Discover Six Bedtime Supplements
Fitness enthusiasts know that sleep is crucial to achieving the body they want. It’s the time period when your muscles rest and recover naturally. As such, there are bedtime supplements that can help balance your protein levels while you sleep.
Nutritionally speaking, a huge dinner would result in a loss of muscle tone and fat storage. Of course, remember that each body is different when planning your diet. With this in mind, we’ve gathered six bedtime supplements that can help you with your goals.
Glutamine: the king of amino acids
Basically, you can turn to glutamine when you have a calorie deficit, or if you perform strenuous exercise. You synthesize glutamine when you eat it, but it never hurts to take it as a supplement.
Its basic function is to prevent muscles from breaking down. This can happen if you exercise too much without making up for the extra calories lost. By taking glutamine before bedtime, you simply provide your muscles with something that keeps them in their best condition.
In addition, glutamine boosts the growth hormone. Remember, the amount you should take will always depend on your gym goals. For example, it’s not recommended for those who are overweight.
Flaxseed: an almost magical seed
Some options can easily be found in nature. This is true with flaxseed, a seed packed with fatty acids that helps maintain muscles. In addition, flaxseed bolsters your diet with healthy fats.
Many consume flaxseed to lower their intake of more complex foods. Since your body digests it slowly, it helps you to use less synthesized proteins while resting.
Micellar casein: one of the lightest supplements
Casein is another protein that your body digests slowly. In fact, it takes five to seven hours for your body to digest it. That’s the equivalent of the hours you sleep. Although its contribution is limited to protein synthesis, it prevents the breakdown of your body’s proteins.
Notably, you can use casein to counteract night time cravings. This way, you’ll feel full without adding extra fat or calories. As you can see, it acts in a way that’s similar to flaxseed.
ZMA: zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6
Daily exercise decreases your reserves of certain vitamins and essential minerals. That’s why it’s not a bad idea to replace them just before sleeping. A good way to replace them is by taking ZMA, a formula that combines zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6.
As such, it’ll help to optimize the effort made by the growth hormone and testosterone, among other things. The best part is that this type of supplement may help you sleep better. You can even mix it with micellar casein, as long as you take the ZMA 30 minutes beforehand.
Arginine: another amino acid that boosts GH levels
Most people who are training often consume arginine right beforehand. What some don’t know is that you can also take it before sleeping.
In fact, five grams of L-arginine is recommended, 30 minutes before going to sleep. As such, it’ll stimulate the proper functioning of your body’s growth hormone (GH). Another product you can use as a substitute is ethyl ester of arginine.
Bedtime supplements: melatonin
Following the list of hormone-promoting supplements, we have to mention melatonin. Its main benefit is its effect on athletes’ muscle recovery. But, besides that, there are other advantages you can enjoy from taking it at night.
Melatonin helps to control stress processes, improving your mood. Another important benefit is that it influences sleep cycles, helping you to sleep more deeply.
In conclusion, the best thing you can eat before sleeping is proteins. Also, healthy fat and amino acids are generally good for you. The goal is to ensure that your muscles aren’t broken down while you sleep. To this end, be sure to try one of the bedtime supplements from this article.