We all know that building those lean, nice looking muscles is tough. You cannot create them merely by pushing yourself to the limit and gorging yourself on protein. Building muscles takes workouts, allowing your body to recover, and a solid, balanced diet. While workout sessions are indubitably important, maintaining a balanced diet should be every bodybuilder’s top priority. The thing is, even the best diet should be supplemented if you want to get your muscles to grow quickly and to recover rapidly and adequately.
When people hear the word “supplements” the first things that come to mind are usually creatine, fat burners, whey, etc. That happens because ads for those supplements are everywhere. It seems like every billboard in every city simply screams “Take more whey!” or “Stuff yourself with creatine!”
The truth is that the supplements you need are not those mentioned above. You need to take vitamins in order to stimulate muscle growth and recovery. So, guess what? Your mom was right. Eating broccoli and taking vitamins will do wonders for your physique.
How do vitamins work to provide muscle growth?
If you’re not new to fitness, then you already know the basics. Carbs provide the body with the fuel it needs, but the tissues in our bodies are made up from fat and protein. Vitamins and minerals boost your body’s ability to use protein and fat, and in turn, they can create noticeable and quick muscle growth.
Now, before you start stuffing your cabinets and shelves with every vitamin product, let’s take a look which vitamins you actually need for muscle growth.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C had to be mentioned; it was simply inevitable. Most of us reach for the vitamin C tablets when we’re feeling ill, but why do we do it? We do it because this vitamin helps bolster the immune system. So, in order to improve your immune system and to avoid being susceptible to illness, grab a pill of vitamin C! Don’t forget to do that every day, since this vitamin is not stored by the body.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is produced when the skin is exposed to the sun. That means that most people who are not getting enough sunlight (lawyers, office workers, teachers) are deficient in this vitamin. As a result, those people usually have decreased strength and increased chance of muscle atrophy.
The classic function of this vitamin is to increase absorption of calcium and to maintain proper bone health, but it’s also good for your heart. Recent studies have suggested that vitamin D can improve vascular compliance, and help lower blood pressure.
Basically, skipping on vitamin D is like skipping a leg day so, don’t do it! To increase the intake of vitamin D, try eating more cheese, egg yolks, and beef liver. However, if you’re really picky when it comes to food, don’t worry, an organic multivitamin supplement like Floradix will also do the trick.
B vitamins
There are many types of this vitamin, and they all play important roles in body repair function.
The three most important B type vitamins are B6, folate, and B12, at least when it comes to muscle recovery. Vitamins B6 and B12 have a direct role in metabolizing protein and fat. As a bodybuilder or a fitness addict, you need the amino acids to repair your muscles, and the fat to serve as a source of energy.
Vitamin B12 also helps with the production of red blood cells which deliver oxygen to your muscles. Of course, the most important role of this vitamin is that supports neurological function, which is, as you might presume, essential for muscle control.
Don’t presume that taking more vitamin B12 will improve your energy or your workouts. It will do so only if you’re deficient, so consult your doctor before starting to eat more meat, poultry, or seafood in order to increase the levels of this vitamin.
Vitamin E
For the first time since the discovery of this vitamin, we actually know what its cellular function is. Vitamin E protects muscles and other cell types. Every cell in your body has a membrane, and every membrane can be torn. Vitamin E helps repair those membranes.
Almonds are an excellent source of this vitamin, so eat a couple of them when you’re relaxing in front of your TV after a good workout and help your cells repair.
Even a rich diet can lack certain nutrients, so don’t be afraid to supplement your diet with vitamins and minerals. Just remember that vitamins are meant to enhance an existing healthy diet, so don’t rely just on them to help you reach your goals.
About the Author:
I’m a fitness and health blogger at Ripped.me, and a great fan of the gym and a healthy diet. I follow all the trends in fitness, gym and healthy life, and l love to share my knowledge in this field through useful and informative articles.