Sports nutrition article. Everything you wanted to know about sports nutrition

Sports nutrition

Sports nutrition is a special group of food products produced primarily for people leading an active lifestyle, involved in sports and fitness. Taking sports nutrition is aimed, first of all, at improving athletic performance, increasing strength and endurance, improving health, increasing muscle volume, normalizing metabolism, achieving optimal body weight, and, in general, increasing the quality and length of life. In Russia, sports nutrition is classified as dietary supplements. Sports nutrition is developed and manufactured on the basis of scientific research in various fields, for example, in physiology and dietetics and, most often, is a carefully selected concentrated mixture of basic nutritional elements, specially processed for best absorption by the human body. Sports nutrition has nothing to do with doping, although some supplements contain caffeine, the consumption of which in large quantities is even prohibited in some sports. Compared to regular food, which can take hours to digest, sports supplements require minimal time and digestive effort to break down and absorb, and many types of sports nutrition have a high energy value. It is important to note the following: experts classify sports nutrition specifically as a supplement, since its proper use is an addition to the main diet consisting of regular products, and not a complete replacement for them.

Types of sports nutrition

Sports nutrition is usually divided into classes, the most famous are the following:

• High protein foods (proteins, often called proteins)
  • Whey Protein
  • Whole milk protein
  • Calcium caseinate
  • Soy protein
  • Egg protein
• Amino acids
• Nitric oxide donors (NO-formulas)
• Fat burners
• Special preparations
  • Anti-catabolics
• Drugs that increase testosterone levels
• Means for strengthening joints and ligaments

Isotonics

Food selection

The choice of the required type of products for consumption is made depending on the goals set when drawing up the training program. For example, to reduce body weight, take fat burners, L-carnitine, which accelerate the utilization of fats in the body and also improve the transport of fatty acids into the mitochondria. If you need to gain muscle mass, then use sports supplements that fall into the categories of gainers, proteins, amino acids, and testosterone boosters. Also, in the range of sports nutrition there are many complex products that can restore strength and energy, improve overall metabolism and many body functions.

Sports nutrition cannot be classified as a medicine; its correct use is safe and non-addictive. You can select the necessary products and purchase them, for example, in one of the specialized online stores selling sports nutrition. It is advisable to select sports nutrition necessary for training in accordance with the recommendations of qualified specialists in this field.

The basic principle

The main principle of nutrition is balance and achieving a specific sports goal. The required composition is selected according to need and ease of consumption. The energy for each cell is the hydrolysis of ATP (Adenosine triphosphate), which is synthesized by the cells of the body from carbohydrates. Thus, in human nutrition, carbohydrates play an important role in providing energy for life. Food proteins are used by body cells as the main material for the construction of tissues. They can be sent to produce ATP, but at the expense of more energy. Proteins are absorbed by the body's cells using the biochemical "food" signal provided by the hormone insulin. Insulin is reflexively produced by the pancreas when carbohydrates enter the digestive tract. The ratio of protein and carbohydrate intake should not exceed one quarter of protein in relation to carbohydrates, then the amount of insulin produced will be enough to absorb protein.

The optimal amount of protein a person consumes per day may be approximately 0.7 g per kilogram of a person's dry weight. The total amount of protein that an athlete should consume is approximately 1 g to 1.5 g per kilogram of weight.

Absorption rate

Different foods are digested at different rates, and this rate is often independent of their calorie content (see Glycemic Index). Before physical activity, they usually consume quickly digestible foods, and during sleep, slowly digestible foods. In general, carbohydrates have the fastest absorption rate, followed by proteins, and lipids (fats) take the longest to digest. Preparations containing protein are classified according to the rate of absorption, depending on the type of protein included in their composition. Whey protein has a maximum absorption rate; casein protein (curd protein), on the contrary, is a “slow” protein. Quite often, in sports nutrition, separately produced proteins and amino acids are mixed with carbohydrate-containing products.

Vitamins

• A person gets sick with respiratory diseases more easily with reduced immunity; one of the reasons for this phenomenon is a state of overtraining. When playing sports, it is especially useful to introduce vitamin C into the diet to support immunity during physical activity.
• Vitamin B1
• Vitamin B6 - necessary for protein metabolism and transformation of amino acids;

Dosage

On sports nutrition packages it is customary to write the amount of substances contained in one measured dose and an indication of the percentage of the accepted daily intake of this substance. Some vitamins and salts are added in small quantities, since they are not consumed during physical activity, but participate in the absorption of other substances taken.

