A detailed look at proteins and supplements for bodybuilders

Protein powder: The most common and effective dietary supplement

Bodybuilding supplements are nothing but elementary dietary supplements that are commonly used by bodybuilders and athletes to replace meals, enhance weight gain, promote weight loss or improve athletic performance. While many bodybuilding supplements can be consumed by anyone, their frequency and quantity of use varies based on the type of exercise done.

The use of proteins and supplements dated back to the early Olympics in ancient Greece and Rome, where athletes were advised to consume large quantities of meat and wine. However, we have advanced much further from those days with the improvement of science and technology.

The most commonly used supplements by bodybuilders especially, are in the form of protein shakes. Protein powder mixed with water, milk or juice is what composes a protein shake. These are usually consumed before working out as they provide instantaneous energy required to exercise.

The diverse types of protein powders are: Whey protein, casein protein, egg-white protein, soy protein, rice protein and pea protein with whey protein containing the highest quantity of amino acids used to aid muscle recovery.

Another type of supplement is in the form of Meal Replacement Products (MRPs) which are generally found as powdered drink mixes or edible bars that are high in protein, have low fat content, moderate amount of carbs and are packed with an assortment of vitamins and minerals.

Creatine in a way can also be classified as a supplement but occurs naturally in the body. It is an organic acid, which supplies energy to muscle cells for short bursts of energy as required in weightlifting. As it is a natural product of the body, it cannot be consumed separately. However, many common foods such as herring, tuna, salmon and beef aids in the production of creatine.

Finally, the most debatable type of supplement would be prohormones or commonly known as steroids, which were openly sold to bodybuilders to boost the production of the natural male hormone testosterone.

However, prolonged use of these substances is known to have adverse side-effects and was hence made illegal to purchase over the counter without a prescription in several countries including India.