When it comes to finding the best muscle building supplements, there’s a big difference between effective supplements that can move the needle and those that just drive marketing hype.
Depending on a number of factors, including age, genetics and training status, experts say the average amount of muscle you can gain Legally Pack on your body (read: no stimulants). One to two pounds per month. Can you build more than that? maybe. But it takes the right combination of consistent workouts, proper diet, and targeted supplementation to push beyond average.
What are the best supplements for building muscle? The list of active ingredients is shorter than you might think. But, if high performance is your goal, this is where supplements can make a real difference.
What is the best supplement for gaining muscle?
Protein powder is the foundation of your muscle building supplement plan.
What does protein do?
Hard exertion can cause damage to muscles, and protein is needed to help the body recover and repair this damage, a process known as muscle protein synthesis. When you repair muscle fibers that have been broken down by strength training, then they grow.
This is why a high-quality protein powder is so beneficial. When consumed in sufficient quantities, it provides your body with the nutrients it needs to support muscle growth.*
All proteins are made up of amino acids, and some – like leucine (one of the three BCAAs) – are even more important to help support muscle growth. International Society of Sports Nutrition She recommends protein sources that are high in leucine and include a balanced set of essential amino acids, which are so called because they are not naturally produced by the body and therefore must be consumed through food.
How much protein should you consume?
In general, you want to eat it up 1.4 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of current body weight per day. So, if you weigh 180 pounds (about 82 kg), you should eat about 115 to 180 grams of protein daily.
This is why protein powders are the foundation of a muscle building plan: they provide a concentrated amount of protein that is convenient to consume.
What is the best form of protein?
Your best options, depending on your nutritional preferences, are whey protein and pea protein.
Whey is derived from milk and is the fastest-digesting form of protein. It primarily comes in two forms: concentrate and isolate, with whey protein isolate being the purer of the two as well as the form used in Beachbody performance recovery.
If you follow a plant-based diet, or if you are sensitive to dairy products, pea protein (such as the type used in our plant-based formula) Beachbody performance recovery) is your best bet due to its high leucine content. Most other plants – such as rice or hemp – offer lower levels of protein.
The best way to consume protein
Aim for approx 20 to 40 grams of protein per serving From any source. Protein powders are best suited about two hours before or after exercise.
You can also eat a slow-digesting protein — such as casein or milk protein isolate — before bedtime to help promote muscle growth while you sleep.
What other muscle building supplements actually work?
Different supplements take different approaches to achieving the ultimate goal of muscle growth. Below are the most important components and their different mechanisms of action.
1. Creatine
Creatine, a compound commonly found in meat, helps enhance strength, endurance and power and supports muscle growth. Perhaps most importantly, it is the most clinically tested performance supplement you can buy.
Creatine is found in many foods, including beef, chicken, milk, and cheese, but in such small amounts that you only have to eat it. Two to three pounds of meat daily To get the same benefit from about a teaspoon of powder.
How does creatine work?
Creatine provides additional energy during short, intense periods of anaerobic activity, giving extra phosphate to the cycle that produces ATP, your body’s primary fuel source. This extra energy can make a meaningful difference in your strength: in a Review of 22 studiesParticipants who used creatine showed an eight percent increase in strength compared to those who did not.
The boost you enjoy during strength training also shows up in short, sequential activities like sprints, leading to improvements in speed and fitness. Recovery between efforts. It might even help Speed up the process by which you regain lost muscle.*
The best way to consume creatine
Your best option is creatine monohydrate. No other form even comes close in terms of clinical research. In general, aim for 5 grams per day Up to 10 g If you have more muscle mass. It also doesn’t matter when you take the supplement as long as you take it consistently every day.
Some prefer a “loading” period during which larger amounts of creatine are initially taken daily for a brief period before switching to a continuous schedule of regular meals.*
You can mix creatine with hot or cold liquids, but the higher the temperature, the faster the creatine will break down before consumption. Creatine remains stable in liquid for only 10 minutes A short period of timeWhich makes its powder form more reliable.
2. Beta Alanine
If you want to build more muscle, there are three basic ways to do so: tighten the muscle, Metabolic stressand muscle damage. All three are motivated by working harder and longer. This is where beta alanine is your friend.
How does beta alanine work?
Beta Alanine aids in the production of carnosine, which helps reduce muscle fatigue and improve endurance during intense, intermittent exercise such as weight training.*
Best way to consume beta alanine
To see the effects of beta alanine, you need to consume at least 1.6 grams per day, with an upper limit of 1.6 grams per day. 6 grams daily. It will take some time to build up in your system, so it is important to take beta alanine consistently. Noticeable benefits may require four to eight weeks of regular consumption.
For some people, beta alanine can cause a mild “tingling” effect that some people find unusual. The more beta-alanine you take, the more likely you are to get this tingling sensation.
To help counteract this effect, you can take a time-release beta-alanine formulation, split the dose, or take it with additional food and water. For example, when eating Activate Beachbody performanceIf you don’t like the tingling sensation, just mix it with more water and take it with food.
3. HMP
Hydroxymethylbutyrate (HMB) is a compound produced by leucine metabolism in the body. HMB supplements are often taken to help limit muscle loss due to aging, and are taken for exercise It was also found To positively impact muscle mass, performance and recovery.
How does HMP work?
the Effects of HMB It’s two-fold: On the one hand, it helps promote muscle protein synthesis, the process by which protein turns into muscle after exercise, and on the other hand, it helps reduce muscle protein breakdown.
the a result It is to increase muscle growth, strength and energy while enhancing recovery. However, HMB requires a level of activity sufficient to cause muscle damage — either high intensity and/or high volume — respectively To be more effective.*
Best way to consume HMB
International Society of Sports Nutrition He says HMB can be consumed for both chronic (ongoing) and acute (momentary) benefits. In either case, you would need to consume more than 600 grams of protein per day to accumulate the amount of dietary leucine (60 grams) needed to obtain the recommended daily dose of HMB used in human studies, so HMB is usually increased by supplementation.
For chronic benefits, the ISSN recommends consuming 3 grams of HMB, divided into three servings daily, for two weeks before training intense enough to cause muscle damage. For acute benefits, the organization suggests taking 3 grams of HMB at least 60 minutes before intense exercise, longer if accompanied by glucose.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.