Working out can take many forms depending on your preference, from movement-heavy cardio routines to relatively static weightlifting regimens. One thing all these workouts have in common, however, is the need for recovery after you’ve finally sat down to rest. Whether you like to run laps or work lats, your muscles are bound to experience a substantial degree of wear and tear as you exercise, which is why so many athletes at every level turn to post-workout supplements designed to aid the recovery process. Although these supplements are most often associated with bodybuilders and others looking to bulk up, some of the top recovery supplements provide lean muscle growth and other benefits that can appeal to a wide variety of fitness enthusiasts. If you’ve ever wondered, “What are the best post-workout supplements?”, keep reading as the amino acid supplement experts at aminoVITAL® provide the answers you’re looking for.
Popular Post-Workout Supplements for Athletes
Choosing the best post-workout supplement for you will require weighing a number of options, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Ultimately, it’s up to you to pick the optimal solution to your post-workout problems based on your personal goals. The following are some of the top options used by everyone from top athletes to casual gym-goers.
Protein Powders
Ask anyone with a gym membership, and chances are they’ve at least tried using protein powders as post-workout supplements at some point in their lives. For years, protein supplements have dominated the market as accessible and effective options for promoting recovery and muscle growth, and research supports their use. Whey is the most common and is undoubtedly useful as a post-workout supplement, but some fitness buffs shy away from protein powders because of their high calorie content.
Amino Acids
Although protein powders have dominated the market in past years, amino acid supplements – especially those made with the three branched-chain amino acids, or BCAAs – have recently been carving out a spot among the top post-workout supplements. In essence, these products are a refined form of the protein powders so many use; they offer the amino acids you want from protein without the added sugar or calories, and they often include beneficial ingredients like electrolytes, vitamins, and a variety of additional amino acids.
Sports Drinks
As brands like Gatorade and Powerade gained recognition, more and more athletes began using sports drinks as a type of mid-workout or post-workout supplement. Sports drinks tend to lack the amino acids found in protein and amino acid supplements, making them less than ideal for muscle recovery, but they do offer two important nutrients that help the body recuperate after a tough routine: electrolytes to balance hydration and carbs to replenish glycogen stores.
Why Amino Acids Are Arguably the Best Post-Workout Supplement
There are lots of different – and, admittedly, somewhat subjective – ways to judge whether one post-workout supplement is superior to another, but amino acid supplements offer so many compelling, science-based benefits that it’s hard not to place them at the top. In addition, many of these benefits have applications that will appeal to virtually every type of athlete; check out all the major benefits of BCAAs below.
Faster Recovery with Less Soreness
If you work out regularly, a fast recovery is likely a top priority for you because failure to fully recover between trips to the gym can seriously impede your next workout. Several of the amino acids in aminoVITAL® supplements have been shown to improve recovery after a workout, especially glutamine; in one study1, researchers found that glutamine supplementation helped participants to more quickly return to peak strength after difficult workouts. That same study also noted that participants experienced less soreness after exercising, which also makes it easier to push yourself during subsequent workouts.
Muscle Protection
Other amino acids, particularly the BCAAs, have been shown to help with recovery2 as well. Some of these benefits come post-workout, but much of the ability of BCAAs to aid recovery stems from their muscle-protecting powers. Taking BCAAs right before you exercise or as a mid-workout supplement routine can help to shield your muscle tissue from excessive damage3 as you work out, and less damage means less recovery is needed. Plus, a reduction in damage to muscle tissue means more of your existing muscle mass stays intact, helping you to guard your previous gains as you exercise.
Greater Gains
We all want to get the most out of our workouts, and taking post-workout amino acid supplements is one of the best ways to go about it. Leucine, one of the three BCAAs, is especially useful4 in this regard. It’s the amino acid that’s responsible for stimulating muscle protein synthesis, the process by which your body repairs, replaces, and reinforced damaged tissues after a workout. Plus, all three BCAAs can serve as the building blocks for those new proteins, so taking a BCAA post-workout supplement both encourages your body to make more muscle cells and supplies it with the resources it needs to do just that.
Try a Powerful Post-Workout Amino Acid Supplement from aminoVITAL®
Supplements are personal things; what works for one person may not be the best choice for another. That said, amino acid supplements from aminoVITAL® can go a long way toward helping many different types of athletes reach their personal fitness goals. Whether you’re looking to increase your gains, improve your endurance, hasten your recovery, or balance your body composition, amino acids have something to offer. Learn more about how amino acid supplements work by visiting aminoVITAL® online or calling (888) 264-6673 today.
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