Food
from natural sources takes its natural time to be dissolved and absorbed by the
body before the nutrients can be used. For
fitness buffs, body builders who are into their intense workouts, these natural
processes are not sufficient. All in all, they need three sets of supplements
before, during and after their workouts, the most important of which are the
pre-workout supplements.
Body
abs is built in the kitchen, not in the gym floor, so the experts say. Research
also indicates that what you eat before, during, and after your workouts can
mean meeting your exercise goals or falling short.
The
following are the important nutrition you need to take before workout, taken
either as pre-workout supplements or through natural food preparations.
Carbohydrates
For
newcomers, carbohydrates for use in workouts bring in more questions than any
other nutrients. The big questions include whether they make people fat. (They
do, if you are not exercising and burning them away.)
As
things are, carbohydrates are the body’s preferred fuel source. As a fitness
buff, you will make sure every gram of carbohydrates you consumed will be used
as immediate fuel source. Or, at least to restore glycogen level lost in the
gym floor.
Do
not eat more carbs more than you need and you can spread the eating evenly
throughout the day. Eat the majority of
it just before your workout. Take them a couple of hours for the carbs to be
digested and ensure your blood sugar and glycogen levels are up.
Fast-Absorbing Proteins
Research
has also indicated that whey protein intake before the high-intensity fitness
routine can give better results than other protein sources so far. Experts say
this is due to the anti-catabolic and anabolic signaling effects of the BCAAs
(branched-chain amino acids) in the whey protein, specifically leucine. Whey
has higher BCAAs than the other sources.
Proteins
and amino acids spare the carbs. Many thin that when the body runs out of
carbs, it switches to fatty acids for fuels. This is slow compared to amino
acids rapidly broken down and converted to sugar (gluconeogenesis).
Creatine monohydrate
The
body has three methods in developing its ultimate energy source, ATP. This
depends on the intensity of the activity. For very intense ones (like
weightlifting, for instance) the body uses creatine phosphates to produce
energy.
Supplements
can give greater energy source when training intensely. You can also use
creatine after even anytime of the day.
Beta alanine
Beta
alanine basically helps conserve muscular energy. In exercise, the main causes
of fatigue are intramuscular acidosis. When the body produces ATP using the glycolytic
and phospagen systems, the resulting metabolic product is excess hydrogen ions.
When
these ions are not cleared fast enough, they can produce lactic acid, the pain
you feel when extremely tired. With elevated levels of lactic acid,
performance, coordination and skills are hindered and impaired.
Aside
from decreasing hydrogen ions, it also acts as anti-oxidant.
Basically,
these are the more important nutrients needed in pre-workout supplements to
help replenish the nutrients lost in your workout.