Should I be taking any dietary supplements, like amino acids?

I'm an 18-year-old runner who leads a very active lifestyle. I eat the right foods but am concerned it may not be enough. I've been trying to increase my muscle mass just a little and was wondering if taking protein or amino acid supplements would help to aid the process.

I like this site for routines to follow:
http://bodybuilding.com/

Go into the "supersite" and then find a routine that sounds appealing...like "Add 10 pounds in 30 days" or one of those. As "hypey" as these sound...they will give you a routine for either 3 or 4 days (or more) a week that can help you focus on whatever it is you want to focus on.

YES it is possible to build muscle while burning fat. YES you can drop inches and maintain the same weight.

Vitamins...I don't know. If you are eating lots of different kinds of foods...and enough of them, then no, I never think vitamins are necessary...except in the case of iron for women. You may want to add iron tablets for a week or so a month to help your body maintain its strength as you go thru your cycle. I know some female triathletes that think that helps them. A high amount of exercise does stress the body and the iron might be helpful. Try it and see if you notice a difference. Re extra protein...sometimes i just focus on eating deli meats for breakfast and snacks...other times i use a powder by Eclipse (Eclipse Bulk Whey) that is pretty good.

Regarding creatine...that stuff is proven to be hard on the kidneys and the results obtained can be obtained by lifting and eating right. The minute you go off creatine, you lose approx 90% of the muscle build anyway. And, that stuff is better for sprinters than distance runners. I would stay away from it.

I would say eat right, eat healthy, keep running, and if you wanna gain lean muscle mass then incorporate lifting into your workout week approx 3 or 4x a week IN ADDITION to the running.

Eat lots and lots of protein.

Go to the gym and concentrate on the leg press. That will build better muscle tone than all the muscle mass builders in the world.

take argenine..its a dietary amino acid, and it really helps. It build's up recovery time, and it 100% pure. On top of that, take a protein shake called "Muscle Milk."

Be careful. Centrum for example uses low-quality ingredients, of which 40 are toxic.

No your muscle and strength will come with natural exercise. Try a Firm Fitness video, it really worked for me. Weight lifting and cardio with weights will help build muscles.

If you are trying to add muscle mass protein supplements would be a good idea, especially if your regular diet is higher in carbohydrates since you are a runner. Eating the right foods is 90 percent of the battle, and supplements will only make you healthier that you probably already are. If you go to a place like GNC sales people can help you find a good protein supplement. Fish Oil is a great supplement you can take for your heart as well. A lot of supplements are dangerous and not worth your time or your money.

I would talk to a nutritionist or go to a GNC and talk to the person there for more info.

Soy, an easily digestible protein, has all the essential amino acids, and is the only single source that does.

A 18 your body still hasn't finished developing. Before you start taking supplements talk to your doctor. He or she will recommend a supplement regiment that will not only benefit you as an athlete, but will also take inot consideration the fact your bones and muscles are still developing.

once you start messing with your body's chemistry, your body starts depending on the chemical supplementation. unless there's some major problem, i'd think sticking to foods and vitamins would be sufficient. try to find a food that contains the chemical you want to enhance. if you can't find it in some form of food, chances are, you don't need it.

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Hi. You're probably going to get lots of different answers but here is my suggestion: (I'm a health nut and a vegetarian). Go to a natural food store and check out their books on natural healing and such similar subjects. Our main book here at home is called "Natural Healing'. It's fairly thick, current, and it's kind of our 'Food Bible'. You'll get lots of good common sense answers. If you asked a doctor, I'm not sure, despite their education, that they have all the right answers. They're not 'into' vitamins the way natural healing people are. Anyway, read one of these books (you might want to get your own copy; it's a worthwhile investment) and then make your own informed decision. Good for you for being an active person. You'll get some answers to the muscle mass thing in some of these books also. Karen

*Weight Training Workouts:
(30-60 minutes before workout)
3-5 grams of Arginine
5 grams of Glutamine
(0-30 minutes before workout)
20 grams of Whey Protein
40 grams of slow-burning Carbs
3-5 grams of Creatine
(0 minutes after workout)
5-10 grams of Leucine
5 grams of Glutamine
(30-60 minutes after workout)
40 grams of Whey Protein
40-80 grams of fast-digesting Carbs
3-5 grams of Creatine

*Cardio Workouts:
(30-60 minutes before workout)
200-300 mg of Caffeine
1-2 grams of Acetyl-L-Carnitine
(0-30 minutes before workout)
6-10 grams of Mixed Amino Acids
(0-60 minutes after workout)
20-40 grams of Whey Protein
40-80 grams of fast-digesting Carbs
5 grams of Creatine

*The answers presented to your health questions are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.