Unfortunately, there is a myriad of supplements out there promising muscle gain and weight loss, but most of them are completely useless and just exist for bringing their manufacturer piles of money.
You surely don’t want to waste your time with the useless ones. And that’s why I’m heading right to the supplements that actually work and will boost your performance and improve your strength-to-weight-ratio!
Table of Contents
The workout supplements that really work
And now without further ado, here are the supplements for muscle gain and weight loss which are backed by science.
Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine supplementation increases the body’s level of creatine phosphate and thereby helps your body to facilitate the recycling of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), which in turn provides your muscles with more energy.
Although it is produced naturally in your body, an additional intake will serve as a buffer against fatigue and allows you to maintain a higher load during a certain exercise or do more repetitions.[1] And as we know, a higher load and training volume will improve muscle gain.
The amount of maximum strength improvement thereby varies from individual to individual, but usually lies within the single-digit percentile[2] – enough to use it for your training.
So, how to take it?
The quickest way to saturate your muscles “creatine load”, is by taking around 20 grams of creatine monohydrate per day for 6 days. If you are not in a hurry, you can also take 3 grams per day for 28 days for similar results. The elevated creatine concentration can afterward be maintained by taking 2 grams of creatine per day.[3]
If you want to give it a try, I warmly recommend the Micronized Creatine Monohydrate from Optimum Nutrition. It dissolves really well in water and is among the most popular creatine products.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D, the legendary sunshine vitamin, is responsible for many health benefits including healthy and increased testosterone levels in men.[4] You can either get it by being exposed to the sun or by taking it as a supplement.
High enough vitamin D levels in your body are proven to improve upper and lower limb strength[5], muscle repair, regeneration, and hypertrophy[6].
Too less of it, on the contrary, puts you in the danger zone for diseases such as cancer[7], depression[8], and lowers your immune system[9].
So, get out in the sun, train outdoors, or get some vitamin D supplements!
Protein
Protein is broken down into amino acids, which are used by your body for muscle building and repair. Digesting protein powder as a supplement is recommended when your body gets insufficient levels from the food. If you are training heavily, this could be the case.
As exercise increases the muscle protein turnover, meaning an increase in muscle protein breakdown, it is essential to digest sufficient protein. If you achieve this, your body will be in a net anabolic state, where muscle protein synthesis exceeds muscle protein breakdown, and therefore builds up muscles.[10],[11]
Now, which protein should you take?
Research has shown that milk-derived proteins are superior to vegetarian-derived proteins.[12] This leaves us with whey and casein protein.
Whereas whey protein is absorbed quickly and leads to a spike in amino acid levels shortly after digestion, casein protein is being absorbed slowly over several hours and keeps amino acid levels heightened over a long period.
So, for optimum results, combine both and take them at different times of the day:
- Take whey protein during or immediately after your workout.
- Use casein protein before going to bed, so that your body won’t run out of muscle building resources while you are sleeping.
- Mix them with water.
How much protein is enough?
It is recommended to consume daily at least 1 grams of protein per kg of your bodyweight, or 0.45 grams per pound. So, for example, if your weight is 70 kg (155 pounds), you should aim for at least 70 grams of protein per day.
And these are my recommendations for your training:
Omega 3 fish oil
You should supplement it if you are not eating fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines several times a week.
Caffeine
Taking caffeine before training will help you to increase your limits during exercise, as it may give you the decisive energy boost. And it’s also the most delicious supplement.
Drinking 1-2 cups of coffee is totally fine. Above that, it can become sort of an addiction. So drink it wisely and don’t overdo it.
Sleep
Oh yes, I certainly mean that one!
Getting enough sleep has more benefits than every other supplement I have mentioned before. 7-9 hours of restful sleep every night will help you in:
- burning more fat,
- gaining more strength,
- increasing testosterone,
- preventing inflammations,
- and improving your overall well-being.
Summary
So, what are you waiting for? Get strong, lean, and healthy by adding creatine, Vitamin D, whey and casein protein, fish oil, a bit of caffeine, and lots of sleep to your training plan.
Happy training!
That’s it. If you enjoyed this post, I would appreciate your help in sharing the word! And in case you are also interested in increasing your testosterone naturally or boost human growth hormone secretion check out:
[1] Effects of creatine supplementation and resistance training on muscle strength and weightlifting performance.
[2] Effects of creatine supplementation on performance and training adaptations.
[3] Muscle creatine loading in men.
[4] Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men.
[5] Effects of vitamin D supplementation on upper and lower body muscle strength levels in healthy individuals. A systematic review with meta-analysis.
[6] A systems-based investigation into vitamin D and skeletal muscle repair, regeneration, and hypertrophy.
[7] The role of vitamin D in cancer prevention.
[8] Vitamin D and depression: where is all the sunshine?
[9] A review of the critical role of vitamin D in the functioning of the immune system and the clinical implications of vitamin D deficiency.
[10] Mixed muscle protein synthesis and breakdown after resistance exercise in humans.
[11] Resistance training reduces the acute exercise-induced increase in muscle protein turnover.
[12] International society of sports nutrition position stand: protein and exercise.
[13] Omega-3 fatty acids and skeletal muscle health.
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Your given list of best supplements to muscle growth is appreciable. Yes, vitamin D increased testosterone levels in men. I have used best hgh supplements for muscle building and got good results.
An important list of supplements to gain muscles and weight loss shared by you. I will definitely add them in my daily routine diet.