In most cases, it is better to carry out sports training on an empty stomach, having taken, shortly before it begins, a sufficient amount of “fast” carbohydrates and amino acids. Currently, a number of effective training complexes have been developed containing special carbohydrates that quickly replenish glycogen reserves in muscles (amylopectin), branched chain amino acids (BCAA), especially necessary for the restoration of muscle tissue and energy, arginine (an amino acid that increases blood circulation in all organs and tissues), nootropic substances (improving mental functions, concentration, attention, reaction), antioxidants (protecting cell membranes from damage), muscle energy (creatine), lipotropics (substances that stimulate lipolysis, for example, L-carnitine). Such complexes are used before, right during exercise and after its completion, and quickly supply the muscles with energy for movement and structural elements for recovery. Soon after completing a workout, it is recommended to take complex amino acids, BCAA, L-glutamine, protein or protein-carbohydrate cocktails that protect muscle tissue from destruction under the influence of training stress (catabolic processes). Also, proteins (sports nutrition) do not affect health and metabolism in any way.

Composition of sports nutrition

Maltodextrin is a purified starch that is also used in the production of breakfast cereals and confectionery products. Amino acids are produced, most often, from whey (the liquid remaining after making cottage cheese), eggs, animal protein (collagen), and various cultivated plants. Regardless of the raw materials used to obtain amino acids, their properties remain the same. Different sources of amino acids simply require different production technologies from the manufacturer.
Very often there are supplements based on BCAA (three amino acids with the so-called “branched chains” (a structural feature) - leucine, isoleucine and valine), they are present in large quantities in muscle tissue, so they receive special attention in sports.
Means for strengthening joints and ligaments - include substances that accelerate cartilage regeneration (glucosamine, chondroitin, collagen, MSM, etc.)
Preparations that increase the natural level of testosterone - zinc-magnesium complex (ZMA), wild yam extract (Dioscorea), Eurycoma longifolia extract, Leuzea safflower extract (Ecdisthene).

Side effects

An overdose of vitamins can cause allergies. Caffeine and caffeine-containing additives can increase blood pressure and, when taken in the evening, cause insomnia.

see also

Links

Literature

• NUTRITION FOR ENDURANCE, ELLEN COLEMAN, Trans. from English - Murmansk: Tuloma Publishing House 2005

Special kitchen and food systems
Kitchen	Vegetarian Molecular
Vegetarian and semi-vegetarian food	Veganism Macrobiotics Pescetarianism Pollotarianism Flexitarianism Fruitarianism
Other power systems	Fast food / Slow food Separate food Sports nutrition Raw food diet
Diet	Gluten-free diet Atkins Buckwheat Diet therapy for diabetes Kremlevskaya Protasova Mediterranean
Religious food	Aital (Rastafarianism) Taoist dietetics Forbidden food Shojin ryori (Buddhism) Food prohibitions in Islam Kosher food (Judaism)

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

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Have you been working out in the gym or at home for more than half a year, but still no results? Avoid bars in fitness clubs? Do you look with disapproval at lean girls and guys who use sports nutrition? Then everything is clear with you. You are an amateur in sports and know nothing at all about sports supplements, and don’t even suspect that sports nutrition can be not only safe, but also healthy. We immediately fill in the gaps and conduct an urgent educational program!

What are sports supplements?

Sports supplements should not be confused with nutritional supplements. Although in Russia sports nutrition is included in the category of dietary supplements, it is intended primarily for athletes and people leading an active lifestyle. In addition, I will not be mistaken if I say that it will be useful for people engaged in heavy physical labor.

Sports nutrition is a natural supplement that contains a large amount of beneficial substances for the human body. Simply put, these are the components that are present in human food and are necessary for him to maintain life. However, sports nutrition contains a concentrated amount of these elements, in the proportion that is most suitable for the human body.

Very often, ignorant people confuse sports supplements with doping and steroids. This is a misconception that most often scares beginners away from all kinds of sports supplements.

Doping and steroids they make a superman out of an athlete, with inherent superpowers that are not available to mere mortals. But this is achieved at the expense of enormous sacrifices - it causes enormous harm to the body. Sports supplements are a completely different class of drugs that have a beneficial effect on the human body and compensate for the lack of microelements, nutrients and vitamins for various purposes. Athletes or people who are involved in building an athletic physique always adhere to a certain diet - dietary restrictions. And against the background of such “starvation” and increased physical activity, the body needs to receive more nutrients than usual.

This is where specially developed sports nutrition comes to their aid.

What are sports supplements for?

We get all the substances our body needs from food. If our physical activity leaves much to be desired, then most likely there is no need to take additional portions of such substances. Although, in our time, when the main part of our diet is fast food and processed foods, vitamins and minerals are most likely catastrophically low in our diet.

