Understanding what supplements give the best muscle-building results
Whether you’re trying to get in shape or just lose those stubborn pounds, improving your muscle gains and building a more impressive physique is going to be the fastest and most effective method available. Even if you’re already in great shape but want to have a body like “The Rock” or Captain America, you’re going to want to bulk up as much as possible.
The challenge is that “going to the gym” alone may not be enough for everyone and certainly isn’t going to be enough to see the most gains no matter your body type. The reality is that, in addition to a lot of time, dedication, and training, you’re also going to need a few muscle-building supplements in your system if you want to see the best results.
Below, we’ve curated a list of the best supplements for building muscle and seeing massive muscle growth in the body. Some of these supplements will focus exclusively on fueling your muscles during the workout, while others are meant to be taken after a workout to improve recovery. There is even a multivitamin option that will help ensure you’re in the best condition possible throughout the day and while pushing yourself in your workout.
Knowledge From People That Actually Lift
As qualified nutrition coaches, personal trainers, weightlifting instructors, and athletes, we are passionate about the intricacies of fitness and nutrition. We recognize that much of the terminology can be perplexing and even daunting. That’s why we’re dedicated to conducting thorough research and firsthand testing of supplements, evaluating their effectiveness, side effects, taste, and texture. With our comprehensive research and practical testing, we can confidently provide recommendations for you.
Made from the amino acids, arginine, glycine, and methionine, creatine is an extremely well-known and well-established natural compound that has strong ties to an increase in muscle mass as well as an overall improvement of physical performance and ability [1].
Acting as a fuel for the body’s muscles, creatine allows you to push harder and longer in a workout while also helping reduce fatigue and speeding up recovery times. The ability to perform more reps at a given time allows the muscles a chance to grow bigger and stronger at a faster rate than before.
Not only that, but creatine helps to pull water from your cells, helping them grow while also increasing IGF-1 in the body, further stimulating muscle growth [2].
Nutrition & Included Ingredients
While there are many available creatine-based products and supplements, arguably the best of these is none other than Transparent Labs’ Creatine HMB. This creatine supplement comes in 5,000mgs per serving as well as an additional 1,500mg dose of hydroxy methyl butyrate (HMB). HMB has been shown to help retain muscle mass while also assisting in improving physical endurance [3], ultimately allowing you to push even harder than with creatine alone.
In addition to creatine and HMB, the supplement comes with a patented black pepper fruit extract known as Bioperine. Bioperine is a clinically tested ingredient that significantly increases the number of supplemental nutrients the body absorbs.
Creatine HMB also has several stevia-enhanced natural flavors including Tropical Punch, Fruit Punch, Black Cherry, Watermelon, Hawaiian Splash, Orange, Blue Raspberry, Sour Grape, Strawberry Lemonade, and Peach Mango.
Benefits & Drawbacks
Creatine HMB is ideally for those that are looking for a more impressive version of the standard creatine supplement as well as a larger serving of it. Not only does this come with 5,000mg of creatine in and of itself (a larger portion compared to many other companies) but it also comes with several other important ingredients like HMB and Bioperine.
The only drawbacks to the supplement are its price as well as the inclusion of black pepper for those that may have an allergy to it. It may similarly not be ideal for those looking for a supplement with a caffeinated kick to it.
Pros
Contains Over 5,000mgs Creatine Monohydrates
Has No Added Sugars or Artificial Ingredients
Includes 1,500mg of HMB & 5mg of Bioperine
Offers Multiple Flavors to Choose From, So You’ll Never Get Bored
Coupon code TL10 saves 10% at checkout
Cons
Not Ideal for People That Have a Black Pepper Allergy
Pre-workout supplements, like post-workout supplements, are multi-ingredient dietary formula that is specifically designed to improve your physical performance while giving you a solid boost of energy. Often in a powdered form, these supplements will include a variety of important ingredients ranging from different amino acids and vitamins to the inclusion of beta-alanine and caffeine.
