There are various kinds of muscle building supplements, some may prove to their name and some may not stand high on your expectations. But, there are only a handful that are excellent choices for the best supplements for muscle gain for someone looking to build extra muscle mass and lose unwanted fat.
To build a lean strong,muscular body what you need to do is to follow a good weight training program, a good healthy diet and the “best supplements for muscle gain” that has been used by many successful bodybuilders and has proved worthy of making them gain increased muscle mass and strength.
Muscle building or bodybuilding supplements are special nutrients which are essential to increase performance of muscle workouts so that one can gain increased muscle mass and strength. These nutrients can turn out to be the best supplements for muscle gain if they play a vital role in muscle growth and strength of an individual which is a must to stay fit, healthy and ahead of everyone else.
Although there are innumerable bodybuilding supplements out there on internet but here I am going to narrow down this list to the best supplements for muscle gain that have been well-tested and will surely really work for you.
Protein Supplements
Proteins are the building blocks of our body and so they are very important for muscle building. They are used as Post Workout Recovery Supplements as they play a vital role in growth and repair of muscle tissues which gets worn out after heavy workouts.
Your body requires about 1 gram of protein per pound body weight per day which has been discussed later on in this page. There are different kinds of proteins supplements (egg, soya, casein, whey, etc) available in the market but the best supplements for muscle gain are whey protein powder.
The reason why whey protein is considered as one of the best supplements for muscle gain is because it’s a high quality protein obtained from cheese which is itself derived from cow’s milk thus making it easily digested and absorbed. Whey Protein may be available as pills, powders and shakes, but they are most commonly ingested as protein powder and shakes.
An average Human Being (weight = 60 kg) with lean muscle weight of around 51 kg requires around 140 grams of protein per day. So according to your lean muscle weight, you can easily estimate the amount of protein required by your body to build muscle. The requirement of protein is directly proportional to your lean muscle weight.
Pre Workout Supplements
Creatine: The next important ingredient in the group of muscle building supplements has to be creatine since it has all the qualities of the best supplements for muscle gain. It is a nitrogenous compound naturally produced in vertebrates and is a source of energy to all cells of our body. It helps to form a molecule called ATP which is an energy source for all the cells of our body including muscles. It helps to increase muscle mass by decreasing muscle fatigue and improving muscle recovery.
Oral Creatine supplements are invariably used by athletes, body builders, wrestlers and those who wish to increase their muscle mass. Creatine increases the endurance of muscles and provide more energy to muscles by increasing their hydration for a better workout. They are therefore regarded as one of the best supplements for muscle gain.Creatine can be ingested as loading dose of 20 grams per day for a period of 6 days. Later a maintenance dose of 2 to 5 grams per day is recommended for good muscle gain. It is recommended that this should be taken in cycles e.g. four weeks on it then two weeks off of it.
The best supplements for muscle gain, scientifically proven safe and very effective in muscle building include creatine monohydrate that occurs naturally in all vertebrates and is a required to produce ATP (Adenosine Tri Phosphate). An ATP molecule upon hydrolysis liberates substantial amounts of energy ( 7.3 Kcal) and water when it breaks into subsequent smaller molecules as shown:
ATP (Adenosine Tri Phosphate) —-> ADP (Adenosine Di Phosphate) +
Energy + Water
This energy released upon breakdown of ATP molecules is utilized by muscles during workouts. So creatine supplement is taken prior to workouts so that enough hydration and energy can be provided to the body to get an increased muscle mass.
It has been scientifically proven that there are no harmful side effects of creatine supplements and especially Creatine Monohydrate being natural is extremely safe to use. Despite numerous studies into the so called dangers of creatine, not one study has thus far provided any conclusive evidence regarding effects of any kind as a result of creatine taking. So it would be an injustice to this product if it is not included as one of the best supplements for muscle gain.
L-Arginine ( Nitric Oxide Supplements)
L-Arginine (Levo-Arginine) is an essential amino acid which has an important role in muscle building. Arginine changes into nitric oxide, which causes blood vessel relaxation (vasodilation). Early evidence suggests that arginine may help improve with vasodilation and has been studied for wound healing and bodybuilding.
You may have heard about the so called Nitro Fat Burners or Nitro Boosters which are one of the best supplements for muscle gain as they increase the post workout recovery and boost up the muscle strength instantaneously.
Additional trials indicate that L-Arginine may support healthy lipid metabolism enhancing its cardiovascular support properties. Arginine has demonstrated immune-supporting activity and may promote the utilization of nitric acid by scavenger cells for defense mechanisms. Support of immune messenger compounds has also been observed in several studies with L-Arginine.