Are you aiming for muscle gain in your fitness journey? You’ll obviously want to make the best out of your diet and workout routine, then! You must meet three major criteria to achieve maximal muscle gain, which comes from:
- Consuming more calories than you burn
- Consuming more protein than your body would break down
- An effective exercise program that challenges your body
While it’s possible to meet all the criteria without taking any supplements from brands like Integrative Therapeutics in Supplement First, specific supplements can help you achieve your goals. Check out these six supplements that can help you gain more muscle as you follow a balanced diet and workout routine.
- Creatine
Creatine is a molecule our body produces naturally, providing energy for our muscles and other tissues. Taking it as a dietary supplement can increase your muscle creatine content by up to 40% more than its normal levels. This will affect your muscle cells and exercise performance, promoting muscle gain.
Research shows that creatine can improve muscle strength, thus helping with larger increases in your muscle mass over time. Creatine also increases the water content in the muscle cells, causing them to swell slightly, producing signals for muscle growth.
You can find creatine and other relevant muscle-building supplements from stores like supplementfirst.com.
- Protein Supplements
As mentioned, it’s crucial to get enough protein to gain muscle. You must consume even more protein than your body can break down through natural processes. We can get all the protein needed from protein-rich foods, but not everyone can achieve that.
If you cannot meet your protein goals, you may want to take protein supplements. You can find many types of protein supplements available, including whey, casein, and soy protein. Other protein supplements contain protein isolated from beef, chicken, eggs, and other sources.
Research shows that taking protein supplements can cause slightly more muscle gain in those who exercise compared to adding extra carbs.
- Weight Gainers
Weight gainers are supplements that help you take in more calories and protein, used by those struggling to gain weight and muscle. Yes, some people find it difficult to gain weight and muscle, even when they lift weights and consume more calories
Note that weight gainers can help you consume calories, but they will not magically have you gain muscle immediately. We only recommend using weight gainers if you struggle to eat enough food and if you find it easier drinking weight gainer shakes than eating more.
- Branched-Chain Amino Acids
Also known as BCAAs, these consist of three individual amino acids which are leucine, isoleucine, and valine. In most protein sources like meat, eggs, dairy, poultry, and fish, you can find these
These are important for muscle growth, making up about 14% of the amino acids in muscles.
Wrapping It Up
If you plan on taking a Post Workout Supplement to build muscle, make sure you speak with your doctor for recommendations based on your individual needs and overall health.