And if you are a person who actively plays sports 4-5 times a week, then sports nutrition is just right for you.

But what about those who are losing weight? You're in the same line for sports nutrition! Do you think it’s better to eat a couple of sandwiches than drink a glass of something nasty? I hasten to disappoint you. Sandwiches won't give you any benefit other than (short-term) satiety and extra pounds of fat.

So, let's summarize. What are the main functions of sports nutrition in our body?

1. Replenishes the lack of nutrients, vitamins and microelements

2. Provides extra energy to make your workouts more effective

3. Allows you to maintain a high metabolic rate while on a diet

4. Provides faster absorption of nutrients included in sports supplements

5. Helps control appetite

6. Allows you to build muscle tissue at a rapid pace and participates in its restoration

7. Allows you to burn fat during exercise

8. Provides reliable protection for joints and ligaments that are subject to heavy loads

These are just the main benefits of sports supplements that you may not have heard about yet. Any professional athlete will give you a dozen more beneficial properties that he experiences on himself every day.

Classification of sports supplements

Depending on what goal the athlete pursues, he chooses his own set of sports supplements that can provide him with everything he needs. To understand what classes of sports supplements exist and what processes they are responsible for, here is a list of the main categories:

Proteins

Proteins are different depending on their purpose:

• Whey Protein (Fast Digesting Protein)
• Calcium caseinate (slow-digesting protein)
• Soy protein (vegetable protein)
• Egg protein (animal protein)

All these types of protein have subtypes and different purposes and methods of administration. They have one thing in common - they are aimed at muscle growth.

Gainers are carbohydrate-protein mixtures. These supplements have as their main goal the maintenance of energy reserves for effective training and muscle growth after it. Along with a fairly high protein content (about 50%), gainers contain about 30% carbohydrates. we need to provide the body with glucose during training. Gainers are used together with proteins. However, for overweight people it is better to avoid gainers, as they are high in calories and can provoke the growth of not only muscles, but also subcutaneous fat. But ectomorphs simply need gainers. Due to the fact that it is very difficult for them to gain weight, and it is simply impossible to eat so much, gainers provide them with an invaluable service.

Energy

But how can those who are pursuing the goal of losing weight get the necessary energy before training? Energy can help you! However, such drinks have a number of contraindications and their regular use is not recommended. They have a stimulating effect on the nervous system, which can contribute to such unpleasant consequences as:

• insomnia,
• nervous exhaustion,
• tachycardia,
• increased heart rate,
• addiction.

The main components included in energy drinks:

• Green tea extract
• Guarana
• Taurine

By the way, all these substances are present in the diet of every Russian citizen. Well, what is breakfast without coffee and dinner without a cup of tea? But you shouldn't overuse energy drinks, unless of course you're preparing for a marathon or a grueling three-hour workout.

Amino acids are found in human food and are necessary not only for athletes, but also for ordinary people. Amino acids are found in animal and plant foods, and many of them are essential for the human body. Amino acids are the building blocks of all cells in the body. That is why the use of a complex of amino acid sports supplements is a necessary element of the training process. Among the most frequently The amino acids used in sports supplements are:

• Glutamine
• Creatine
• Arginine
• Lysine
• Alanin
• Inosine

In general, there are more than 20 amino acids in nature, which, when entering our body, form amino acid compounds of various types and purposes. Amino acids are taken before and after training, as well as at night, to prevent catabolic processes in the body, that is, the processes of muscle breakdown.

Fat burners

Sports supplements that trigger fat burning processes during exercise. This is exactly what I want to draw your attention to. Don't assume that fat burners will help you burn fat while lying on the couch or allow you to eat a couple of extra servings of ice cream at night without harming your figure. Not at all like that! Fat burners are substances that help your body, during intense muscle work, use energy obtained by breaking down fat cells, rather than its own protein.

There are several types of fat burners:

• Thermogenics
• Carbohydrate blockers
• Fat blockers
• Appetite suppressants
• Cortisol blockers
• L-carnitine
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Diuretics (or)

All these supplements will bring results only if you follow a diet and exercise. You should not abuse them - at a minimum, you will not see a difference by increasing the dose, and at maximum, you will feel worse and get health problems.

Are sports supplements dangerous?

I think that I will express a general opinion if I answer this question: NO!

If you still think that sports nutrition is harmful, then in your spare time, study the labels on your food products. Search the Internet for “Deciphering nutritional supplements” and you will learn a lot about how your body works.

Nowadays, synthesized products are increasingly being introduced into the diet of every person. These products have much less benefits, but they cost manufacturers less. They are addictive and tie you to certain brands and brands, increasing the profits of manufacturers. Look how poor our diet has become in an era of food abundance. I don’t know what is more in our fruits – vitamins or nitrates?

