Weight training nutrition glossary

What is it?
They contain vitamins A, C and E.

What is it for?
These vitamins fight against free radicals.

What is it?
It's an amino acid that is essential for sports users.

What is it for?
It increases the secretion of growth hormone, aids anabolism and boosts creatine synthesis.
It may also fight fatigue by accelerating the excretion of metabolic waste.

What is it?
It is adenosine triphosphate

What is it for?
It stores and releases the energy we need for our bodies to work correctly.

What is it?
They are represented by three essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, valine.
These three amino acids make up one third of our muscle proteins and need to be consumed as part of our diets.

What is it for?
They are involved in muscle synthesis (anabolism), support and recovery, and give us more energy when training.

What is it?
It is an amino acid that binds with histidine to form carnosine.

What is it for?
It helps increase the level of muscle carnosine, thereby aiding recovery, reducing fatigue and pushing our limits. It improves endurance and muscle strength.

What is it?
It is a substance found in coffee.

What is it for?
It is a stimulant and a strong diuretic. It activates the central nervous system. It helps maintain blood sugar levels and fight hypoglycaemia. It may help relieve migraines and activate the release of fatty acids from the fat cells without going through the process of lipolysis. It may increase strength and muscle power.

Watch out: caffeine has numerous side effects such as tachycardia (accelerated heart rate), the appearance of coloured spots on the teeth, an increased need to urinate, and increased anxiety, insomnia and digestive disorders.

What is it?
This is the most common mineral in our bodies.

What is it for?
It aids bone and tooth density and helps the cells in our muscles, hearts and nerves work properly. It is important for the kidneys and for blood clotting.

What is it?
It is a substance derived from two amino acids: lysine and methionine.

What is it for?
One of carnitine's main roles is to transport fat molecules to the muscles where they will be used as fuel. It therefore has a weight loss effect.
It also helps oxygenate the muscles thanks to its vasodilatory action.
It supports muscle recovery and growth by working on the endocrine system (hormones).

Watch out: Do not mix up carnitine and creatine. At high doses, carnitine can have a hypoglycaemic effect.

What is it?
It is a natural substance that is present in our bodies. It is synthesised thanks to 2 amino acids: histidine and beta-alanine.

What is it for?
It limits the body's acidity and therefore reduces fatigue and prolongs effort by improving endurance. Carnosine helps reduce cramp. It also has an antioxidant effect.

What is it?
It is a thick, elastic connective tissue found in the joints.

What is it for?
It acts as a shock absorber for impacts caused by movement.
Damaged cartilage is known as arthritis.

What is it?
It is the main protein in milk. It is very rich in glutamic acid and tyrosine, but poor in arginine and crysteine.
There are three types of casein:
Sodium caseinate
Micellar casein or total milk protein
Casein hydrolysate.

What is it for?
It is slow to be assimilated, but is recommended for muscle recovery and regeneration.

What is it?
It is a phase of metabolism which involves breaking down organic compounds such as the muscle cells

What is it for?
It releases energy and flushes out waste.

What is it?
It is a protein derived from chitin, one of the components of crustaceans' shells.

What is it for?
It stimulates bowel transit and removes fat. It can be useful for people who want to lose weight.

What is it?
It is an essential component of our cartilage, tendons and ligaments.

What is it for?
It helps reduce joint pain.

What is it?
It is a trace element.

What is it for?
It plays an essential role in metabolising sugar by helping insulin work and regulating glycaemia (blood sugar levels).

What is it?
It is a spice obtained from the bark of the cinnamon tree.

What is it for?
It stimulates the immune system and regulates bowel disorders.
It is one of the strongest antioxidants.

What is it?
It is a type of fat that is found in our diets, particularly in meat and dairy products. It is derived from linoleic acid, which belongs to the Omega-6 essential polyunsaturated fatty acids family. Omega 6.

What is it for?
It helps to burn fat (lipolysis) and reduce the body's ability to store fat.

What is it?
It is a protein that is found all over our bodies.

What is it for?
It provides the tissues with mechanical resistance to stretching.

What is it?
Creatine is derived from natural amino acids and is found in the muscles and brain. It is synthesised from the following three amino acids: arginine, glycine, methionine.

What is it for?
It stimulates lean mass gain and strength. It helps maintain the right level of phosphocreatine, which in turn raises the level of ATP, a source of energy for the muscles.

What is it?
It is a substance or a group of substances with a diuretic effect. Such substances include green tea, artichoke and pineapple stem.

What is it for?
Detoxifiers have a diuretic effect on the body, removing and excreting toxins and water.

What is it?
Dextrose is the most quickly assimilated sugar. It is a combination of glucose and fructose. It comes in the form of a fine white crystalline powder.

