Are Essential Fatty Acids A Helpful Bodybuilding Diet Macronutrient For Muscle Gain?

The explosion of healthy eating in recent years has spawned research in natural nutrients that can serve to improve long term health, with one of the most widely advertised being Essential Fatty Acids (EFA), which are beneficial fats that have been shown to suppress cholesterol, improve immune system function, and assist in sustaining normal body function (such as healthy skin). Because of this, these EFA sources have become popular in the diets of many, and have even caught the attention of the bodybuilding community as a method of offering energy while enhancing long term health.

But will fat actually assist in muscle building? This is a question many bodybuilders are asking, especially considering how some have claimed that certain fat sources can assist in hormone increase, and will therefore improve muscle building when implemented properly within a bodybuilding diet plan. This idea has especially captured the attention of many bodybuilders who have adopted a negative view of carbohydrates due to having gained substantial body fat on standard carbohydrate based muscle building diet plans.

I have no reason to doubt the positive health impact offered by EFA sources, and do recommend using these as part of any diet plan, regardless of whether bodybuilding is a goal, and therefore all should aim to add Essential Fatty Acids for health and immune system benefits. Yet, in terms of muscle building, carbohydrates are far more helpful in growth as compared with dietary fat, and therefore many who switch to a diet system which uses fat as the chosen energy source will find that muscle growth is hampered, sometimes dramatically. The negative stigma attached to carbohydrates which have made higher fat diet plans en vogue are not related to an inherent evil in carbohydrate sources (as raw honey and fruit, two examples of carbohydrate sources, are extremely healthy), but rather due to incorrectly compiled diet routines which utilize carbohydrates for a vast portion of overall caloric intake, which causes body fat to increase far more quickly than expected. Instead of adjusting carbohydrates to a more balanced macronutrient ratio in comparison to protein and fat, many bodybuilders instead nearly abandon carbohydrates outright, and find that their results significantly suffer.

Some say saturated fat plays a role in hormone production, and consuming a small portion of total calories from saturated fat is acceptable for those who do not suffer from any genetic predisposition towards or history of cardiovascular (heart) disease, but the potential negative health impact from using large quantities of saturated fat outweighs any muscle building hormone related benefits, therefore of all foods consumed, saturated fat should total the smallest overall percentage. A bodybuilder avoiding all forms of saturated fat can achieve dramatic bodybuilding results, as I produced over 60 pounds of muscle mass with an extremely low saturated fat intake, and I do not feel that dietary fat in general, including the saturated variety, will provide a dramatically positive impact on muscle gain, but will greatly harm progress if significant carbohydrates are abandoned in favor of added fat consumption.

A prudent and properly constructed diet plan will focus upon a variety of nutrients for maximum health benefits and muscle building results, including carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats, with saturated fat integrated only in moderation (for individuals who are not predisposed to cardiovascular related medical issues), and when doing so, the downside of carbohydrates that disrupt the definition level of many bodybuilders will be averted, and the body will receive a wide spectrum of nutrients for peak function, both in terms of immune system optimization, and total muscle gained.

A final word of warning - for those bodybuilders who currently integrate fat into their diet plan, by all means avoid unhealthy forms of fat, such as trans fat, fried food, etc, as these types of fats are destined to rest themselves within blood vessels, leading to life threatening cardiovascular difficulties. The majority of health issues experienced in our modern culture are linked to poor behavior, including food selection, with unhealthy fat consumption reaching epidemic proportions due to the popularity of fast food and boxed unperishable food items that contain many risky ingredients. Yet, with so many tasty food choices available that are also extremely helpful in aiding muscle building and health, there is no legitimate reason to consume damaging foods, even when eating at a restaurant. Bodybuilding is not only a hobby based on maximum muscle gain, but also involves enhancing overall health and well being, therefore choosing the proper types of foods is no less important than the weight training workout itself.