When it comes to muscle growth, the “go-to” choice for most bodybuilders and fitness experts goes towards supplements. Things like whey protein, creatine, glutamine, amino acids, and nitric oxide come to mind. However, there is a whole different world of natural supplements with benefits still remain largely untapped by the masses.
But what could possibly be better than lab tested, pure supplements sold by the top brands in the industry? Well, herbal supplements can be equally good for bodybuilding, if not better.

Why Herbal Supplements?

Herbs have served as natural supplements for as long as humankind has existed, either for medicinal or health purposes. Ancient athletes relied on herbal-based medicines to get increased energy and provide full to the body. Ancient healing systems such as Ayurveda from India and traditional Chinese medicine have uncovered many wondrous benefits of herbs.

Nowadays, the health and fitness industry in certain places is also recommending natural supplements for pre and post workout. Moreover, these work as natural fat burners and weight loss agents apart from giving you a naturally healthy physique.
So, what are the best natural workout boosters? Keep on reading to find out.

Top 5 Natural Workout Boosters

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is a herb that is quickly gaining popularity in the West as it is an adaptogen herb. It comes from a unique class of plants that help restore and protect our immunity system. Even though their specific advantages have not yet been properly documented, numerous studies have concluded that this helps in normalizing physiological functions.

In addition to boosting our immunity naturally, it is also widely recognized for being helpful to combat anxiety and depression. This, in a way, would indirectly help you to get more out of every workout session as proved by a clinical study. When your mind is happy, so will be your body.

Pine Pollen

Pine PollenMore bodybuilding enthusiasts are now using this supplement as it is known to act as a natural testosterone booster. Pine pollen is an excellent supplement for building muscle as it’s an androgen that directly works on increasing blood testosterone levels and supplies a steady proportion of androgens and estrogens.

Unlike steroids, this substance can be consumed in large quantities with no side effects at all. Also, you don’t have to worry about kidney conditions, heart diseases, hair loss, infertility and other problems associated with steroids because this is a natural product. For a myriad of health benefits, pine pollen is a must take bodybuilding supplement. It is not only available as powder; you can buy it as a tincture as well, which works better for some people.

FlaxSeed

According to research Flaxseed is one of the superior sources of alpha-linolenic acid, which plays a great role in serving as fatty acid for bodybuilders. Some of the remarkable benefits you can expect to aid in your bodybuilding goals are regulation of hormones, enhancement of insulin sensitivity, regulating nerve transmission, and stimulation of steroid production.
Flaxseed is also rich in protein, containing 25 to 30 g of protein for every 100 g of flaxseed. This is another reason why this should be a part of your workout diet. Other nutrients include vitamin E, calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, and potassium.

Fenugreek

Fenugreek is another natural substance that can improve an athlete’s performance and abilities according to studies. This substance offers plenty of benefits in the following ways:

  • It has exceptionally high protein content – around 3 g of protein for every 11 g of fenugreek
  • Fenugreek is a natural energy booster that will help you train more without feeling fatigued
  • It contains ample iron that’s essential for building muscles as it helps our blood transfer more oxygen to the muscle cells
  • Fenugreek is also rich in zinc content, which is very important in maintaining a healthy level of energy at all times.

Saw Palmetto

Saw palmetto has been proven to be beneficial for prostate health as it slows down the production of enzyme 5-alpha reductase, which converts testosterone into DHT (dihydrotestosterone). This not only leads to an enlarged prostate but also a loss of libido and hair loss. And not to mention, lack of testosterone to fuel your workout routines.
So, saw palmetto is another natural supplement that you should include in your diet especially if you’re a middle-aged man.

Which One Would Be Your Choice?

Every one of the five herbal supplements we mentioned above serves different purposes that can significantly improve your gains. No matter what you decide to try, a healthy balance of all the above will be the best choice. Of course, you’re free to experiment to see what works best as well.

Author Bio:

Tom Wells is a health & wellness writer who currently writes for SlowfoodNation.org. For the last 3 years he has been putting superfood, brain supplements and workout boosters to the test and written reviews about them.