By: Sean Nalewanyj
Submitted: 2009-11-09 05:47:42 | Word Count: 974
When you get enough vitamins in your diet, your muscle building and fat burning processes can function at their full potential.
Even though there are several vitamins that are important, one certainly stands out among the rest, especially for bodybuilders. This critical supplement for bodybuilding is water-soluble Vitamin C.
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Here are 6 ways in which this supplement for bodybuilding will benefit you both in and out of the gym…
1) It's a potent antioxidant.
"Free radicals" are formed when oxygen combines with other compounds due to intense exercise or natural bodily processes. These metabolic waste products attack cells, mutate cell membranes, and have been linked to cancer and diabetes.
Antioxidants work to fight free radicals by latching onto them and neutralizing their effects or preventing them from forming in the first place. Thanks to its antioxidant properties, this supplement for bodybuilding does quite a bit to save the body from free radical damage.
2) Cortisol production is limited.
Cortisol is a powerful catabolic hormone that is triggered as a result of stress, both from your workouts and from everyday life. Cortisol stimulates the breakdown of muscle tissue for use as energy, increases fat storage (particularly in the abdominal area), impairs nutrient transport into the muscles, and inhibits muscle recovery in between workouts. The impact of this supplement for bodybuilding on reducing cortisol secretion in the body can easily be measured.
3) It helps steroid hormones to grow.
Your natural anabolic hormone levels really can limit how much muscle you can build. These hormones are formed with the aid of this great supplement for bodybuilding.
4) It helps increase your body's absorption of iron.
Iron is what allows oxygen to bind to hemoglobin in the blood, which is then delivered to the muscles to enhance performance. Low iron levels work against you because they reduce the amount of weight you can lift and also decrease the duration for which you can perform high intensity exercises.
5) It increases the integrity of the immune system.
Your immune system needs to function at optimal levels when you are following an intense training program. You will stay healthy and manage to continue top levels of performance throughout the week.
6) Muscle soreness is reduced.
This supplement for bodybuilding has been shown to reduce muscle soreness in the days after a training session, as long as you take it close to your workout.
Vitamin C is a key supplement for bodybuilding, whether you are trying to build muscle or burn fat, and will help you make the most of your workout program.
The recommended daily allowance for Vitamin C is just 60 mg; however, this is a guideline set out for average, everyday individuals and not for hard training athletes. Those who are following an intense muscle building and/or fat burning program will obviously require far higher amounts.
On the flipside, there are those who recommend taking "mega doses" of Vitamin C.
Keeping all these facts in mind, I would suggest getting 500 mg to 1500 mg (spread out over 2 to 3 doses) daily of this supplement for bodybuilding. Get one dose of this supplement for bodybuilding early in the morning, and try taking the other with your pre-workout meal.
As most multivitamins already have Vitamin C, but only 50 mg to 200 mg, you will need to get a separate Vitamin C supplement. You can also bump up your daily Vitamin C intake by increasing your consumption of natural foods such as tomatoes, apples, oranges, and red/green peppers.
