When you look at the history of the fitness industry, there is clearly no better time than now to be training. We have the ability to arm ourselves with the absolute best in terms of knowledge, equipment, nutrition, and supplementation.
Athletes are achieving new heights in training through innovative knowledge of diet, training, and supplementation.
In this article, you are going to learn about the 6 best post-workout supplement ingredients to fuel muscle growth and recovery based on science.
Pre-workout supplements prepare you for the battle that you are about to enter, while post-workout supplementation helps you recover and come back stronger. To get the most out of your training as you possibly can, you want to be armed with an arsenal of effective ingredients to fuel recovery.
No supplement is more important than an effective post-workout formula. After finishing a training session, you need the proper nutrients to ensure your body rebuilds efficiently to become bigger and stronger.
It’s crucial to remember that not all post workout supplements are created equal.
We are going to review the top ingredients you should be looking for in a post-workout supplement.
6 Best Post-Workout Supplements
1. Creatine monohydrate
Let’s kick off the list with one of the most popular muscle building supplements, creatine monohydrate. Creatine monohydrate is the most well-studied form of creatine with over 200 published clinical studies on its safety and effectiveness.
Creatine monohydrate is used by your body in a number of ways, all of which benefit muscle growth, endurance, and strength improvements.
Creatine monohydrate supplementation boosts adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
Why is this important?
ATP is the primary fuel source for muscles that are actively being used for an exercise. This increase in ATP allows the muscle to work harder for a longer period, resulting in an increased ability to lift heavier volume for longer during your training session!
The ability to train harder for longer will result in your body responding over time with muscular hypertrophy (muscle growth).
A study published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research compared the results of 22 clinical trials involving creatine monohydrate and athletic performance and improvement.
The results were pleasantly surprising. Throughout all the studies, the average increase in muscle strength was 8% greater than the placebo group. The average increase in performance when supplementing with creatine monohydrate? A total of 14% greater than the placebo group.
Put simply: A classic is never out of style.
2. Glutamine
An oldie but a goodie, glutamine is right up there with creatine monohydrate as being one of the most effective and popular post-workout supplements.
Glutamine supplementation post-workout is a staple for helping speed up recovery and combat overtraining by supporting the immune system. Using glutamine to support the immune system is a smart idea because training hard and often can take a toll on the body; the last thing that you want is to be feeling down and not able to train.
However, don’t expect glutamine alone to build slabs of lean muscle. It is best used in combination with the other ingredients discussed in this post.
3. Betaine anhydrous
The beauty of betaine anhydrous is that it has benefits when used both pre and post-workout. As a pre-workout supplement, it can provide a great pump, improve your performance ability, increase strength, and protect the muscles from breakdown.
As a post-workout supplement, betaine anhydrous improves total strength output and helps with the growth of lean muscle tissue.
A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research showed an impressive increase in total strength output and endurance in men who had supplemented with betaine.
More promising research indicates dramatic muscle gains as well as decreases in body fat when supplementing with betaine, with 4 pounds of muscle growth in just six weeks!
If you want to naturally get bigger, stronger, and faster, 2.5 grams of betaine per day should be a staple in your regimen.
4. Leucine
Consuming a serving of L-leucine post-workout is crucial to kick start protein synthesis. Almost all of the anabolic effects of protein can be attributed to leucine.
Leucine plays a critical role in stimulating protein synthesis. Think of leucine as being the “trigger” for skeletal muscle to take up protein.
Why is stimulating protein synthesis so important?
Without protein synthesis, your muscles will not grow, and maximizing protein synthesis is the key to building muscle. Protein synthesis is decreased during a workout, so consuming leucine post-workout will kick start protein synthesis and tell your body that it’s time to start rebuilding.
5. Beat-alanine
The benefits that come with using beta-alanine are outstanding for natural athletes.
This ingredient is often characterized by the flushed face feeling that may be accompanied by tingling when ingested.
While it promotes a boost in performance and endurance, it also helps with muscle growth and recovery.
Beta-alanine is commonly found in pre-workout supplements because of this, but also in good post-workout products.
How does beta-alanine accomplish all of this?
By increasing the levels of carnosine inside the body. Yes, carnosine may be in the news for its anti-aging benefits, but it’s also a weight room favorite as it supports the repair and growth of muscle tissue while amplifying the recovery process.
A review published in the Journal of Amino Acids compared the results of several clinical trials surrounding the supplementation of beta-alanine.
The review confirmed the importance of beta-alanine, stating that the ingredient produced a dramatic ergogenic effect, resulting in increased levels of strength and size.
6. L-carnitine L-tartrate
L-carnitine L-tartrate is a crucial ingredient to have in your post-workout supplement.
Why?
One big reason is that it increases the number of androgen receptors inside the body.
LCLT has been shown effective at improving post-workout recovery. A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research showed the supplementation with L-carnitine L-tartrate reduced the amount of exercise-induced muscle tissue damage in ten healthy, weight-trained men.
Final Note
Size, power, and strength don’t happen by fluke. Give these ingredients a try post-workout for an extra edge in recovery and growth.
It’s quite a pain to buy each of these individually, so we created a product that contains every one of them in the correct dose for optimal benefits. POWERBUILD includes all of these ingredients in their full clinical doses and is 100% naturally sweetened and flavored.
A clear plan of action is needed to achieve the results that you want. Executing an effective training routine and diet regimen is most of the battle, but proper supplementation can certainly help.
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