role of vitamins and minerals in body building

Vitamins and minerals micro nutrients and are required in small quantities but they are super essential because they perform hundreds of roles in the body. Every part of the body, bones, skin, hair, muscles, neurons, everywhere there is requirement for these micro nutrients.

You may consume enough protein for bodybuilding. But, without vitamins you cannot get the desired shape. Every vitamin has a different role in the body and is is essentially required when it comes to reaching fitness goals.

Benefits of vitamins and minerals for making muscles

• Vitamin A supports protein synthesis and it essential for muscle growth and recovery.
• B vitamins helps in metabolism of amino acids in protein. These vitamin supports the generation of energy at the cellular level.
• Vitamin C helps in fighting with free radicals and enhance collagen production that improves your performance with heavy weights reduces the chances of injury.Additionally, vitamin C promotes the production of testosterone in males that is very important for increasing muscle mass, bone density, in fat loss.
• Vitamin E acts as a powerful antioxidant and is excellent for the skin.

Minerals like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium, zinc have their own role in maintaining a sound health.

GLUTAMINE AND IT’S ROLE IN BODYBUILDING

It is the most abundant non- essential amino acid that helps to boost immunity, prevents muscle loss, speeds of muscle recovery and improves digestion.

Glutamine is mostly present in the the skeletal muscle and lungs and performs various essential functions like eliminating waste products like ammonia from the body and it repairs damaged tissues.

While every person can produce certain amounts of  glutamine daily, sometimes due to stress, anxiety and intense workout seasons, it becomes important to increase the intake of glutamine from foods.

Glutamine exists in two different forms:L-glutamine and D-glutamine.

The form found in foods and supplements is L-glutamine.

L-glutamine is used to make proteins and is more important than D-glutamine.

Glutamine supplements may help improve immune function and preserve protein stores in the body.

Glutamine has a little effect on muscle gaining and strength performance.

Glutamine reduces fatigue and muscle soreness during and after workout

For athletes,L-glutamine helps keep them away from muscle wasting and preserve muscle.

Glutamine is an energy source for intestinal and immune cells.

It also helps maintain the barrier between the intestines and the rest of your body and aids with proper growth of intestinal cells.

L-glutamine is an amino acids that help to repair leaky gut.

creatine and it’s role in bodybuilding

Creatine is a substance that is found naturally in muscle cells which helps your muscles produce energy during high intensity workout. Our body produces it from 2 amino acids,  glycine and arginine. Creatine is mainly found in the muscles. A small amount is found in the liver, kidney and brain. Supplementing creatine is now very popular among athletes. Creatine when taken as a supplement increases the production of high energy molecule called ATP. It also decreases the blood sugar levels.

Taking creatine supplement leads to increased muscle mass, recovery, strength.

Benefits of supplementing with Creatine

Reduces protein breakdown : It increases muscle mass by decreasing muscle breakdown.

Increases cell hydration : Increases water content within the muscle cells, that leads to increased muscle growth.

Boosts anabolic hormones : Secretion of anabolic hormones such as  IGF-1 is increased after taking creatine.

Increases workout performance : Studies show that creatine increases the capacity of working out. It assists in heavy weight training and high intensity workout.

Decreases Myostatin levels : High Myostatin levels inhibits muscle growth in the body. Taking creatine supplement significantly reduces the levels of Myostatin in the body leading to fast muscle growth.

Creatine for increased muscle mass

Creatine as the single most beneficial supplement for adding muscle mass. Creatine is effective in short and long term muscle growth. It is beneficial for elderly people, who find difficult to maintain muscle mass.

Creatine for strength, stamina, and overall workout performance

Creatine helps to maintain strength and training performance while increasing muscle mass during intense workout. Creatine increases the production of high energy molecule, ATP. So, your overall performance is greatly enhanced.

Benefits for the nervous system

Creatine helps in many ways in treating diseases like

Huntington’s disease

Parkinson’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease

Ischemic stroke

Motor neuron disease

BCAA AND IT’S ROLE IN BODY BUILDING

There nine essential amino acids, out of which three are the branched-chain amino acids. Leucine, isoleucine and valine. They are essential, meaning they can’t be produced by your body and must be obtained from food. BCAA supplements have been shown to build muscle, decrease muscle fatigue and alleviate muscle soreness.