Because pre-workout supplements differ based on the brand and company, they can often range drastically in quality. Some will include many of the different supplements in this list while others can be glorified sodas and sports drinks.
Nutrition & Included Ingredients
In the case of Transparent Labs’ Preseries BULK supplement, they hold true to many of the company’s key tenants of having no artificial ingredients or flavors while focusing heavily on effective and useful ingredients. The pre-workout supplement is entirely vegan-friendly and was specifically designed to help build muscles in athletes and gym goers.
There are over 19 different ingredients in each serving of the pre-workout supplement. This includes the following:
BCAAs
Beta-Alanine
Betaine Anhydrous
BioPerine
Caffeine Anhydrous
Choline Bitartrate
Hordenine
L-Norvaline
L-Theanine
Mucuna Pruriens
N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine
Synephrine
Taurine
Testosterone Support
One thing you’ll notice is that it includes many (if not all) of the different supplements already listed in this breakdown. While you’re probably not getting the highest concentration through the pre-workout supplement alone, it’s clear that Transparent Labs has produced something very useful with a lot of positive effects.
Benefits & Drawbacks
Meant to build muscle and help increase your overall strength, size, and performance, Preseries Bulk contains over 6,000mg of citrulline malate, over 4,000mg of BCAAs, 4,000mg of beta-alanine, 2,500mg of betaine, and 1,300mg of taurine. In addition, the supplement includes rapid absorption ingredients like BioPerine, a black pepper extract.
It’s an incredibly clean supplement that contains no sugars, sweeteners, or artificial ingredients, meaning you won’t suffer any potential unwanted calories, slowing your progress, as well as having to deal with any digestive problems like gas, bloating, or diarrhea [4].
The only area where there’s a slight misstep is in its pricing. While it makes sense that a large clean and quality supplement would be on the higher side, its pricing at $49 may be a bit too high for some people.
Pros
Does Not Include Any Artificial Ingredients or Sugars
Contains Several Quality Supplements for Muscle Growth
There’s a reason why most people equate weightlifters and bodybuilders with whey protein powder. It’s because it is arguably the most effective way of enacting protein synthesis. Whey is produced from milk protein with a high amount of BCAAs. Not only that, but it quickly digests and is absorbed through the body and into the muscle cells. This causes fast and expansive muscle growth in a very, very short period of time.
While there are multiple different protein powders out there, whey is consistently shown to absorb incredibly fast [5].
Nutrition & Included Ingredients
Produced by Kaged Muscle, Micropure Whey Protein Isolate may not, at first glance, seem like a particularly impressive whey protein option. When you consider that its price isn’t too exorbitant and the fact that it’s available pretty much everywhere (something many others on this list can’t say), you’d expect something like Micropure to be a low-quality supplement based on anyone’s measurement.
It’s only when you take a look at its different ingredients that you see that, while not perfect, this is a stellar whey protein isolate that deserves to take this spot. The supplement has a 32.7-gram serving size with over 42 servings per container. Not only that, but the supplement includes a powerful ingredient known as ProHydrolase.
ProHydrolase is a bio-efficient supplement that is scientifically designed to help build lean muscle mass and recovery when taken as part of a supplement. It does this by breaking down whey protein isolate into “micro fractions” that allow the body to easily absorb. This essentially maximizes the naturally absorbing effects of whey and supercharges them by having more essential amino acids react to your bloodstream faster, causing a greater amount of protein synthesis.
Benefits & Drawbacks
In addition to the inclusion of ProHydrolase, the whey protein isolate also helps reduce inflammation and includes numerous high-quality muscle-building ingredients like BCAAs, protein (25g per serving), as well as both l-arginine and l-glutamine. The powder has around 120 calories per serving with only 10 of those coming from fat.
The only area where it falters is its inclusion of the artificial sweetener, sucralose. Sucralose and artificial sweeteners have consistently been connected to insulin resistance as well as obesity [6]; and, while there isn’t a ton of it here, it’s still something to be aware of.
