What About Supplements?

The benefits of taking supplements

There's always been a heightened sense of curiosity around supplements. Do they really work or are they a waste of money? And the answer to is based on the evidence. In this article you will read about some differences in between types of protein supplements in order to decide if it is worth it for you. It also depends on what your goals are. If you are trying to increase lean body mass and reduce subcutaneous and visceral fat, protein supplements correlation with resistance training, may help you achieve your goal faster.

Supplements like protein powders are a convenient way to get in the amino acids your body needs to recover after muscle breakdown after a workout. If used consistently, along with your workouts, you might see muscle growth more quickly. Of course, a balanced diet made up of whole food protein sources, whether plant or animal protein, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, good fats and low-fat dairy is still necessary to get all of the nutrients our body requires and play a huge role in full recovery and steady muscle growth.

How to choose the right supplement for you
Soy protein versus whey:

1. Soy protein contains a lower EAA profile and less BCAAs, which affects muscle protein synthesis

2. They both are considered a complete high quality proteins

3. Soy protein is a plant-based protein and whey is animal-based

4. Other than their amino acid profiles, they differ in their ability to be digested and absorbed by the body (some people might have a hard time digesting whey protein)

5. Whey protein is higher in leucine, an amino acid which plays a critical role in protein synthesis as well as decreasing the breakdown of muscle. This is how dietary supplements may help you increase/maintain lean body mass over time.

6. Some studies have found no significant differences between consuming soy protein or whey protein supplements when strength gains were measured, even if whey protein had a greater tendency to increase lean body mass.

7. Currently, the research has not proven any type of protein supplement to be superior in lean body mass gains. Some studies shows protein supplementation to help with muscle gain but the results are not significant enough to make a conclusive claim.

Supplements can be quite a big investment but considering the possible benefits we can gain from them, they might be worth considering. Although you might not see significant results based on only supplement consumption, it will provide the essential nutrients our bodies need for recovery and may help compensate for some nutrients, to some degree, for days when nutrition isn't optimal.