At what age can one start taking sports nutrition?

Author: Timko Ilya - master of the whole project and fitness trainer.
2014-12-30

So, I'll start off by saying that of all sports nutrition, only fat burners are specifically designed for weight loss. Everything else that helps you lose weight does so indirectly and does not directly influence fat burning.

I also want to add that even if you stock up on all the supplements I list below, this will account for about 15% of your results. The remaining 85% come from diet and training. Some may argue that 15% is insignificant and can be disregarded. I respond that anyone who wants good results should be attentive to every detail. In my opinion, 15% is far from negligible.

Fat Burners

This category includes a whole range of products. I distinguish between mono fat burners and complex fat burners. Mono fat burners are those that operate in only one direction. For example, they might suppress appetite, inhibit the breakdown of fats and carbohydrates, or raise body temperature... That is, they have only one function.

As you can guess, a comprehensive approach is much better than a single action. Thus, the sports nutrition market offers a wide selection of complex fat burners that contain several active substances with different modes of action. Typically, all such products have at least three functions:

• Appetite suppression,
• Increased metabolism,
• Raised body temperature.

Using the substances in their composition, these fat burners work in these three areas (and sometimes more) to help you lose weight. I emphasize that they HELP you lose weight, rather than doing the work for you. You can read more about the types of fat burners in this article.

I personally recommend using complex fat burners. They are more expensive, but their effectiveness is higher. Among these, I can recommend products from LIPO 6 and Pre-Workout from Dobromil Fit.

L-Carnitine

L-carnitine aids in the breakdown and transport of fatty acids. However, this is merely a side effect. Its main function is to increase performance. Furthermore, it is inexpensive and completely harmless. Therefore, you should not dismiss this supplement, as it can contribute to weight loss.

The recommended dosage of L-carnitine is usually 2 times a day with 1-2 grams of the active substance. Morning and post-workout or morning and evening. You can read more about its effectiveness and use here.

I can recommend the following L-carnitines:

• L-Carnitine from Dobromil Fit (8 capsules a day).
• Maxler: L-Carnitine Caps 750 (4-6 capsules a day)
• Power System L-Carnitine 120000 mg (20-30 ml a day)

Protein

Everyone will say: how is this, it is for mass! Well, it depends on how you use it. If you take it while on a low-calorie diet, it will help you maintain your muscles. And you want to lose only fat while preserving your muscles, right?

Thus, protein doesn’t promote weight loss but rather helps in preserving muscle mass. I believe proper weight loss is when you strive to maintain your muscle mass. Some call this "cutting."

You should take protein while losing weight at approximately 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. This is provided that your regular diet is rich in protein. It is best mixed with water or skim milk. It's advisable to select a protein that has the maximum protein content and minimal fats and carbohydrates. For more on how to use protein for weight loss, check out this article.

I can recommend the following protein for weight loss:

• Egg Protein from Dobromil Fit (85% protein).
• Dymatize: ISO-100 (83% protein).
• Ultimate Nutrition Iso-Sensation 93 (93% protein).
• Syntrax: Nectar (86% protein).

Amino Acids

The same principle applies as with protein; protein is simply a chain of amino acids. Amino acids are already free from fats and carbohydrates. Plus, they don’t need to be digested. However, they are more expensive.

I recommend purchasing either protein or amino acids. It’s up to personal preference. If you consume both at the same time, there won’t be any harm in that. You’ll just be spending money inefficiently.

I can recommend the following amino acids:

• Dymatize Super Amino 6000
• Scitec Nutrition: Amino 5600
• Hardlabz Aminoz

Conclusion

In summary, I can confidently say that practically any sports nutrition can be consumed from any age. When it comes to fat burners and pre-workout complexes, however, in some cases (if you have a weak heart) it’s better to wait until the body matures (18-20 years). But again, this does not apply to everyone.

Finally, you can check out what sports nutrition our site recommends and what I personally endorse. Good luck!