The 7 Best Supplements for Muscle Growth
You hit the gym on the regular, pump some iron, and keep up with the latest moves to keep your muscles strong. And along with doing all the right things like eating right and managing your stress level, you can also take the best supplements for muscle growth for some seriously stronger muscles.
Whether the muscle-building supplement is providing your body with key amino acids or it is providing a nutrient that helps stimulate muscle growth, there are countless options out there that may give your body the boost that it needs.
Of course, supplements are not magic pills. If you want to see results, you do have to put in the work. Participating in regular workouts, eating protein-rich and nutrient-dense meals, and getting adequate sleep are all non-negotiables when you are trying to get that body that you are dying to see. In other words, popping a muscle-building supplement while lounging on the couch and downing a bag of BBQ potato chips is going to do absolutely nothing for your muscle strength.
The best supplements for muscle growth:
In conjunction with participating in regular exercise and living a healthy lifestyle, these are the seven best supplements for muscle growth.
- Whey protein powder
- Creatine Monohydrate
- Zinc
- Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
- Beetroot Powder
- Hydroxymethylbutyrate (HMB)
- Beta-Alanine
Read on to learn more about what each is and how it can help you grow muscles, and for more on how to eat healthy, don't miss 15 Underrated Weight Loss Tips That Actually Work.
Whey Protein Powder
What is a muscle-building smoothie or shake without a boost of protein? And among the sea of options out there, including whey protein powder may help you see the best results.
Why? Whey protein has been found to stimulate muscle protein synthesis to a greater degree than other proteins such as casein and soy. Plus, whey protein is one of the highest-quality proteins given its amino acid content and quick digestibility.
Including a flavorless and pure whey protein powder, like Naked Whey, will give you 25 grams of protein per serving with no artificial colors, flavors, or fillers.
Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine helps your muscles produce energy when you are lifting weights or doing anything that requires a lot of intensity. And studies show that it can essentially help your muscles perform more work—AKA you can sneak in a few more reps without losing steam. Creatine may also help reduce protein breakdown too.
Adding a supplement like Thorne Creatine may help your body get to where it needs to be in a natural way.
Zinc
Zinc supplements have gotten a lot of attention for their role in immune support over the past few years. But this nutrient's role isn't only to help keep the doctor away. Zinc also plays a role in supporting healthy testosterone levels. This is important because this hormone plays a key role in supporting muscle mass.
You can certainly get enough zinc by eating a balanced diet. If supplementation is needed, try adding a gummy, like CVS Health Adult Organic Zinc Gummies, to your daily plan for a simple way to sneak in this key mineral while on the go.
Branched Chain Amino Acids
Also known as BCAAs in the workout world, branched-chain amino acids are specific amino acids that have a chemical structure that includes branch chains. The amino acids that fall into this group are leucine, isoleucine, and valine.
And taking BCAAs after a resistance workout has been shown to result in a greater increase in muscle protein synthesis when compared with those who do not take this supplement. Including supplements like Life Extension BCAAs can be a simple way to boost your workout.
Beetroot Powder
The humble beetroot is so much more than the main ingredient in chilly borscht or the shining star on Dwight Schrute's farm. This veggie naturally contains nitrates, a compound that is converted into nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide is important because it is a vasodilator, or a component that stimulates blood vessels to get larger, allowing more blood to flow. This increase in blood flow allows more oxygen to reach your organs more efficiently.
Your muscles require oxygen to produce energy. So, supporting the delivery of oxygen to the muscles by consuming nitrites can indirectly help you grow those muscles.
Albeit the sample size was small, but a study was published in Circulation: Heart Failure in which results suggest those who consumed beetroot experienced an increase in muscle power.
If you are not one to chow down on a plain old beet mid-day, you can enjoy a glass of beetroot juice or add a beetroot powder to your daily routine, like LoveBeets 100% Pure Beetroot "Superfood" Powder.
HMB
Hydroxymethylbutyrate is certainly a mouthful, so thankfully most people refer to the compound as HMB. Data has suggested that this compound can preserve strength and muscle quality as well as enhance training-induced muscle mass and strength.
And while we can get some HMB via our diet, supplementation is often needed, like with Nutricost HMB, if these muscle-supporting effects want to be seen.
Beta-Alanine
Supplementing with beta-alanine may help kick your muscle-building into high gear, as data shows taking this amino acid is linked to increased lean body mass in certain populations. Plus, although data is conflicting, some evidence does suggest that supplementation has also been linked to improved athletic performance.
Adding a beta-alanine supplement, like Now Nutrition Beta Alanine, may help support your overall health goal with little downside.
