Maximize Muscle Growth: Top 10 Muscle Building Supplements

Exercising regularly and having a healthy and balanced diet are key to building lean muscle. However, you can build muscle a lot faster, if you use the correct supplements.

In this article I am going to discuss the top 10 muscle building supplements that me and many bodybuilders and athletes use to boost their performance and results.

Before discussing my top 10 supplements, I am going to discuss the importance of choosing high quality supplements, by well known and reputable brands.

The Importance of Quality in Supplements

The key factor to consider is when choosing any supplement is the quality of the supplement. Choosing high-quality and reputable supplements is important for several reasons. Here are some of these reasons:

• Safety: High-quality supplements are manufactured following strict quality control standards. Poor-quality supplements may pose health risks due to the inclusion of unwanted substances.
• Efficiency: High-quality supplements contain the specified amounts of active ingredients, providing the desired health benefits. Lower quality or poorly formulated supplements may not deliver the intended effects.
• Third-Party Testing: Some high-quality supplement manufacturers subject their products to third-party testing by independent laboratories. You should look for supplements that display certifications from reputable third-party testing organizations.
• Accurate Labelling: Reputable supplement manufacturers provide accurate and transparent labelling. Less reputable supplement manufacturers may have inaccurate or misleading labels, which can lead to improper dosing and potentially negative health effects.
• Avoiding Contaminants: Low-quality supplements may contain contaminants, allergens, or undisclosed ingredients. Choosing a supplement from a trustworthy source reduces the risk of exposure to harmful substances.

Over the years I have tested numerous supplements to help me build muscle and maximize recovery between workouts. Here is a list I have conducted a list of my top 10.

Top 10 Supplements to Build Muscle

1. BCAAs

Branched-chain amino acids, or BCAA, are the best supplement to take during workouts, as they help to keep a steady supply of proteins flowing into your muscles.

BCAAs reduce the amount of muscle loss during exercise and improve protein synthesis, the process helps you build new muscle tissue.

They consist of three individual amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine, which can be found in most animal protein products.

Most people consume BCAAs from food every day, but a lot of people like to take them as a supplement, to ensure that they get enough of it.

2. Whey Protein Powders

Whey protein powder is highly recommended by nutrition experts for muscle growth. It contains all nine essential amino acids, making it an ideal source to fuel the muscles.

It is used to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and reduce muscle protein breakdown, which results in an increase in muscle mass when consumed in the right amounts.

3. Creatine

Creatine metabolises into ATP, which is used for every initial muscle movement, which makes it essential to have adequate supplies when you’re lifting heavy weights and doing high-intensity workouts, to ensure you get the required energy to your muscles.

You can only get low amounts of creatine from food, which is why creatine supplementation is common.

I have written another article on creatine which explains in more detail exactly how it works and the best way to use it that you can check out here.

4. Pre-Workouts

Pre-workouts are very common when trying to build muscle, as if you consume a pre-workout 30–60 minutes before your workout, it will allow you to work out harder and longer, due to its stimulating ingredients.

A good pre-workout will list all of its ingredients. They are essential because they are supercharged with nutrients that you can’t get enough of through your regular diet alone.

5. Beta-Alanine

Beta-alanine is an amino acid that promotes muscle performance by increasing the amount of carnosine. Carnosine not only aids in muscle contraction, but also helps delay the onset of muscle fatigue during exercise, improving exercise capacity and performance during workouts.

Beta-alanine can increase power output during one-rep max lifting between beta-alanine, and can help a person train harder and, in turn, enhance their lean body mass.

6. Fish Oils

Supplementing with EPA and DHA, which are the ingredients in omega-3, has been shown to support muscle protein synthesis.

Omega-3 has been in shown in studies to increase muscle-building response to both insulin and amino acids.

7. Testosterone Boosters

Testosterone boosters are natural supplements that can help with strength, muscle gain, fat loss and energy levels. They are a great alternative to anabolic steroids and are often used to assist with bulking cycles, cutting cycles, and workout performance.

8. Multivitamins

Multivitamins are dietary supplements that contain a combination of various vitamins and minerals that provide people with essential nutrients that may be lacking in their diet.

Multivitamins support overall health and well-being. Adequate intake of vitamins and minerals is essential for various bodily functions, including immune system function, bone health, energy production, and more.

9. L-Carnitine

L-carnitine is an amino acid which transports fatty acids into our cells, making it one of the best supplements for lean muscle growth.

It helps your muscles to grow with a minimal amount of body fat, and it is unique in that it gives the body a more natural bulk image.

10. Leucine

Leucine is the amino acid that sends signals to your muscles, that they need to start growing and maintain their strength, which gives you the best results from your training.

Other Supplements Good for Building Muscle

1. Magnesium

Magnesium is vital for heart, muscles and kidney health. If you don’t have enough magnesium in your diet, you can experience anxiety, sleep problems and as you know, good sleep is essential for muscle recovery.

2. Post-Workouts

Post-workouts are an important part of muscle recovery. They can allow you to recover faster and rebuild your muscles after a tough workout.

They contain protein that stimulates muscle protein synthesis in the body. This can help to reduce muscle breakdown, preserve lean muscle mass and promote new muscle growth.

3. Citrulline

Citrulline supercharges your metabolism, which aids in better blood flow and makes you look more pumped when you workout.

4. Casein Protein

Unlike whey protein, casein is a very slow-digesting protein, which can take up to 7 to deliver all of its amino acids to the muscles.

This makes it ideal to take before bedtime, because it is so slow to digest, many feel that it’s a waste to take it around workouts.

What are The Benefits of Supplements for Muscle Growth?

As mentioned earlier diet plays a vital role in muscle growth, but sometimes food alone does not give us enough supplements we need.

If you’re trying to put on lean muscle, adding some muscle growth supplements may help move things along more effectively.

Supplements can be used in many different ways for your training. They can be used before workouts to boost your performance, or after your workout for recovery.

They can also be used throughout your day to top up any supplements you are lacking in your diet, and it might be the missing piece of your puzzle to unlocking more muscle growth.

Summary of Supplements

Supplements can be very useful to help you build lean muscle, but it is important that you keep a healthy, balanced diet along with taking supplements, as supplements alone will not work.

If you combined a supplements with a balanced diet and a good training plan it can help to achieve you goals faster.

I hope you find the information in this article useful and if you have any questions about supplements and how they work, or any questions in general. Leave a comment below and I will be happy to get back to you as soon as possible.