In my experience, I’ve seen people obtain great gains without the use of stimulants or supplements, and the key to their success was their diet and training. In fact, diet is the foundation of bodybuilding success. A great diet is what will give you your results, supplements only contribute a small amount to overall results. Another thing to note is that supplements will not even be beneficial for you unless your diet is in good shape and you are getting an optimal intake of protein and vitamins as well as carbs and fats.

Our body naturally uses the whole foods that are available in the world for its source of energy and to build itself up and repair. The body uses protein to repair muscle tissue that was broken down from exercise as well as everyday life. Supplements may aid in this process by increasing blood flow so that the muscle receives the proteins and other essential nutrients to repair and grow, but the supplement itself will not increase your muscle size.

Carbohydrates are our primary energy source, they fuel our body so that we can perform at our peak levels of performance. Carbohydrates also help in the recovery phase by restoring the glucose stores in depleted muscles, which is what allows the muscle to perform efficiently and effectively.

Fats also aid in the recovery phase by lubricating joints and even promoting muscle growth. Even though they don’t help with they training phase of bodybuilding, they are greatly needed for recovery.

As you can see, supplements are not essential to build muscle or strength. There are many athletes that compete at the professional level that don’t use supplements to increase performance. Instead, they have a sports nutrition specialist come up with a diet plan that will help them achieve their goals. Read the rest of this entry »