Against the backdrop of this general “starvation”, sports nutrition acts as a lifeline. The only thing we should warn you against is excess and intolerance. Sports nutrition, like any other, has its own norm, and its unreasonable increase can only do harm.

How to choose sports supplements

If you rushed to buy sports nutrition and did not read the article to the end, then you made a big mistake. Because now I will say something that will refute everything I have said above.

Sports supplements are not a panacea. The most important thing is good nutrition! The role of sports supplements is greatly overestimated and this is done in favor of sports nutrition manufacturers, who make a lot of money from this.

BUT! Sports nutrition is indispensable in several cases:

• If you are exposed to heavy physical activity
• If you are unable to eat often
• If you have a metabolic disorder

Certainly, sports nutrition has a number of benefits before regular food. For example:

• Ease of preparation
• Convenient consumption anywhere and anytime
• High rate of nutrient absorption compared to regular food
• High nutritional value (the concentration of nutrients per 100 grams of product is much higher than in regular food)
• The cost of the elements obtained using sports supplements is lower than the cost of products containing the same amount of elements
• Easy to count your intake

All these benefits make sports supplements indispensable for athletes and people leading an active lifestyle.

Today, the sports nutrition market is growing like mushrooms after rain, and when you come to the store for the first time, you can get lost. The consultant, of course, can push you a few expensive jars and convince you of their necessity. But in order not to be scammed and not look like an amateur, I will give you a few recommendations:

1. If your body type and are trying to build muscle mass, then you need to:

• Gainer – in the morning, 2 hours after breakfast and immediately after training
• Protein (casein) – before bed

2 . If you're body type or and work on muscle growth and burning subcutaneous fat, then you need:

• Whey Protein – 1 hour before workout and 1 hour after
• L-carnitine – 30 minutes before training
• Protein (casein) – before bed

3. Choose mid-price supplements. Typically, more expensive supplements are due to a well-promoted brand.

4. Buy packages that are not too large. Firstly, this sports supplement may not be suitable for you; secondly, the shelf life of open packages is limited.

5. Choose sports nutrition manufacturers from the USA or Germany. It is in these countries that the production of sports supplements is most developed and their quality has been tested over the years.

Well, that's basically it. Now you are privy to all the secrets of sports nutrition and, knowing its basics, you will not get into trouble. And it’s up to you, of course, to decide whether to use it or not. It will be better if you take sports supplements with the permission of your doctor if you have health problems and persistent chronic diseases.

Find out if sports supplements work as they say.

Sports nutrition is becoming more and more popular every day among people working out in gyms. The variety of brands and sports nutrition products themselves confuses buyers, whose eyes simply run wild and they do not know what to buy. I propose to consider the most popular types of sports nutrition and their application.

What is sports nutrition?

Sports nutrition is a specialized nutritional supplement created from natural ingredients to provide people involved in sports with all the necessary macro and microelements. Most often, sports nutrition is available in the form of powder, tablets, and in rare cases it has a liquid form. But what they have in common is that they are all aimed at helping a person achieve the desired result, gaining muscle mass, or, on the contrary, losing weight. Sports nutrition helps a person gain the daily requirement of nutrients: proteins, carbohydrates, and other substances. Replaces meals, has flavorings and aromas.

Classification of sports nutrition

Sports nutrition can be divided into categories according to their composition and the principle of their effect on the body:

1. High protein foods (Proteins)
2. Carbohydrate-protein mixtures (gainers)
3. Amino acids (essential and essential)
4. Fat burners
5. Specialty products (pre-workout supplements, creatine)
6. Vitamin and mineral complexes, preparations for ligaments and joints.

Protein is the main building material for muscle tissue. It is very difficult to consume the daily amount of protein from natural foods (meat, fish, eggs), so it is necessary to replace the lack of protein from protein shakes. Protein is classified by absorption rate and amino acid composition. The most common are whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, casein, etc. The most popular is WPC (whey protein concentrate), which has a fairly high absorption rate and high amino acid composition. It is recommended to take this protein immediately after training to close the protein window, during which nutrients are better absorbed throughout the day, replacing one of the meals. A serving of such protein is usually 30-40 grams, which is the standard amount of protein digestible at one time. It is best to mix a protein shake with water or milk; the best flavors are chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.

