If your looking for supplements that build muscle then you may want to reconsider what you are actually looking for. Unfortunately supplements that build muscle do not exist. If you can re-phrase that sentence to supplements that help you build muscle then I can most certainly help you. First thing to remember is that supplements are there to supplement your training. They will help you once you have a solid weight training routine in place and you have a good diet which is high in protein and allows you to reach you calorie intake goals each day in order to build muscle and put on size.
Supplements That Build Muscle and Strength
Once you have a good routine in place and stick to an effective diet 80-90% of the time then you can consider adding supplements to help your diet and your training.
What Supplements Should I Take?
Whey Protein Powder. Whey protein powder should be top of your list when deciding what supplements you want to use. Purchasing a whey protein supplement will help you reach your protein intake requirements each day if you struggle to take in 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. 1 scoop of protein powder depending on the product will give you an instant 18-25 grams of protein. Taking a couple of scoops each day will help you reach your daily protein intake with ease helping you to build muscle.
Another benefit of whey protein powder is that its extremely easy and convenient. As I mentioned above, one scoop can get you anywhere between 18-25 grams of protein depending on the product. Its also an extremely convenient product allowing you to take it anywhere at anytime. If you work long hours you can easily pack some protein powder in a bottle or shaker and take it to work with you. Add a small amount of water or milk to it when your ready to consume it. Give it a quick shake to ensure its mixed properly and chug it down. This is a lot quicker than eating a meal and will only take you around 30 seconds to chug it down.
Whey protein is also the cheapest form of protein powder out there at the moment which always helps!
Creatine. Creatine is a naturally occurring substance within the human body and can be found in foods such as lean beef or steak. Creatine is made up of 3 amino acids and is produced mainly in the liver and kidney. Once produced, it is transported into the blood and around the body for use by our muscles. Creatine helps to build muscle by providing the body and muscle with additional energy. Additional energy during an intense workout session will allow an athlete to perform more work and train harder.
Creatine allows for better recovery between your workouts and even your sets, helping to provide you with additional strength. Let me tell you in short that creatine is safe to use and can be an effective supplement in your training if used correctly on top of a good diet and weight training program. Check Should I Take Creatine for a more detailed look at creatine and how it works. Creatine supplements can come in many different forms but the most reliable is creatine monohydrate. Do not buy liquid creatine supplements as they wont be as effective. Creatine can lose its effect in liquid form and should really be taken in the form of capsules or powder.
Fish Oil. Fish oil is great for you health and comes with so many health benefits its scary! Off the top of my head, the benefits of consuming fish oil are: its ability to help and prevent heart diseases, high cholesterol, depression, anxiety, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, inflammation, a number of disorders, weight loss and skin care. Even if you are not a bodybuilder or athlete I would recommend some sort of fish oil supplement to everyone especially if you do not eat fish.
Fish oil contains omega 3 fats which im sure you have all probably become aware of in recent times as so many foods in the supermarket are now labelled with ‘now contains omega 3′ etc. Omega 3 can actually benefit an athlete by keeping their immune system healthy, reducing inflammation, reducing soreness from working out, aiding in decreased body fat and helping you to reach your daily fat intake each day. Adding this supplement to an athletes diet can certainly be beneficial.
To get your recommended amounf of fish oil a week you would have to eat several servings of fish which can be hard and will prove expensive. Get yourself a top fish oil supplement such as Udos Choice Organic Oil Blend
Multivitamins. Multivitamins are always a good addition to a diet as they help you get your recommended daily amounts of vitamins and minerals throughout the day. For some however a multivitamin may not be needed depending on how good your diet is. Sometimes its good to just add a small multivitamin to your diet even if you feel you are taking in sufficient minerals and vitamins each day as most people who think this actually arent!
We all know that building muscle will require you to take in higher amounts of protein each day than your normal average person. With people so focused on reaching their protein intake each day they can neglect important foods such as fruits and vegetables. Multivitamins can help fill this gap in your diet with hardly any extra effort from you. The same can be said about a person who is trying to lose weight. When on a calorie deficit important foods can get eliminated from your diet and so a multivitamin supplement can be extremely helpful.
For the more serious athlete I would recommend Animal Pak
Multivitamins can help speed up your recovery between workout sessions by providing you with important vitamins and minerals your body needs to aid recovery and rebuild. Meeting your daily vitamin and mineral requirements can also prevent illness and will prevent you fro taking unneeded days off from your training. Sleep should also be improved as a result of sufficient vitamin and mineral intake.
