More and more people are turning to sports and weight-loss diets as they seek to shed unwanted pounds. Most succeed, especially when they reach for additional help. We are talking about supplements, such as slimming patches, which add essential vitamins and minerals to strengthen the body and also speed up metabolism. The question then … which ones are worth reaching for?
The role of supplements
Providing the right amount of energy and nutrients according to current recommendations determines the proper development of every person. In the case of people engaged in sports, the demand for energy and nutrients increases. This is due to the loss of water, electrolytes and minerals as well as biological recovery.
Meeting the increased demand for energy and nutrients would require the consumption of many times the weight of food products, including fluids. With general recommendations that the meals consumed by athletes should be low in volume and easily digestible, supplements become the optimal solution. Their use is increasingly common in the sports world and among amateur athletes. The purpose of consuming these substances is to provide, in concentrated form, nutrients that have the effect of preventing their deficiency in daily food or, in a suitable and harmless way for the body, cause an increase in the absorption of nutrients. In addition, these agents are a source of many substances of a bioactive nature. The use of supplements in sports is mainly aimed at speeding up recovery, increasing the body’s performance and leading to effective fat burning. Permitted supplements used in sports can be divided into those that increase muscle mass, accelerate fat burning, increase immunity and joint recovery, and improve mental performance.
It is well known that not only exercise, but also a well-balanced weight loss diet and supplements in the form of weight loss patches help unwanted body fat. An active working life does not always make it possible to prepare well-balanced meals, which is why more and more sports people are turning to dietary supplements. They are designed to provide the body with the necessary energy, nutrients and many other bioactive substances in concentrated form.
Types of supplements – carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for all cells of the athlete’s body. It is generally accepted that the consumption of carbohydrates during exercise contributes to the reduction of peripheral and central fatigue and can increase the ability to continue exercising. The simplest carbohydrate preparation is glucose, which penetrates the blood very quickly and is recommended for professional athletes as a quick source of energy during intense training. Increased ability to continue exercising comes from maintaining an adequate amount of glucose available to working muscles.
Simple sugars are administered at the end of grueling strength training to replenish used glycogen stores as quickly as possible and provide energy for the brain and heart. Experienced athletes also use nutrients that include disaccharides, i.e. maltose and dextrose. These are characterized by a high glycemic index (GI) and lead to increased insulin secretion shortly after ingestion. Feeding carbohydrates with a high GI increases glucose utilization during exercise, while having no effect on the ability to continue exercising. Carbohydrate supplements are often available in slimming patches.
Types of supplements – protein
Protein is the basic building block of human body cells. As the intensity of exercise increases, there is an increase in the consumption of body proteins and an increase in the demand for complete proteins in the diet of an athlete. Proteins ensure the proper course of regenerative processes and accelerate the construction of pure muscle mass. Among protein preparations, the most common are complex preparations, consisting of 80-90% protein hydrolysates with the addition of carbohydrates and minerals, as well as amino acids and peptides. Digestion leads to the cutting into shorter parts of the protein chains, ultimately obtaining free amino acids. Therefore, these formulations are supplemented with free amino acids and peptides that do not require digestion and can be absorbed immediately. This is much more beneficial, as time and energy are saved.
Whey protein is an excellent dietary supplement that can be taken after a workout, as an overnight anti-catabolic or as an easily digestible breakfast. Drinking a protein shake before a workout protects muscles from damage and stimulates natural fat burning. The presence of protein during a workout prevents catabolism and allows the rapid rebuilding of muscle glycogen.
Types of supplements – thermogenics
Thermogenics are substances that increase the metabolic rate, i.e. naturally burn fat, by increasing body temperature and thus stimulating fat metabolism. Intense burning of spare fat helps reduce body fat levels, which is very beneficial in disciplines where weight limits are in place or body aesthetics are being evaluated. Guarana, green coffee and green and white tea extracts are most commonly used here. These extracts enhance thermogenesis – the production of heat from fat, suppress appetite and have an energizing effect.
Types of supplements – vitamins and minerals.
Supplementation with vitamins should go hand in hand with the intake of minerals and enzymes, as these three groups of ingredients are closely related. Deficiencies of certain minerals and enzymes impede the absorption of vitamins, and vice versa. Specially selected enzymes aid digestion. These preparations increase the absorption and utilization of macro- and micro-nutrients.
Proper functioning of the body under exercise conditions is ensured by iron, thanks to which oxygen is transported to all cells. Too low a level of iron in the body of athletes is manifested by a decrease in the concentration of enzymes that contain it, such as cytochrome C in the liver and kidneys, as well as a decrease in energy production. Deficiency of a key mineral can manifest as muscle cramps, exhaustion and increasing acidification caused by a high-protein diet and hard training. It can also take a toll on health, as too little calcium in the diet causes it to be taken from the bones, leading to a weakened skeletal apparatus.
Sport, diet and supplements in the form of slimming patches is a combination that has been known for a long time. This is because supplements provide energy and nutrients in the right proportions. They usually come in the form of bars, pills or patches, which can be consumed without wasting time and energy on their preparation.
