5 Supplements Men Should Take to Gain Muscle!

Men’s Supplements to Gain Muscle

In this day and age the vitamin/supplement market is incredibly big. Just take a stroll through your local Natural Grocers, literally half the store consists of ailses of vitamins and supplements! Every day new and sometimes “improved” products come out flooding the already flooded market. Most of the time these products don’t work as they claim to be or they aren’t worth the money when it can spent on other things. In no particular order, here are 5 supplements you should take to help you gain muscle!

1. Whey Protein

Adding some protein shakes to your diet will do you wonders. Protein powders are great to use after workout as it greatly aids in the muscle gaining process. There have been countless studies done when is the best time to consume protein after a workout, the rule of thumb is usually an hour after a workout. There isn’t a true time frame when it needs to be taken, basically the sooner the better will work. So don’t worry if you drank your shake at the 64th minute mark, your fine. Whey protein isolate is a great for after a workout for fast digesting purposes. Casein is good for the morning or before bedtime which slowly digests overtime. It makes you feel fuller in the morning and aids in the recovery during the catabolic stage as you sleep.

4 Benefits:

1. Better Metabolism
2. Full of Amino Acids
3. Repairs Muscles
4. Rapidly Absorbed by the Body

Best dosage:

Most protein powders have a serving size of 25 grams of protein, but 20-30 grams is something to shoot for.

2. Creatine

Countless studies have been done on the consumption of creatine. Creatine is a naturally occurring substance in your body, a lot of it comes from our skeletal muscle tissue. There are a few different types of creatine, but a good place to start is either creatine monohydrate or micronized.

4 Benefits:

1. Aids in Recovery From Workouts
2. Increased Muscle Volume
3. Better Muscle Endurance
4. Improved Lean Body Mass

Best dosage: 

It depends, start out with 5 grams and take no more than 10 grams. Take half your daily intake before a workout and the other half after a workout.

3. BCAAs (Branch Chained Amino Acids)

There are many amino acids within the body, there are three known as BCAAs. BCAAs help with protein synthesis and regulate protein metabolism  The three are called leucine, isoleucine and valine. They can help with muscle recovery, like protein powders. They are a source of energy and replenishes lost nutrients from long grueling workouts.

4 Benefits:

1. Aids in Muscle Recovery
2. Keeps Muscles Fueled During Workouts
3. Improved Muscle Endurance
4. Reduce Muscle Fatigue and Soreness

Best dosage:

5-10 grams, you can take it pre, during and or after a workout.

4. Beta Alanine

Beta alanine has been proven to reduce the lactic acid build up in your during a workout. It is a naturally occurring non essential amino acid. You can consume a lot of from foods high in protein such as poultry. Here is how it works, when you go through an intense run or a fat burning circuit like the Hurricane you begin to feel that burn and everything starts breaking down; muscle fatigues, form breaks down and performance drops. Consuming beta alanine before a workout raises carnosine levels it delays “the burn” so you can workout longer and get more sets and reps in. A lot of people report feeling a tingle/itch after consuming beta alanine, this is all natural and nothing to worry about. It just means the nerves under your skin are stimulated and are firing at a faster rate.

4 Benefits:

1. Delays Muscle Fatigue
2. Improves Endurance
3. Works Beautifully with Creatine
4. Greater Force Output

Best dosage:

2-6 grams, take smaller doses at first and see how much of the tingling feeling you can take.

5. Omega-3 Fish Oil

It can be hard to come by pure, efficient and the right amount of these essential fatty acids. They can be bought in pill or liquid form. Omega-3 fatty acids are great to take help blood circulate better. Omega 3s allow proteins and carbohydrates to reach your muscles and give them the nutrients they need.

4 Benefits:

1. Nutrients Absorbed Efficiently
2. Aids in Fat Loss
3. Improved Joint Lubrication
4. Improved Cardiovascular Health

Best dosage:

1000mg-1200mg

It is possible to gain your desire weight goals without these supplementations, however the process will be slower. It is very fair to say to by supplementing these into your diet you will feel and look a lot better!