TOP 5 SUPPLEMENTS FOR MUSCLE GAIN

TOP 5 SUPPLEMENTS FOR MUSCLE GAIN

BY POPULAR DEMAND: 5 Best Supplements for Gaining Muscle

  • Let’s first wrap our heads around what is required to gain muscle.
    • First and foremost, muscle requires a high demand of stimuli via resistance or weight training to damage the muscle fibers enough to rebuild and grow
      • This is called muscular hypertrophy
    • Secondly, the rate of protein synthesis (creation of proteins) needs to be higher than that of protein breakdown (both cellular responses).
  • Overall health and genetics do play a factor in muscle growth due to hormone responses such as testosterone, human growth hormone, estrogen, and insulin.
    • We’ll save this for another day.
  • Strength and resistance training help in the sense that:
    • Release of growth hormones from the pituitary gland
    • Stimulates testosterone release
      • Yes! Women do produce small amounts of testosterone
    • Improves sensitivity of the muscles to said testosterone.
    • Damage to the muscle tissue via demand starts the rebuild process that propels growth.
      • Training each muscle group at least 2/week is recommended
    • * IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE:
      • It takes approx. 4-6 weeks of consistent, challenging, and focused training paired with good nutrition and sleep to gain roughly 1 lb of healthy muscle tissue.
    • Programmed cardio, as discussed in my blog (posted) and soon eBook provides benefits to all of the above.
  • BODY TYPE CONSIDERATIONS: Both male and females can have the following body types and shapes which require a slightly different approach to training and diet. This is important to know when it comes to dieting restrictions, training intensity, as well as skeletal frame as when it comes to muscle you can only put so much muscle on so much bone with adequate support.
    • Mesomorphic: Tend to be muscular and build mass quickly. They can adjust for gain or loss rather simply with diet and exercise (the in between body type)
    • Ectomorphic: Slim and straight frame, fast metabolism, and a lower chance of gaining large mass of muscle but can be very strong with respect to their size. (Athletic and lean body type)
    • Endomorphic: Round and curvy body type, slower metabolism, can build muscle very well as well as be strong, more challenging to lean out mass.
  • So now that we know what is required to gain muscle. We’ve also considered our individual body type and understand the effort we need to focus on diet and exercise. We are assuming that we are eating efficiently, doing our cardio for maintenance purposes, and we’re getting adequate sleep.
    • If you are still unsure on how you should be eating or cardio for the sake of muscle growth, please refer to my blogs (free) and or my Macros eBook for help. Feel free at anytime to contact me as well, email is listed at the bottom of the page.
    • Let us discuss some supplements (that we need more of or not getting from food) that will help with muscle growth and overall body composition.

 

  • LET ME PREFACE THIS by saying that supplements are not the magic key and end all be all. Supplements are best used to ADD to what you are already getting from your day-to-day nutrition. While there are many supplements that are helpful, some of the many supplements that people hype over you should be getting from whole food anyway. IF YOU ARE NOT getting the necessary macronutrients and micronutrients from your diet, then you should be searching or asking for help in that area before we dive into supplements.

 

  1. SUPPLEMENTAL PROTEIN
    1. One major area where people lack in their life in general, let alone fitness journey, is daily protein intake. Dietary restrictions may play a role and if you have any specific preferences such as vegan OR intolerance (just an example) then contact me to help you with something specific for you.
    2. WHEY PROTEIN POWDER
      1. Whey isolates RECOMMENDED
      2. Fast absorbing
      3. Complete protein
  1. Many flavors, brands/prices, and applications such as cooking with
  2. Consume as meal replacements or within 1 hour of training
  3. 20-40g / day of supplemental protein aside from whole food
  1. BENEFITS:
    1. Protein building through fast absorption of aminos
    2. Includes other ingredients to help with sleep and immune function
    3. Aids in performance, strength, and overall body composition
  1. ALSO CONSIDER:
    1. CASEIN PROTEIN
      1. Referred to as a night protein because it is slower digesting and metabolizing which aids in the recovery process especially while sleeping.
    2. 3 FAIR MARKET EXAMPLES…

                      

 