A protein-carbohydrate mixture that is designed to gain muscle mass and increase calories in an athlete’s diet. The basis of this mixture is often maltodextrin (fast carbohydrates) and several types of protein in a percentage ratio of 20:80. The higher the protein content in a gainer, the more expensive its price. For people who are prone to gaining fat tissue, this product is not recommended, but for people who have difficulty gaining weight, it will be an excellent help. It is recommended to take a gainer immediately after waking up so that the body receives the necessary nutrients and stops the destruction processes that are activated at night, a second dose immediately after training to close the protein-carbohydrate window, or on a day without training, replace one meal with a gainer .

The product is obtained through the process of hydrolysis (decomposition) of proteins, which are the building blocks that build muscles. There are two types of amino acids: nonessential and essential amino acids. The difference between them is that some can be synthesized by the body, while others enter it from food. Amino acids are available in the form of powder and tablets. Taken before training, during training and after training. This is done so that during exercise the muscles do not “eat” themselves, but take building material from amino acids. An excellent product for this are BCAAs, which often taste good and are taken during training instead of plain water. Together with BCAA, it is rational to take Glutamine, which is necessary for effective muscle growth and increased immunity.

A product whose name speaks for itself. The action of this type of sports nutrition is aimed at reducing the mass of fatty tissue in the body. This is often achieved by stimulating metabolism (increasing it), reducing appetite, removing excess fluid from the body, etc., by increasing body temperature. A very effective supplement, but requires careful use due to a lot of side effects

This group includes pre-workout complexes, creatine, etc. Pre-workout complexes aimed at increasing the body's performance during training, for the effectiveness of the training process and, as a result, the return from it. With the use of this product, a person feels an influx of energy, increased concentration, and training is much more productive. To enhance the effect, you can use creatine, which, due to water retention in the body, increases strength and overall endurance.

For normal life support of all processes, the body needs vitamins and minerals, which it cannot synthesize on its own and is forced to obtain from food. It is very difficult to get the daily requirement of vitamins from food, especially for a person who plays sports, so it is necessary to take them in a ready-made complex. When working out in the gym, ligaments and joints experience enormous stress, especially the elbow, knee and shoulder joints, in order to maintain their mobility and neutralize the risk of injury, it is necessary to use Handroetin and Glucosamine. These products prevent destructive processes in joint tissues and promote collagen synthesis.

Listed above are the main components of sports nutrition, which are the most popular and rational for use. Every day, manufacturers come up with new formulas and develop new compositions to maximize the effect of taking sports nutrition. But if you arrange sports nutrition products according to the degree of usefulness and need for use, then protein will take first place, followed by amino acids, and gainers will take third place. All other additives do not provide such benefits and consumer utility. Of course, many will say that you can do without sports nutrition, and this is true, but with it your process of building muscles and achieving the desired shape will become much faster and more enjoyable.

Friends, my respects!
Today we are waiting for an extremely interesting practical article during which we will determine what can be found, or rather what products we will encounter on the shelves or in an online sports nutrition store. I think you already understand that we will be considering a great many types of sports nutrition. After reading the note, you will clearly understand which jar is intended for what and whether you need it at all.

Well, let's get started.

What types of sports nutrition are there?

The first question that faces a person who decides to try sports nutrition is: “where to start?”, “which ones should I try?” To be honest, I was surprised when, digging through the Internet in search of this kind of information, I found practically nothing useful that would help a beginner to navigate correctly. Without grieving for long, I decided to create the most understandable guide to the types (currently existing on the market) of sports supplements. So let's get started with the debriefing, but first some lyrics.

If you’ve ever walked into a sports nutrition store, you’ve probably seen that there’s usually either a skinny student sitting there (who decided to work part-time in his free time) or a brutal jock (most often wearing a yellow T-shirt with a self-explanatory name - animal. Both representatives “ sports food market are often poorly versed in product nomenclature issues and can only recommend a specific jar that they have heard about somewhere or even tried :).

I’ll even be more frank with you - often I deliberately pretended to be a “dummy” (knowing nothing about sports nutrition issues) in order to understand how advanced the seller is in “nutrition-canned” issues and what they will actually sell me for my hard-earned money. As expected, the level of competence of the above-mentioned people left much to be desired, and they offered me the standard - either a large jar of the most expensive protein, or some vague gainer with the Russian name “Athlete” and a mark for active youth. The sellers didn’t bother themselves with answers regarding what it was, how to take it, what it was needed for, and why exactly, and I didn’t really insist, because... I didn’t buy anything, I just pretended that I would buy it.

