Body Building Supplements
Your muscles are one of the most important parts of your body. They do so much for the body from giving you the ability to lift heavy objects to pumping blood throughout the entire body. One key component to properly nourishing your muscles would be to consume the appropriate amount of vitamins and minerals daily. Whether you are trying to shed a few extra pounds or want to increase you strength in hopes to lift heavy objects, muscles need to be properly nourished. You would be surprised how heavily muscles depend on proper nutrition and vitamin and nutritional supplements; in fact, it goes hand in hand in living a healthy lifestyle.
Because it is often difficult to obtain all necessary vitamins through the wholesome foods we eat to promote an increase in muscle, supplements are encouraged. There are a number of vitamins and minerals that play a huge role in the aid of building more muscle which can be purchased over the counter. The most important vitamins and minerals to look for are as follows:
Potassium is essential to increasing muscle. It is one of the main electrolytes that carry magnetic fields throughout the rest of the body for energy and to maintain hydration. It also generates muscle contractions to regulate the heartbeat. Foods high in potassium but are low in sodium include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Because the FDA limits how much you can purchase within a single multivitamin, be sure to eat a healthy amount within the good whole foods consumed daily.
Magnesium works hand in hand with potassium to maintain the level of potassium in the cells. It also helps muscles process glycogen, activate protein synthesis, and prevent muscle cramps. Good sources include whole grains, legumes, oats, soybeans, black beans, and seafood. Magnesium works at best when combined with zinc and taken at bedtime.
Calcium is necessary for healthy bones and teeth. Your bones are the support for your entire body and to properly nourish them daily is vitally important. When building muscle it is critical that enough calcium is consumed, whether it be through food or supplements, since our bones are the basic structure of the body. Calcium also aids in the functionality of the heart and nerves. Good sources of calcium include milk, yogurt, cheese, green leafy vegetables, tofu, and canned fish.
Vitamin C works alongside of potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus. It is essential for the production and formation of collagen which are the connective tissues that build muscle structure.
Vitamin B Complex aids in the body’s proper use of amino acids and increase the output of growth hormones for those training hard. Good sources can be found in red meat, fish, and whole eggs.
Vitamin C is an absolutely necessary vitamin in order to produce collagen when supports joint health. Good sources include peppers, broccoli, oranges, tomatoes, cantaloupe, strawberries, and cauliflower.
Vitamin E decreases the amount of creatine kinase activity which leads to muscle damage. This is essential for proper muscle repair and is very important for those who are excessive weight lifters. Good sources are wheat germ, soybeans, eggs, nuts, sweet potatoes, spinach, and molasses.
Zinc is essential to maintaining the health of the immune system and repairing of tissues. Taking a good supplement that provides a healthy amount of zinc will be very beneficial to the building of muscle. Good sources of zinc include beef, pork, lamb, chicken, fish, shell fish, dairy products, peanut butter, and legumes.

