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A large number of muscle building supplements exist on the market today. This guide will explore and explain many of the different kinds ranging from the tried and true to the hottest most popular ones out there.
Supplements For Building Muscle - What is Best?
How do you know which products are best for you when there are so many to choose from? Time and time again, there are a few products that have proven themselves staples of any muscle building regimen. These include: protein, a multi-vitamin and creatine. Aside from those heavy-hitters, there are a number of up-and-coming products and of course the hardcore prohormones as well that we will get into a bit later.
But first, supplements are not a necessity, they are a luxury. If you want to gain muscle with food alone as food is one the most important aspect of any training program, you can. You may not gain as quickly or efficiently, but you can still gain. Supplements provide high quality, nutrient specific ingredients that your body can do wonders with. They are a convenient way for athletes, bodybuilders and of course average Joes and Janes to gain lean muscle alongside a sensible workout program.
Let's start off by looking at the big three: - Protein
- Multi-Vitamin
- Creatine
Protein
Protein is probably all you hear about these days, especially with all the rage about low carb diets going on right now; so, I'm sure you're quite familiar with it. Good sources are meats, but you want to watch out for meat that is high in saturated fat because you don't want to be unhealthy or pay a high caloric debt for your protein. Other sources include legumes, beans and nuts. Many people use protein shakes and bars because they are a good, high-quality source and they are convenient.
Protein has all kinds of uses in the body, not just muscle building. It is used as structural material for cells and tissues, keratin of skin and elastin of connective tissue to name a few. It also plays a role in providing essential building blocks that help regulate the body in an incredible number of ways. So, it's important. How much should you consume? The RDA is 0.8 grams per kg (.36 grams per lb). Depending on your goal and which diet plan you follow, this number may seem a bit low. In fact, many experts have recommended as high as 1 to 2 grams per pound of body weight. To get a feel for your requirements based on your goals, check out our protein calculator.
The basic building blocks are amino acids. Because of the all-or-none rule followed by the body, all amino acids needed to make a particular protein in the body must be present in a cell at the same time and in the right amounts. Because of this fact, it's good to make sure that you're not only getting enough protein, but that the amino acid profile contains all the essential aminos (ones your body cannot make on its own). This is another reason why protein supplements are a good way to go, generally manufacturers pay attention to the all-or-nothing rule. There are eight essential aminos for adults: tryptophan, methionine (cysteine), valine, threonine, phenylalanine (tyrosine), leucine, isoleucine and lysine. Histidine is essential for infants as well.
The different types of protein products are: Meal Replacements, Whey Protein, Casein, Soy Protein, Egg Protein, and Protein bars. Of these some variations include: Low Carb, High Carb, Protein Blends and straight Amino Acids. Let's look at each of these.
Meal Replacements
Meal Replacements (MRP's) are basically a protein powder that contains vitamins and minerals so that a serving will provide an adequate daily value of nutrients so as to "replace a meal". These are awesome, probably the most underrated supplement around. Many people use them because you know exactly what you are getting and they are a lot healthier than many other forms of fast food (like that #5 at Jack-in-the-Box). These are a good way to go, although the price will be higher than just straight protein.
Whey Protein
Whey Protein is derived from cheese. It is highly absorbed and easily assimilated. Whey is the way to go for a post workout shake because it gets into your system very rapidly and that's the most important time to get it! Less than half an hour is all it takes.
Casein
Casein is a milk based protein that takes its sweet time to be fully absorbed. Because it digests over a 2-7 hour time period, it works great as a nighttime protein supplement.
Soy Protein
Soy Protein is one of the healthiest forms of protein because it provides a heart-healthy alternative to meat. As one of the only plant-based complete proteins, soy is great news for vegetarians. It is also beneficial for women because it provides estrogen support in women. It's ok for men to use soy, just not all the time as for women.
Egg Protein
Egg Protein is a good source, so long as no more than one yolk is consumed daily. More than one yolk exceeds the RDA for cholesterol (300 mg). Egg protein powder in a supplement shake provides a good anytime protein that absorbs at a medium pace (1.5-3 hours). Supplement powders also taste good and are great in terms of cholesterol as well.
Blends
Blends can be found in supplement protein powders and they have their benefits. For one thing, you get a variable absorption rate which means you get the best of all worlds. For another, you get a balanced source that is easy to consume.
Low Carb
Straight protein supplement powders are low carb by nature; however, many manufacturers add in sugars to make it taste better. The low carb ones tend to be pretty much straight protein or use a sugar substitute that has little or no caloric value. These are great for those low carb diets and also for those who want to control their macronutrient intake with more precision, getting carbs from other sources. One caution: for the post workout shake, a little carbs are good to help your body absorb the protein easier by initiating an insulin spike.
High Carb
On the other end of the spectrum, we have Weight Gainers (high carb). These are very popular for those trying to put on mass because they have a high ratio of carbs to proteins and may also include a healthy amount of fat. As calories are the real reason people put on weight, these tend to have higher serving sizes that are calorie dense.
Protein Bars
Convenient as it gets and delicious if you find the right ones! Their are big ones, small ones, chocolate ones and even cookies! Many bars have a good mix of protein, carbs, fat, vitamins and minerals; but, they specialize so check the label. Also, remember you can always cut a bar in half, saving half for later and that would cut the calories in half if you're counting.
Amino Acids
There are quite a few straight amino supplements out there and they can be great for muscle growth as well. You cannot get the quantity of protein this way, but you can get quality. You also know you're getting all the essential aminos to make a complete protein and branched chain aminos as well for increased muscle growth. These are great to take preworkout to give your body the building blocks it needs during your workout to respond to the stress you place on it.