Some benefits of taking BCAA

INCREASES MUSCLE GROWTH

BCAA stimulates the muscle protein synthesis, the process of building muscles by the body.

DECREASES MUSCLE SORENESS

Researches suggests BCAAs can help decrease muscle soreness after a workout.  BCAAs decrease protein breakdown during exercise and decrease levels of creatine kinase that shows muscle damage .

REDUCES EXERCISE FATIGUE

Your muscles use BCAAs during exercise, decreasing the blood levels. When blood levels of BCAAs starts declining, levels of the essential amino acid tryptophan in your brain increases. Tryptophan is responsible for creating fatigue in the body. So taking BCAAs helps indirectly in decreasing muscle fatigue.

PREVENTS MUSCLE BREAK DOWN

Muscle breakdown is a sign of malnutrition and occurs as a natural part of the aging process. BCAAs holds 35% of the essential amino acids found in muscle proteins. So, consuming BCAAs regularly will slow down the muscle breakdown rate. Studies show that BCAA supplements reduces muscle breakdown.

Top 10 Fruits For Muscle Growth

RASPBERRIES

Raspberries make a great smoothie ingredients, but they are also loaded with flavonoids, antioxidants,and yummy micro nutrients that sustained muscle health. Add raspberries to your muscle building fruit list to keep strong and fit.

STRAWBERRIES

Great as an ingredient in a pre-workout smoothie, strawberries have flavonoids that are good for you.strawberries are a healthy snack that will help to sustain muscle mass while keeping you satiated.

BANANAS

A good choice for a muscle building breakfast, bananas are loaded with power-packed potassium that is essential to muscle formation and maintenance.bananas helps to keep glycogen levels stable, preventing muscle breakdown.

MELON

Melons are a summer time favorite and easy accessible in summer. A fast digesting carbohydrates,melons are a great choice for muscle building.

PINEAPPLE

Pineapples are a member of the the bromeliad family a plant family that is known for their antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties and vitamins. Eat a cup of diced pineapple after your workout to boost muscles recovery and overall health.

APPLES

Any serious bodybuilder knows that an apple a day will help you to stay clean and fit. Apples content polyphenols, micro nutrients that enhance cardiovascular behavior and cell function.

WATERMELON

Watermelon is loaded with citrulline, an amino acid that is converted to arginine, which increase blood circulation, aiding in the development and maintenance of muscle mass.

GRAPEFRUIT

One study showed that people who consumed grapefruit(juice or whole fruit) for breakfast tended to be thinner and leaner than their non-grapefruit eating counterparts.

CHERRIES

These small gems are loaded with explosive nutrients and powerful antioxidants.opt for a handful of sweet red cherries after a workout to boost muscle recovery time and reduce inflammation.

ORANGES

Eat and orange about 30 minutes before your workout to blast free radicals and toxins. The vitamin C in an orange guards the nitric oxide in your system from being depleted. nitric oxide supports blood flow, helping to build and maintain muscle mass.

top 10 food SOURCES RICH IN HEALTHY CARBOHYDRATES

BROWN RICE

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Brown rice is a source of complex carbohydrates, rich in fiber. It helps in lowering cholesterol levels in the body. It is gut friendly and also has a little amount of protein in it.

RAISINS

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Raisins are packed with energy, helps in positive weight gain. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. Raisins boosts iron levels in blood and aids digestion.

MILK

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Milk is a complete food rich in vitamins, protein, healthy fat and can be consumed easily in a variety of ways. Milk is very versatile, can be used for both loosing and gaining weight Consuming more milk helps to stay in surplus calories for weight gain. Milk when consumed at night in moderate quantity with turmeric can provide a plethora of benefits.

OATMEAL

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Oats are incredibly nutritious and is consumed throughout the world. It is high in healthy carbohydrates, rich in a fiber called Beta-Glucan. High in protein, good for digestion, naturally gluten free, reduce bad cholesterol from the body. So, if you are not taking oats, just go for it.

