Using Multi-Vitamins As A Muscle Building Supplement

When thinking about the massive list of bodybuilding and weight training supplements on the market, multi-vitamins might not be the first thing that comes to mind. You might be thinking more about muscle building supplements like creatine, amino acids, and protein powder, right?

I mean, everyone knows that these products not only work, they are a serious addition to anyone’s diet who is serious about gaining muscle and getting into fantastic physical shape. The thing is, while all of these ARE good, there is one that may be even better… A secret supplement sadly underutilized by many people in the bodybuilding and fitness community. One that may be more important than all other supplements combined. I am talking of course about a multivitamin.

Ok, let the laughter calm down, I am actually being serious. A multivitamin IS incredibly important, but not in the same way as some of the supplements mentioned. You see, while supplements like protein powder and creatine are vital in affecting the size and strength of your muscles, the fact of the matter is, unless your body is working properly to begin with, it won’t matter how much you take of either.

Your body has to be functioning optimally for these supplements to even work. So, in reality, a multivitamin supplement may be what is needed in order to make any other supplement actually work. Here’s why…

Metabolic processes, those that occur at the cellular level, require a delicate balance of just the right micronutrients in order to function properly. These macronutrients are vitamins and minerals. If the right supply exists in your body, then these functions take place, and your body continues to operate as normal.

However, when the right combination of macronutrients is NOT present, some of the these processes either can’t occur or don’t occur to the level they could. This can hamper anything from the healing of a wound to the growth and repair of your muscle. You can drink all the whey protein you want but if your body cannot process it due to the lack of the right kinds of micronutrients, you are probably just wasting your money.

Now, it is certainly possible to get all the micronutrients you need from your diet, but it is not always easy. Knowing exactly what to eat and having the time and ability to do it are two different things. In addition, even if you do manage to eat a healthy, well balanced diet that contains the recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals, that STILL may not be enough.

If you are extremely physically active (like weight training), chances are your body will have a need for more vitamins and minerals than you can easily ingest through your normal diet. Popping a quality multivitamin can help take care of any deficiencies and make sure that you are getting all of the micronutrients you need.

So, the next time you are looking for supplements, you might start by grabbing a quality once daily multi-vitamin even BEFORE you start choosing which tub of protein powder to invest in. It may just end up being the most valuable muscle building supplement at the health food store.