Do body building supplements work? This is a common question that many people may have when they walk into any health or nutrition store and see the large volume of powders, pills and other products that flood store shelves. Now, this is a very fair question to ask, but it is unlikely that anyone in the store will say that they offer a product that does not work!

However, people need to be realistic about what they expect body building supplements to be able to offer. They are not miracle products that will pack on 50lbs of muscle nor will they magically burn off 10lbs of fat. Body building supplements have their particular values, but these values and benefits are based on realistic nutrition and science and not over the top advertisements. Well, that is not entirely accurate. Often, the advertisements and their claims act as substitutes for actual science and this is unfortunate.

The Magazine Days

In the early days prior to the great expansion of nutrition shops all across the USA, virtually all body building supplements were sold via mail order through body building magazines. These ads were generally bombastic and promised that the person who took the supplements would develop a body builder physique of massive dimensions. Now, this is a bit of a stretch! However, within the hyperbole was some truth – these supplements are helpful. However, they will not pack on a massive amount of unrealistic muscle. So what is it the body building supplements will actually do?

The Supplements

Different body building supplements do different things. In general, however they are designed for building mass and reducing fat. In terms of mass building, there are those supplements that increase testosterone production, there are creatine supplements that help the muscle retain water, there are supplements that aid in providing significant calories without excess fat and then there are those protein supplements that aid in the repair of muscle after a hard workout. The fat loss supplements either suppress appetite or they speed up heart rate to burn more calories.

While this may seem somewhat mundane it is because it is an explanation of what these products actually do without any hyperbole that attempts to sell a particular product. While this is not over the top, it is accurate and accuracy is what you want when selecting a product. Or would you prefer to take the word of a nutty over the top ad campaign instead?

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If there ever was a true legend in the sport of body building it would be the legendary Lou Ferigno. In the 1970’s, Ferigno was a true rags to riches story as he came from humble origins to worldwide fame as a bodybuilder and then to even greater fame in his endearing portrayal of the titular green monster in the classic television program THE INCREDIBLE HULK.

While some may be familiar with Lou and his work, they may not be all that familiar with his background which may prove to be quite interesting even to those who do not follow the sport.

Early Years

Lou Ferigno was born in Brooklyn New York in the 1950’s and had the handicap of being deaf. Since attitudes towards the hearing impaired were not exactly progressive during this time period, Lou became somewhat withdrawn and isolated. While in his teens he would discover a new hobby in the form of weightlifting. Lou became enamored with this new hobby to the point of obsession. He would work out everyday and watch his diet religiously. In time, he would set his sights on competing in amateur body building competitions. He entered them and did well enough that he caught the eye of body building mogul Joe Weider who brought Lou into the fold of professional body building competition. Lou did extremely well in this new profession although he alternated his time between competing and working in construction as construction paid far more than professional body building! Lou would then become featured in the classic documentary PUMPING IRON, a documentary that would bring him to the attention of a number of Hollywo od producers.

The Hulk

When former James Bond villain Richard “Jaws” Kiel bombed as the Hulk during the first few days of shooting the pilot for the TV series, Ferigno got the call to play the green goliath. While few believed this series would be a hit, it turned out to be a colossal hit lasting many years on network TV and decades in syndication. Ferigno was now a bona fide worldwide star!

Ferigno no longer competes in body building these days as he is well into his retirement years. He does, however, appear at numerous competitions as a special guest and as a judge. He also signs autographs at comic conventions and meets with all his fans who have followed his career through the years. In terms of pop culture history, Lou Ferigno is a true icon and definitely one of a kind!

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Perhaps one of the most important keys to body building success is nutrition because it provides the fuel you need not only to survive but also to build muscle and provide energy. ‘

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For body builders, eating small frequent meals throughout the day will increase metabolism and prevent your body from feeding on muscle mass to maintain energy. You have the carbohydrate importance in body building as well to balance within a diet.

Role of Carbs

Carbohydrate importance in body building is significant as carbs are one of the most significant nutrients your body needs for energy. In fact, carbohydrates are your body’s primary source of fuel because it kick starts your pancreas to produce insulin, a hormone that plays a huge role in how proteins and fats are stored.

Insulin’s role in carbohydrate importance in body building is this: This hormone latches onto the carbs and will store them as fat or within the muscle. Plus, the insulin snatches the amino acids that make up protein and uses it for the rejuvenation and repair of muscle cells. It is important to eat the right amount of carbohydrates so that the body uses it as fuel rather than produce too much insulin and end up storing it as fat.

Types of Carbs

When talking about carbohydrate importance in body building, it should be noted that there are two types of carbs – simple and complex. The simple carbohydrates are those that give you an immediate energy release whereas the complex carbohydrates slowly release energy over a period of time.

The complex variety should be consumed throughout the day during your frequent mini-meals to keep you energized. The simple carbohydrates should only be consumed immediately after a workout when your energy stores are depleted and you need an immediate pick-me-up. As you can see, carbohydrate importance in body building can be a bit involved and requires in-depth knowledge of nutrition as well as what foods will provide the best energy bang at the appropriate times.

To give you an idea of the different foods out there that are considered simple carbs, here are a few suggestions: apples, bananas, grapes, pears and pineapple. Complex carbohydrates are many and can be split into two categories – fiber and starch. Some examples of these types of carbs include oatmeal, potatoes, rice, corn, broccoli, lettuce, mushrooms, spinach and peppers.

To accurately interpret carbohydrate importance in body building and strike a healthy balance in your daily diet, it is important to assess your training needs first so then your diet can be arranged to accommodate those needs. The frequency, intensity and duration of your workouts as well as your overall performance body mass goals all play a part in determining the overall carbohydrate importance in body building.

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