Given that muscle building has turned into a marketing game by companies hoping to make a buck, supplements have evolved over the years. And when we say evolved, we actually mean de-evolved.
A vast majority of the supplement products on the market today are over-hyped, over-advertised and made out to be the next big thing, but as you probably already know, just because you see a pro taking a supplement, doesn’t mean he actually uses it, or that it works well.
Below we’ve mapped out the top 10 most effective supplements, ranked in order of priority. If you’re strapped on cash, make sure to start at the beginning, and work in from there.
» Priority Number 1: Whey Protein Powder
Why it’s important: Whey tops the list of mass-gain supplements because it’s the most crucial for pushing protein synthesis. Whey is a milk protein that has a high level of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs, you’ll notice they made our supplement priority list below, as well).
Whey takes the crown because it digests fast and gets to your muscles rapidly to start building muscle. Whey also contains peptides (small proteins) that increase blood flow to the muscles. This is why it’s always recommended to consume whey protein immediately after training.
» How to maximizie this supplement’s effects: Take 20 grams of whey protein powder 30 minutes before working out, and take 40 grams within 60 minutes after training. Also consider taking 20-40 grams of whey immediately upon waking every morning to kick-start muscle growth and end the food starvation mode your body is in after a 7-9 hour fast.
Your best bet is to choose a whey powder that contains whey protein hydrolysates (whey protein broken down into smaller fragments for faster digestion) or whey protein isolate.
» Priority Number 2: Casein Protein Powder
Why it’s important: The other milk protein, casein, comes in on the priority list just under whey. Casein isn’t an all-purpose protein, like whey, but due to its very slow digestion rate, this makes it ideal as a pre-bedtime shake because it prevents catabolism while you sleep by emptying slowly and steadily. (Even a small phase of catabolism can lead to muscle absorption in the body)
Casein also makes you feel less full, which makes it a great snack for those who want to pack on muscle mass. New research also finds that casein gives whey a run for its money. When it’s taken post-workout, casein boosts muscle protein synthesis much like whey does. It’s even suggested that a whey and casein protein shake taken after training increases muscle growth better than either protein taken alone.
» How to maximizie this supplement’s effects: Choose a casein protein that contains micellar casein (the slowest-digesting casein you can buy) and take 20-40 grams right before going to bed. After workouts, add 10-20 grams of casein to your whey protein. Also, use 20-40 grams of casein in your protein shakes between meals.
» Priority Number 3: Creatine
Why it’s important: Creatine is made from three amino acids: arginine, glycine and methionine. Anecdotal reports and scientific studies alike find that guys who take creatine gain a good 10 pounds or more of body-weight and increase strength dramatically. Creatine works in a number of ways. For one, it increases the amount of fast energy in your muscles needed to perform reps in the gym.
The more of this fast energy that’s available, the more reps you can do with a given weight, allowing you to get bigger and stronger in the long run. Creatine also draws more water into your muscle cells, placing a stretch on the cell that increases long-term growth. Most recently, creatine has been found to increase levels of insulin-like growth factor-i (IGF-i) in muscles, which is critical for stimulating growth.
» How to maximizie this supplement’s effects: Take 2.5-5 grams of creatine in the form of creatine monohydrate, creatine malate, creatine ethyl ester or creatine alpha-ketoglutarate with your protein shake immediately before workouts. This will help keep your muscles saturated with creatine, producing the rapid energy they need to perform more reps.
Then consume another 2-5 grams with your postworkout shake (in addition to 40-100 grams of fast-digesting carbs), a time when creatine will be rapidly taken up by muscle cells and the boost in IGF-i levels will help prompt further growth. On days when you don’t train, you can also take 2-5 grams of creatine with a breakfast that contains carbohydrates.
» Priority Number 4: Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
Why their important: The term branched-chain amino acids refers to leucine, isoleucine and valine, the most important amino acids for repairing and building muscle tissue. Leucine is the most critical of the three, as research shows that it can stimulate muscle protein synthesis on its own.
