The supplement guide for beginners

Especially for beginners, such a variety of supplements always raises the question of which nutritional supplements can be used sensibly at all. Especially when the budget is tight, the decision is difficult for many.

So that's reason enough for us to take a look at this exciting subject and show you which Supplements are the most important for the beginning. Even though we would like to recommend some products in the following article, this does not mean that dietary supplements alone are sufficient. After all, nutritional supplements only serve to complement a balanced diet and intensive training.

Protein powder is the absolute basis

Before you start any experiments and reach for supplements that sound more like the elements of the periodic table from chemistry class, you should pay attention to the basics. And the number 1 basic supplement is Protein powderIt helps you to secure your protein needs and to supply your organism with all necessary amino acids in a targeted manner. The most important ones are Whey Protein and Casein.

That is why Whey Protein makes sense
Whey protein is a very high-quality protein powder, which is obtained from whey and has a particularly high protein content. This high protein content is due to the manufacturing process, during which a large part of the carbohydrates and fats are removed.

Thus, Whey Protein is suitable both for muscle building and for use in a diet phase. The great advantage of the so-called whey protein is, in addition to the high biological value, also the rapid absorption into the blood. This makes Whey Protein ideal for use directly after training, in order to supply the body, which is craving for nutrients, with protein as quickly as possible.

In this way, the muscle parts stressed by the training can be repaired as quickly as possible. In addition, Whey protein is characterized by a high proportion of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA's), which contribute significantly to the promotion of protein biosynthesis and thus to muscle building. If you do not want to resort to animal proteins, you can alternatively use rice protein or soy protein.

Whey Isolate is the ultimate protein product with a very low fat, carbohydrate and lactose content and is also suitable for lactose intolerant people.

Whey Isolate

WHEY ISOLATE is isolated whey protein with 97% protein. It is the ultimate protein product with a very low fat, carbohydrate and lactose content and is also suitable for lactose intolerant people.

The use of Whey Protein (or the corresponding alternatives) always makes sense when the body needs nutrients quickly. This is the case first directly after training and secondly directly after getting up in the morning. The rule of thumb here is a dosage of 0.5 grams of protein powder per kilogram of body weight. In order to get the protein into the body as quickly as possible, you should not mix it with milk, but with water.

Outside of diet phases, the combination with fast digestible carbohydrates such as dextrose or maltodextrin is recommended. These carbohydrates serve on the one hand as a transport matrix for the protein and on the other hand ensure that your carbohydrate stores are quickly replenished. A good 0.5-1 grams per kilogram of body weight is also sufficient here.

What role does casein play?
Casein is, so to speak, the counterpart to the quickly digestible Whey Protein. It is a milk protein that is digested by the body much more slowly, which means that the amino acids it contains enter the bloodstream with a time delay. This makes casein a sensible choice whenever you want to supply your body with protein over longer periods of time in order to prevent the organism from metabolizing the body's own protein from the muscles. Casein is ideal, for example, as a snack before bedtime or as a tonic before a long trip.

Multivitamin preparations for deficiency prevention

Even with a balanced diet, it happens from time to time that one or the other micronutrient is not absorbed in sufficient quantity. This is particularly often the case in the context of a diet. But even if you eat a vegetarian or vegan diet or follow a Paleo diet, a deficiency of certain vitamins, minerals and trace elements can easily occur. A multivitamin preparation from A to Z is therefore always an ideal supplement, which also does not cost much money.

Omega 3 fatty acids for optimized fat burning

Unfortunately Omega 3 fatty acids have a shadowy existence next to protein powders and training boosters. Not for nothing do omega 3 fatty acids appear in our beginner's guide, because these fats are vital for our organism, as it cannot produce them itself. We therefore have to take them in through our food, whereby fatty sea fish such as herring or salmon are particularly suitable as a source. However, since fish consumption in this country is comparatively low, many people lack omega-3 fatty acids.

But this is a problem, because omega 3 fats ensure, among other things, that our hormone balance settles at an optimal level. But that's not all, because studies have shown that taking omega-3 fatty acids as part of a calorie-reduced diet promotes fat burning. The reason for this is the support of the so-called beta-oxidation, which enables the organism to use more of the body's own fat for energy production. In addition, the consumption of omega-3 fats also influences the cholesterol level by increasing the concentration of the "good" HDL cholesterol.

In terms of intake, you can't really go wrong, because every capsule manufacturer specifies the correct daily dosage on the packaging. Depending on the concentration and valence, this is 3 to 5 grams per day.

BCAA's for optimal protein biosynthesis

The three amino acids L-valine, L-leucine and L-isoleucine are among the most important amino acids for our body. These so-called branched-chain amino acids (BCAA's) are namely enormously important for muscle building. This is mainly due to the fact that they have an anti-catabolic effect on the one hand and have been proven to optimize protein biosynthesis on the other. By taking them, you can very effectively prevent the body's own protein from being metabolized, even during a diet.

In addition, the intake of BCAAs also promotes recovery, which allows more intense and more frequent training. When buying you have the choice between powder, capsules and tablets, whereby we offer you at the beginning of BCAA's in powder form, as capsules and tablets are much easier to handle and dose. The optimal time to take a single dose of 5-10 grams is both immediately before and immediately after training.

More power with creatine

Creatine is one of the best researched dietary supplements in terms of its effect. It is a naturally occurring substance in the human body, which is mainly found in skeletal muscle and is mainly ingested through meat. Creatine is significantly involved in energy metabolism by promoting the resynthesis of ADP to ATP. This makes more energy available to your body in the anaerobic load range, which is beneficial in all sports that require strength and quickness.

Consistent studies show an increase in performance of up to 10 percent, which means that during strength training, for example, you can put on heavier weights or complete a few additional repetitions. In this way, the dietary supplement thus indirectly supports muscle building. In addition, creatine monohydrate stores water in the muscles, which makes them look more voluminous. But don't worry, you won't become the Hulk with creatine.

How is creatine monohydrate taken correctly?
Creatine can be taken either in the form of a cure or as a permanent supplement. Cures typically last six to eight weeks and consist of a loading phase and a maintenance phase. During the one-week loading phase, you take four servings of 5 grams of creatine per day to replenish your body's creatine stores. During the remaining weeks, you will take 5-6 grams of creatine in one to two servings every day thereafter. Equally effective, but in the handling a little less complicated is the continuous intake. Here you simply take 5 grams of creatine per day permanently.

However, we would like to note that creatine can only develop its effect if you have already built up some muscle, because the additional strength can only be implemented efficiently then. As a complete beginner, you should initially limit yourself to protein powder, multivitamin preparations and omega 3 fatty acids. With increasing experience you can then also reach for BCAA's and creatine monohydrate.