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Creatine and protein shakes are commonly used by weightlifters and athletes looking to bulk up or improve their overall physical fitness levels. Creatine is a naturally occurring amino acid found in fish and meat and produced naturally in the liver, kidneys and pancreas, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Protein shakes are supplements used to fuel the body with protein in an effort to build muscle.

Creatine works by supplying the muscles with additional energy during a workout. This can help you increase the intensity of your workouts, although it has been shown to be ineffective for some people, the University of Maryland Medical Center notes. Protein powders are primarily used immediately following a workout to help replenish the body with much-needed proteins lost during an intense lifting session. Muscles are made of protein, considered the building block of all bodily tissues.

Contrary to what some people believe, protein supplementation is not necessarily a healthy way to lose weight, cautions Mayo Clinic dietitian Katherine Zeratsky. Meal-replacement shakes that are high in protein cannot replicate or achieve the nutritional value of whole foods. Zeratsky recommends focusing on eating healthy, well-balanced meals and watching your calorie intake to lose weight safely.

If your workout is the key to your dream physique, then your diet is the key to your most effective workout. The food you eat is directly tied to the way your body performs, and an under-performing body won't burn as many calories or build as much muscle as one that is perfectly fueled.

the most important factor is the mix of carbohydrates and protein.

No matter what volume of food you consume, dietitian Christopher Mohr recommends 5 g of carbs for every 1 g of essential amino acids -- about 1.6 g of a complete protein will provide 1 g of essential amino acids. Consuming these nutrients before your workout allows your body to take advantage of workout-induced increased blood flow to establish the amino acids in your muscles while boosting blood sugar for steady energy.

2. Switch It Up Doing the same exercise, on the same day, at the same time will bore your muscles just as much as it is probably boring you. Jolt your body’s expectations by completely changing your lifting schedule. If you do chest work on a specific day choose another day to do that exercise. You may want to switch it up every week. After doing this for about four weeks, slowly increase your weight. You should see an improvement. in addition, watch your form. Compromised form can also impede increasing your weightlifting weight.

1. Stop Over-training You may think you are doing your body good by lifting five to six days per week, but when specific muscle groups are being over worked, you will have a difficult time increasing your lifting weight. If you have "hit the wall" and cannot go any further, this would be the time to check your routine. By cutting back on exercises that may be working certain muscles too hard, you may be able to increase your weight, and best of all, your strength. Try these tips each time you cannot advance to more weight. Choose a muscle group that you workout two or more times per week. Cut back to one time, for two weeks. Increase your weight.

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In a world that is obsessed with losing weight - you are interested in gaining weight!

People predispositioned to skinniness are commonly referred to as "hard gainers." This is the cool way to label your scrawny frame despite the fact that your body turns into a Number 2 pencil when you wear yellow!

n the skinny guy's defense, the reality is that you have been cursed with traits like Lamborghini-type metabolism, giraffe like limbs, and the strength of a senior citizen. You have to fight with every bone in your body to do something about your small frame and to keep up to your male buddies who seem to grow muscle just by sneezing - those muscle freaks piss me off just as much you!

The amino acids in the protein you eat, especially the essential amino acids your body cannot produce, stimulate muscle synthesis or the creation of new muscle tissue.

Men and women both need 1-½ to 2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day to gain muscle weight. However, you must include this protein intake as part of a dietary plan very high in calories. Men must first consume 50 calories per kilogram of body weight and women must eat 44 calories per kilogram of body weight just to maintain current body mass. Then, you must add 350 to 700 calories to that to build 1 to 2 lbs. of muscle per week.

The best protein powders contain 2 to 2-½ g of the essential amino acid leucine per serving. Leucine appears to trigger the onset of muscle protein synthesis more than other amino acids. Ensure you eat 3 to 9 g of leucine in each of your meals.

When you think about protein supplementation, the number one type that is discussed the most is Whey Protein. It comes from milk. During the process of turning milk into cheese, whey protein is separated out. Protein can be found in a variety of foods -mainly meats, such as fish, beef, and chicken.

Casein Protein This is probably the second most discussed in bodybuilding circles of how well it works when it comes to slow digesting and long lasting protein.

Casein is an extremely slow digesting and rich protein source that continues to feed your muscles long after whey proteins have dropped off.

You can use this Protein Calculator to determine the optimum protein consumption to accomplish your goals!

t's healthiest to divide your protein consumption into 5 or 6 meals evenly spaced throughout the day with the total amount being in the range given by the protein calculator. For more info, check out our whey and ionic whey pages.

A good way to efficiently raise your protein intake is by drinking protein shakes or eating protein bars. Check out our full listing of Protein Powders or Low Carb Proteins for great results. Protein Bars and Protein Powders are perfect for enhancing strength and energy at your convenience.

Creatine - Learn More Best taken 1/2 hour or so BEFORE a workout and again RIGHT after a workout. What I do is take a creatine/juice/protein drink about a half hour before a workout and than another shake right after. This "bracketing" technique helps set up an anabolic (muscle-building) state for your muscles and helps prevent muscle breakdown from a workout (catabolism). Other than these 2 opportune times, you can add another creatine serving or two any time throughout the day. I usually recommend 25 to 30 grams of creatine on a loading phase and 10-20 grams a day on a maintenance phase.

Glutamine - Learn More Definitely take glutamine right before bed. This is where the overwhelming research shows the value of glutamine raising growth hormone levels significantly by taking 5 grams before bed. Also, another great time is upon waking, when your muscles have been without significant nutrition for up to 6-8 hours. Another good time for glutamine is about a half hour or hour after working out. This helps in the recovery/recuperation process from demanding workouts. So, creatine definitely before and after your workout and glutamine right before bed and right upon waking.

The best times to take ANY protein drink or protein supplements are as follows. I've listed them in order of importance, so based upon what you can afford, start at the top of the list and work down. When Should You Take It? The most important time is right after a workout. Your muscles are like a sponge and need instant nutrition for muscle recovery and growth. Right before bed. You're about to sleep for 6 to 8 hours. That's a long time without protein. Could you imagine going throughout your day (when awake) not eating 6 to 8 hours? Right before bed is important. Right upon waking. Same thing, you've just gone 6 to 8 hours without proper nutrition. Your body needs protein quick. Half hour before a workout. This sets up the "anabolic window" before your workout and provides your muscles with adequate nutrition so that the effects of weight training (weight training breaks down muscle-called catabolic) are not as severe.

Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images Active people involved in resistance training regularly take protein supplements to promote muscle strength, enhance muscle recovery and gain muscle size, as acknowledged in an article by Robert R Wolfe in the August 2000 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition."

An effective protein supplement used before or after working out should contain the nine essential amino acids that cannot be synthesized in the body. The optimum combination of amino acids renders them "complete proteins." These are protein supplements derived from animal or dairy sources.

Writing in Bodybuilding.com, bodybuilder Hugo Rivera categorizes five types of protein used in supplements according to their bio-availability value--ability of the body to assimilate and use protein.