Although, it’s still best to take all three together, since they work in synergy to provide a multitude of benefits, including muscle growth, increased energy during workouts, the blunting of Cortisol (a catabolic hormone that inhibits testosterone and increases muscle breakdown, also brought on by stress) and decreased delayed-onset muscle soreness.
» How to maximizie this supplement’s effects: Take 5-10 grams of BCAAs with breakfast, as well as in your pre- and postworkout shakes. Look for BCAA products that provide leucine at a ratio of 2:1 per dose of isoleucine and valine.
For example, if you take a 5-gram dose of BCAAs, about 2.5 grams should be from leucine, 1.25 grams from isoleucine and 1.25 grams from valine. Xtend, by Scivation, is a good product to take during your lifts. It provides the essential BCAAs to help provide you extra energy and benefits during your lift.
» Priority Number 5: Beta-Alanine / Carnosine
Why its important: In the body, the amino acid beta-alanine is combined with another amino, histidine, to form carnosine. Research shows that when muscles have higher levels of carnosine, they have more strength and endurance.
Carnosine appears to increase the muscle fibers’ ability to contract with more force, and to do so longer without fatiguing, resulting in a better lift producing better gains. Several studies reported increases in muscle strength and power in athletes who took beta-alanine. One recent study found that subjects who took beta-alanine along with creatine gained more muscle mass and lost more bodyfat than subjects who took only creatine.
» How to maximizie this supplement’s effects: Take 1-2 grams of beta-alanine or carnosine immediately before and after every workout in addition to your shakes and creatine. On nonworkout days, you can also take 2 grams with breakfast, along with creatine.
» Priority Number 6: Nitric Oxide Boosters
Why it’s important: Nitric oxide (NO) is a molecule found throughout the body that’s involved in multiple processes. The one that bodybuilders are most interested in is its ability to dilate blood vessels, which allows more blood flow to the muscles for enhanced delivery of oxygen, nutrients, anabolic hormones and water (blood is mostly water).
This gives you more energy during your workout, an enhanced muscle pump, and better muscle recovery and growth after the workout. Although their called NO boosters, they don’t actually provide NO, but rather the amino acid arginine, which is readily converted to NO in the body. Research has found that subjects who were given arginine increased muscle strength and growth and lost bodyfat.
» How to maximizie this supplement’s effects: Take an NO booster that provides 3-5 grams of arginine in the form of L-arginine, arginine alpha-ketoglu-tarate, arginine ethyl ester or arginine malate. Also, consider NO boosters that provide ingredients such as citrulline, pycnogenol and American ginseng, which enhance arginine’s ability to increase NO.
Take one dose at each of the following times: in the morning before breakfast, 30-60 minutes before training, immediately after training and 30-60 minutes before bedtime. When possible, take each dose without food and consider combining it with 500-1,000 mg of vitamin C, which can help maintain levels of NO for longer.
» Priority Number 7: Glutamine
Why it’s important: This amino acid has been a favorite of bodybuilders for decades because it’s central to muscle function and is one of the most plentiful aminos found in the human body.
Glutamine provides numerous bodybuilding benefits, such as aiding muscle growth by increasing levels of leucine in muscle fibers, helping decrease muscle breakdown and bolstering the immune system, which helps prevent you from getting sick and missing workouts.
Glutamine taken before workouts can help decrease muscle fatigue and boost growth hormone levels. In addition, recent research shows that glutamine might also play a role in fat loss by increasing the amount of calories and fat burned at rest and during exercise.
» How to maximizie this supplement’s effects: Take 5-10 grams of glutamine in the morning with breakfast, with your pre and post-workout shakes, and with your nighttime shake, before bed
» Priority Number 8: ZMA
Why it’s important: ZMA is a combination of zinc, magnesium aspartate and vitamin B6. It’s an important supplement because hard-training athletes such as bodybuilders are often deficient in these critical minerals, which are important for maintaining hormone levels and aiding sleep (essential for recovery).
Intense training can compromise levels of testosterone and IGF-i. In fact, one study found that athletes who took ZMA significantly increased their levels of testosterone and IGF-i during eight weeks of training, while those who took a placebo experienced a drop in both T and IGF-i. Naturally, boosting testosterone and IGF-i can make huge impacts on muscle gains.