BANANAS

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Banana is one of the most nutrition dense fruits that is cheap, easily available, very versatile for use and has a nice taste. With a plethora of benefits, banana is a super food. They are rich in potassium and suites almost every person. You can use it for both weight gain and weight loss. Banana when taken at morning on empty stomach helps in loosing weight and helps in gaining weight when taken at any other time of the day.

PEANUT BUTTER

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Peanut butter is most widely used product in the fitness industry. It is a good source of protein and healthy carbohydrates.

LENTILS

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Lentils are low in fats and rich in protein, fiber and carbohydrates. It can be used in a variety of dishes. Lentils should be a part of your diet.

SWEET POTATOES

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Sweet Potato is a excellent source of complex carbohydrates. Keeps you filled for a longer time.

CHICKPEAS

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Chickpea is rich in vitamins, minerals,dietary fiber and are high in carbohydrates. It is one of the best replacement of meat for vegans and vegetarians. It is also a good source of plant protein. Helps in controlling blood sugar levels. It contains soluble fiber that increases the number of good bacteria in the gut. It is cheap and has a variety of uses in many cuisines throughout the world.

QUINOA

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Quinoa is one of the best source of complex carbohydrates that is very essential for the body. The South American grain is one of the top food sources naturally high in protein. Rich in fiber, iron, magnesium, lysine, riboflavin, quinoa is getting popular among the fitness freaks.

top 3 killer workout for calf

ROCKING STANDING CALF RAISE

PROCEDURE

1. Place place the verbal on your shoulders and step away from the rack.
2. Raise your heels, flexing your calves to the maximum, as you breathe out.
3. Return to the initial position as you breathe in.
4. Raise your heels, stretching front of your shins, as you breathe out.
5. Return return to the initial position as you breathe in.

SEATED CALF RAISE

PROCEDURE

1. Sit on the machine and place the ball of the foot on the platform with your heels extending off.
2. Place place your lower quadriceps underlever pad.
3. Push push your heels up flexing your calves as you breathe out.
4. Slowly return to the initial position as you breathe in.

CALF PRESS ON LEG PRESS MACHINE

PROCEDURE

1. Sit down on a leg press machine.
2. Placeplace your feet on the platform so that your heels are not on the platform and your legs are slightly bent.
3. Don’t remove the safety bars as they fix your feet on the platform.
4. Press press on the platform, contracting your calves and raising your heels, as you breathe out. Return to the initial position.

HOW TO FIX MUSCLE IMBALANCE

Muscle imbalance is a common problem occurring in people who indulge in strength training. Muscle imbalance means that the strength or size of muscle on one side of the body is not symmetrical to the strength or size of muscle on the other side of the body.

Athletes who play golf, cricket, baseball, tennis, normally suffers from muscle imbalance because they always use dominant side of the body. This problem is also common with gym veterans relying on their naturally dominant side.

We should always focus on the root cause of muscle imbalance and try to fix it. Many athletes take this problem lightly. Muscle imbalance, if ignored for a longer period of time, can create bigger problems like postural deformity, spine problem that that ultimately lead to to issues while sitting, sleeping, walking, running etc.

Use of unilateral exercises

Muscle imbalance can be corrected by adding more unilateral exercises to the workout regime. Unilateral exercises as to isolate one side of the body from the other. The process is quite simple. You should train the weaker side more often then the stronger side.

For example, while doing a bicep curl, and if your left side is stronger, than you should train your right side more than the left side. Your left side being naturally strong is more likely to lift with ease.

Increase your flexibility

Flexibility can also cause muscle imbalance, so you should always stretch after strength training.

Focus on form

People often try to to cure muscle imbalance with their own. They should always consult a trained professional for this issue. Exercise when not done in the proper way can lead to muscle imbalance. So while doing strength training always consult an expert.

RECAP

Perform a dynamic warm up before workout.

Perform unilateral exercises more than bilateral exercises.

Determine the set range by working on the weak side.

Consult an expert.

Perform stretching exercises after strength training.

TOP 10 FOODS RICH IN VITAMINS AND MINERALS

Vitamins and minerals are essential to the body. All of these have to supplement to the body with regular intake of proper diet.

