3. Magnesium
Magnesium is essential because it plays quite a few roles in cellular metabolism (glycolysis, fat, and protein metabolism). Plus it regulates membrane stability and neuromuscular, cardiovascular, immune, and hormonal functions.
Magnesium deficiency impairs endurance performance by increasing oxygen requirements to complete sub-maximal exercise. Eat foods that are good sources of magnesium. In athletes with low magnesium status, supplementation has been shown to be very beneficial.
How do you know if you’re low?If your magnesium levels are low, you will notice these symptoms:
- Insomnia or an inability to sleep
- Irritability
- Noise sensitivity
- Anxiousness, mild depression or restlessness
- More than usual – muscle soreness or spasms.
- Infertility or unusual PMS.
- High levels of stress.
Why He Takes It: Activates enzymes involved in protein synthesis. Involved in ATP reactions. Serum levels decrease with exercise. Some suggest that magnesium supplementation may improve energy metabolism/ATP availability. Has been shown to improve strength.
Why You Should Take It: For the same reasons he does.
How much? For women over 19 years of age, taking around 310-320mg/day is sufficient or include magnesium-rich foods in your diet.
4. Branched-Chain Amino Acids
BCAA supplementation has been shown to be effective when used to prevent fatigue in novice athletes. Made up of leucine, isoleucine and valine, BCAA’s are an important supplement to ingest daily.
Leucine, in particular, plays a significant role in muscle protein synthesis. Isoleucine induces glucose uptake into cells, and there is ongoing research to determine the exact nature of valine’s role.
When you supplement, you can prevent the BCAA serum reduction throughout your system that typically occurs when you train (it will be replaced when you eat). Low levels of BCAA can cause a tryptophan influx into your brain which is quickly followed by serotonin production – increasing feelings of fatigue. This can be part of the reason you tire easily during and after your workout, especially if you’re a newbie.
But it’s so easy to fix WITHOUT stimulants. BCAA’s can really help you feel more energised. Use them either before and after workouts for increased energy, muscle sparing action, recovery, and muscle tissue stimulation and stability.
BCAA food sources include meat and eggs plus protein powders. Or for faster, immediate uptake, BCAA powders or capsules. Supplements have the benefit of being both portable and low calorie.
Why He Takes It: BCAAs build muscle, provide energy and reduce fatigue.
Why You Should Take It: In addition to maintaining your existing muscle tissue, BCAAs are unique among amino’s because they can be used as fuel by muscles and trick the brain into preventing fatigue. So now you can train for longer before hitting exhaustion. Importantly, leucine also affects weight loss in a few ways. Firstly, the more leucine in the body, the less hungry your brain perceives you to be, and secondly, leucine increases metabolism.
How much? The recommended serving is 10 grams. Typically, BCAA’s are sold in the ratio of 2:2:1 or 3:2:1of Leucine, Isoleucine & Valine.
5. Nitric Oxide
The first thing to know about N.O. supplements is they aren’t nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is actually a gas. N.O. supplements contain ingredients that your body uses to produce nitric oxide. It occurs naturally – apples, oranges, spinach, beets, and pomegranates all have high amounts of nitric oxide.
In fitness and weight loss supplements, nitric oxide is used to enhance metabolism and increase energy, but it also regulates blood pressure, strengthens intracellular communication, and decreases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Symbolised as ‘N.O.’, Nitric Oxide contains one atom of nitrogen and one of oxygen. It travels freely from one cell to another assisting in a variety of biological functions. Depending on the requirement, Nitric Oxide can act as a hormone, a neurotransmitter and an intracellular messenger.
Why He Takes It: Increases muscle mass – Nitric Oxide supplements widen the blood channels that lead to skeletal muscles, allowing for better blood flow and an increase in the lean muscle mass. With an increase in blood flow, the nutrients available for your muscles increases, which in turn contributes toward increasing their size.
Why You Should Take It: For a pre-workout without jitters. N.O. is included in many pre-workouts, but it’s fine to take on its’ own. Research clearly shows that raising plasma nitric oxide levels can improve your workout performance. A nitric oxide supplement can help you train harder and cumulatively over workouts; you can make more progress than if you hadn’t taken it.
How much? Exact dosages haven’t been established, but the recommended dosage on the product should be perfect.
What to buy?
I recommend that you buy a product that is 100% what you’re after – not a blend nor a propriety blend. Blends mean you don’t have power over what you’re taking and they’re more expensive.
Below are some of my picks of places to go – Australian companies plus international.
I am not going to promote a single a product as there are many that do the same job and one isn’t necessarily better than the other – but I will say that there are brands I am happy with.
For Australia:
Bulk Powders – they supply their products to compound chemists, vets and others in the medical community. The range is great value and they know their stuff – need help? Ask them – they’re fantastic. The link gives you a $10 discount for signing up.
Amazing quality and varied range at decent prices (one of my personal favourites).
Creatine Monohydrate powder starts at just $9.
ZMA powder (Magnesium, Zinc and B6).
Plain or flavoured BCAA powder
Nitric Oxide – flavoured boosters
Aminoz is another Australian online retailer but of other people’s brands. Delivery is fast and all the products sold are very competitively priced.
Aminoz – stocks a huge range of powders and supplements. I recommend steering away from products with proprietary blends as they charge more (and you don’t know what you’re getting) and you can control what additional supplementation you wish to take.
Try PhD, Nutrabolics, Musclepharm, UPS Ultimate Iso, Optimum Nutrition Protein Energy. Not a fan of the stevia aftertaste? These brands use sucralose instead (no bitter aftertaste).
Internationally, I use iHerb (they also deliver to Australia but use the DHL delivery option).
iHerb stocks a LOT of different brands and products. You can get lost in here. I use some brands more than others – NOW (always great value and terrific products), Thorne, Solgar, Natural Sports – but there are many, many others.
A range of whey or plant-based proteins. You don’t need fancy products filled with a range of things. Just aim for a product that's simple. NOW brand white labels their range for a number of other brands.
iHerb stocks Thorne – I use their Magnesium/Calcium but there are many brands to choose from.
A huge range of BCAA supps. Check out the range here.
Because I like control of what I am taking, I prefer the plain brands – I use both Natural Sports and NOW Arginine and Citrulline.
Lastly, I avoid products with stimulants and weight loss promotion or gendered marketing. They are usually a waste of money. Don’t pay for fillers or products that make you ‘feel’ like you’re working but actually don’t do a thing. Go for quality and pure.
Associated risks/scrutiny: With any supplement, there are the possibilities of side effects. Consult your doctor before taking any of these —and any other—supplement.
