When training for muscle growth we push our bodies to places they haven’t been before. The structure of our routine changes – weights increase and the intensity of workouts increase too.
By placing more demand on our bodies, it becomes paramount that we are eating the correct foods and taking the right supplements to promote the process of recovery.
That’s why we’ve rounded up below the best supplements for muscle growth.
CREATINE
Let’s start with a banger.
The effects of creatine in relation to increasing size, strength and performance are undisputable. It’s certainly one of — or perhaps the best — supplement for muscle gain.
Creatine supplementation helps increase the resynthesize of ATP, the body’s immediate energy source, enabling you to work at a higher intensity for longer.
In relation to muscle growth, this means more reps at a higher weight, and therefore more stimulus for the muscle to grow.
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PROTEIN POWDER
This is also pretty obvious.
Protein is essential for protein synthesis, the process through which muscles grow and adapt. During exercise, muscle fibres break down, and protein helps the body repair these quickly, improving recovery times.
Consuming protein shakes allows for rapid absorption and digestion, making them ideal for post-workout consumption.
There are a few different types of protein powder, each one doing the same thing: increasing your daily protein intake.
WHEY PROTEIN
Whey protein (whey concentrate) is the most popular type of protein in sports nutrition. It is a dairy-based protein derived from milk, as a by-product of cheese or yoghurt production.
Whey protein is considered high-quality because it contains all nine essential amino acids, promoting and maintaining muscle mass. Whether you enjoy going to the gym, playing sports, or being active in general, whey protein offers numerous benefits.
This also includes Clear Whey Isolate. An innovative type of whey protein that has light texture – alongside the fruity flavours and fresh taste – that resembles a fruit juice. It’s also very low on calories and sugar.
VEGAN PROTEIN POWDER
Since whey is derived from cow’s milk, it is unsuitable for vegans. Alternative sources like soy, pea, and hemp protein are used in vegan protein powders.
Vegan protein powder is made for those avoiding animal products but are also beneficial for individuals with dairy or lactose allergies and those preferring lactose-free protein options.
Additionally, they are gentler on the digestive system than whey-based products, making them suitable for people with digestive issues.
CARBOHYDRATES
Alongside the protein supplements mentioned, the role of carbohydrates is crucial.
Carbohydrates before exercise improves performance, while consuming carbs post-workout enhances nutrient uptake and transportation to muscles. Carb supplements help make this process more efficient.
Building a calorie surplus (consuming more calories than expended) is important for size gains. Hard gainers can benefit from carbohydrate supplements as they provide a quick and easy way to increase calorie intake significantly.
MASS GAINER
Mass Gainer protein shakes are high-calorie supplements containing significant amounts of both protein and carbs.
They offer a convenient way to consume a large number of calories without preparing extensive meals or consuming unhealthy, low-nutrition foods.
While protein is necessary for muscle building, carbohydrates should not be overlooked. They are essential for sustained energy, athletic performance and muscle building, helping to prevent muscle loss and promote muscle repair.
CYCLIC DEXTRIN
Highly-Branched Cyclic Dextrin is a soluble form of carbohydrate, absorbed quickly, making them a great pre-workout option to power training sessions.
Soluble carbs also support muscle recovery post-exercise, making cyclic-dextrin carbs a popular post-workout supplement.
DEXTROSE (GLUCOSE)
Dextrose is used by bodybuilders and endurance athletes to improve performance. With a high glycemic index, this simple sugar provides quick energy during exercise and enhances recovery afterward. A controlled, purposeful uplift in sugar.
PRE-WORKOUT
Pre-workout supplements boost energy and focus, enhancing endurance and performance during exercise.
They typically contain a blend of ingredients like caffeine, amino acids which work together to improve athletic performance, delay fatigue, and increase muscle strength and power.
Athletes at all levels use pre-workout supplements to gain a performance edge or boost physical and mental energy before a workout.
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OTHER GOOD SUPPLEMENTS FOR MUSCLE GROWTH
BCAAs
Our BCAA Powder is instantised Branched Chain Amino Acids, the amino acids Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine.
BCAA’s are believed to help in the process of protein synthesis, as well as reducing muscle soreness and breakdown. This makes it a perfect supplement during intense muscle-building workouts.
HMB
HMB Powder is a metabolite of the amino acid Leucine (a product created when Leucine is metabolised in the body).
HMB has been shown to help build muscle tissue by aiding protein synthesis, as well as helping to reduce induced muscle breakdown, acting as an anti-catabolic during training. This allows you to train harder, thus increasing your output during sessions.
ZMA
ZMA is a supplement containing Zinc, Magnesium and Vitamin B6 and is thought to help increase natural hormone levels, muscle strength, and induce better sleep.
When training intensity or frequency is increased, the body, and more specifically the CNS (central nervous system), comes under a lot of stress.
Supplementing with ZMA can help to assist recovery and boost the quality of sleep (sleep quality and duration is vital for proper muscle and CNS repair)
COLLAGEN COFFEE
Collagen coffee is exactly what it sounds like – coffee with collagen protein. Unlike dairy-based proteins, collagen is made up of hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine amino acids.
These work a lot better in hot drink formulas and dissolve super easily, making collagen and coffee the perfect match.
So what is collagen coffee? Collagen coffee uses hydrolysed collagen peptides composed of type 1 and type 3 collagen, which have a neutral flavour and blend well at both high and low temperatures for easy mixing and easy drinking.
Increase daily protein intake first thing in the morning. By swapping out your daily coffee for collagen, that’s an extra 20g per day, and 170g per week.
If you have two coffees a day, that’s 40g protein.
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Eager to learn more? We believe that every person, with support, has the right to transform their lives through fitness.
That’s why we’ve put together hundreds of articles with expert advice, all to help you on your fitness journey. Check out our relevant articles below:
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