What Supplements Are For Bodybuilding?

Strength training is a key part of an effective fitness program, states MayoClinic.com. Bodybuilding, an advanced form of strength training, is considered both a sport and a recreational pursuit and involves intensive muscle growth, or hypertrophy. Bodybuilders have unique nutritional needs and strive to recover quickly between weightlifting sessions. Bodybuilders have long used nutritional supplements to support muscle growth and tissue recovery. Speak with your doctor before using any substance to assist your bodybuilding activities.

Bodybuilding and Supplementation

Bodybuilding is an intense activity that requires dedication and discipline. Many successful bodybuilders employ a combination of strategies to reach their goals, including consuming a proper diet, engaging in an effective comprehensive workout program and using helpful nutritional supplements to meet their body's nutritional demands. Such supplements help provide sufficient protein to build muscle, encourage the production of appropriate hormones within your body and provide nutrients that boost your endurance so that you can perform more strenuous exercise.

Helpful Supplements

Many nutritional supplements may be helpful for bodybuilders, but always consult your sports nutrition specialist to discuss the best usage of such substances. According to certified nutritional consultant Phyllis Balch, author of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," helpful nonherbal supplements for bodybuilding include calcium pyruvate, colostrum, creatine, D-ribose, glucosamine sulfate, MSM and 7 keto-DHEA. Helpful herbal supplements for bodybuilding include puncture vine, yohimbe and arnica.

Creatine

Creatine monohydrate, or simply creatine, is a naturally occurring bodily compound produced by certain metabolic processes. Creatine, according to MayoClinic.com, is used by about 25 percent of professional baseball players and about 50 percent of professional football players to enhance muscle-building and athletic performance. When taken as a nutritional supplement, creatine may increase both your cardiovascular endurance and your muscle strength, allowing you to perform longer workouts more frequently, which may lead to an increase in lean muscle mass.

Disclaimer

Although certain nutritional and herbal supplements may be helpful for bodybuilders, never use a substance for this purpose without first consulting a licensed sports nutrition specialist. Some supplements, if used inappropriately, may cause serious health consequences. Your health care provider can counsel you on the most effective and efficacious supplements and how best to use them. Schedule an appointment with your health care provider to review all relevant supplement-related topics.