Building Muscle Through Supplements

Which Supplements To Take To Build Muscle?

Numerous supplement companies tout the benefits of their products as the end all of all the other supplements on the shelves. It can be a confusing place for new bodybuilders scanning the shelves of their local vitamin store. Many people have been suckered into purchasing something that doesn’t really do much of anything to help them achieve their goals.

We all want to be in better shape and we want it now, but regardless of what supplements you choose, they will take time for most of us to see a real difference.

So, assuming that you’re eating right and exercising well, what supplements can you take that will make a difference? Here are a few to consider and why they make good choices.

Creatine

Although discovered many years ago, creatine has only become popular since the 1990’s and since then, numerous products containing the substance have popped up in the market. It can become a noisy place. Fortunately, you can break through this noise a bit by knowing that what appears to be the most effective form of creatine is also known for being the cheapest making creatine monohydrate a win-win.

Our bodies already makes its own creatine in our muscle cells which is the main source of cellular energy. Unlike other substances, adding more creatine to our bodies can make a positive difference.

Creatine monohydrate helps to create lean muscle mass, improve strength, decrease the soreness we feel after a hard workout, improve our blood flow while training and even give us an extra oomph during high intensity training. According to Healthline, taking the supplement could increase your muscle creatine content by up to 40% beyond its normal levels. Creatine might even increase IGF-1 (Insulin-like growth factor 1), a hormone similar to insulin. It is an important part in the growth of children but in this case, it is important because it has an anabolic effect in adults. (Wikipedia)

Some athletes enjoy “loading” up on the stuff near 25 grams a day which can cause upset stomachs and even water weight gain, which is the opposite effect most of us are looking for. But experts say you can basically get the same benefits by taking just 5 grams of creatine a day without these annoying side effects. And by the way, those are really the only known side effects of the supplement. Creatine has an excellent safety record. So, it is effective, works quickly and is safe.

Whey Protein

Whether you down a whey protein shake before your workout or after, you’ll want to do it. Derived from milk, whey protein can be a game-changer. There has been plenty of research done that proves that people who adding protein supplements to their diet see an increase in muscle gain among other benefits. However, you may not see much of an increase if you are already following a high-protein diet. Whey protein though has benefits other proteins do not.

Whey protein is one of the highest quality proteins available. It is rich in amino acids that aid in the anabolic process. It digests quickly making it one of the easiest proteins to become absorbed by the body. It also helps to curb hunger and keep our appetites under control by giving a more fullness feeling which can he huge when you’re dieting. Whey protein also contains more leucine than any other protein source says bodybuilding.com. (Bodybuilding.com)

Beta-Alanine

Known as a naturally occurring non-essential amino acid, beta-alanie helps to reduce fatigue while also increasing one’s performance while exercising. In addition to its own muscle-building properties, this supplement can give you the extra push you need to keep going on with your workout.

According to Bodybuilding.com, beta-alanine supplementation may help raise levels of carnosine by over 60 percent in as little as four weeks.

“This is significant because during high-intensity exercise, our bodies accumulate a large amount of hydrogen ions, which cause the blood pH to drop,” says the website. “This acidification can cause severe fatigue, decrease muscle performance, and shorten the time to muscular failure. What people chalk up to lactic acid is actually usually happening from hydrogen.”

Beta-alanine is known to help increase total training volume, improve power production, increase muscle building, improve endurance and helps to increase the effectiveness of creatine and vice versa.

Branched-Chain Amino Acid

Also known as BCAA, branched-chain amino acid make just three of the 20 amino acids found in protein. These are leucine, isoleucine and valine. They can be found naturally in most protein sources such as meat, poultry, eggs, dairy and fish. They also make up about 14 percent of the amino acids in our muscles. Together, they help to stimulate protein synthesis by regulating protein metabolism.

Branched-chain amino acid decreases the levels of muscle damage during one’s workout as well as decreased muscle soreness after said workout. It is also good for improving your endurance too.

Most people get enough of branched-chain amino acid with their diet if they are consuming enough high-quality proteins. If you do not, you’ll definitely benefit from taking this in a supplement form.

Caffeine

While caffeine will not build up your muscles, it can help you build up your muscles in a big way. As you already know, caffeine helps many people get their day started, but when it comes to your workout, you might actually start out quicker and last longer.

Caffeine can help keep your motivated to work out, decrease your perceived exertion, delay muscle fatigue and increase your endurance. Coffee is a common caffeine administrator that can help you keep your head in the game.

“The caffeine jolt can make the difference between a workout that maintains muscle and one that builds muscle,” says Bodybuidling .com.

What to Keep in Mind

While it is true that supplements can help one meet their body transformation goals, experts are pretty much in agreement that the best way to build muscle mass is by eating a good supply of nutritionally sound food and by hitting the weights hard. Supplements should be used in addition to the other two.

Sources:

Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insulin-like_growth_factor_1

Bodybuilding.com – https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/what-are-the-best-supplements-for-faster-muscle-gain.html

Healthline – https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/supplements-for-muscle-gain

Shapefit.com – https://www.shapefit.com/questions/muscle-building-best-weight-lifting-supplements.html

Image Credits:

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