When building muscle, consistent workouts and healthy eating is guaranteed to give you results. Hands down, physical activity and a solid diet are fundamental to every bodybuilding and athletic training program designed to improve health and build muscle. But, if you want to amp your body’s muscle-building ability, muscle building supplements can provide that support.
Suppose you already spend more time at the gym than with your mom and prefer to slice into a lean chicken breast instead of a fast-food burger, but want to further increase muscle mass. In that case, muscle building supplements are a great way to achieve that. Keep reading to learn which supplements to reach for when aiming to gain muscle.
Muscle Building Supplements That Improves Lean Body Mass
Creatine
Creatine is a top supplement for athletes to use to build muscle and enhance athletic performance. It has been safely used for decades and continues to be regarded as a key supplement ingredient due to its safety profile and ability to provide other health benefits, such as protection against neurological diseases.
How to Use Creatine for Building Muscle
For creatine to impact muscle growth, it’s essential to increase the creatine level stored in the body. To do this, many bodybuilders start using quality creatine monohydrate in high doses initially, then taper off to a smaller amount consumed on a regular basis. The loading phase of creatine supplementation shouldn’t last more than 5-7 days.
Supplements Amped with Muscle Building Blocks
Whey Protein
Whey protein is a milk extract that contains several essential amino acids useful to help build muscle mass. It serves as the key ingredient in quality protein powders and is safe to use when adding protein to your diet while seeking to lose fat. Bodybuilders often rely on Whey protein-based supplements to increase muscle gains sustainably.
Whey Protein is a direct source of the nine muscle-building essential amino acids and branched-chain-amino-acids, including:
- Leucine
- Isoleucine
- Tryptophan
- Methionine
- Lysine
- Phenylalanine
- Threonine
- Valine
- Histidine
When to Use Whey Protein to Build Muscle
Whey protein digests quickly and, therefore, is most effective when you consume it shortly before, during, or after a workout. Pre-workout supplements, such as a tasty shake or protein bar, should be whey protein-based to maximize muscle-building and performance-enhancing abilities.
Protein Supplement to Sustain Muscle Mass
Casein Protein
Casein protein is derived from milk – just like whey protein, as mentioned above – and is equally as potent for building muscle. Casein supplements provide the body with essential amino acids needed for muscle growth, as whey does, but casein has more of the essential amino acids that are helpful for the recovery phase of muscle growth.
How to Use Casein Protein
Casein, although similar to Whey protein, digests at a slower rate than whey. Its muscle-building effects on the body linger longer than whey protein; which is likely why casein has been reported to help with muscle longevity. Casein-based protein supplements can be taken as a post-workout supplement to help the body keep building muscle long after you’ve left the gym. Additionally, consuming casein protein before bed has been shown to aid post-workout recovery.
Quality Supplements Aid in Strengthening and Building Muscle
Supplements that improve muscle strength and mass aren’t created equal. Before adding a new supplement to your diet, be sure it’s the right one for your unique training needs. To learn which supplements are right for you, talk to the experts at Fuel Victoria. Each of our three locations has a knowledgeable team of staff that can help you select the right supplements.
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