Pros
Very Affordable Considering The Serving Size
Available Everywhere
Very Tasty
ProHydrolase Technology Is Incredibly Useful
Cons
Does Include Artificial Ingredients, Like Sucralose, Which Has Links to Obesity & Insulin Problems
Testosterone boosters are another interesting way to see dramatic increases and improvements in your physical strength and muscle growth. As most people know, testosterone is a cornerstone benchmark for all things dealing with physical fitness and strength. It is the reduction or lack of testosterone that directly leads to a loss of muscle and overall strength.
As a person begins to age, their testosterone levels begin to drop. Whether you are someone seeking to raise your testosterone to normal levels or give yourself a spike, testosterone boosters are a great option.
Different from steroids, which directly inject testosterone into the body, testosterone boosters work by helping the body kickstart its production of testosterone. This is why either gender can take this and see dramatic results. Some of the commonly seen ingredients include ZMA (a combination of zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6), Tribulus Terrestris, and magnesium.
Nutrition & Included Ingredients
An incredibly high-quality brand, Testogen is highly regarded for its impressive formula blends, with many components helping with ED and other forms of sexual dysfunction in addition to improving the body’s development of muscle mass.
The supplement is taken in capsule form with 120 capsules per bottle. It includes various ingredients such as Vitamin K1, Born, Zinc, Magnesium, Red Ginseng Extract, Fenugreek Extract, and D-aspartic acid.
Benefits & Drawbacks
Meant to produce a fitter and more muscular physique, Testogen helps to improve protein synthesis by naturally raising one’s testosterone levels. This makes building and maintaining muscle much easier. The supplement is also incredibly easy to take, requiring four of the 120 capsules per day taken at the start of the morning. This also has been shown to improve workouts, burn body fat, and increase energy and vitality throughout the body.
Where Testogen falters is in the amount of time it takes as well as its pricing. Unless purchased in bulk, individual bottles of Testogen can be very expensive, especially when you consider that you’re taking 4 of the 120 pills every morning. This comes out to be nearly $60 a testosterone booster.
This is particularly challenging when you consider that, while effective, Testogen isn’t nearly as immediate as other supplements on this list. Here, you’ll need to take the recommended daily amount for a good week or two before you start noticing the effects. Not only that, but some people may not feel the effects at all depending on how their body processes testosterone.
Pros
Fairly Easy To Use
Safe For Most Men (and Women) to Take
Builds Muscle & Is Steroid-Free
Improves Performance Over Time
Increases Metabolism
Cons
Not Effective For All Men
Can Be Expensive If Purchased Month-to-Month
Effects Aren’t Immediate or Fast-Acting
Ingredients May Violently Interact with Other Medications
Mass Gainer by Crazy Nutrition
Best Mass Gainer for Muscle Building
While many people seek muscle growth as a way to expedite weight loss (particularly fat loss), there are also a good number of people interested in bulking up through weight gain. Instead of eating a ton of junk, they will invest in a quality mass gainer protein powder.
Mass gainers are high-calorie protein powder supplements that help a person gain lean body mass through an increase in available calories. This is because many of these calories are coming from carb-related supplements, potentially resulting in gaining some fat if you aren’t careful.
Nutrition & Included Ingredients
Crazy Nutrition’s Mass Gainer is a hearty and effective mass gainer that does exactly what you’d imagine it would do while also being tasty and affecting the entire body. Some of its ingredients include creatine, astragin, senactiv, and a digestive enzyme complex.
While creatine is already well known, astragin is a fusion between astragalus root and ginseng root extract, which improves nutrient absorption in the body. It also helps with improving muscle strength as well as muscle size [7].
Others include senactiv, which is reported to be a combination between Panax ginseng root and Rosa burghii extract and helps recovery while improving physical performance.
Benefits & Drawbacks
One of the impressive aspects of Mass Gainer is its inclusion of digestive enzymes which help with stomach bloating and other digestion-based issues. The mass gainer supplement also is very effective in speeding up muscle growth and improving muscle recovery in the body.
