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Muscle Recovery Supplements
Article care of performancenutrition.com
The Many Components of Recovery
Depending on how hard and often you train your body needs to recover on several different levels. A full book could be devoted to cover all the tissues and systems that need to recuperate after intense exercise so we will stick to the main ones for the purpose of this article.
Metabolic Recovery:
Metabolic recovery involves replenishing muscle fuels such as glycogen, ATP and creatine. ATP promotes muscle contractions and is stored in the muscles. Creatine forms creatine phosphate in muscle cells which is then used during weight training to create more ATP. Training at high intensity causes ATP to be broken down faster than your body can replace it. This is why supplementing is important. The greater stores of energy substrates in your body the better your workout will be. More glycogen and more ATP will eventually translate into more reps and an ability to push more weight. Metabolic recovery is all about supplying your body with the substrates to fuel your workout.
Products that will promote metabolic recovery include:
ANS Diesel Fuel
Gaspari Size On
Universal Storm
Structural Recovery:
Structural recovery involves rebuilding muscle-fiber proteins that get damaged during intense workouts. Since muscle cells are comprised mostly of water they will also need adequate hydration to maintain fullness and size. The key components to structural recovery are protein and amino acids. Proteins are the building blocks for muscle tissue and must be consumed through diet as the body is not able to synthesize proteins on its own. You should be consuming around .7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. Pre and post-workout nutrition is also critical. You should be consuming 20 grams of protein post workout with BCAA’s and glutamine. Consider taking a pre-workout product or branched chain aminos before you workout as well. Strength training involves damaging muscle fibers; structural recovery is all about giving the body the building blocks to rebuild the muscle so it becomes stronger.
Products effective for structural recovery include:
BioRhythm AfterGlow
Optimum 2:1:1 Recovery
Intek Isolate Evolution
Intek BCAA Evolution
Nervous System Recovery:
There are two Central Nervous System (CNS) processes that relate to athletic performance - ‘excitation’ and ‘inhibition’. The speed at which signals are sent from the receptors to effectors, and back again, results in levels of excitation or inhibition. For example, to move the body as fast as possible when sprinting, the speed of signal transference through the CNS needs to also to be as fast as possible. An athlete’s receptors and effectors therefore need to be optimally excited and uninhibited in order to result in the optimum recruitment of fast-twitch muscle fiber. CNS fatigue will slow the speed of excitation, particularly within fast-twitch fibers, which fatigue much more rapidly than slow-twitch fibers. Once the CNS is fatigued you will quickly lose the ability to do explosive high intensity work.
The key to CNS recovery is sleep. Deep REM sleep is necessary for full recovery and allowing the CNS to recharge itself.
For faster CNS recovery try supplementing with:
ZMA as well as a good sleep product like the ones listed below
Somatomax
Regenerate
GABA
L-Theanine
Optimizing hormones (Hormone Recovery):
Intense exercise can increase muscle building hormone output up to a certain threshold after which hormones will decrease as an individual becomes “over trained”. Maximizing natural hormone output can speed recovery time, increase strength, build muscle and help reduce body fat. As in Central Nervous System Recovery sleep is also important for maximizing hormone production. It is a good idea to get at least eight hours of sleep per night during intense periods of training. In terms of supplements we have listed several below which have sound research to back up their ability to produce results. Typically we recommend taking one of the formulas which combine several of these ingredients for best results. Try ANS TNT 2 or MSI Test Revolution for two of the more potent products that combine multiple compounds which are helpful for boosting testosterone levels. These ingredients work in basically two different ways. The first is to amplify the signal going from the brain to the testicles telling your body how much testosterone should be produced. The second is to free up testosterone that is bound up and therefore unusable to the body.
Supplements for optimizing hormone production:
Nettle Extract
Tribulus
ZMA
Humanofort
Acetyl L-Carnitine
White Button Mushroom
Icarrin
Fadogia Agrestis
Maca
Fenugreek
Cortisol and Recovery:
Cortisol is a stress hormone that builds up as a result of physical and or mental stress. If left unchecked cortisol can break down muscle tissue eliminating gains you make in the gym. Reducing your daily stress can help control cortisol and nutritionally you can supplement with phosphatidyl serine. Typically 800mg immediately after a workout is the best way to consume phosphatidyl serine.