The Best Supplements for Muscle Growth

Resistance training, such as weightlifting, puts a high degree of strain on the muscles. Over time, the muscles adapt, becoming stronger and, typically, larger. Muscle-building supplements can improve physical performance during resistance training and help stimulate muscle growth. Here are some of the best supplements to enhance muscle growth.

• Contents

  • Creatine
  • Beta-Alanine
  • Protein Powder
  • Conclusion

  Creatine

Creatine is a naturally occurring substance produced in the kidneys, pancreas and liver. It is usually stored within our muscle cells, and it is one of the primary sources of physical performance and cellular energy. ATP is one of the body’s primary energy source, and creatine acts like extra energy when you need it most by providing more of it.

As a supplement, creatine monohydrate is the most popular and most effective supplement for improving exercise performance and increasing lean muscle mass. This leads to improved muscular strength and blood-flow during training while also reducing muscle soreness and exercise-induced inflammation.  It can help you grow bigger muscles by increasing water content in your muscle cells, which triggers genes involved in adding their size. The recommended dose for creatine is 5 grams daily.

• Beta-Alanine

Amino acids combine to form a variety of protein structures, and these support the cells and perform a variety of functions throughout the body. Beta-alanine is a naturally occurring non-essential amino acid that comes into the body through foods that are rich in protein.

During high-resistance training exercise, our bodies accumulate a large amount of hydrogen ions, which cause the blood pH to drop. This can cause severe fatigue, decrease muscle performance, and shorten the time to muscular failure. Beta-alanine produces carnosine in your body, which delays this build-up of ions in the blood, allowing you to improve the endurance of your workout to last even longer.

Beta-alanine has also been known to increase the effectiveness of creatine and vice-versa. The recommended dosage to help you improve your gains is 4-6 grams daily. It’s essential to use it daily or consistently for it to build up in your system.

• Protein Powder

Resistance exercise damages the muscles, and the body uses amino acids to help your body recover and repair this damage. This is a process known as Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS) The most effective protein for muscle growth are whey, casein, milk, or pea protein. Whey is the fastest digesting and casein is slower. Because both come from milk, you can use milk protein isolates and get the best of both. Pea protein is used among vegans or people who are prone to allergens in milk.

Whey is most often consumed after a workout to increase protein synthesis and to improve muscle recovery and restoration. It increases muscle mass and helps you control your appetite as you will have feelings of fullness, especially when dieting. The recommended daily dosage of protein is 20-30 grams per meal, from any source.

Conclusion

Building muscle takes time, and it results mainly from consistent resistance training and adequate dietary protein intake, not just supplements. This is why it is best to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

While taking supplements may help boost your muscle growth, taking dietary supplementation is more effective. If not dietary, protein supplements come in various forms such as shakes and bars. A person can boost their intake by incorporating more protein-rich foods, including meats, dairy, and beans in their diet.