So, the other day, when faced with this kind of situation, I said to myself - enough of these incompetent salespeople who cannot really explain anything to a person who is just beginning to delve into the issues of sports nutrition. I am sure (and I remember from myself) that now you have a whole mess in your head about food additives, manufacturers, etc., and when your fragile nature sees so many “colorful” jars and bottles with flashy and enticing names, it simply blows your mind completely .
Therefore, I decided to systematize my (and not only) knowledge in this area and describe in detail what you will encounter in a sports nutrition store and what types of the latter exist. So, let's go. At the moment, the domestic sports nutrition market is experiencing a boom, and the foreign market is boom, boom, boom! Every six months/year, some new forms of sports nutrition appear, nutritional supplements that are completely new in their formula and properties. Therefore, if a person is not in the know, then it is very difficult for him to understand the offered assortment, and even more so if he is a beginner.

As a standard, the following can be distinguished.

I'll give you the breakdown:

• Proteins - high-protein mixtures;
• Gainers - protein-carbohydrate mixtures;
• Amino acids are the building blocks for post-workout recovery;
• Fat burners - means for weight correction;
• Anabolic complexes are drugs that increase the level of various hormones (for example, testosterone);
• Creatine is a supplement to provide muscle energy and increase anaerobic endurance, strength and muscle mass;
• Vitamin and mineral complexes;
• Meal replacements.

These are the most popular products in online (and not only) sports nutrition stores. There is also the so-called “second echelon” - highly specialized sports nutrition, i.e., which is not in mass demand and is purchased by individual athletes to solve their specific problems. These include (see image).

• Powdered mixtures (1) are the most common form of sports nutritional supplements. It most often produces: multivitamin complexes, protein mixtures, energy mixtures (gainers), fiber, and various multicomponent complexes. The powder is a convenient way to obtain high quality nutrition in the exact quantities your body needs. Blends also provide a convenient source of high-density nutrition to meet an athlete's individual needs;
• tableted (tablets/pills, 2/3) - powder mixtures of nutrients are pressed in special machines to a solid form. The tablets provide a fairly slow release of nutrients. They have a longer (on average 2 years) shelf life. Most often they are colored or covered with glaze;
• capsules (4) - there are hard and soft. Hard capsules consist of two halves, the contents of which enter the body after they are bitten. Liquid capsules contain primarily liquid or semi-liquid components. Capsules are made from natural food components, such as cellulose substances;
• liquid (liquid) form (5) - includes protein, carbohydrate, mass-building types of drinks, various extracts, herbal preparations, as well as liquid VMCs (vit-min. set). Many of them are available in dry form or in powder form or tablets. The liquid form is a fairly concentrated form of additives, which has an increased absorption rate, so most often such additives are more expensive than their “loose-tablet” counterparts;
• bars (6) are one of the most convenient forms of sports nutrition products. Such products do not take up much space (unlike cans), they can be easily taken with you, and there is no need to dilute them. This is an excellent high-density nutrient supply system that will help out at the most “inconvenient” (for eating) moment.

These are the forms of sports food that exist. For a better understanding, I will bring them to a “visual” size.

So, we’ve sorted that out, let’s move on... The most common question for beginners in choosing supplements is: “what to choose?” To prevent this kind of thoughts from arising in your mind, you need to clearly understand which ones exist and for what purposes each of them is intended. More on this later. Most often, sports food is designed to solve the following problems for an athlete:

1. nourishing the body, i.e. providing “excessive” amounts of muscle building material;
2. restoration of the body’s energy balance;
3. setting the body to properly use its own resources;
4. improvement of training results;
5. issues of transformation (weight loss/weight gain) of the body;
6. saving the “shaky” systems of your body.

To make it easier for you to navigate, I have compiled a summary table in which I reflected all the important points regarding the most popular sports supplements. So, we'll start with:

No. 1. Protein is a high protein mixture.

No. 2. Amino acids.

No. 3. Gainers are protein-carbohydrate mixtures.

No. 4. Fat burners are weight loss products.

No. 5. Creatine/creatine complexes.

So, this was the last information for today, let's summarize and say goodbye.

Afterword

Today we have studied the basic ones, which means that now when you come to the store (or go to the online store’s website) you will have a clear idea of ​​which jar and which powder is needed for what. The latter, in turn, means that you will make the right choice and invest your hard-earned money in the right “pill”. That's all, see you again, friends!
PS. Remember that before you buy sports nutrition in the online store website, you can always order a free Skype consultation to select the best product for you, use it!

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And using my 12 years of coaching experience (and 25 years of independent training experience), I will turn you into a sports nutrition expert. Lesson one - never use the phrase “sports nutrition”. These are supplements, “supplements”, and this word is more consistent with the main task of such products - to close holes in your diet, the lack of certain vitamins, microelements, amino acids and other things (believe me, everyone has such gaps). I would conditionally divide consumers of sports supplements into two groups:

1. You have been training for a long time and persistently (3-4 times a week without skipping) for a specific result - for example, you dream of bench-pressing a barbell weighing 150 kg or running a marathon 42 km 195 m. You can and need a lot of what will be discussed below. I will offer specific sets of sports supplements to solve each problem (see “Recipes”).

