Cheap Workout Supplements

The use of nutritional supplements is widely practiced in the athletic world to increase the positive results of workout programs. Despite the widely reported benefits of these supplements, the cost can often be prohibitively expensive. For the aspiring athlete, struggling to make it on a regular job, there is a real need for a source of cheap, inexpensive supplements that work well. Fortunately, the supplements most commonly recommended as effective by renowned sports nutritionists such as Dan Benardot, PhD.

Multivitamins

Often overlooked as workout supplements, according to Benardot, multivitamins should be the serious athlete's first supplement. In order to intake enough vitamins and minerals in whole foods to match that found in a single multivitamin tab, Benardot writes in "Advanced Sports Nutrition," you'd have to consume something on the order of 15,000 calories. Multivitamins can be found at any local department store or nutrition center, often for less than $5 for a month or two of doses.

Whey Protein

Whey protein is very cheap when the price is compared to the benefits. A byproduct of cheesemaking, whey protein is pure protein in an easily digested form. A single serving of whey protein, mixed with plain water, may offer as much as 60 grams of pure protein. Mixed with water or fruit juice, whey makes a tasty and filling meal replacement that is healthy and inexpensive. An 1-lb jug of whey protein powder may provide over 100 servings and can be found at department stores and sports nutrition stores for less than $20.

Creatine

Creatine, according to Nancy Clark, a registerd dietician and sports nutritionist, writing in "Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook," is the single most researched supplement in history. It has been proven effective in increasing lean body mass and weight through university studies and the experiences of thousands of collegiate and professional athletes. Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in all muscle tissue. While there are more expensive versions available in specialized formulations, the basic creatine monohydrate found most effective in various studies can be had for cheap. For less than $15 at General Nutrition Centers, you can purchase over 500 individual servings of basic, unflavored creatine monohydrate that is 99.99 percent pure.