What is it for?
It is assimilated very quickly. Thanks to the insulin spike that it creates, glucose and amino acids will be provided to the muscle cells more quickly. Dextrose therefore provides increased energy and strength during exercise, optimises recovery and helps gain muscle mass.

What is it?
Egg protein is present in egg white and is called albumin. With its slow assimilation speed, it is an excellent quality protein with a biological value of 100.  It provides all of the essential amino acids and is lactose-free.

What is it for?
It is useful when cutting. It is recommended that you consume egg protein during the daytime, for breakfast or before going to bed.
It is not useful around training because it is assimilated slowly.

What is it?
It is a food supplement often composed of guarana, green tea, caffeine, artichoke and/or konjac.

What is it for?
Its aim is to increase metabolism and reduce body fat, either by increasing thermogenesis (calorie expenditure linked to the regulation of body temperature), aiding the excretion of water and toxins (detox), or limiting the feeling of hunger.

What is it?
It is a plant. We generally consume its seeds (fenugreek seeds) as a spice to flavour our dishes. It is often combined with Maca and Tribulus Terrestris.

What is it for?
Fenugreek is rich in protein, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that are easy to assimilate. It stimulates muscular metabolism, increases sporting performances, strengthens the immune system and fights inflammation. It is alkalinising and remineralising (beneficial for the teeth, hair and bones).
It also regulates insulin and cholesterol.

What is it?
Fibre consists of polysaccharides, a form of non-digestible sugar.
Fibre is classified into two families: insoluble fibre and soluble fibre.

What is it for?
Insoluble fibre is not digested: It swells in the intestines and accelerates bowel transit.
Soluble fibre is partially digested. It affects the health of your intestinal flora, slows gastric emptying, regulates transit and limits sugar absorption.

What is it?
Free radicals are substances that are generated naturally by the body.

What is it for?
They are produced as part of the body's natural ageing, by stress, sport, tobacco and pollution.

What is it?
It is a plant composed of a leaf and a rhizome (root). It is used as a spice.

What is it for?
It relieves digestive disorders (nausea and vomiting), increases immunity and boosts well-being.
When combined with turmeric, it is a powerful antioxidant.

What is it?
It is the root of the Panax Ginseng plant.

What is it for?
It fights fatigue, boosts our immune system and regulates the nervous system.
It is a general tonic that increases vitality and endurance as well as physical performance.

What is it?
It is a water-soluble fibre derived from the konjac root. Upon contact with water, it swells to 50 times its initial volume.

What is it for?
It can contribute to weight loss as part of a slimming or balanced diet.

What is it?
From a biochemical point of view, it is a form of sugar and a complex carbohydrate.

What is it for?
It plays a role in maintaining healthy cartilage and joints.
It may have a beneficial impact on the lubricating action of synovial fluid (the liquid present in joints) and may limit cartilage deterioration.

What is it?
It is an amino acid considered to be non-essential because the body is capable of synthesising it itself.

What is it for?
Glutamine:
stimulates protein anabolism and the secretion of growth hormone
regulates cell hydration
accelerates recovery
pushes back your fatigue limits during prolonged effort
supports the immune system.

What is it?
It is a non-essential amino acid that can be useful as a supplement.

What is it for?
It aids collagen synthesis to maintain correct bone and joint functioning. It helps regenerate connective tissues such as collagen, tendons and ligaments. It is also a precursor of creatine.

What is it?
It is a non-essential amino acid and a precursor of carnosine.

What is it for?
It works on the immune system, binding to histodine to form carnosine. It therefore plays a role in increasing strength, power and muscle mass. It also increases levels of NO (nitric oxide).

What is it?
It is a soluble dietary fibre present in chicory, Jerusalem artichokes, artichokes and dandelions.

What is it for?
It functions as a prebiotic: it stimulates the development of bacteria in the intestinal flora.

What is it?
It is an amino acid and a precursor of arginine.

What is it for?
L-Citrulline optimises the presence of arginine in the body and is more effective than the supplementation of arginine which, when broken down by the liver, is partially digestible. Rather than passing through the liver, L-Citrulline passes through the kidneys where it is metabolised to form arginine.
It plays a role in protein synthesis and preserves muscle mass and strength.

What is it?
A fruit

What is it for?
Lemon peel has antibiotic and antiseptic properties.
It has an alkalinising and antioxidant role.
It aids digestion.

What is it?
It is one of the most common minerals in the body. It is found mainly in the bones and teeth, and in smaller quantities in the muscles and the rest of the body.

What is it for?
It helps the nervous system and muscles function correctly. It has an effect on protein synthesis, bone health and energy production.
In the case of magnesium deficiency, fatigue, cramp and disturbed sleep are the first symptoms.
In athletes it can aid endurance and limit cramps and aches.

