes:
Caffeine
Caffeine gives you quick energy you can use for both endurance exercise and shorter duration, high-intensity work such as lifting or sprints. It has been shown to increase maximal strength, power, endurance, and even reduce muscle soreness.
Beta-alanine
Beta-alanine is an amino acid naturally found in muscles and the brain. When taken it binds to histidine in the body to raise levels of the amino acid carnosine, which buffers the hydrogen ions that form these acids, ultimately helping you maintain your intensity for longer periods of time. In other words, more volume, more gains.
Creatine
Creatine is one of the most effective bodybuilding supplements in this list. A direct fuel source for ATP (the chemical responsible for providing energy to our cells), creatine enables the body to perform high-intensity workouts – garnering greater muscle size as a result.
L-arginine
L-arginine acts as a precursor for the vasodilator nitric oxide, and it promotes endurance and muscle conditioning. When nitric oxide is released, it widens the blood vessels by relaxing the muscles of their walls. This lowers blood pressure and increases blood flow to the muscles during workouts.
Taurine
Taurine increases muscle contractility both within the heart and joints resulting in more powerful workouts. Taurine also helps to remove lactic acid build-up which means that you can carry on working out for longer than you would otherwise.
L-citrulline
L-citrulline is a non-essential amino acid, which means you don’t necessarily have to get it from foods because the body can produce it as needed. Research shows that supplementing with L-citrulline can improve blood flow, resistance and endurance training.
Find the supplement for you
Protein shakes and supplements work best together with a good diet and regular exercise. At Pharma Fitness, we provide all of the above bodybuilding supplements to support your workout. Whatever your requirements, we can offer a range of supplements that accommodates your training regime. We also provide recommendations of a healthy, tailored routine if you require – all you need to do is speak to one of our pharmacists.
