Bodybuilding is 30% exercise and 70% nutrition. You must have heard this quote numerous times. Today, there are quite a few studies that support the importance of nutrition in building muscle. Bodybuilding is more about what you do in the kitchen than what you do in the gym. In this post, we are going to talk about 5 supplements that can help in gaining muscle and strength.
There are three rules that you have to follow for maximum muscle growth:
- Eat more calories than you burn.
- Consume adequate amounts of protein.
- Work hard in the gym.
While it is possible to get “big” without using any dietary supplements, some supplements can make it a little easier for you to gain muscle.
Here are 5 Best Supplements To Gain Muscle:
Creatine
Creatine is one of the most popular and researched natural supplements. There are a large number of studies and research that prove that creatine can increase your muscle content and strength.
Creatine increases your energy levels and helps you perform for a longer duration with more intensity. Creatine also increases your muscles’ water-holding capacity, making them look bigger and fuller.
Recommended dose: The most effective way to increase muscle creatine stores is to follow the loading phase. During this phase, you consume 20 grams of creatine daily for a week. After a week, you can shift to the standard maintenance phase, in which you consume 5 grams of creatine per day. Make sure you drink plenty of water when you are supplementing with creatine.
Protein Supplements
Protein is without a doubt the most essential supplement for muscle and strength growth. There are various types of protein powder:
- Soy protein powder
- Pea protein powder
- Egg white protein powder
- Hemp protein powder
- Brown rice protein powder
- Casein protein powder
- Whey protein powder
However, most people opt for whey protein powder as it tastes better than the rest, and the body can easily digest it. In addition, calcium present in whey protein powder is also beneficial for your bones.
Recommended Protein amount: According to the National Institute of Health, bodybuilders should consume a minimum of 1.6 g/kg of protein.
Weight Gainers
Weight gainers can help you get more calories and protein without feeling full. Each serving of a weight gainer, depending on the brand, is packed with around 800-1500 calories.
If you are finding it difficult to get extra calories from your diet, then a weight gainer may be able to help you out. When trying to bulk up and build muscle mass, protein is essential. Protein provides the building blocks for muscle growth and repair.
A weight gainer can help you meet your protein needs by providing you with a concentrated source of protein in each serving. In addition, weight gainers often contain other nutrients that can be beneficial for people looking to bulk up, such as carbohydrates, Creatine, amino acids and CLA.
Beta-Alanine
Beta-alanine is an amino acid that is popular among athletes and bodybuilders because it is believed to improve exercise performance. It is is thought to increase the amount of carnosine in muscles, which might help delay fatigue during exercise.
Carnosine is a molecule that helps buffer acidity in muscles, and it has been suggested that beta-alanine supplementation can increase muscle carnosine levels by up to 80%.
Beta-alanine supplementation has been shown to improve exercise performance, including both aerobic and anaerobic activity. For example, beta-alanine has been shown to improve time trial performance in cyclists, running economy in distance runners and power output in sprinters.
In addition to its effects on exercise performance, beta-alanine has also been shown to reduce muscle soreness after exercise.
Branched-Chain Amino Acids
If you’re looking to build muscle, there are a few key nutrients that you’ll want to make sure you’re getting enough of. One of the most important is branched-chain amino acids, or BCAA’s.
BCAA’s are a group of three amino acids – leucine, isoleucine and valine – that are essential for muscle growth and recovery. They make up a large part of muscle tissue, and so it’s important to consume enough of them if you want to see results from your training.
There are many different ways to get BCAA’s into your diet, but one of the best is through supplementation. Supplementing with BCAA’s can help increase muscle protein synthesis, reduce muscle soreness and promote recovery from exercise.
That’s it for our list of supplements to gain muscle. Let us know in the comments if you have any questions.