What is it?
Maltodextrin is a blend of several carbohydrates deriving from the hydrolysis of wheat or maize starch. It is easily absorbed by the body.

What is it for?
It provides muscles with energy.
When consumed in the three hours before a competition, it optimises the muscles' glycogen reserves. It is an ingredient in isotonic drinks.

What is it?
Maltodextrin is a blend of several carbohydrates deriving from the hydrolysis of wheat or maize starch. It is easily absorbed by the body.

What is it for?
It provides muscles with energy.
When consumed in the three hours before a competition, it optimises the muscles' glycogen reserves. It is an ingredient in isotonic drinks.

What is it?
It is an undenatured whey that comes directly from milk and has undergone a "gentle" transformation process.

What is it for?
It provides protein rapidly, triggers better anabolism and aids recovery.

What is it?
Omega-3 fatty acids (fats) are found in nuts, oily fish, colza or flaxseed oil, and the eggs of hens fed on flaxseed.

What is it for?
Omega-3 prevents cardiovascular disease and reduces inflammation.

What is it?
A mineral.

What is it for?
It affects nerve impulses and muscle contractions.
It also alkalinises.

What is it?
It is a supplement intended to be consumed just before training.
It often contains caffeine, citrulline, arginine and beta-alanine.

What is it for?
It is a blend of substances that increases performance during your weight training session. The aim is to provide additional energy, muscular congestion and high performances.

What is it?
A medicinal plant

What is it for?
It improves endurance and recovery and fights fatigue.

What is it?
It is a trace element.

What is it for?
It plays a role in defending against free radicals, regulating thyroid hormones and fighting inflammation. It is directly involved with regenerating antioxidants, eliminating heavy metals, and protecting the brain and neurological functions. It also stimulates our immune system.

What is it?
It is a blue-green cyanobacteria

What is it for?
It may have antioxidant properties thanks to its composition, which is rich in vitamins and minerals.
Its high protein content can make it an asset for muscle recovery.
It may stimulate the immune system and well-being.
(To date, no studies carried out on humans)

What is it?
It is a plant. It contains small quantities of carbohydrates that are 300 times sweeter than saccharose (table sugar).

What is it for?
It is considered a sweetener as it has little effect on blood sugar. It can be useful for controlling your weight.

What is it?
It is derived from an amino acid first discovered in ox or bull bile. Its name comes from the Latin word Taurus.

What is it for?
It is a neurotransmitter.
It is involved in heart and muscle function by strengthening cardiac contractility. It also plays a role in digesting fats.
It stimulates strength and endurance.

What is it?
It is a plant composed of a leaf and a rhizome (root). It is used as a spice.

What is it for?
It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It stimulates the immune system.
Its properties can be boosted by combining it with ginger.

What is it?
It is a food supplement that most often contains vitamins, such as vitamin B, C and D, and minerals such as zinc and magnesium.

What is it for?
They allow better muscle recovery, sleep and assimilation of nutrients, while also reducing fatigue and aiding concentration during training.

What is it?
It is a fat-soluble substance that behaves like a hormone and is essential for our bodies to work correctly.
There are two main types of vitamin D: D2 comes from plant sources and D3 comes from animal sources.

What is it for?
It helps the body absorb calcium to strengthen the bones and prevent osteoporosis.
It boosts our immune system and could prevent cancer.
It also helps our muscles to function properly and regulates our cardiovascular systems.

What is it?
It is a fat-soluble substance that behaves like a hormone and is essential for our bodies to work correctly.
There are two main types of vitamin D: D2 comes from plant sources and D3 comes from animal sources.

What is it for?
It helps the body absorb calcium to strengthen the bones and prevent osteoporosis.
It boosts our immune system and could prevent cancer.
It also helps our muscles to function properly and regulates our cardiovascular systems.

What is it?
It is a by-product of cheese production. It is the liquid found floating on the top of yoghurt. It represents 20% of the protein found in milk. It has the highest biological value, in other words, it is easily absorbed by the body.

What is it for?
It stimulates protein synthesis and therefore mass gain.
It is rapidly assimilated, which is why it is recommended post-training, within 45 minutes of finishing exercise. Before training, it provides the muscles with amino acids to help them resist damage.

What is it?
It is a trace element.

What is it for?
It is involved in metabolising protein and fat, within the immune system. It has an indirect anti-inflammatory effect and improves blood sugar levels. It may increase strength and muscle mass.

What is it?
It is a patented food supplement composed of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B.

What is it for?
It may have a beneficial effect on the production of testosterone and therefore on strength and muscle mass.