Nutrition Supplements for Body Building
Many athletes and body builders turn toward nutritional supplements such as glutamine, creatine and protein for faster muscle growth. By taking these supplements, athletes and body builders may see faster muscle growth. However, if the wrong amounts of protein, creatine and glutamine are taken then these supplements can be dangerous or even toxic. If you're planning on taking one of these nutritional supplements for body building then you need to understand their side effects and how much you need to take.
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Creatine
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According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, not all clinical studies agree that creatine results in increased lean muscle mass or strength during activities like weight training. Creatine does not have any effect on physical endurance, but for short periods of time may increase speed. Use of creatine for athletic performance is banned by many athletic organizations including the National Collegiate Athletic Association, The French Agency of Medical Security for Food and The Healthy Competition Foundation.
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, there is also a concern that taking pure creatine can result in kidney damage or stop the body's ability to produce creatine on its own. Adults older than 19 who plan on taking creatine should take 2 to 5 grams consistently on a daily basis.
Glutamine
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There are currently no side effects associated with taking glutamine that have been reported in glutamine studies. However, according to the University of Michigan Health System, "Healthy people do not need to supplement with glutamine." Glutamine does not need to be used for body building and should only be used for serious health conditions under the supervision of a doctor. There are currently no side effects associated with taking glutamine that have been reported in glutamine studies.
Protein
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According to the McKinley Health Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, studies of weight lifters who took whey protein showed greater strength gains than those who did not. According to the McKinley Health Center, individuals need approximately 1 to 2 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day depending on their activity level.
According to the Harvard University Gazette, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital have found that high-protein diets result in decreased kidney function in women with already reduced kidney function. Taking too much of anything, especially protein, can be bad. To avoid damaging your kidneys you should only consume 1 to 2 grams of protein per day. According to Amy Goodson, a registered dietitian with Ben Hogan Sports Therapy Institute and Texas Christian University Athletics, protein supplements should never be used as meal replacements and consuming protein within 45 minutes of workout can increase protein synthesis.
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