As a bodybuilder, when you start looking into adding supplements to your regime, you will most definitely come across the term 'testosterone booster.' Many people mistakenly think that this is steroids - but it isn't. It is true that the FDA has banned a couple of products that were touted as testosterone boosters, but this was because they contained anabolic steroids.
Testosterone is produced naturally in the body. In fact, it is considered to be one of the most active anabolic hormones in the human body. Testosterone levels can be low, high, or normal - normal is what you should be shooting for. A common mistake is that if the testosterone level is high, it results in bigger muscles, in a shorter period of time. Nothing could be further from the truth.
In fact, if the body detects a high level of testosterone, it will automatically start producing less of its own. The next thing that the body does, when it detects too much testosterone is that it goes to work converting that extra testosterone to DHT, which leads to prostate problems and can also cause you to go bald. It may also convert the excess testosterone to estrogen. Once the body has used up all of the excess testosterone, it refuses to produce more testosterone until the extra estrogen is used up at this point.
It's a vicious, ugly circle that is best avoided. Experts agree that you should avoid bodybuilding supplements that have ingredients that include the words 'andro' or have words that end with 'dione' or 'diol.' However, at the same time, you do want your testosterone level to be normal.
The fact is that if you are a bodybuilder, and over the age of thirty, you probably do need testosterone boosters, because the chances are good that your testosterone levels are low. However, the only sure way to determine exactly whether your testosterone level is low, high, or normal, is by visiting your doctor and having a simple blood test done.
If your doctor establishes that your testosterone level is too low, he may issue you a prescription, but the best thing to do is use natural testosterone boosters, in the form of herbs, which can be purchased from your local health food store. The two best herbs for natural testosterone boosters are tribulus terrestris and longifolia. However, you should note that even natural testosterone boosters can raise your testosterone level to much, and this will defeat your purpose.
Of course, there are many other supplements that can be used to help you build muscle. Bodybuilding is about more than lifting weights and working out. There is a great deal to learn about bodybuilding supplements if you really want to build muscle properly. Make sure that you take the time to properly educate yourself concerning those supplements. Make sure that you learn about eating properly as well.
Creatine exploded on the bodybuilding scene in 1993, when it was discovered that this naturally occurring substance actually had the same positive results of steroids, without the negative consequences. There have been debates concerning its safety, but research has won the day with proven studies that show that it is not only safe, but that the main benefit creatine has is that it does everything that scientists have claimed it would.
Creatine was actually 'discovered' in 1832, but it took until 1923 for researchers to find that the human body actually contains about 100 grams of creatine, most of which is stored in muscle tissue. Just three years later, it was reported that this substance actually promoted weight gain, and increased and improved the nitrogen balance in the body.
Not much else was heard about Creatine until about 1986, when a new report was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. This report covered the positive results that were being found when creatine was given to patients who had trouble with metabolization and synthesis. In the late 1980s, research was done to determine whether creatine had any benefits to bodybuilding as well, and it was proven that it did. News of this was published in 1992.
Creatine is produced, naturally, in the liver of the human body. It is created from a combination of methionine, arginine, and glycine. It is also believed that creatine is additionally produced in the kidneys and the pancreas. It travels through the blood, and takes up residence in the muscle cells throughout the body. Here, it goes through yet another natural process, where it is turned to creatine phosphate, also known as phosphocreatine. It remains in the muscle cells until it is needed to produce energy, known as adenosine triphosphate, or ATP.
Over time, the only drawback connected to the use of creatine is weight gain. But, in the bodybuilding world, this isn't a bad thing, because bodybuilding efforts prevent weight gain - except in the instance of weight gained due to increasing muscle size. In other words, if you, as a bodybuilder, are gaining weight, that weight most likely comes from muscle gain, and not fat gain.
So, what is the benefit creatine will bring you? The benefits of creatine are too numerous to name, but in the bodybuilding world, the benefit creatine will most bring to you is the fact that you will have enhanced workouts, which results in faster muscle gain. Furthermore, while Creatine is naturally produced in the body, as a bodybuilder, you use it up so fast that it isn't replaced in a timely manner, which is why a creatine supplement will give you the creatine that you need to achieve your goals.
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