If you want to maximize your muscle growth and strength gains, you need to take a variety of supplements in combination with a well-rounded diet. Here are some top choices:
Nitric oxide (NO) boosters increase blood flow to your muscles, delivering oxygen, nutrients, anabolic hormones, and water for enhanced energy, muscle pump, and recovery. Look for a product with the amino acid arginine.
1 Creatine
Creatine is a natural substance that the body produces and stores in muscles. It plays a critical role in energy production, especially during high-intensity exercise. It increases the availability of adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, which is used for energy by muscle cells. This allows you to complete more reps with less fatigue and increase your overall strength (1, 2).
This may also aid recovery by elevating anabolic hormones that contribute to muscle growth-insulin, human growth hormone, testosterone, and nitric oxide. And it can increase the water content within the muscles-another phenomenon termed cell volumization-and can produce a higher rate of muscle gain (15, 16).
Other studies reveal that creatine is effective to all ages and exercise levels. Of course, it is most useful to athletes who have to endure repeated high-intensity exercises. It is also helpful in cases of muscular dystrophy, which is a group of disorders causing progressive muscle weaknesses. (17, 18)
Caffeine is another well-used ergogenic supplement that can help enhance exercise performance and stimulate Muscle Growth It has been shown to enhance performance during endurance training, but its effects on resistance-training-based exercises are less clear. (20)
Talk to your doctor before taking any supplement for muscle building. Dietary supplements are not as strictly regulated as prescription drugs and some can have harmful ingredients. The best assurance that a product contains what it says on the label is when products are tested independently.
2 Beta-Alanine
Beta-alanine is one of the most widely known non-essential amino acids in the exercise and sports field due to its ergogenic effect. It’s mainly applied in the context of enhancing performance at high-intensity exercise by augmenting muscle carnosine concentration. It further enhances ATP-phosphocreatine energy systems. The human body has demonstrated that a minimum dose of 4 grams daily for at least 45 days will increase the muscle carnosine.
During high-intensity exercise, your muscles break down glucose for fuel and produce lactic acid. This raises the pH level of your muscles, which causes that burning sensation you feel when you’re done working out. Carnosine works to buffer lactic acid accumulation and delay the onset of fatigue, which allows you to work out for longer. This effect appears most pronounced during short, high-intensity workouts.
It is, therefore, essential to use a good quality carnosine supplement in order to gain the best effects. Bulk Supplements Pure Beta Alanine Powder is an excellent choice for this purpose since it is unflavored and tested in the laboratory for purity. Moreover, this version of the product is SR (sustained release) to avoid the feeling of paresthesia, which may be experienced due to instant-release carnosine supplements.
A tingling feeling, or paresthesia, is an innocuous side effect of beta-alanine and varies among different individuals. It’s never a painful condition but may produce the sensation that comes with getting “pins and needles” to your scalp or ears. With the loading phase where you can use higher doses for a relatively shorter period, followed by dropping back to using low dosages, it lessens the tingling feeling in your paresthesia.
3. Whey Protein
Protein is made up of amino acids, which are smaller molecules that your body uses to build muscle and create other important biological processes. Some amino acids your body makes on its own, while others must be obtained from foods or supplements. Whey is a dairy-based protein that contains many of the essential amino acids your body requires, including leucine and cysteine. (6)
Generally, whey protein is taken as a powder that can be dissolved in liquids like shakes or smoothies. It is also often added to meal replacement products and protein bars. Whey protein supplement may help boost the muscle growth when your diet lacks a recommended protein intake per day.
Studies using whey protein together with resistance exercise have shown that the supplement increased the growth and strength of muscles being trained. However, most of these studies used food diaries or questionnaires to control the participants’ normal diet, which means results depend on the accuracy of what participants record.
Depending on what is most important and your diet, the best whey protein is for you. If you need the purest form of whey, a whey protein isolate will do the trick. However, if you have an intolerance to lactose, choose a whey protein concentrate with less than 0.1 g of milk proteins per tablespoon.
4. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
If you are looking to add muscle mass, the best supplements will improve performance in exercise by increasing energy levels and reducing fatigue, aid in muscle recovery, and further growth. They will provide you with nutrients that the body requires to perform its best, such as protein, carbs, electrolytes, and omega-3 fatty acids. And most importantly, they’re safe and free from ingredients that could cause androgenic (testosterone-related) side effects.
The top strength-boosting supplement whey protein powder is fast-absorbing and contains the necessary amino acids to get muscle protein synthesis started. It also contains leucine, which helps your muscles absorb other amino acids and enhance your body’s ability to use them. Make sure you choose a whey protein powder with no added sugar. Sugar can impede muscle growth and response to insulin.
Another excellent supplement for building muscle is beta-alanine. It helps you work out longer and harder by buffering the lactic acid that causes fatigue, giving you that “pump” feeling in the gym. It also aids in making progress in the gym by delaying the onset of fatigue and increasing reps.
Omega-3 fatty acids are another must-have for muscle growth, as they reduce exercise-induced muscle damage and support recovery and a healthy cardiovascular system. However, it’s important to find a quality omega-3 supplement to ensure that it doesn’t go rancid, which can introduce oxidative stress and cause negative effects.
5. Branched-Chain Amino Acids
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and they are essential for a number of body functions. There are 20 different amino acids, nine of which the human body can’t produce itself, so these need to come from food sources. BCAAs are the ones that differ as they carry branched chains within their structures that give them this name. They include three essential amino acids, namely leucine, isoleucine, and valine. BCAAs can be obtained through protein sources like meat, eggs, milk, and others derived from plants. They are also a popular dietary supplement in powder form.
Studies indicate that BCAAs can promote muscle growth, reduce soreness and fatigue following exercise, prevent muscle wasting, and enhance liver health. Some of the benefits associated with BCAAs are attributed to the fact that they activate pathways in the body that stimulate protein synthesis. Leucine is particularly effective at promoting muscle protein synthesis.
Studies have demonstrated that BCAAs can be used to minimize exercise-induced fatigue, especially in individuals who are subjected to chronic high-intensity exercise. In one study, a supplement consisting of leucine, isoleucine, valine, and another amino acid, arginine, enhanced the performance of intermittent sprints by the participants over two consecutive days compared with a placebo supplement. The researchers postulate that these effects of BCAAs and arginine are attributed to the reduction in blood levels of creatine kinase, an enzyme capable of causing muscle damage.
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6. Fish Oil
It seems straightforward: muscle grows larger or should at least in size, since the individual constructs his or her muscles with grueling workouts. Building muscle does not require someone to spend some time inside a gym pumping iron; one’s diet plays an equally significant role. Muscle gains only happen with adequate amounts of specific types of nutrients, fueling your body in preparation. Supplements fill the gaps, then.
All supplements however are not alike. Some supplements that are marketed as muscle-building products don’t have the research to back up their claims. For example, creatine and beta-alanine may increase your muscles’ capacity to grow, but they won’t necessarily help you bulk up. Other supplements that promise to aid in muscle growth, such as the minerals chromium vanadyl sulfate and boron, and the steroid hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), have little scientific evidence to support their claims.
However, fish oil, which contains EPA and DHA, omega-3 fatty acids, has been proven to enhance protein synthesis in your muscles. This process occurs when your cells break down amino acids to create new proteins, like the amino acid leucine, which helps your muscles grow.
Ultimately, the way to build muscles is through hard workouts and nutrient-rich foods. However, if you find that you cannot consume enough protein with whole foods alone, try whey or EAA supplements. And before introducing any new supplements into your diet, consult your doctor.