Yerba Mate is a traditional South American drink that has become increasingly popular worldwide in recent years. Derived from the naturally caffeinated Ilex paraguariensis plant, Yerba Mate is consumed as a tea by steeping the dried leaves and twigs in hot water.
While Yerba Mate has long been enjoyed for its energizing effects, there is growing interest in its potential benefits for bodybuilders and athletes. As bodybuilders aim to build muscle, increase strength, improve exercise performance and recovery, Yerba Mate's unique nutritional profile offers some intriguing advantages.
In this blog post, we'll explore the key ways that drinking Yerba Mate tea may benefit bodybuilders and support muscle growth and workout goals.
Provides a Clean Energy Boost
One of the main appeals of Yerba Mate for bodybuilders is that it provides a clean source of energy and stimulation. Yerba Mate contains caffeine along with other xanthines like theobromine and theophylline.
This combination offers a gentle sustained energy lift without the jittery side effects of coffee. The caffeine content in Yerba Mate is moderate at around 85mg per 8oz cup. This is enough to boost mental clarity, focus and alertness without over-stimulating the central nervous system.
For bodybuilders hitting the gym early in the morning, Yerba Mate is ideal pre-workout fuel. It can help improve mental focus during intense training sessions, allowing you to push harder and get more out of your time at the gym. The clean stimulation can also aid strength and power output.
Enhances Exercise Metabolism
Several research studies have suggested that drinking Yerba Mate regularly can increase fat burning and promote exercise metabolism.
In one study, overweight subjects taking 1g of Yerba Mate each day for 12 weeks lost significantly more fat mass compared to placebo. The Yerba Mate group also saw reductions in waist-hip ratio and subcutaneous fat. Researchers noted that Yerba Mate supplementation increased fat oxidation during moderate intensity exercise.
For bodybuilders looking to shed body fat and get shredded, this unique fat burning effect is very beneficial. Yerba Mate's ability to mobilize fatty acids and boost fat metabolism indicates it is a great addition to pre-cardio or HIIT training routines. The end result is helping achieve a lean, defined physique.
Boosts Strength and Endurance
In addition to increasing exercise metabolism, research indicates that Yerba Mate supplementation can improve markers of athletic performance.
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, participants were given 1g of Yerba Mate extract daily for 7 days. After supplementation, the Yerba Mate group saw significant increases in cycling time to exhaustion. They were also able to reach higher oxygen uptake levels before hitting the point of exhaustion.
Researchers attributed these benefits to Yerba Mate's anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Polyphenols like chlorogenic acids in Yerba Mate support more efficient muscle contraction and delaying fatigue.
For bodybuilders, these endurance and strength enhancing effects are ideal for pushing through high-intensity workouts and lifting sessions. Yerba Mate allows you to train at a higher intensity for longer, driving more gains.
May Support Muscle Recovery
In addition to its performance benefits during training, Yerba Mate also shows potential for aiding exercise recovery.
In studies on patients undergoing heart surgery, Yerba Mate supplementation helped decrease muscle tissue damage and oxidative stress following the procedure. Other research found that soccer athletes had lower markers of muscle damage and inflammation in a trial combining Yerba Mate with other plant extracts.
These effects are linked to Yerba Mate's natural antioxidant content. Compounds like caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid and flavonoids help counter the rise in free radicals and inflammation brought on by intense resistance training. Faster clearance of metabolic waste may allow muscles to recover at an accelerated rate.
For bodybuilders, quicker muscle recovery means being ready to hit the next workout harder and continue making progress. Yerba Mate enables you to increase training density and frequency for optimal gains.
May Increase Testosterone Levels
Some early research has indicated that Yerba Mate supplementation can cause moderate increases in testosterone levels for both men and women. One study on healthy men aged 18-22 found that consuming 330mg of Yerba Mate each day for 7 days increased testosterone levels by 18%.
Higher testosterone is highly beneficial for male bodybuilders and strength athletes. It can increase both muscle protein synthesis and strength. Even for female bodybuilders, a minor testosterone boost can amplify the ability to add lean muscle mass when combined with proper resistance training.
It's thought that Yerba Mate's antioxidant content and ability to reduce inflammation may help support healthy testosterone production. However, more research is still needed to draw firmer conclusions on optimal dosing strategies.
Supports Overall Health
In addition to its direct bodybuilding and performance benefits, Yerba Mate offers general health advantages that may assist with your fitness goals. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects provide protection against oxidative stress.
Yerba Mate consumption is also associated with weight loss, healthy cholesterol levels, and anti-diabetic effects. Drinking Yerba Mate over coffee or sugary energy drinks also means you avoid excess calories, sugars, and other unhealthy additives.
By supporting overall health and wellbeing, Yerba Mate offers a holistic boost to achieve your body composition objectives.
How to Use Yerba Mate for Bodybuilding
If you want to start utilizing Yerba Mate, here are some simple tips:
- Purchase loose leaf or bagged Yerba Mate from a natural health food store or reputable online retailer. Look for organic and sustainably harvested options.
- Brew using hot but not boiling water and a French press or infuser for the best flavor. Steep 5-10 minutes before drinking.
- Consume 1-3 cups per day. Try one cup 30 minutes before your workout then another cup or two later in the day.
- Yerba Mate has a bold, earthy taste. Add lemon, honey or stevia to taste if desired. Avoid excessive sugar or cream though.
- Start slow with 1 cup daily to assess tolerance. Yerba Mate contains less caffeine than coffee but can still cause jitteriness in sensitive individuals.
- For enhanced benefits, look for Yerba Mate standardized to contain at least 1-2% chlorogenic acids. Or use hydroalcoholic Yerba Mate extract at doses used in research studies.
- Yerba Mate is very safe but avoid excess caffeine if pregnant or breastfeeding. Check with your doctor if combining with medications due to possible drug interactions.
Conclusion
Yerba Mate is a unique stimulant beverage from South America that can offer a range of potential benefits for bodybuilders. With its combination of caffeine, antioxidants and plant nutrients, Yerba Mate provides clean energy, enhances metabolism and fat burning, improves exercise performance and recovery, and may support muscle growth.
Adding 1-3 cups of Yerba Mate tea to your daily routine is an easy way to boost your bodybuilding results. Just be sure to source high-quality Yerba Mate tea and find the dosage that works best with your individual tolerance and goals.