» How to maximizie this supplement’s effects: Use a ZMA product that provides about 30 mg of zinc, 450 mg of magnesium and 10.5 mg of vitamin B6 and take it 30-60 minutes before bedtime without any food or calcium. Taking ZMA on an empty stomach will enhance its uptake and utilization and improve your sleep quality for optimal recovery.
» Priority Number 9: Carnitine
Why it’s important: Besides being a popular fat-loss supplement, carnitine is now known to enhance muscle growth through a number of mechanisms, all of which are supported by clinical research. For one, carnitine can increase blood flow to muscles, which means it provides similar benefits to NO boosters.
It also increases testosterone levels post-workout and the amount of T receptors inside muscle cells, which allows more testosterone to stimulate more growth. In addition, carnitine supplements have been found to increase levels of IGF-i. Add all these benefits together and you have the potential to gain enormous amounts of muscle.
» How to maximizie this supplement’s effects: Take 1-3 grams of carnitine in the form of L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine or L-carnitine-L-tartrate with breakfast, your pre and post-workout shakes, as well as your nighttime shake.
» Priority Number 10: High Molecular-Weight Carbs (Vitargo)
» Why it’s important: Molecular weight is a term that refers to the mass of one molecule of a substance. Therefore, high molecular-weight carbs (HMCs) are essentially made up of very large, heavy molecules. HMCs such as the patented Vitargo brand are typically made from waxy maize (corn) starch.
What makes these carbs so special is their ability to rapidly pass through the stomach to the intestines where they can be absorbed and enter the blood. Research shows that HMCs pass through the stomach at a rate almost 100% faster than sports drinks.
This is important after exercise because consuming carbs at this time blunts Cortisol levels, prevents muscle breakdown and raises insulin levels to help promote muscle growth and replenish muscle glycogen levels.
» How to maximizie this supplement’s effects: Taking 60-80 grams of HMCs mixed in your post-workout shake will help push muscle recovery and growth, and the insulin spike it causes will drive more amino acids, creatine and carnitine into your muscle cells. In other words, HMCs will not only boost muscle growth themselves but they will help your other mass supplements work even better.
A vast majority of the supplement products on the market today are over-hyped, over-advertised and made out to be the next big thing, but as you probably already know, just because you see a pro taking a supplement, doesn’t mean he actually uses it, or that it works well.
Below we’ve mapped out the top 10 most effective supplements, ranked in order of priority. If you’re strapped on cash, make sure to start at the beginning, and work in from there.
» Priority Number 1: Whey Protein Powder
Why it’s important: Whey tops the list of mass-gain supplements because it’s the most crucial for pushing protein synthesis. Whey is a milk protein that has a high level of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs, you’ll notice they made our supplement priority list below, as well).
Whey takes the crown because it digests fast and gets to your muscles rapidly to start building muscle. Whey also contains peptides (small proteins) that increase blood flow to the muscles. This is why it’s always recommended to consume whey protein immediately after training.
» How to maximizie this supplement’s effects: Take 20 grams of whey protein powder 30 minutes before working out, and take 40 grams within 60 minutes after training. Also consider taking 20-40 grams of whey immediately upon waking every morning to kick-start muscle growth and end the food starvation mode your body is in after a 7-9 hour fast.
Your best bet is to choose a whey powder that contains whey protein hydrolysates (whey protein broken down into smaller fragments for faster digestion) or whey protein isolate.
» Priority Number 2: Casein Protein Powder
Why it’s important: The other milk protein, casein, comes in on the priority list just under whey. Casein isn’t an all-purpose protein, like whey, but due to its very slow digestion rate, this makes it ideal as a pre-bedtime shake because it prevents catabolism while you sleep by emptying slowly and steadily. (Even a small phase of catabolism can lead to muscle absorption in the body)
Casein also makes you feel less full, which makes it a great snack for those who want to pack on muscle mass. New research also finds that casein gives whey a run for its money. When it’s taken post-workout, casein boosts muscle protein synthesis much like whey does. It’s even suggested that a whey and casein protein shake taken after training increases muscle growth better than either protein taken alone.
