Are you looking for muscle-building supplements that promote muscle growth? While many claim to be able to get the job done, you’ve probably fallen short a time or two. We’ve put together the ultimate guide of the best supplements for muscle growth so that you have a quick reference point to maximize muscle growth.
At NutraBio, we are committed to offering high-quality muscle-building supplements that can support your fitness goals when combined with a solid training program.
This guide to the best supplements to improve muscle mass will explain why you want to use these products, their role, what these muscle-building supplements are, and how to leverage them to get the best results possible.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to treat or diagnose any condition. You should speak with your doctor before starting any exercise program, making changes to your nutrition, or adding any dietary supplement to your current routine.
Why Muscle-Building Supplements Are Essential for Your Fitness Goals
Muscle-building supplements fuel your body to meet fitness goals faster by helping maximize muscle growth and repair after workouts. They’re key to supporting muscle protein synthesis.
After an intense training session, your muscle fibers need repair. This is where protein comes into play. Eating enough protein helps fix and build up the muscles stronger than before.
You should aim for around 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight to get the best results.
Supplements help a lot with this process. For example, taking whey protein after working out can speed up muscle fixing because it has about 3-4 grams of leucine—an important part that starts muscle building in our bodies.
Adding carbs to your protein shake makes things even better by raising insulin levels, which helps improve recovery and muscle growth.
Furthermore, taking something like creatine is a great way to improve exercise performance. This supplement gives energy for short, intense activities like lifting weights or sprinting. It helps you push more reps and weight, leading to better muscle growth and strength over time.
Implementing caffeine found in pre-workout drinks can boost energy and focus, helping you push harder and longer.
Types of Supplements for Muscle Growth and Performance
Far too many people go crazy buying a ton of muscle-building supplements. We are a huge advocate for working with the basics first to build a solid foundation. Below are some of the most popular supplements for muscle growth and their benefits:.
1. Protein Supplements
Whey protein powders play a crucial role in muscle repair and growth. These protein supplements help enhance muscle performance, hypertrophy, strength, and overall body composition.
The best time to take whey protein supplements would be post-workout to get the protein in your system where it can get to work repairing the torn-down muscle fibers you created during your workout. Some prefer to also use whey protein before training to help preserve lean muscle mass and enhance muscle performance.
Aiming for both pre-workout and post-workout intake will maximize our gains. Many studies show that this method significantly increases muscle growth.
While whey is the most commonly used protein supplement to support lean muscle mass, we can’t forget about casein.
Casein protein also supports muscle recovery but works differently than whey. It’s a slow-digesting protein that steadily releases amino acids into our bloodstream. This slow release aids in overnight recovery while you sleep, so it’s recommended to use just before bed.
2. Creatine Supplements
Creatine plays an important role in strength training. It can boost your muscle creatine levels, which helps fuel your workouts and repairs muscle fibers post-workout.
When you combine creatine with strength training, you can also see an increase in lean body mass.
Using creatine aids in ATP production, which is crucial for muscle contraction. This means you can lift heavier and perform better overall during your workouts.
Studies show that users who took creatine post-workout gained twice the lean muscle compared to those who took it before workouts.
3. Essential Amino Acids (EAAs) & Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
Essential amino acids (EAAs) and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are crucial for muscle growth. They help with muscle protein synthesis and recovery after workouts.
To simplify their roles, you can think of them this way: EAAs support overall muscle repair, while BCAAs focus on reducing fatigue during exercise.
That said, both can boost your performance in the gym.
RELATED: BCAA vs EAA? What’s the Difference?
Essential amino acids (EAAs) come from food (or supplements) because our bodies cannot make them on their own.
A boost in essential amino acid levels can lead to a 34% rise in muscle protein synthesis. This means more gains for you.
Leucine, one of the EAAs, activates the mTOR pathway. This process is crucial for repairing muscles and promoting growth hormone levels. After stressing your muscles, having enough amino acids helps reduce muscle damage and speed up recovery.
Including EAAs in our diet or supplements supports better performance and recovery after workouts.
EAAs and BCAAs are important for muscle growth but serve different purposes. EAAs offer a complete amino acid profile. They help with muscle protein synthesis and recovery better than BCAAs.
In contrast, BCAAs contain only three amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. While useful during workouts to reduce fatigue, relying solely on BCAAs might leave us short of other essential amino acids.
Essential amino acids are best-taken post-workout as they can maximize recovery. BCAAs, on the other hand, work well before or during workouts to boost energy levels and fight muscle soreness.
Pre-Workout Supplements
Pre-workout supplements boost our energy, exercise performance, and endurance during workouts. They help us push harder in resistance training. Caffeine and beta-alanine are two of the most commonly used ingredients in pre-workouts.
Caffeine can increase your mental alertness and give you extra energy, making it easier to push through training sessions. Studies show that caffeine can improve exercise performance, which is exactly what you need if you want to get the most from your time in the gym.
Beta-alanine is another helpful ingredient as it may delay muscle fatigue by preventing lactic acid buildup in your muscles, helping you push harder and further. If you want to reach new heights with your training, beta-alanine is the perfect ingredient to help.
Taking pre-workouts before exercise allows us to maximize our workout and athletic performance. With these supplements, you can last longer in the gym, improve strength, enhance muscle pumps, and get dialed in and focused.
How To Choose the Right Muscle-Building Supplements
You have a lot of choices when it comes to what muscle-building supplements you want to use. At NutraBio, we want to provide you with transparency. That means you see exactly what’s in the product, the third-party testing results, and the confidence that you’re buying the highest-quality and the purest product possible.