On the other hand, the supplements are primarily sold online, making them a bit difficult to get to once you’ve finished. Also, while you’re expected to burn off as many calories as you want if you aren’t careful and particular, you could likely end up bigger than before.
Pros
Very Inexpensive Compared To Other Brands
Contains Numerous Quality Natural Ingredients
Includes A Digestive Enzyme
Tastes Pretty Good
Cons
While Not Super Easy to Gain Weight, You Still Should Be Careful
Only Sold Online, Making Restocking A Bit Difficult
Just as pre-workout supplements are important due to their ability to fuel your body with energy before hitting the gym and lifting weights, a post-workout gym takes advantage of this time when your muscles are healing, speeding up the process and reducing any onset inflammation or stress.
Post-workout supplements are also great for providing the body with numerous amino acids as well as working to promote muscle recovery.
Nutrition & Included Ingredients
An exceptional post-workout supplement, Swolverine’s Post workout is great based on the various things that make it up. From more standard items like bromelain and L-glutamine to a litany of natural and effective supplements like oat milk powder, spirulina, papaya, and pea protein isolate.
Benefits & Drawbacks
Swolverine’s Post-workout supplement is one of the real deals, with a lot going for it. This supplement offers faster recovery through the use of its L-glutamine ingredients, It also improves muscle mass and increases overall strength, doing this through muscle protein synthesis.
The big, big issue with this supplement is its incredible price. While it certainly is a quality product, its pricing is difficult to justify. In addition, many of the ingredients are fairly light compared to the more dense whey-based options.
BCAAs, like creatine, is a very well-researched supplement option with a lot of good things said about it in the workout and gym world. The term is derived from the three amino acids formed in a branched chain: leucine, isoleucine, and valine, all of which greatly repair and build damaged muscle tissue. Of the three amino acids, leucine is the most impactful, stimulating muscle protein synthesis all on its own and working synergistically with the other two to create muscle growth, increased energy while working out, and reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
Nutrition & Included Ingredients
Another stellar product coming from Transparent Labs, this time we’re going over their BCAA Glutamine supplement. This all-natural compound material is built strongly for muscle repair and recovery, helping the muscles grow back stronger while reducing DOMS in the body.
The supplement contains three major ingredients: L-Glutamine, BCAAs, and Coconut Water Powder.
The L-Glutamine is meant to assist in muscle repair after a workout session. It has been shown to improve overall performance. The listed branched-chain amino acids are broken into a ratio of 2:1:1, with 4 grams of L-Leucine, 2 grams of L-Isoleucine, and 2 grams of L-Valine. These work to similarly repair muscle development while also promoting muscle protein synthesis and ultimately increasing muscle mass.
Coconut water powder is known for having high amounts of vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes such as potassium, sodium, magnesium, and calcium. These all, while not intended to improve your muscle recovery per se, are great for keeping you hydrated and “in the game” during your workout.
Benefits & Drawbacks
BCAA Glutamine has several impressive benefits, namely their ability to reduce muscle soreness and fatigue while also improving muscle growth. In particular, the supplement is important for reducing the strain and damage done through muscle soreness and fatigue. Because of BCAAs as well as glutamine both work to improve muscle recovery and reduce muscle pain, this is excellent for getting longer workout sessions out of you while also getting you back in the gym as fast as possible.
One good note is that there aren’t any downsides to taking Transparent Labs’ supplement, the one exception being the texture’s excessive grittiness if not stirred thoroughly with enough water. Outside of that, one could argue that the price is a bit high, but even that is kind of pushing it.
Pros
All Ingredients are Natural with No Fillers
Great For Reducing Muscle Soreness & Fatigue
Coconut Water Powder Helps Keep You Hydrated and in the Gym Longer
Multivitamins have long since been established to be a great way to keep and maintain your health. Interestingly, while the majority of people may not be aware of this, these same multivitamins have been integral parts of the bodybuilder world.