Multi-Vitamin/Mineral
The body requires a certain amount of vitamins and minerals every day to function properly. Experts agree that supplementing your diet with a good multi-vitamin and mineral supplement is not a bad idea. Think of it as an insurance policy for your body. It's generally a good idea to take it with food since your body can use it better and you have less chance of getting an upset stomach. You don't want to get too little or too much though, so use moderation if you're eating a lot of food that has fat soluble vitamins in it. The fat soluble vitamins are A, D, E and K. Fish, liver, fish liver oils, vegetable oils, and fortified foods are the main culprits.
What does this have to do with muscle building? Everything! Many vitamins and minerals play crucial roles in the body's metabolic and anabolic processes. If you are deficient, your body is not going to be functioning as smoothly as it should and you could be hurting your progress and your health.
Multi-Vitamin/Mineral
Creatine has been touted as one of the best muscle builders of the past decade. It's true! Creatine works very well for increasing muscle mass when supplemented. It works by assisting the body in ATP replenishment (your body's primary energy source is ATP). When you have more energy you can do more sets, run farther, faster, lift more, etc. That's the idea behind this breakthrough supplement. There are many forms of creatine on the market, but the main ones are either straight creatine monohydrate or creatine mixed with some type of sugar for an absorption booster via insulin spiking. Creatine should be cycled (take it for awhile, then take an equal time off, like four weeks on, four weeks off) so that you consistently make gains using it. Creatine ranks in our top 3 muscle builders. It can be taken either post or pre workout.
Now that's not all! There are a number of other supplements that can help the body achieve greater muscle building potential as well. These supplements also make the list for producing best results:
- Glutamine
- ZMA
- Prohormones
- NO (Nitric Oxide)
- HMB
Glutamine
Glutamine is one of the most amazing muscle builders and that's why it's next on our list of the best muscle building supps. As the most abundant amino found in muscle, it's an important source your body draws on for many things: stress, trauma, recovery, immune system enhancment, etc. That's why it's important to keep a ready supply for your body to use. When you've just annihilated your muscles in the gym or performed any strenuous activity your body is going to be grappling for glutamine to assist the important recovery process. Glutamine taken in supplement form does not require cycling and can be taken pre or post workout. Your body is really going to be thanking you for this! As an added bonus, quicker recovery means less time being sore so you can workout again sooner!
ZMA  ZMA is a specific combination of Zinc, Magnesium Aspartate and Vitamin B6 that has been shown in university studies to increase muscle mass over 11.6% versus a placebo, which reported only a 4.6% increase! I know that sounds pretty bizarre, but it's true. How does it work? It turns out that when these minerals and vitamin are present in this dosage in the body together, they work to naturally elevate your testosterone levels. Testosterone, the main male hormone, is responsible for a number of positive benefits including: muscle gain, enhancing mood, increasing libido, etc! Since ZMA works naturally to elevate test levels, it works differently in men and women with their different hormonal capabilities. As it is safe and effective for women as well, the only caveat is that ZMA should be taken at a smaller dose for women. ZMA is an awesome prohormone alternative or even great for use during an off-cycle. Another similar product worth mentioning because it is also a natural test booster is tribulus. We recommend ZMA over tribulus, however, due to greater overall positive effects for men and women.
Prohormones  Prohormones have advanced quite a bit over the years. First there was andro, then androdiol. Now we've witness the rise of 1-AD and newcomer Methyl 1-Test to name a few. Prohormones work much the same as anabolic steroids, except on a lesser scale. They assist the body in maintaining positive nitrogen balance, creating an anabolic environment. Many users report significant gains in strength in a relatively short time. The newer prohormones have less risk of side-effects than earlier ones, however, they should still always be cycled. These normally aren't recommended for women and teens under 18.
NO (Nitric Oxide)  One of the newer anabolic supplements to hit the stage, Nitric Oxide is a free form gas that is produced in the body and is used by the body for a number of processes including cellular communication. The big benefit to NO supplementation is being able to maintain a positive nitrogen balance, which means your body is in the muscle building mode rather than tearing it down. The main effect noticed with NO supplementation is a super pumped feeling. This is because NO is a vasodilator and therefore increases blood flow to the extremities, super saturating your muscle tissue with more nutrients.
HMB  HMB is a muscle building/fat burning supplement that has been around for awhile. It is actually a metabolite of leucine, one of the body’s essential amino acids. Although researchers are not exactly sure how it works in the body, they know HMB plays a role in the synthesis of muscle tissue. Athletes have used HMB with great success for as long as it's been available. A seven week long study showed a much greater gain in muscle with the HMB group versus a placebo when a group of 28 participated in supplementation of HMB plus a regular weight-training program.
Other Muscle Building Products
There are a number of other Muscle Builders out there. The macronutrients carbohydrates (used to make glucose, which makes ATP) nad fats (which convert to triglycerides (a major energy fuel of skeletal muscle and integral component of myelin sheaths and all cell membranes) are readily available in food, but can also be supplemented specifically. So don't go thinking that all you need is protein to build muscle as this would only undermine your success. Once again, a sensible balanced diet is best. To supplement your diet with adequate carbs and fats, the following supplements are recommended:
- Weight Gainer protein shakes (most have a good amount of carbs and fat for aiding muscle growth).
- Carbohydrate Products can help you get added carbs if your diet is low in them.
- Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's) are a good source of healthy fats.
- Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT's)
Other usefult muscle building supplements include:
- Growth Hormone
- Anti-Estrogens
- Ecdysterone/Ipriflavone
If you have any questions, comments or ideas to make this section better, contact us! Thanks, Gettinglean.com.
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