How to Rate Bodybuilding Supplements

Adding supplements to bodybuilding can greatly aid in weightlifting.

Lifting weights is a great exercise to build body mass, strengthen muscle and lose weight. However, while a healthy diet is key in helping a building body, supplements are often used to help. Bodybuilding supplements are almost limitless on the shelf, and they quickly begin to seem interchangeable. However, there are key criteria a bodybuilding supplement should meet to be used efficiently and safely.

Things You'll Need

• Pen and paper for making notes

Instructions

1. Rate the cost of the supplement. Bodybuilding supplements can run the gamut from $20 to well over $100. Rating the cost is a ratio of how much supplement is being gained for how high a price. If the supplement is in pill form, divide the cost by the amount of pills to determine how much each pill is costing. If the supplement is in powder form or drink, look at the grams or ounces each container holds. Extremely expensive supplements do not necessarily ensure the best results. Remember, the cost will factor in again when the supplement must be repurchased.

2. Rate the effectiveness. Supplement effectiveness can be rated by the amount of time it takes in conjunction with the amount of exercise done. Does the supplement ease muscle pain at night? Does the supplement boost the thermogenic or energy-metabolizing effect in an hour after consumption? The effectiveness of a supplement is essentially what the label says it will do and how well it actually does it.

3. Rate the side effects. Bodybuilding supplements can cause side effects such as nervousness, feelings of body warmth or weight gain. Side effects can be small in effect and or fade over a period of time as the body adapts to the supplement. However, some side effects can be so strong that they outweigh the effectiveness of the bodybuilding supplement. Side effects rating should take into account description and type of side effect, duration of side effect and magnitude.

4. Compare to comparable supplements. Rating bodybuilding supplements must include comparing them across the board. As there are numerous supplements on the shelf at supermarkets and health stores, writing down the ratings of several items can help establish a baseline. With multiple ratings recorded, standards and scores that bodybuilding supplements have will be easier to determine.

5. Research the supplements for more information. Exercise, fitness and most men's health magazines will feature multiple articles and reviews of bodybuilding supplements. In addition to regular reviews, the magazines will also have consumer responses to multiple supplements as well, which will report how everyday individuals feel about the products.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider increasing protein intake to enhance the impact of weight lifting.

• Always consult a doctor before taking supplements or beginning a weight training regiment.

References

• The Bodybuilding supplement guide

Resources

• Bodybuilding Muscle supplements