As with pre- and post-workout supplements, the big factor to always remember is what ingredients are put into that particular brand. Generally, when it comes to helping build muscle, a multivitamin will include different vitamins that improve energy and strength. Just a few of these include B12 or C. Vitamin B12 helps improve the nervous system while vitamin C protects the body’s cells, making them stronger and more resilient.
By using multivitamins, you can sure up many blind spots from your diet and other supplements so that you can perform at your optimal level when exercising or otherwise looking to improve your body’s physical strength.
Nutrition & Included Ingredients
While all different multivitamins are effective in their way, Naked Nutrition’s Multivitamin for Men is particularly great for those looking to gain muscle and improve their overall strength. Here, each multivitamin supplement includes vitamins A, C, and E, while also including zinc, selenium, and carotenoids.
The multivitamin supplement also includes Saw Palmetto Extract, and CoQ10, as well as a variety of different prebiotic rainbow fruits and greens, with all of them working to strengthen your muscles and give you the energy to push harder as a result.
Benefits & Drawbacks
One of the great things about Naked Men’s Multi is that it is entirely iron-free while offering health and support for the prostate as well as for the immune system through several antioxidants.
The multivitamin is also incredibly affordable, costing less than $30 for 60 capsules taking two throughout the day. The vitamins are also noted for improving cognitive function while also reducing the risk of specific oxygen-related diseases.
The area where it is a bit disappointing is that they are designed to be only taken by themselves, with other additional supplements potentially upsetting the effects. Similarly, there are no alternative methods outside of taking it in pill form.
Pros
Impressively Priced
Contains a Variety of Different & Useful Vitamins & Minerals
Uses High-Quality Zinc, which is Formulated Specifically to Increase Absorption When Consumed
Cons
There Is Only One Way to Take Multivitamins
Ill-advised To Take it With Other Supplements
Onnit Total Nitric Oxide
Best Citrulline for Muscle Building
A naturally occurring molecule, nitric oxide (NO) is essential in helping dilate blood vessels and allow for smoother and easier blood flow throughout the body. This enhanced blood flow makes the delivery of nutrients and oxygen (along with various anabolic hormones) easier during intense workouts. Not only does this process result in more power and energy while pumping, but it also results in the muscles growing and recovering much faster as well.
Of course, the reason this is so important is that nitric oxide boosters don’t produce NO itself, but rather several different amino acids including l-arginine and l-citrulline. These amino acids, when entered the body, will readily convert into nitric oxide, increasing muscle growth and losing body fat.
Nutrition & Included Ingredients
One of the more effective NO boosters is Onnit Total’s Nitric Oxide boosters. This supplement comes with both L-citrulline as well as L-arginine as well as fermented beets and a patented mango fruit powder named “CAREFLOW”.
While the amino acids work to create nitric oxide, the fermented beets act as a natural source of nitrates in the body, similarly working to support NO production. The mango fruit powder is patented and meant to focus on blood circulation while also offering a sugar-free alternative to people.
Benefits & Drawbacks
Made as a competently produced supplement, Onnit’s Total Nitric Oxide helps improve blood flow throughout the body while also improving one’s pumps and reducing the amount of time recovering. The supplement is also flavored without the use of any sugar or sweeteners. This also makes it a viable option for those on keto or other specialized diets and protocols.
On the other hand, it certainly is a bit on the costly side of things, with each serving coming to around $2.00, something very, very high.
Pros
Tastes Good Despite having No Sugar
All Ingredients are Natural and not Artificial
Very Effective in Improving Blood Flow Throughout the Body
Interestingly, beta-alanine, on its own, isn’t particularly useful for building muscle or improving physical strength or endurance. It’s only when used alongside combined with another amino acid known as histidine that it becomes useable to the body as a third new amino acid known as carnosine. Carnosine found in large amounts can improve muscle strength by strengthening the muscle fibers and their ability to contract for longer without fatigue [8].
Nutrition & Included Ingredients
Swolverine’s CarnoSyn Beta-Alanine supplement is an incredible beta-alanine supplement with many, many benefits. This is primarily due to the inclusion of their patented ingredient, CarnoSyn. This is a wholly unique form of beta-alanine that helps dramatically increase training volume while greatly limiting the amount of lactic buildup in the muscles.
