Food supplements are a huge hit with sports enthusiasts. From occasional sportsmen and women to top-level athletes, these products are considered indispensable for progress in physical exercise. But what are the real facts?
If these were indeed useful, what would be the best dietary supplements for building muscle mass? For endurance efforts? As usual, we've taken a closer look at this question. But don't worry! Normally, there are no nasty surprises on the horizon.
Taking whey, or other protein powders, genuinely promotes muscle building and is useful for healthy progression in sport. However, some dietary supplements should be consumed with caution, either because they expose you to doping, or because they can damage your health.
We invite you to read on to identify the best food supplements and take advantage of our nutritional advice.
What are dietary supplements?
Before getting to the heart of the matter, we need to differentiate dietary supplements, and more generally nutritional supplements, from conventional foodstuffs and medicines. As their name suggests, supplements are designed to complement the diet. They help prevent deficiencies and provide nutrients when practicing a sport (endurance, weight-building, etc.).
The vast majority of dietary supplements are processed products. However, this is not the case for all of them, and they are not necessarily derived from chemicals. Producers use a variety of processes to extract these valuable substances from everyday foods. These are then reconditioned and marketed in a form that is much easier to assimilate and consume. This is the case with whey, a protein concentrate obtained by mechanical filtration of milk (no product processing). For more details, see our definition of whey.
Good to know: most dietary supplements contain additives. These are a wide variety of chemical substances designed to improve the product's appearance or taste. Today, more and more studies tend to deny their harmlessness, and implicate them in various metabolic pathologies.
In any case, food supplements should not be considered as drugs. They contain an active ingredient that can treat a pathological condition. Dietary supplements simply provide nutrients to help the body function properly.
Indeed, it's important to understand that dietary supplements can't heal you or attack pathogens. On the other hand, taking these products can help you maintain good health and optimize your metabolism (proteins, vitamins, minerals...). In this way, you'll be in the best possible condition to gain mass or stamina.
What does the law say about food supplements?
Like medicines, dietary supplements are a family of products in their own right. Their manufacture and marketing are governed by law. Although legislation allows producers a certain degree of latitude, they are obliged to declare the marketing of their products to the relevant authorities. Where necessary, checks may be carried out to ensure that the food supplement represents no danger to public health.
Some products that are considered dietary supplements are not so under French law. In fact, protein powders, which in common parlance are regarded as such, do not fall into this category. Unfortunately, this situation suggests that the competent authorities are not examining their composition or their potential effects on consumers.
Fortunately, whey and casein are derived from milk. Although often lactose-free, these milk by-products are entitled to special attention under the French Consumer Code. Health checks are carried out at national and European level. What's more, since the Lactalis affair, health checks on these products have been stepped up.
When it comes to dietary supplements in the ordinary sense of the word, various labels have been introduced to reassure the public. For example, you can now find anti-doping labels, certifying that a dietary supplement does not expose you, a priori, to any risk of doping. These labels can therefore help athletes and body-builders choose a product free from doping contaminants.
How to identify the best food supplements?
The information provided above already shows that there are many misconceptions about dietary supplements. In fact, they are not medicines. They are not chemical concentrates, and some products that are thought to be dietary supplements are not technically so, at least in the legal sense.
First and foremost, therefore, you should do your own research on any product before introducing it into your diet. Sportsmen, athletes and bodybuilding enthusiasts should not choose a dietary supplement based on hearsay. They need to take a step back, rely on recognized, reliable sources, and understand how any product can help them progress. They also need to make sure that the product delivers on its promises. But how can we be sure?
Well, well, well! When it comes to supplementation and dietary supplements, the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) is the authority. It has conducted or supervised thousands of studies on dietary supplements since the 1980s.
Ahead of its European counterparts, the AIS has earned the trust and respect of athletes and nutrition specialists worldwide. The organization has since established a classification system for dietary supplements, enabling their efficacy and safety to be assessed. This reference system helps you choose the best supplements for progressing in bodybuilding, fitness or any other sporting discipline.
AIS classification update
The AIS has classified supplements into 4 groups, from group A to group D. This simple classification answers the questions that athletes may ask themselves: Is this food supplement really recognized as effective? Is it potentially harmful to my health? Is its consumption permitted in the discipline I practice?
Supplements belonging to group A are therefore recognized as effective, and as such will have no doping effect. On the other hand, a product belonging to group D is not very effective, is potentially dangerous to your health and exposes you to the risk of doping.
The establishment of this ranking was not left to chance. With the benefit of hindsight and scientific analysis, the AIS has compiled numerous studies on the food supplements in question. So, if a product has been placed in a particular group, it's because studies and the opinions of scientists justify this decision.