» How to maximizie this supplement’s effects: Choose a casein protein that contains micellar casein (the slowest-digesting casein you can buy) and take 20-40 grams right before going to bed. After workouts, add 10-20 grams of casein to your whey protein. Also, use 20-40 grams of casein in your protein shakes between meals.
» Priority Number 3: Creatine
Why it’s important: Creatine is made from three amino acids: arginine, glycine and methionine. Anecdotal reports and scientific studies alike find that guys who take creatine gain a good 10 pounds or more of body-weight and increase strength dramatically. Creatine works in a number of ways. For one, it increases the amount of fast energy in your muscles needed to perform reps in the gym.
The more of this fast energy that’s available, the more reps you can do with a given weight, allowing you to get bigger and stronger in the long run. Creatine also draws more water into your muscle cells, placing a stretch on the cell that increases long-term growth. Most recently, creatine has been found to increase levels of insulin-like growth factor-i (IGF-i) in muscles, which is critical for stimulating growth.
» How to maximizie this supplement’s effects: Take 2.5-5 grams of creatine in the form of creatine monohydrate, creatine malate, creatine ethyl ester or creatine alpha-ketoglutarate with your protein shake immediately before workouts. This will help keep your muscles saturated with creatine, producing the rapid energy they need to perform more reps.
Then consume another 2-5 grams with your postworkout shake (in addition to 40-100 grams of fast-digesting carbs), a time when creatine will be rapidly taken up by muscle cells and the boost in IGF-i levels will help prompt further growth. On days when you don’t train, you can also take 2-5 grams of creatine with a breakfast that contains carbohydrates.
» Priority Number 4: Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
Why their important: The term branched-chain amino acids refers to leucine, isoleucine and valine, the most important amino acids for repairing and building muscle tissue. Leucine is the most critical of the three, as research shows that it can stimulate muscle protein synthesis on its own.
Although, it’s still best to take all three together, since they work in synergy to provide a multitude of benefits, including muscle growth, increased energy during workouts, the blunting of Cortisol (a catabolic hormone that inhibits testosterone and increases muscle breakdown, also brought on by stress) and decreased delayed-onset muscle soreness.
» How to maximizie this supplement’s effects: Take 5-10 grams of BCAAs with breakfast, as well as in your pre- and postworkout shakes. Look for BCAA products that provide leucine at a ratio of 2:1 per dose of isoleucine and valine.
For example, if you take a 5-gram dose of BCAAs, about 2.5 grams should be from leucine, 1.25 grams from isoleucine and 1.25 grams from valine. Xtend, by Scivation, is a good product to take during your lifts. It provides the essential BCAAs to help provide you extra energy and benefits during your lift.
» Priority Number 5: Beta-Alanine / Carnosine
Why its important: In the body, the amino acid beta-alanine is combined with another amino, histidine, to form carnosine. Research shows that when muscles have higher levels of carnosine, they have more strength and endurance.
Carnosine appears to increase the muscle fibers’ ability to contract with more force, and to do so longer without fatiguing, resulting in a better lift producing better gains. Several studies reported increases in muscle strength and power in athletes who took beta-alanine. One recent study found that subjects who took beta-alanine along with creatine gained more muscle mass and lost more bodyfat than subjects who took only creatine.
» How to maximizie this supplement’s effects: Take 1-2 grams of beta-alanine or carnosine immediately before and after every workout in addition to your shakes and creatine. On nonworkout days, you can also take 2 grams with breakfast, along with creatine.
» Priority Number 6: Nitric Oxide Boosters
Why it’s important: Nitric oxide (NO) is a molecule found throughout the body that’s involved in multiple processes. The one that bodybuilders are most interested in is its ability to dilate blood vessels, which allows more blood flow to the muscles for enhanced delivery of oxygen, nutrients, anabolic hormones and water (blood is mostly water).
This gives you more energy during your workout, an enhanced muscle pump, and better muscle recovery and growth after the workout. Although their called NO boosters, they don’t actually provide NO, but rather the amino acid arginine, which is readily converted to NO in the body. Research has found that subjects who were given arginine increased muscle strength and growth and lost bodyfat.
