Athletes who participate in competitive sports events find themselves under intense stress all the time. The pressure to excel comes from all fronts trainers, friends and family, their fans, and competitors. Overcoming the challenges of the sport they have chosen requires them to be in peak condition, and no less.
In order to triumph over competitors, athletes have to undergo intense training activities, lead healthy lifestyles, and take energy boosters and bodybuilding supplements. All these combine to help them perform superhuman feats of physical strength, agility, and endurance. No matter what the sport, the body must be finely tuned, shaped, and contoured to meet the requirements.
Changes involved with muscle bulk increase
Athletes who are involved in the sport of bodybuilding have to focus on building muscle mass. There are conventional ways to build muscle mass, one of which involves dietary modifications. Bodybuilders need to increase their caloric intake and increase the protein content in the diet to around one to two grams of protein per pound of body weight. An increase in water intake is warranted as well. In addition, time and effort must also be devoted to adding muscle mass through physical workout.
The continued use of weights results in a cascade of changes in the muscle tissue. The resistance provided by these weights serves as the stimulus that elicits changes at the molecular level such that muscle bulk gradually increases. Protein synthesis is boosted and this requires healthy, balanced meals or the muscle building process will not have raw ingredients to work with.
Controversial methods to increase muscle mass
Some of the most popular supplements taken by athletes today, particularly those who want to excel in bodybuilding, have become controversial because of potentially harmful side effects. For example, some of the most controversial compounds reportedly used by some athletes today are steroids, which work similarly to male androgens (e.g. testosterone) naturally found in the body. They boost muscle mass and enhance self-esteem as well.
The use of these compounds results in significant gains in lean body mass, muscle strength, and power. The typical recommendation for these supplements is to take one capsule once a day with food in the stomach. There is also a specific cycle duration related to the use of such supplements, which is usually not more than four weeks with an eight-week span between cycles.
Improper use of supplements
To achieve top form, bodybuilders explore every single possibility such as adding the use of supplements to their daily fitness regimen. These supplements are formulated to induce very specific effects in the human body such as increased energy, muscle tissue, and stamina. They are designed to induce positive effects. However, without proper guidance, incorrect use by some athletes can lead to changes in mood, dizziness, hair loss, constipation, depression, and insomnia. Irreversible physical side effects may also be the cost of taking supplements without proper guidance. Even the short-term use of certain compounds could lead to debilitating illness.
Bodybuilders and other athletes must be careful not to depend on supplements to enhance their physical prowess. These are, after all, designed only to supplement or add on to their training program. They should be able to dedicate themselves to a holistic training regimen that includes good nutrition, adequate hydration, healthy practices, and proper training activities to enhance their performance in the sport.