2. Beginners, even if they train hard, in the first six months you should get by with only both types of proteins: “quick” before breakfast, “long” at night. They make up for the protein deficiency that any Russian man has. I recommend the same diet to those people who go to the gym once a week, “for themselves” (however, if you are overweight, consult a nutritionist first).

Well, I recommend that both categories take (after consulting with a doctor) cardio- and chondroprotectors, regardless of the training program. Let's move on to the powders and bars. If any product known to you is missing from this material, it means that I consider it unnecessary.

1. Protein

Release form: powders

Why: Protein is often drunk right after a workout, saying: “Muscle mass, muscle mass!” But without carbohydrates, which everyone forgets, protein powder is practically useless in the matter of instant muscle building. Use it just to compensate for your overall protein deficiency. The body will find somewhere to put it, for example, make testosterone from it. There are “fast” and “long” proteins. The former are more biologically accessible and instantly provide your body with energy and building material. The latter release protein gradually, over several hours. It is not difficult to distinguish them: any whey is “fast”. Any combination containing casein protein (casein) is “long”.

How to take: “Fast” protein is consumed in the morning (1 serving 20 minutes before breakfast) and immediately after fat burning workouts. In general, I am a convinced supporter of a predominantly protein breakfast; this allows you to gently raise your blood sugar level after a night's sleep and further boost your metabolism. Drink “long” 30-90 minutes after the last meal, at night, so that the body has proteins at hand even in sleep.

I recommend: Of the sports supplements that my clients have come across, I can recommend the “fast” Zero Carb from VPX for breakfast. For the night I wholeheartedly recommend “Infusion” from SAN. True, this is more than protein - such products are called “meal replacement”. It contains different types of protein (which are absorbed at different times and therefore provide your body with nutrition throughout the night), as well as vitamins and a dosed amount of carbohydrates that does not harm your figure.

2. Complex amino acids

Release form: capsules, tablets, caplets

Why: I seriously doubt that products with such names contain many amino acids. Rather, it is a regular “fast” protein, only in a convenient package. On the road or after a long night in an ambush under the enemy's nose where you can't get a shaker, this is a good replacement for a protein shake.

How to take: In any training regimen, except hypertrophy, - 2-3 tablets 2-3 times a day, as a replacement for protein powders. And in the midst of a long hypertrophy program - 3 tablets twice a day, with food or a gainer, and you will also drink protein.

3. Gainer

Release form: powder

Why: My favorite product! The combination of easily digestible proteins and carbohydrates not only promotes rapid weight gain, but also provides a hurricane of energy before training, and also significantly speeds up recovery after.

How to take: On training days, 30-45 minutes before training and immediately after. On rest days, 1 serving in the afternoon. In the endurance training mode, you can do it three times a day: before and after training, as well as at night. And never eat gainer for breakfast! In this case, the weight will grow exclusively on your sides.

Worth remembering

No amount of creatine with protein will ever correct technical errors or help with lack of sleep. In addition, be aware that no supplements can replace a nutritious, regular and healthy diet. And don’t forget that even harmless and certified products, if used thoughtlessly and excessively, can cause irreparable damage to health. If you suffer from food allergies, metabolic disorders, diabetes, chronic diseases of the heart, kidneys, liver or gastrointestinal tract, then before taking any sports nutrition you should definitely consult an adequate, qualified doctor.

4. BCAA

Release form: tablets, capsules, powder

Why: BCAAs are also amino acids, but only three: isoleucine, leucine and valine. According to a number of studies, skeletal muscles contain the most of them. I use BCAAs (and encourage you to do the same) to help you lose much less muscle during your fat-burning or endurance-building periods.

How to take: When training - 5 capsules before and immediately after training. On rest days, take 2 capsules with regular meals.

5. L-carnitine

Release form: tablets, capsules, ampoules

Why: Carnitine makes it easier for your body to access fat reserves. I’m not ready to say that L-carnitine helps you lose weight, but it really increases endurance and has a beneficial effect on the health of the cardiovascular system.

How to take: 1 tablet 2 times a day with food when training endurance or strength. And with any type of training, if you feel that your heart is under heavy load (for example, on a hot summer day).