» How to maximizie this supplement’s effects: Take an NO booster that provides 3-5 grams of arginine in the form of L-arginine, arginine alpha-ketoglu-tarate, arginine ethyl ester or arginine malate. Also, consider NO boosters that provide ingredients such as citrulline, pycnogenol and American ginseng, which enhance arginine’s ability to increase NO.
Take one dose at each of the following times: in the morning before breakfast, 30-60 minutes before training, immediately after training and 30-60 minutes before bedtime. When possible, take each dose without food and consider combining it with 500-1,000 mg of vitamin C, which can help maintain levels of NO for longer.
» Priority Number 7: Glutamine
Why it’s important: This amino acid has been a favorite of bodybuilders for decades because it’s central to muscle function and is one of the most plentiful aminos found in the human body.
Glutamine provides numerous bodybuilding benefits, such as aiding muscle growth by increasing levels of leucine in muscle fibers, helping decrease muscle breakdown and bolstering the immune system, which helps prevent you from getting sick and missing workouts.
Glutamine taken before workouts can help decrease muscle fatigue and boost growth hormone levels. In addition, recent research shows that glutamine might also play a role in fat loss by increasing the amount of calories and fat burned at rest and during exercise.
» How to maximizie this supplement’s effects: Take 5-10 grams of glutamine in the morning with breakfast, with your pre and post-workout shakes, and with your nighttime shake, before bed
» Priority Number 8: ZMA
Why it’s important: ZMA is a combination of zinc, magnesium aspartate and vitamin B6. It’s an important supplement because hard-training athletes such as bodybuilders are often deficient in these critical minerals, which are important for maintaining hormone levels and aiding sleep (essential for recovery).
Intense training can compromise levels of testosterone and IGF-i. In fact, one study found that athletes who took ZMA significantly increased their levels of testosterone and IGF-i during eight weeks of training, while those who took a placebo experienced a drop in both T and IGF-i. Naturally, boosting testosterone and IGF-i can make huge impacts on muscle gains.
» How to maximizie this supplement’s effects: Use a ZMA product that provides about 30 mg of zinc, 450 mg of magnesium and 10.5 mg of vitamin B6 and take it 30-60 minutes before bedtime without any food or calcium. Taking ZMA on an empty stomach will enhance its uptake and utilization and improve your sleep quality for optimal recovery.
» Priority Number 9: Carnitine
Why it’s important: Besides being a popular fat-loss supplement, carnitine is now known to enhance muscle growth through a number of mechanisms, all of which are supported by clinical research. For one, carnitine can increase blood flow to muscles, which means it provides similar benefits to NO boosters.
It also increases testosterone levels post-workout and the amount of T receptors inside muscle cells, which allows more testosterone to stimulate more growth. In addition, carnitine supplements have been found to increase levels of IGF-i. Add all these benefits together and you have the potential to gain enormous amounts of muscle.
» How to maximizie this supplement’s effects: Take 1-3 grams of carnitine in the form of L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine or L-carnitine-L-tartrate with breakfast, your pre and post-workout shakes, as well as your nighttime shake.
» Priority Number 10: High Molecular-Weight Carbs (Vitargo)
» Why it’s important: Molecular weight is a term that refers to the mass of one molecule of a substance. Therefore, high molecular-weight carbs (HMCs) are essentially made up of very large, heavy molecules. HMCs such as the patented Vitargo brand are typically made from waxy maize (corn) starch.
What makes these carbs so special is their ability to rapidly pass through the stomach to the intestines where they can be absorbed and enter the blood. Research shows that HMCs pass through the stomach at a rate almost 100% faster than sports drinks.
This is important after exercise because consuming carbs at this time blunts Cortisol levels, prevents muscle breakdown and raises insulin levels to help promote muscle growth and replenish muscle glycogen levels.
» How to maximizie this supplement’s effects: Taking 60-80 grams of HMCs mixed in your post-workout shake will help push muscle recovery and growth, and the insulin spike it causes will drive more amino acids, creatine and carnitine into your muscle cells. In other words, HMCs will not only boost muscle growth themselves but they will help your other mass supplements work even better.
