Exercise and fat burning supplements are everywhere. In the US alone, dietary supplements were a 17 billion dollar industry in the year 2000 alone, and ten years later that number continues to climb. Supplement manufacturers all over the world are looking for the next “big thing” when it comes to herbs, vitamins and minerals, hoping they can invent a pill or syrup that can be marketed as the next miracle.
The problem is that many of these supplements don’t work as promised. Despite what the manufacturer claims, many of these herbs and nutrients are unable to produce the effects they advertise.
Why Don’t They Work?
Unlike traditional medicine, most supplements are not subjected to FDA regulations. That means that they can be put on the market in the US without much research. Supplements are also allowed to make claims about what their ingredients “can do” provided they put an FDA warning on the label.
Without FDA regulations, some supplements can make claims that they help burn fat, build muscle, reduce stress, etc., even without any scientific evidence that the ingredients have any effect on those symptoms. As a result, some of the products on the market are less effective than they claim – and some have no effect at all.
There are even supplements on the market today that are dangerous to your health, using ingredients that your body is not designed to handle. It’s unfortunate but it’s true – not all supplements work, and some supplements may even be bad for you.
Five Supplements You Should Take
When it comes to creating your six pack, there are very specific supplements that are recommended for burning fat, building muscle, and staying active. These supplements include:
- Whey Protein
Whey protein is the king of all supplements. After a workout, your muscles need rich protein to help recover. Whey protein provides an excellent amount of protein. It has high branched chain amino acid content, rapid absorption, and is acceptable for lacto-ovo vegetarians since whey is derived directly from milk. Whey protein is one of the best ways to get protein into your diet. However, always make sure that you are taking whey protein with natural ingredients. Avoid any whey protein supplements that add any unnatural sweeteners or other chemicals.
- Multi-Vitamins
Nutrition is an important part of achieving a six pack. Every day you need to get the right vitamins and minerals into your diet to keep your body and your muscles healthy. Even if you have a great eating strategy it is still a good idea to take a daily multivitamin in order to ensure your body is getting the nutrients it needs to thrive.
- Joint Supplements
Staying active is an important part of getting the abs you have always wanted. As part of your abs routine you will be doing cardio, building muscles, and performing a lot of actions that use your joints. Taking a joint supplement is often a good idea, because you don’t want aching joints to prevent you from doing the work you need to build your abs.
You’ll want to find a great joint supplement that includes Glucosamine. One of the better joint supplements is Osteo Bi-Flex with 5-loxin, but there are many joint supplements on the market that are useful for lubricating your joints.
- Creatine (advanced)
Creatine is one of the more advanced supplements for muscle and abs building. Creatine has a unique effect on your muscles – it increases their size, and gives them roughly 7 to 10% more power (which helps you build muscle faster). Creatine should be taken as part of an overall abs building strategy, but for those that are committed to getting great abs, Creatine is a very useful supplement.
- Arginine (advanced)
Like Creatine, Arginine is also a valuable supplement for abs building. Arginine is believed to help your muscles gain size more quickly, and possibly lead to an increased power output and recovery from workouts.
3 Fat Burning Supplements
The five supplements listed above are all useful for muscle growth, stamina, and exercise. Yet getting a six pack is also above burning fat. There are many fat burning supplements on the market that are unsafe, heavily caffeine based, or ineffective. It’s important that the supplements you take are safe for both short and long term use. The following three supplement types have shown benefits for those trying to burn fat:
Green Tea (Caffeinated) – Caffeine itself, in moderation, can be useful for keeping you active and energized. Green tea is a healthy form of caffeine, and has been shown in several studies to promote a phenomenon known as “thermogenesis” – a process that burns extra calories throughout the day to promote fat loss.
Cayenne Pepper (Hot Spice) – Like green tea, cayenne pepper also has thermogenic effects that burn extra calories over the course of your day. Science has shown that cayenne is able to boost metabolism anywhere from 5 to 25%.
Cinnamon – Cinnamon also has thermogenesis effects, but perhaps more interesting is that some studies have linked cinnamon with reducing blood sugar, which should make it easier to reduce that likelihood your body stores extra calories as fat.
Using Healthy, Useful Supplements
Supplements can be a valuable part of your six pack ab plan. However, always make sure that the supplement you are choosing is safe and effective. Consider integrating the above supplements into your eating strategy in order to help you get the six pack abs you want.