To make the right choice among the products on the market, any athlete or body-builder should refer to this AIS classification. A dietary supplement from group A will be a great ally for progress. On the other hand, a substance belonging to group D should be avoided at all costs. As the other groups appear to have an unfavorable benefit/risk balance, we strongly advise against their consumption.
Overview of AIS-listed dietary supplements
In the almost 50 years of its existence, the AIS has been able to examine numerous dietary supplements. The most common products, such as protein powders, have been classified by specialists. This classification already gives you an idea of the effectiveness of the dietary supplements you're interested in, and the appropriate advice.
We therefore encourage you to visit the AIS website to find out about the recognized effects of dietary supplements and their opinions on them. This platform brings together the results of studies carried out on various products. These studies provide you with valuable information on the benefits of dietary supplements and, where applicable, their side effects.
To help you choose the right food supplements, we're going to present the 4 groups created by the AIS and the corresponding reviews, as well as a few products belonging to these groups.
Group A
Group A includes food supplements whose beneficial effects have been proven by countless studies. They can therefore be incorporated into the nutrition program of both top-level athletes and bodybuilding enthusiasts.
These products can be consumed with complete peace of mind, as long as the indicated doses are respected. Studies carried out in recent years show that they do not present a health risk. However, excessive consumption is not without consequences. Athletes and body-building enthusiasts should be aware of the dangers of over-consumption before taking supplements.
Group A includes many products commonly found in parapharmacy and specialist outlets. These include protein supplements, energy bars, caffeine and carbohydrate drinks for athletes. However, we'd like to focus on two categories of dietary supplements: whey and creatine.
Please note: although protein powders, energy bars and high-protein drinks belong to group A, it's worth taking a closer look at their composition. Each ingredient can be classified separately. In fact, energy bars belong to group A. However, they may contain additives or ingredients found in Group C. On this subject: why take a whey without additives?
Whey
Whey protein, and milk-based proteins in general, are considered excellent dietary supplements for athletes and body-builders. In addition to its high protein content, whey is highly bioavailable, providing muscles with valuable amino acids immediately after exercise.
To build muscle mass, athletes need between 1.6 and 2g/kg/d of protein. Whey supplements your protein intake. Unlike other protein powders, whey is low in carbohydrates and virtually fat-free.
Whey itself presents no health hazard. However, this protein powder may be mixed with additives. Additives which are said to be the cause of certain digestive problems and various metabolic disorders.
In any case, whether you choose classic whey, whey isolate or hydrolyzed whey, focus on the list of ingredients, their nature and origin.
A word of advice: a gainer is most often whey to which a source of carbohydrates is added. It's easy to make your own homemade gainer.
On our website, you'll find easy-to-follow recipes for a gainer with the right amount of carbohydrates and vitamins. Carbohydrates are essential in the post-exercise phase, particularly for replenishing glycogen stores. For further information: Whey or gainer, how to choose and what are the differences?
Creatine
La créatine est un acide aminé non essentiel synthétisé par l’organisme. Le corps en produit naturellement 1 à 2 g par jour à partir des protéines fournies par les repas. Après une succession de réactions biochimiques, cette substance est stockée sous forme de créatine ou de phosphocréatine, au niveau des muscles et des os. Celle-ci permet aux muscles de déployer davantage d’énergie sur des efforts très courts (< 30 secondes) pendant vos entraînements et influe sur la récupération musculaire.
Studies1-2 show that creatine improves performance and later mass gain during high-intensity exercise (heavy weights, short duration, sprints...). However, this amino acid would not, at first sight, be of any use to endurance sports enthusiasts. Creatine is therefore intended for people wishing to gain muscle, or for those involved in sports requiring explosive power.
Typical use: for satisfactory results, specialists recommend taking 5 g of creatine monohydrate, 4 times a day, for 5 days. After these 5 days, take 5 g a day to maintain the creatine stock thus built up.
Group B
Group B brings together substances with great potential for supplementation. However, their properties have not been sufficiently studied, and there is still a lot of uncertainty as to their effects on the body. Researchers are not denying their efficacy, but they are encouraging athletes to take them under supervision.
Group B dietary supplements are mostly substances with antioxidant properties or metabolism-enhancing compounds. In the right conditions, they do not necessarily produce significant results, but they do provide a little help. Omega 6 and omega 3 fall into this category. These omegas are among the compounds attracting interest for their potential benefits in terms of body function, integrity and/or metabolism, as meal supplements.
This time, we'll be focusing on vitamin C and carnitine.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a water-soluble compound involved in numerous chemical reactions. It is involved in blood cell synthesis and promotes immune responses. Vitamin C also reduces the damaging effects of free radicals.