6. Creatine

Release form: powder, tablets, capsules

Why: Creatine is a precursor to creatine phosphate (CP), one of the main sources of energy for muscle work. CF provides exclusively short-term strength work (the first 3-5 repetitions of the bench press, for example). It is generally accepted that taking creatine-containing supplements can increase strength. For some this is true, but for others this supplement has no effect. Try it - maybe this food will hit you.

How to take: 2-3 g once a day, along with a gainer. Just be sure to drink at least three glasses of plain water afterwards. Creatine has an unpleasant ability to absorb liquid, which can lead to cramps, bloating, and even injury to connective tissue, for which normal hydration is extremely important.

7. Glutamine

Release form: powder, granules, capsules

Why: With heavy physical activity, glutamine reserves in the body are depleted, and this negatively affects the immune system and reduces recovery abilities. Therefore, if you have more than 5 training hours per week, you should use this supplement.

How to take: Take a dose 2 times a day, morning and evening 15 minutes before meals - and you will recover normally, endure stress more easily and get sick less.

8. Energy

Release form: “jars”, powder

Why: Another favorite product of mine! A high-quality energy drink simultaneously boosts your mood, sports enthusiasm and healthy aggression. During strength training, such a product is of paramount importance. Just keep in mind - these are special sports energy drinks that are sold in special sports nutrition stores! They contain virtually no sugar, but do contain substances that support the health of the cardiovascular system. They have little in common with supermarket energy drinks.

How to take: Just half a small bottle, drunk 30-45 minutes before training, and you are ready to break any records! However, I do not recommend drinking energy drinks before every workout (maximum 1-2 times a week), and under no circumstances drink more than one drink per day.

What should you mix the powders with?

Proteins and gainers can be mixed with regular non-mineral and still water, freshly squeezed or packaged juice, as well as milk. For a gainer, the best option is water; in combination with juice or milk, the amount of carbohydrates and calories in the mixture will go off scale. Protein powder will tolerate any of the liquids listed above, unless you choose the least fatty milk. By the way, if your intestines do not tolerate milk, you can safely mix the protein with... kefir. But all other powders, especially creatine, can only be mixed with water, and they must be drunk immediately - in liquid form, additives are the least chemically stable.

9. Testosterone boosters

Release form: capsules

For what. As a rule, the attitude of doctors and ordinary people towards supplements that increase testosterone levels is completely negative. Obviously, because they are confused with hormonal doping. However, boosters do not pump you full of extra hormones, but only gently increase the secretion of your own internal testosterone. From a physiological point of view, this means “looking younger” by several years, especially if you are over thirty. If you are 17-22 years old and healthy, you can easily do without this supplement - you already have a lot of hormones!

How to take: I consider the most useful quality of testosterone boosters to be their stimulating effect on glucose metabolism. Therefore, in my opinion, the smartest time to use them is when you are trying to get rid of excess fat. 2 capsules 2 times a day with food.

10. Protein bars

Form: you'll laugh, but these are bars!

Why: Perhaps the most convenient source of protein and carbohydrates: no need to stir or drink - tear open the package and eat to your health! Use to suppress hunger between main meals.

How to use. A couple of high-quality bars consistently discourage interest in food for exactly 3 hours, even for such an eternally hungry swallower as I am. But the daily norm, according to my observations, is no more than 2-3 bars. If you exceed the dose, you may experience problems with appetite!

* “Fast” protein - before breakfast and after training

** "Fast" protein for breakfast, "long" protein - before bed

to your health

There is also a whole range of sports supplements and near-medicinal products that you can use in your diet, regardless of the goals that you are pursuing at a certain point in time.

cardioprotectors They should be taken before training in the hot season and during periods of endurance training. These include the L-carnitine already described above, as well as preparations containing potassium and magnesium - substances responsible for the uninterrupted functioning of the heart. For example, potassium and magnesium aspartate.

vitamins and minerals I do not agree with the opinion prevailing among athletes and a number of coaches about the need to take increased doses of vitamins. Therefore, as a trainer, I prefer trivial pharmacy multivitamins in normal dosages. As a rule, this is one serving immediately after breakfast. I am not advocating for taking additional vitamins that are supposedly beneficial to the athlete/trainer - C, E and B separately. There are more than enough multivitamins!

chondroprotectors American coaches have a good saying: “If you don’t play sports, you’ll end up seeing a cardiologist. If you play sports, you will see an orthopedist!” So that the last part of this wonderful phrase does not affect you, regularly take chondroprotectors - supplements that facilitate the regeneration of cartilage tissue and the restoration of the ligamentous apparatus as a whole. Even if you rarely go to the gym or don’t go at all, you should take chondroprotectors to prevent diseases of the musculoskeletal system. How often? This information should be in the instructions for use.