Written by Tim Rigby
Muscle Builders is a 'catch all' category of sorts, which can appeal to fitness enthusiasts, bodybuilders, physique and power sports athletes (i.e. football players), martial artists, power lifters and of course, almost anyone looking to gain muscular bodyweight. While these products all aim to support the process of muscle building in healthy individuals, how they achieve that end can be very different depending on the ingredient profile of the product. This category houses big hitters like Creatine, Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA's), Essential Amino Acids (EAA's) and Glutamine, along with Hormonal Support Products and Weight Gainers.
Creatine
Creatine as a supplement came into wide acclaim in the early 1990's when studies from Memphis State University demonstrated it had an ability to improve contractile strength and help build muscle. Originally, creatine in its monohydrate form was the only choice available to consumers. Over time though, it’s been developed into many different available forms including buffered, alkaline, ethyl ester and hydrochloride. This unflavoured supplement is available in powder form and has been extensively studied, consistently yielded impressive results. Make no mistake, creatine has stood the test of time and can help support big improvements with respect to your gains.
Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA's)
Branched chain amino acids (BCAA's) are comprised of Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine. The reason for the inclusion of “branched” in their name is because if you examine them from a chemical structure point of view, they each have a forked outcropping that resembles a branch. BCAA's have been studied intensely and it’s no secret they’re critical for building muscle, but they also do much more than that – they can help boost energy levels, delay muscular fatigue, and indirectly assist fat loss. What makes them unique is that whereas the other amino acids get processed in your liver, BCAA's tend to be spared and go directly to your muscles. Science has also shown that the ideal consumption ratio for BCAA's is 2:1:1 of Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine respectively.
Essential Amino Acids (EAA's)
As their name implies, Essential Amino Acids (EAA's) can't be made by the body and as such, we must get them from our food and/or supplements. For our purposes here, the nine essential amino acids are: Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Valine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Threonine and Tryptophan. While we got a good overview of Isoleucine, Leucine and Valine in the previous section on BCAA's, it's important to note that the other essential amino acids in this category also play key roles in helping support a wide range of functions related to the muscle building process including, but not limited to: hormone secretion, fat metabolism, nervous system function and appetite regulation – warranting their inclusion herein.
Glutamine
While Glutamine may not receive the same level of fanfare as say creatine, it's quite important to you as a fitness athlete. Technically classified as a conditionally essential amino acid, Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in your muscles, coming in at a whopping 61 per cent of your skeletal muscle composition. It plays a very important role in protein synthesis, meaning it can help prevent breakdown and also improve metabolism. Did you know that after intense training, your stores of glutamine can be depleted for up to six days? That in mind, supplementing with this amino acid may prove to be a wise decision. Glutamine may also be particularly helpful for those who’ve just completed a bulking phase complete with heavy calorie consumption and are now looking to cut up by way of helping preserve your hard-earned muscle.