With so many supplements on the market, it takes time to decipher which is best for muscle building. We’re here to give you the must-have ingredients in the best muscle-building supplements to ensure you gain muscle mass through challenging workouts. Get out your pen and paper because it’s time to learn.
Muscle Building Supplements
While protein supplements are crucial to muscle growth, other ingredients are on our list. We’ll get to the importance of protein, but first, let’s start you off with some other essential pre-workout supplements that promote lean muscle mass with safe ingredients.
Colostrum
The first muscle-building supplement on our list is colostrum. We’re here to keep you informed if you’re unfamiliar with colostrum. Colostrum is an antibody-rich, cell-production-enriching fluid that is secreted from the mammary glands of mammals after giving birth. For anyone familiar with breastfeeding, this information may sound familiar. The body produces colostrum for about five days after a baby’s birth before the body transitions to producing milk. It is loaded with nutrients for weight gain and antibodies to boost the immune system. Despite milk taking over around the four or fifth day after birth, colostrum is sometimes present in breast milk for up to six weeks.
One of the main attributes of colostrum is muscle building. It is present in a mammal’s breast early on to increase cell production for growth. Likewise, it is added to protein supplements to initiate the same type of cell production for muscle gain.
Colostrum is also known for increasing energy levels. Training is at the forefront of your mind when using a muscle-building supplement. To train harder for muscle gains, ingesting a supplement that gives you energy is vital. Having colostrum before resistance training ensures you have the endurance you need to get through the workout.
If you are intrigued by colostrum, read about the best colostrum supplements for adults and add them to your daily diet.
Creatine
If you are already familiar with muscle growth, you already know about creatine. We are here to enlighten you if you are new to this.
Creatine is a naturally-occurring compound found in our muscles. It is an energy producer for our muscles as we train.
The most common type of creatine found in the best muscle-building supplements is called creatine monohydrate. This supplement activates the energy in the muscles for short durations. Increasing the creatine levels in your muscles increases your performance during your training sessions. Therefore, you get better muscle growth during your resistance training.
Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
There are loads of amino acids, but when we say branch-chained amino acids, we are referring to a select few. These amino acids are leucine, valine, and isoleucine. Together, these three amino acids are present in several protein sources. When your protein powder contains BCAAs, your protein synthesis increases in your muscles, which helps to increase muscle mass and muscle repair after an intense workout.
While building muscle involves intense exercise, people often restrict their calories. Sometimes this can cause an adverse effect and lead to muscle loss. Incorporating a dietary supplement rich in BCAAs helps to maintain muscle strength and preserve lean muscle mass despite the caloric deficit.
Testosterone Boosters
Testosterone is the male sex hormone in the human body. High levels of testosterone lead to an increase in muscle mass, energy, and endurance during intense workouts. Men suffering from low testosterone levels often deal with muscle loss and low energy levels during activities.
While testosterone is prevalent throughout the male body, boosting it with certain herbs and supplements can help gain muscle during weight training. These herbs are called testosterone boosters, and some of the more common ones are,
- Tribulus Terrestris
- Fenugreek seed extract
- Ashwagandha
- D-aspartic acid
- DHEA
Incorporating these supplements into your healthy diet may increase muscle strength during exercise and build muscle. Most testosterone boosters are influential in men who suffer from low testosterone levels.
Beta-Alanine
Beta-Alanine is a non-essential amino acid that occurs naturally in the human body. It is best known for assisting in carnosine production. Carnosine is a compound found in muscles that increases muscle endurance. With the help of beta-alanine in your protein powder, this amino acid allows you to have more intense training sessions for extended periods.
Weight Gainers
Some people have difficulty putting on body weight no matter how hard they train. If that is the case, a weight gainer might be the solution. Certain protein powders contain supplements like whey protein, which can increase your calorie intake and result in weight gain. Many weight gainers are loaded with carbohydrates and calories to help you gain muscle mass. The best types of weight gainers will provide both high levels of carbohydrates combined with high protein supplements to ensure muscle cells are activated to initiate weight gain.
Protein
Speaking of protein, we should discuss its importance in muscle growth. The best muscle-building supplements contain high protein because they are vital to muscle gain. Protein helps build new muscle mass and repair it.
After intense exercise, your muscles have small tears due to the strenuous activity. When you incorporate high levels of protein into your healthy diet, it helps to repair those small tears. As the muscles repair, they build larger, resulting in muscle gain.
Protein supplements provide the essential elements required to build muscle and reduce fat. Diets high in protein increase lean muscle mass and help recovery. It’s a win-win.
Final Thoughts on Muscle Growth
Building muscle requires several different avenues. Intense exercise is one way, but you may be satisfied with your results with the proper diet and muscle-building supplements. With the help of some of the best muscle-building supplements in this article, you may start to see the muscle gain you’ve been struggling to achieve.
Both pre-workout and post-workout supplements aid muscle growth for building energy and helping your muscles recover. Take a chance on these supplements and happy muscle gaining!
Kristen holds a bachelors in English from Louisianna university. With a longstanding passion for fitness, she owns and operate her own gym and is a certified jazzercise instructor.