For athletes, it helps limit the damage caused by exertion. This vitamin helps reduce physical pain following a workout. At the same time, this compound accelerates the repair of damaged muscle fibers, promoting muscle recovery3-4.
Dietary supplements containing vitamin C could therefore potentially help muscle-building. However, care must be taken with the quantity ingested. Consumers should not exceed 1g per day. Exceeding this amount can lead to digestive problems and expose athletes to long-term kidney disease5.
Carnitine
Carnitine or L-carnitine is one of the ingredients often found in sports supplements. It is also a derivative of amino acids, notably lysine and methionine.
This substance plays a role in fat removal. It enables the body to draw on its reserves to supply energy to the muscles. This compound also preserves muscle proteins during muscle catabolism. To delve deeper into the subject, we take a closer look at the association of whey with Carnitine.
Taking L-Carnitine improves muscle recovery and promotes weight loss6-7. To benefit from the positive effects of consuming this substance, you should consume between 1.4 and 3 g of L-Carnitine per day, divided into two intakes, over at least 12 weeks. L-Carnitine is ideal for people who enjoy long training sessions, or conversely for short training sessions with heavy loads.
Group C
Group C covers dietary supplements whose efficacy has not been proven, or which present dangers to human health. In very rare cases, however, these dietary supplements can be found in an athlete's nutrition program. Physical trainers and coaches closely monitor athletes who consume these products. Like the Australian Institute of Sport, we advise against the use of these substances.
Group C brings together a variety of substances, including vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Although the list is long, we're mainly interested in BCAAs and leucine. These are two ingredients that are often praised, and sometimes even enrich the composition of protein powders such as whey or casein.
BCAA/Leucine
The acronym BCAA (Branched Chain Amino Acids) stands for branched-chain amino acids. These molecules are made up of leucine, isoleucine and valine. In so-called "2:1:1" products, the amount of leucine is twice that of isoleucine and valine. This is why leucine is credited with some of the benefits of BCAAs.
Researchers have conflicting views on the roles of BCAAs and leucine in mass gain and muscle recovery. Nevertheless, these scientists agree that the consumption of BCAAs and leucine promotes the synthesis of new muscle tissue following appropriate training. This is one of the reasons why protein powders (naturally rich in BCAAs and leucine) are suitable for muscle recovery.
The fact remains that mass gain is not as significant as when ingesting a high-nutrition, non-isolated, unprocessed protein such as whey protein. In this context, pure BCAAs will not produce results as significant as whey.
However, specialists recommend the consumption of proteins rich in essential amino acids with BCAAs or leucine. Such a dietary supplement should further promote muscle building.
The problem also lies in the quality, production and origin of these BCAAs, which can be isolated from animal remains (feathers, skins, furs), obtained from GMOs, or even derived from human hair8...
Group D
All dangerous and doping substances have been placed in Group D. Studies carried out in recent years have shown that these compounds cause serious disorders and can even shorten a sportsman's life expectancy.
Group D substances are therefore all forbidden to athletes. Here, any consumption can ruin your health and your efforts to progress on the professional circuit.
Group D includes stimulants, hormone precursors, anabolic compounds, metabolic modulators and growth hormones.
A quick reminder about supplementation
The AIS ranking enables you to identify the most effective and healthiest food supplements.
Nevertheless, we stress that supplementation does not directly lead to muscle gain. This phenomenon is the result of a physiological adaptation to effort and exercise.
In this context, your training is at the heart of your progress. You'll need to set up a training program that's tailored to your needs, to help you build muscle and endurance.
Without it, the body will not synthesize new muscle tissue. Sports nutrition and supplementation are the key to meeting your nutritional needs for mass gain, effective muscle building and ideal weight control.
Food supplements complement your diet and optimize the results of your workouts. Although there are countless supplements to choose from, protein powders (as long as you choose quality) remain a safe bet for progress. Supplementing your protein intake is essential, whatever your sport. The same applies if you're a keen runner, trail runner, cyclist or fitness enthusiast.
On this subject:
Some quality dietary supplements can bring you closer to your goals and help you move towards performance while staying healthy. Find out more about the effect of each dietary supplement you are interested in.
Nevertheless, your impressions, your health and your well-being are paramount. Food supplements are comfort products, in addition to meals, which should bring us pleasure and serenity in the long term.
We can't stress enough that dietary supplements should always come3rd in importance, behind proper training and a varied, balanced, high-quality diet.
But don't forget to consult a specialist and browse our site for invaluable nutritional advice to help you adapt your meals.
To find out more :
- How to promote muscle recovery?
- What's the best protein powder for drying out?
- Which whey brand to choose?
