While the best way to gain muscle is to follow a progressive overload plan and make sure you’re eating, sleeping, and drinking enough water, supplements can help you get there quicker.

Progressive overload is a technique in which you increase the intensity of your workouts over time. Our bodies are great at adapting to the stress we put on them, so increasing intensity over time is a great way to continue challenging your body at the gym so you keep gaining muscle rather than plateauing. You can increase intensity in a few ways:

1. Increasing the number of reps or sets
2. Increasing weight
3. Increasing time under tension
4. Increasing functional range of motion

This can be hard to keep track of, so using an app or a workout journal can be helpful to ensure you are improving every session. This can also be very motivating because you can see how much stronger you are becoming over time.

1. Protein (Whey, Casein, Pea, & Gainer)

Protein is our top pick for supplements that help with muscle growth. When we work out or lift weights, we create small tears in our muscles. When they heal, your muscle grows larger. But for your body to be able to fix your muscles, it needs raw materials. Protein provides those essential building blocks that your body needs to build new muscle. Without enough protein, even people following a great exercise plan can fail to put on more muscle.

But what is enough protein?

• For muscle maintenance, you should be consuming at least .5g of protein per pound of body weight.
• For muscle building, you should be consuming about .8g of protein per pound of body weight.

Product Picks

• Whey Protein is the most widely available and fastest-digesting protein type. OAIM Performance makes a great Whey Protein that contains enzymes that help you digest the protein without uncomfortable bloating.
• Casein Protein can be an effective alternative to whey protein if you have sensitivities to lactose. Klean Athlete makes a Casein Protein that includes BCAAs for targeted muscle growth.
• Pea Protein is a good option for vegans or vegetarians to gain muscle. SunWarrior‘s Organic Warrior Blend combines 3 vegan sources of protein to provide a wide-spectrum supplement that helps you gain muscle.
• Mass gainer protein tends to have a higher calorie count than regular protein. This is best for people who have trouble gaining weight, don’t have much of an appetite, or are following a bulking regime. Metabolic Response Modifier makes a Gainer Protein that contains additional probiotics to support protein digestion. It’s suggested that you take 2 servings of this protein to obtain the necessary protein and calories to effectively gain mass.

2. Creatine

Creatine is a well-supported supplement for boosting muscle mass that increases your muscles’ ability to produce ATP, a form of cellular energy. It also draws extra water and nutrients into muscle cells, keeping them hydrated and functioning optimally.

When your muscles produce more energy and are better supplied with nutrients, you can push harder in your workouts and boost muscular endurance. The more you can stimulate your muscles, the more likely you are to gain muscle.

Something important to note about creatine is that it isn’t a one-off pre-workout supplement; it should be taken daily to build up in your system and increase the creatine levels in your muscles.

Product Picks

• Thorne Research has a highly bioavailable Creatine Powder supplement that provides the proper daily dosage of creatine in one serving.

3. Pre-Workout

Pre-workout is just a category of supplements and can contain lots of different active ingredients that are meant to enhance your workout.

Some of the best-supported ingredients are:

• Caffeine and other stimulants increase your energy so that you can push harder in your workouts. Some people prefer a pre-workout that does not contain stimulants if you prefer to work out in the evening.
• Nitrate increases the blood flow to your muscles. More blood flow means more oxygen delivery and better muscular endurance during longer workouts.
• Amino acids are protein fragments. There are different types of amino acids that do different things.
  • • Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) are leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These amino acids are associated with less muscle breakdown during exercise, which can delay muscle fatigue, improving endurance.
    • Essential Amino Acids (EAAs) are amino acids that are necessary for your body’s optimal function and help with recovery and muscle building.
    • Beta-Alanine reduces the buildup of lactic acid in your muscles, the chemical that gives you the “sore” feeling after exercise. By limiting its buildup, you can reduce post-workout soreness and improve endurance.
    • L-Citrulline increases your body’s innate production of Nitric Oxide, which increases blood flow to your muscles and improves oxygen delivery.

Product Picks

• Stimulant Pre-Workouts
  • • Fenix Nutrition has a caffeinated pre-workout supplement called Drive Endurance Pre-Workout that boosts nitric oxide production, contains BCAAs, Beta-Alanine, and L-citrulline, delivers creatine, and supports overall muscle endurance.
    • If you’re looking for something a bit more natural, Thorne Research has an adaptogenic supplement called Pre-Workout Elite Citrus Berry that boosts energy and focus by using natural ingredients rather than isolated caffeine.
• Non-Stimulant Pre-Workouts
  • • Pure Power has a BCAA and Beta Alanine supplement that does not contain any caffeine and dissolves quickly for rapid uptake by your muscles.
    • Codeage produces an amino supplement called Liposomal Multi Amino+ that contains all BCAAs and EAAs in an advanced delivery system that promotes complete absorption.

4. Sleep Supplements

Sleep is often overlooked when it comes to muscle growth, but consistently getting less than 8 hours of sleep per night is linked with lower recovery and poor muscle growth. That’s because when you’re asleep, that’s when your body does all of its repair processes. Remember, we said that muscle gain is incited by muscle damage, so without the ability to properly repair muscles, your strength and muscle growth will suffer.

Not sleeping enough consistently is also associated with higher cortisol production, which can cause systemic inflammation and reduce recovery.

Product Picks

• Pure Encapsulations has a sleep supplement with Melatonin, which is a hormone naturally produced by your body to control your sleep-wake cycle. Supplementing with melatonin is associated with improved sleep without causing next-day grogginess.

Conclusion

By giving your body the care and resources it needs to function at its best, you’ll enjoy higher energy levels, improved workout performance, and muscle growth. Don’t neglect the basics, and set yourself up for success with a well-supported supplement routine and plenty of sleep. Your body will thank you!

Frequently Asked Questions

What supplements are good for muscle building?

Protein, creatine, and amino supplements are the most well-researched supplements that have been proven to help you build muscle.

How much protein should I eat to gain muscle?

To maintain muscle mass you should have .5g protein per pound of bodyweight, and .8g per pound of body weight to gain muscle.

What kind of protein supplement should I get?

• Whey protein is best for right before or after your workout because it digests quickly.
• Casein protein is a good option for those sensitive to lactose, and is great to take before you go to bed because it digests slowly.
• Pea protein provides an option for vegans or vegetarians to get extra protein in their diets
• Mass gainer protein is perfect for people who struggle to gain weight or are using a bulking approach to muscle building