I've often criticized the bodybuilding industry because of some of the claims that they make about their supplements. Many companies make it seem as though you can build muscle and lose fat without any effort on your part. Of course, most people like to lie to themselves and choose to look for a magical solution instead of making a commitment to hard work. It isn't that I love doing things the hard way when there's an easy solution out there. It's just that building muscle, like many other things in life, require a real commitment over a long time. You see, often there is no easy way out.

Does that mean that all supplements are worthless? Of course not. My criticism was really directed at the bodybuilding and weight loss companies. To me, these industries are responsible for much more deception and exploitation than other supplement companies. There are definitely some legitimate supplements out there, and many are getting fantastic recommendations from doctors. For example, the American Medical association recommends that every adult take a multivitamin supplement, and the Food and Drug Administration recognizes that omega three fatty acids may help prevent heart disease. You should definitely consider certain supplements.

Antioxidants should be considered for your overall health, as well as for building muscle. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which otherwise would wreak havoc on your body's cells. Without the protection of antioxidants, this long-term damage could increase your risk of degenerative diseases like cancer or heart disease.

That should be motivation enough for you to take these nutrients seriously. But if you're wondering how they relate to weightlifting or muscle building, try to keep the big picture in mind. You need to keep your body in the best shape possible if you want to build huge amounts of muscle (or even small amounts of muscle for that matter), and antioxidants help you to accomplish that. Starting today, eat more fruits and vegetables. In addition to eating several servings of fruits and vegetables each day, you should consider taking a multivitamin. After all, you're demanding more from your body than the average person. You may even want to take additional amounts of some antioxidants such as vitamin C, since a multivitamin may not contain very much on its own.