  1. CREATINE (!!! SAFE !!!)
    1. This is a unisex recommendation as I’ll explain…
      1. Creatine is a non-essential amino, stored in brain and muscle, comes from red meats and fish and daily dose around 1-2 grams.
    2. Creatine Monohydrate is the recommended form. Though creatine research is limited the most extensive covers this over Creatine HCL for its absorption efficiency.
    3. BENEFITS:
      1. Its main function is TO ENHANCE ATP PRODUCTION AND STORAGE
        1. This gives you more energy, store more in the muscles, allows for more extensive contractions while training
        2. A biproduct of ATP production is molecular water (H20). Creatine will help increase cell volume which helps with pumps and contractions.
        3. It has also been proven to help increase IGF-1 hormones
      2. Doses may vary- 5 grams daily for 3 years has been studied safe
    4. 3 FAIR MARKET EXAMPLES…

              

 

  1. PRE-WORKOUT / NITRIC OXIDE BOOSTER / BETA-ALANINE / CARNOSINE
    1. I group these together because they fit the pre-workout category. While some may come in an all-in-one supplement form, others may be taken separately as what we refer to as a pre-workout and a “pump”
    2. Beta-alanine combined with histidine form carnosine which has been studied to increase muscle fiber’s ability to contract with more force. Paired with creatine beta-alanine (standalone) or the beta-alanine in your pre-workout (“the beta-burn itchy feeling) have been proven to help with gaining more muscle mass and strength.
      1. (1-2 grams Beta-A before workouts)
      2. (2 grams Beta-A with creatine in the morning on non-training days)
    3. Nitric Oxide boosters allow for more blood flow, enhance oxygen delivery, transport nutrients and anabolic hormones. This is Pre-workouts or “pumps” with Arginine
      1. (3-5 grams L-Arginine)
      2. Consider Nitric Oxide boosters with
        1. Citrulline
        2. Pycnogenol
        3. Ginsing
      3. Pre- Workouts – Most good ones will have the above mentioned in them. Some other considerations will be concentrations of those components as well as stimulants like Caffeine. 350mg is typically average for most pre-workouts.
        1. Energy, focus, pump the 3 pillars of a pre-workout
          1. How much caffeine and your tolerance
          2. L-Citrulline, Beta-A, BCAA’s, Creatine, L-Glutamine, Vasodilators, B Vitamins, Beetroot, and Carbs are all common compounds in pre-workouts.
          3. ***Keep in mind creatine, BCAA’s and glutamine can also be in your protein powder as well
          4. 3 FAIR MARKET EXAMPLES…

                       

 

  1. BRANCHED CHAIN AMINO ACIDS (BCAA’s)
    1. Important amino acids for rebuilding muscle tissue, increased energy, and blunting cortisol levels, and easing muscle soreness.
      1. 5-20 grams daily, 2:1 per dose of isoleucine and valine
      2. Pre-workout and protein powder products do tend to have 3-5 grams within them.
  • YOU CAN get many of your BCAA’s from animal products such as meats, milks, quinoa, etc but it doesn’t hurt to take extra as it serves so many benefits to the body.
  1. 3 FAIR MARKET EXAMPLES…

                   

 

  1. ZMA / SLEEP SUPPLEMENT
    1. None of what you’re trying to achieve will be possible without adequate sleep. Most people have deficiencies in nutrients that are helpful for healthy sleep patterns such as Zinc and Magnesium. Though they can be taken separately, there are some companies that make an all-in-one supplement.
      1. Zinc, Magnesium, and aspartate and Vitamin B6
      2. Healthy sleep patterns and hormone levels especially testosterone and IGF-1
  • 30-60 minutes before bed (NO FOOD OR CALCIUM PRODUCTS)
    1. 30-50 mg Zinc
    2. 450-500 mg chelated magnesium
    3. ~ 10 mg Vitamin B6
  • 3 FAIR MARKET EXAMPLES...

                         

 

*6) HONORABLE MENTION: VITAMIN D3: Strengthen bones and muscles, boost immunity, improves mood, reduces inflammation, and improves heart function. HAS BEEN TESTED AND STUDIED TO NATURALLY INCREASE TESTOSTERONE LEVELS AT APPROX 10,000IU DAILY DOSES. 

 

 

Tap into my Macros eBook https://jessetusmc.gumroad.com/l/macros-ebook and piece the puzzle together between nutrition and supplementation. Use code Supp50 and save 50% on the books purchase. There I will thoroughly break down step by step your nutrition focus for specific goals. Hopefully this gave you better insight and understanding on the importance of protein. As always if you need any assistance please contact me at Fatherfigurefitnessllc@gmail.com to aide you in meal plans and nutritional guidance and be on the look out for my E-book series coming soon!!!

Back to blog