ZINC

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Think Zinc for growth. That's right, the mineral zinc is involved in virtually all phases of growth. Even more critical for bodybuilders, studies have shown that high intensity exercise stimulates excessive zinc loss. Further, diets of some athletes have been found to be low in zinc. This potential double edged sword, excess loss coupled with possible low intakes, moves zinc into our number three position. If you're not mindful of your zinc intake, your growth may be stymied.

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Increased  Performance

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Although zinc is a small and unassuming mineral, it’s a powerhouse—the real workhorse of all minerals—that produces massive and noticeable effects.

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Zinc has been shown to improve exercise performance when supplemented, especially when supplemented by athletes whose dietary intake in zinc is low. Supplementing with zinc can allow a person to exercise harder and for a longer time period, which can mean muscular gains if the exercise involves weight training.

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Performance, Muscle Strength & Growth

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Adequate zinc directly affects athlete level performance and strength development from training because it plays a primary role in anabolic hormone production.  Weight training is essential for gaining muscle. This is because weight lifting makes small tears in the muscle tissue which the body rebuilds with new growth. Supplementing with zinc and also weight training will maximize your muscle gain. Research shows having ample zinc available in the body allows for a more robust release of the three most important anabolic hormones, testosterone, growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Without these, you’ll miss out on muscle and strength development from your hard work in the gym. 

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COPPER

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The trace mineral Copper may soon prove more vital to bodybuilders than was previously thought. It's included in this list not because of its involvement in oxygen transport and utilization (as well as many enzymatic reactions, not the least of which is helping in the production of noradrenaline) but because Copper has been shown to increase in the bloodstream during intense exercise. This fact leads to the conclusion that copper plays a direct role in high intensity muscular work such as bodybuilding, and that there may be conditions under which some bodybuilders ingest suboptimal amounts.

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Copper is also often found in muscle supplements, typically compounded into less-familiar forms such as copper citrade, copper aspartate, copper fumerate, copper malate and copper AKG. In these forms, the copper attaches to amino acids to help the body absorb nutrients much more quickly.

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