{"id":19591,"date":"2022-07-13T15:39:56","date_gmt":"2022-07-13T14:39:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/?p=19591"},"modified":"2024-11-26T16:04:09","modified_gmt":"2024-11-26T16:04:09","slug":"which-supplements-do-you-actually-need","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/which-supplements-do-you-actually-need\/","title":{"rendered":"Which supplements should I take?"},"content":{"rendered":"

With thousands of supplements on the market, it\u2019s hard to know which are best suited to your needs. From powders and pills to pre-workouts and protein bars, the choice can be overwhelming. We’re here to help. Here are some suggestions to support your specific health and fitness goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

Muscle hypertrophy<\/b><\/h2>\n

Muscle growth, or hypertrophy, is contingent on a number of factors, two of the main ones being training and nutrition. Once resistance training induces a hypertrophic response (breaks muscles down), the next step is to provide the muscles with protein. This enables effective muscle protein synthesis to take place, allowing muscles to grow in size.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A common analogy likens your muscles to a brick wall. Resistance training is when the sledgehammer smashes down the wall (ouch). Protein and nutrition build the wall back up, but with more bricks (phew). With a larger and stronger wall, it takes more for the sledgehammer to break it down. This is why it’s easier to build more muscle as a beginner, and more difficult as an advanced trainer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Protein powder<\/b><\/h3>\n

Protein powder<\/b><\/a>, including the likes of whey protein and vegan protein, is the go-to supplement for those looking to enhance the results of their training. Numerous studies show that protein supplementation has a positive effect on building lean muscle mass when training stimulus is adequate [<\/span>1<\/b><\/a>]. Put simply, informed training combined with protein supplementation equals progress.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are many different types of protein powder. The most popular is a balanced whey consisting mainly of protein. But for those looking to increase their muscle mass and promote weight gain, a <\/span>mass gainer<\/b><\/a> could be a better option. If you\u2019re on an intense bulking programme, struggle to put on muscle, or want an easier way to boost those daily calories, this is the formula for you.<\/span><\/p>\n

For the advanced trainer out there, our <\/span>Informed Whey\u00ae Protein<\/b><\/a> is recommended. Although the Informed Sport accreditation is unnecessary for casual lifters, even those not competing as professionals can benefit from the high-level formula. Its aim? To be the best protein shake money can buy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"bulk-creatine-protein\"<\/h3>\n

Strength and performance gain<\/b><\/h2>\n

Increasing muscle mass and gaining strength, although correlated, are not the same thing. Muscle hypertrophy has the sole concern of making the muscle appear as large as possible on the body. This is primarily for aesthetic purposes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, strength gain is all about performance. How heavy can you lift? At the extremes, this often results in differing physiques. Just look at a pro powerlifter or strongman, and compare their mass and bulkiness to the carved definition of a bodybuilder. It\u2019s chalk and cheese. And for strength athletes, that <\/span>chalk<\/b> is being used to lift massive barbells off the floor.<\/span><\/p>\n

Put simply, muscle building aims to increase the size of the muscle (how it looks), while strength training aims to increase the functionality of the muscle (how it performs).<\/span><\/p>\n

Having cleared that up, there is a lot of overlap between strength increase and muscle growth, which is why they are often viewed as synonymous. After all, a large part of creating a hypertrophic response in the muscles is to create a progressive overload. This requires a gradual increase in heavier weights (and thus an increase in strength).<\/span><\/p>\n

This means that, in terms of supplementation, there is not much difference between muscle growth and strength gain. In particular, if you are an intermediate or non-competing lifter. It\u2019s the training that\u2019s different. As a trainer who incorporates both styles of training into their routine, looking to improve both aesthetics and performance at the same time, your supplementation could achieve both. The following supplement is an example of this.<\/span><\/p>\n