They help the body in performing all vital functions, improve immunity in the body, repair the damaged cells in the body. They even promote longevity of the cells in the body.

So here comes 10 food sources rich in vitamins and minerals.

PAPAYA

Papaya has high amount of vitamins and minerals. Is good for eyes, skin and hair growth. It is a complete food to supply vitamins and minerals. It also promotes weight loss.

STRAWBERRIES

Strawberries ensure both health and taste. They are rich in both vitamins and minerals. Their skin is rich in flavonoids. They also have antioxidants that help to counter free radicals in the body.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Brussels sprouts are a complete source of vitamins and minerals. It is easy to cook and tastes good.

BROCCOLI

Broccoli is considered as the king of foods when it comes to vitamins and minerals. It helps in weight management.

FISH

Is high in vitamins and protein. They have a good amount of minerals in them. It helps in weight management. The fish oil is very good for the skin.

LEAFY GREENS

Leafy greens have all the goodness of health and beauty in it. They are rich in vitamins like A, B, K etc. And minerals like iron, copper, etc. They can be taken as salad, boiled etc.

ASPARAGUS

Asparagus has good amount of vitamins and minerals. It also has a good amount of fiber in it. Improving the intake of nutrient supplements to reducing weight, asparagus plays an important role.

KALE

Belonging to the family of leafy greens kale is high in vitamins and minerals.They also have a good amount of fiber which helps in digestion and weight management.

BELL PEPPER

Belonging to the family of capsicum, this pepper has all the goodness of health and taste. Good amount of vitamins and minerals. So, it is also good for skin, hair, and nails.

LEGUMES

Legumes are rich in vitamins and minerals. They are part of many dishes and also enjoy with meat. They are easy to cook and great to taste. Play have a significant amount of fiber in them. Fiber helps in improving digestion and it helps in reducing weight. Metabolism is improved which results in weight loss.

TOP 10 awesome SOURCES OF HEALTHY FATS

AVOCADO

Avocado is extremely high in healthy fats. About 77%, making their fat content even higher than most animal foods. The fatty acid present is oleic acid, which is known to reduce inflammation and risk of breast cancer.

EGGS

Eggs are loaded with both healthy fats and protein. Single contains about 212 milligrams of cholesterol.

OLIVE OIL

This oil is full of heart healthy fats including oleic acid, vitamin E and K. It is also very high in antioxidants which can reduce inflammation and lower cholesterol. While it’s a very versatile oil, nutrients in gur quality EVOO are destroyed by high heat, so it’s best to cook with regular olive oil and consume it raw.

FISH

Fish is a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids, type of fat that is good for heart, eyes and bone health. Fatty oil rich fish includes Salman, Trout, Sardines, Mackerel, and Herring. These types of fish can help reduce the risk of heart disease and dementia, improve mental health and combat depression.

COCONUT OIL

Coconut oil is primarily made up of medium chain fatty acids, which are metabolized differently than other saturated fat. Consuming which type of fat can help suppress appetite and boost metabolism, contributing to weight loss and improve eating habits.

MACADAMIA NUTS

These nuts contain high amount of monosaturated fat, which is great for heart health. Nuts also contain protein that help you feel satisfied for longer.

ALMOND BUTTER

Almond butter is full of heart healthy fats, protein, and dietary fiber. However majority of the nut butters are high in added sugar and other additives. So you should always opt for all natural nut butters with least additives.

PUMPKIN SEEDS AND SUNFLOWER SEEDS

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Both pumpkin and sunflower seeds are high in polysaturated fats, similar to fish. These seeds spoil easily, causing them to lose their vital nutrients, soch store them in the refrigerator and eat them raw.

WALLNUTS

Walnuts are high in polyunsaturated fats and Omega 3 fatty acids, which are found in plant sources. Story for walnuts in the fridge and consume raw for the greatest nutritional impact.

FLAX SEEDS

Flax seed contains high amount of polyunsaturated fats and Omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3’s positively impact brain function and development in children and play an integral role in heart health. It also help with blood clotting, regulation of hormones, reducing inflammation.