It’s important that you understand what you’re looking at. Read the labels. Get to know the ingredients and dosages. If possible, avoid proprietary blends where you don’t know exactly how much of each ingredient you’re taking.
Most importantly, know your fitness goals and what it will take to get there. Your current body composition and workout intensity should help guide you toward the products you need to accomplish your goals.
For Lean Muscle Mass
Building lean muscle mass requires smart choices. You can use specific supplements to help you grow lean body mass and preserve muscle.
Maintaining lean body mass is crucial during cutting phases. As you lose fat, you also risk losing muscle. This is where a quality protein powder comes into play.
Protein powders, like whey and casein, are vital to achieving results. They provide essential amino acids for recovery and growth. Taking in enough protein can help boost lean muscle mass while also preserving lean body mass when cutting.
EAAs and BCAAs can also support muscle preservation and muscle growth.
Creatine may boost your strength, allowing more intense workouts. This combination supports our goal of gaining lean body mass effectively and boosting muscle performance—even when in a caloric deficit.
Beta-alanine also plays a role here. It helps reduce fatigue and boosts muscle performance.
For Strength & Power
When it comes to strength and power, creatine and beta-alanine are popular choices. They help you lift heavier weights and push harder during intense strength training sessions. These supplements may enhance muscle growth and support explosive movements in training.
Creatine is a top choice for strength and explosive power. It helps increase energy in your muscles, enhancing performance when strength training. This can ultimately lead to more muscle growth.
Beta-alanine is another powerful supplement you should consider adding. It may reduce fatigue, allowing you to push harder during training sessions. Research found that taking upwards of 4 grams of beta-alanine daily for eight weeks boosted muscle growth.
For Recovery & Muscle Repair
Recovery is key for muscle repair and building muscle. Supplements like glutamine and protein powders are ideal for success in this area. Better recovery leads to better workouts and gains.
Glutamine reduces muscle soreness and speeds up muscle repair. Taking it can lead to less soreness and damage in our muscles.
Protein powders support muscle growth and recovery, too. They provide the necessary building blocks for muscle repair and muscle protein synthesis.
The Science Behind Muscle Building Supplements & Protein Synthesis
Muscle-building supplements help with protein synthesis, which is vital for muscle growth and repair. These products support your goals by boosting recovery and strength when used correctly.
Muscle protein synthesis (MPS) is key for muscle growth and repair. High-quality proteins, like whey and casein, boost MPS when consumed post-workout or before bed.
Combining carbohydrates with these proteins can further enhance MPS after workouts—making it even more effective for recovery and muscle growth.
Essential amino acids, especially leucine, play an important role in this process and are crucial for muscle growth. They help signal our bodies to start repairing muscle fibers.
Increased EAA levels lead to higher muscle protein synthesis rates throughout the body.
Supplement Timing & Best Practices for Maximum Results
It’s important to understand proper supplement timing related to muscle-building supplements. The goal is to maximize results and to do that, you need to know how to leverage these powerful supplements.
While NutraBio muscle-building supplement can fit into any routine, there can be some minor tweaks that need to happen that allow you to fast-track your results. Additionally, you can stack multiple NutraBio supplements to further enhance your results, such as combining a pre-workout with some BCAAs or a protein powder with added EAAs.
Timing for Protein Supplements
Consuming protein right after a workout helps your muscles recover because it’s a fast-digesting protein. This is crucial for muscle protein synthesis, which builds and repairs muscle fibers.
If you use a casein protein, consume your shake directly before bed for a slow release of amino acids as you sleep.
You could also use protein supplements between meals to help stay satiated and increase your daily recommended protein intake.
Timing for Creatine & Other Performance Enhancers
Creatine is one of those muscle-building supplements you can use pre- or post-workout (or both). Taking it before strength training boosts your energy levels and exercise performance. This helps you train harder. After workouts, creatine aids recovery and helps restore creatine levels in the muscle.
While it is recommended that you start with a loading phase of 20 grams per day for about five to seven days, you can simply take a maintenance dose of 5 grams, and after about a month, you can expect your muscles to be fully saturated. But if you decide to load, switch to a maintenance dose of just 5 grams each day following the loading period.
Timing matters for other performance enhancers, too, like pre-workouts and intra-workouts. We recommend consuming your pre-workout 20-30 minutes before your training session, and if you want to use an intra-workout, sip it throughout your entire training session.
Conclusion
Muscle-building supplements have many benefits and can help maximize your results—everything from supporting resistance training to enhancing muscle growth.
The key is understanding your wants, needs, and goals. Use pre-, intra-, and post-workout products that align with your goal. We’re here to help you reach your end goal. Below are some links to muscle-building supplements and pages that can help you fast-track your results.
Resources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3529694/
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/supplements-for-muscle-gain
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ExerciseAndAthleticPerformance-HealthProfessional/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6651693/
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/whey-protein-101
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6142015/
- https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/creatine-supplements-can-help-build-muscle-mass
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3407788/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8949037/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7760188/
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/pre-workout-supplements
- https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/health-benefits-pre-workout-supplements
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4947244/
- https://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/g38883476/best-supplements-for-muscle-growth/
- https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/how-to-build-lean-muscle
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8308821/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9230724/
- https://www.healthline.com/health/muscle-recovery
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7909540/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10561576/
- https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2022.893714/full
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/creatine-loading-phase
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30604177/