Creatine Monohydrate<\/b><\/h3>\n

One of the world\u2019s most heavily researched substances, <\/span>creatine<\/b><\/a> is a rockstar when it comes to empirically credible supplements. At this point, its ability to amplify\u00a0 performance is unequivocal. Undisputed, undoubted. The world heavyweight champion of supplements.<\/span><\/p>\n

But what does it actually do? Well, creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise [<\/span>2<\/b><\/a>]. It does this by increasing the energy available to the muscle while lifting, meaning you have the necessary reserves to perform better for longer with great results being seen in exercise that relies on explosive, repeated, high-intensity movements. Fancy some heavy squats, bench and deadlifts, anyone? If you’re interested in hearing a more detailed account on exactly how creatine works, see our <\/span>guide to creatine<\/b><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Photo by Josh Greet www.joshgreet.co.uk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Related Products<\/h4>
\n \n \"Pure\n <\/a>

Pure Whey Protein\u2122 - Chocolate Honeycomb 5kg<\/a><\/h2>
<\/div><\/div>Shop Now - \u00a3169.99<\/a><\/div>
\n \n \"Essential\n <\/a>

Essential Mass Gainer - Vanilla 1kg<\/a><\/h2>
<\/div><\/div>Shop Now - \u00a314.99<\/a><\/div>
\n \n \"Creatine\n <\/a>

Creatine Monohydrate Powder - Unflavoured 500g<\/a><\/h2>
<\/div><\/div>Shop Now - \u00a329.99<\/a><\/div>
\n \n \"Informed\n <\/a>

Informed Whey Protein - Double Chocolate 900g<\/a><\/h2>
<\/div><\/div>Shop Now - \u00a344.99<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/b><\/p>\n

Fat loss<\/b><\/h2>\n

We specify this as \u2018fat loss\u2019 because we know that your goal is often not to lose weight, but to strip fat away and thus reveal the muscle underneath. This is sometimes referred to as \u2018toning\u2019, although this is something we know<\/span> doesn\u2019t actually exist<\/b><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fat loss is all about maintaining a calorie deficit. If you consume less calories than you burn, you are pretty much guaranteed to lose fat. Sounds easy, right? It is. Fat loss is simple to understand, but difficult to execute. Supplementation is there to help you with the execution part as much as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

Low\/zero-calorie foods<\/b><\/h3>\n

Using <\/span>low-calorie food<\/b><\/a> alternatives can reduce your total daily intake of calories. For example, if you were to use a <\/span>Zero Calorie Syrup\u2122<\/b><\/a> in your porridge rather than something like Nutella, that could save you 80-100 calories a day (one tablespoon of Nutella contains 100 calories*). If you had porridge every morning, this one change could decrease your weekly calorie intake by 700 calories. And trust us, once you try the syrup, you won’t go back.<\/span><\/p>\n

High percentage protein powder<\/b><\/h3>\n

The tricky part of fat loss is ensuring your hard-earned muscle mass stays there after dieting. To do this, you need patience. If you plummet your body into an overly large calorie deficit too quickly, you will struggle to adjust as it’s so different from what your body is used to. This puts you at greater risk of falling off the wagon and wondering why you find it hard to adhere to your diet. Not ideal. Instead, you need to take it slow and keep your calories and protein intake as high as possible, while still being in a significant calorie deficit. This is difficult to execute.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s where protein supplementation comes in. <\/span>Pure Whey Isolate\u2122<\/b><\/a> is designed to offer a high dose of protein, with very little in the way of carbs and fats. This means it\u2019s perfect if you want precise control over your calorie intake and macros. It allows you to hit your protein intake, while retaining an easy calorie deficit.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Wellness<\/p>\n

General health and wellbeing<\/b><\/h2>\n

Vitamins<\/b><\/h3>\n

Vitamin supplementation is often overlooked. We get vitamins from wholefoods, but it is easy for many of us to miss out the amount needed to feel our optimal self. Taking vitamins is a simple and efficient method<\/strong> of increasing your intake and making up for any deficiencies.<\/span><\/p>\n