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By giving 100% during training, you expect that over time you will achieve your intended goals – both those related to your figure and those related to improving your condition and fitness. In these struggles, it is worth reaching for the right supplementation, which will help you see the results of your efforts in the mirror faster and will provide significant support for the body. Choosing the right supplementation is an important issue, but it is worth remembering that when we take the preparations also plays a significant role.
Anabolic window
Every gym-goer has heard this term before, but probably not everyone knows what it really means. The anabolic window is the period right after training, which lasts from about 1.5 to 2 hours. It is characterized by an accelerated metabolism caused by exercise and an increased demand for nutrients, the satisfaction of which promotes proper muscle regeneration [1] . Therefore, this is the best time to provide the body with protein, carbohydrates and minerals that we "got rid of" during exercise.
So what supplements are worth having with you during the anabolic window?
- Protein
Protein supplements are a convenient and effective solution for active people. Without proteins, you will not only not build satisfactory muscle mass, but most importantly, you will not regenerate your muscles. By using protein supplements after physical exercise, you supplement missing amino acids and prevent muscle tissue catabolism. It is worth paying attention to whether the protein product you reach for contains a fast-absorbing protein (e.g. whey protein isolate WPI, whey protein hydrolysate WPH).
- BCAA
BCAA supplements contain essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine and valine. These amino acids perform a number of important functions in the body: they regulate insulin action, enable protein synthesis, counteract catabolism, and regenerate muscle tissue that has been destroyed during intensive training.
- Creatine
It is a substance popular among people whose primary goal is to increase muscle mass. Creatine works somewhat like a pump, in which the energy needed for protein synthesis in muscle tissue is released and stored. Supplements containing creatine help increase endurance and affect the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is an important factor in the body's energy production.
- Carbohydrate supplements
Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy that the body lacks so much after intense physical exercise. Carbohydrate supplements help to quickly replenish muscle glycogen. Due to the fact that glycogen regenerates most intensively up to two hours after training, using carbohydrate supplements after a visit to the gym may be a good solution for people who exercise daily with medium or high intensity.
[1] Aragon AA, Schoenfeld BJ. Nutrient timing revisited: is there a post-exercise anabolic window? J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013 Jan 29;10(1):5. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-10-5. PMID: 23360586; PMCID: PMC3577439.
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