Believe it or not, the most necessary bodybuilding supplements in your arsenal may not be your creatine or protein powder, but rather your daily multi-vitamins. True, these micronutrients (i.e. vitamins and minerals) won’t be directly responsible for packing on the muscle mass, but they will provide a foundation that enables the rest of your nutrition program to have optimal effects.
Truth is, it’s hard for weight trainers to maintain an optimal micronutrient intake due to the intense and frequent training regimens. It should also be taken into account that it can be time consuming and costly to buy, prepare and eat the best possible mix of nutritious foods when we’re already busy with training and trying meet our macronutrient goals (i.e. calories, protein, carbs, fats). For your body to perform at maximum levels, it must have access to all the essential nutrients, especially when your goal is to build massive muscle. This is where a multivitamin supplement comes in. The biochemical reactions that are necessary to keep your body functioning during intense training are assisted by the micronutrients found in these supplements.
Some of the benefits that can be attained from getting the proper mix of vitamins and minerals for the weight trainer include the processes of protein synthesis, which aids in your bodies ability to use protein to build muscle, and metabolic regulation, which controls such things as energy levels, growth and repair of muscle. Other multi-vitamin benefits include:
While your goal should be to consume a hearty helping of nutritious foods everyday, it’s not always that easy. Most weight trainers don’t consistently satisfy their daily micronutrient requirements. Vitamins serve to compensate for this nutrition deficiency, and enhance the metabolic reaction in a person’s system. In strength training, vitamins are especially desirable since they’re vital to replenish all the energy your body has used during a strenuous workout.
What You Should Look for In a Quality Multi-Vitamin
With so many multi-vitamins on the market, choosing the best ones can make your head spin. While manufacturers will have you believe their multi vitamins are best, there are some basic things you should look for when making your selection, such as the ability of the vitamin to be absorbed and the purity of the ingredients.
Your best bet is to go with a premium multivitamin supplement from a trusted nutrition company. That’s because they generally have greater amounts of quality ingredients that contain a higher bioavailability than standard multi-vitamins. They’re also more likely to be better absorbed by your body so you’re getting the vitamins and minerals you need to get the most out of each workout. Universal Nutrition Animal Pak, Gaspari Nutrition Anavite, and MuscleTech Vitakic Hardcore are 3 brands we trust to deliver the potent ingredients and high standards one should expect from a premium multi-vitamin.