The supplement comes with 5,000mg (5g) of beta-alanine and has been noted to increase carnosine levels by 80% in under 4 weeks, raising one’s fitness capacity by 15% in around 28 days, and improving your peak power output [9].
Each bottle contains 5g of beta-alanine per serving with 60 available servings.
Benefits & Drawbacks
Being infused with beta-alanine, Swolverine’s CarnoSyn supplement can reduce muscle fatigue while also improving muscle growth and overall physical strength. Because of a reduction in lactic acid produced in the body, the body’s muscles can push longer without suffering from strength loss or fatigue, resulting in more and longer reps, increasing one’s strength and athletic performance.
In terms of its drawbacks, it suffers from the standard effects of beta-alanine, namely the standard “tingling” sensation that is felt in the arms. This tingling sensation can often be uncomfortable for people taking it for the first time, though even experienced users can find it annoying.
In addition, on their site, it is strongly implied that you’ll only get the full effects from this supplement when taken alongside Citrulline Malate and branched-chain amino acids. While using several supplements together is not unheard of or unexpected, it is a problem when other products are required.
Pros
Includes 5g of Beta-Alanine Per Serving
Has No Fillers or Additional Ingredients
Helps with Athletic Performance
Increases Physical Strength & Muscle Endurance
Cons
Often Results in Tingling Sensation in Arms
Supplement is Implied to Only Be Effective with Other Supplements
It may seem random or haphazardly thrown together, however, there is quite a bit of consideration that goes into each listed entry. Essentially, three stages go into deciding on one supplement over another.
The first stage is determining if the supplement works. As we mentioned earlier, there are a lot of supplements out there that make impressive claims that often don’t amount to much, and that’s if you’re lucky. We make a point of studying each of the listed ingredients for each supplement and then determining their effectiveness in actually improving your ability to gain muscle. This is often derived from different double-blind studies that go into that particular supplement substance.
Second, once we’ve confirmed that the supplement will work, we take a look at the effectiveness of the substances. If, as an example, a supplement was universally regarded as extremely effective, it was given a more favorable score than a supplement that had largely mixed reviews, even if more of those reviews were positive.
Lastly, we review the asking price and square it with its overall effectiveness. The more expensive a supplement is, the more effective it is expected to be. Vice versa, a fairly affordable supplement can get away with not being quite as potent since it can be taken more liberally without becoming cost-prohibitively.
By breaking down each of these stages, we cannot only create this list of the top 10 muscle-gaining supplements, but we can also ensure every entry is correctly placed no matter its effectiveness, ingredient list, or the price tag.
FAQs
Do I need to take all of these supplements to promote muscle growth if I want to build muscle?
No, you don’t need to take all of these supplements simultaneously nor do you need to take them all at all. However, if you want the most effective and efficient method of building muscle, then we recommend that you do.
How long does it usually take for muscle growth supplements to work?
This will depend on the supplement being taken as well as the person taking it. For most people, however, it usually takes around 2-3 weeks of consistent use before any noticeable results are seen. It also depends on your workouts, just taking the supplements then hardly working out isn’t going to do much if anything.
Do I need to workout while taking these supplements?
Yes, in order for muscle growth supplements to be effective, you will need to engage in some form of physical activity or exercise, such as weightlifting, to see results.
I’m a vegetarian/vegan, are there any muscle growth supplements that I can take?
Yes, there are a few muscle growth supplements that are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. These include pea protein powder, brown rice protein powder, and hemp protein powder.
Which Supplement is Best Overall For Muscle Gain?
If you want the best muscle-building supplement overall, you should go with creatine monohydrate. It is the most studied and proven effective supplement for increasing lean muscle mass and strength. It is also very affordable, making it a great option for those on a budget. Personally, I have has tremendous success with creatine as well.
What’s The Best Supplement For Muscle Growth If I’m On a Budget?
If you’re looking for the best bang-for-your-buck supplement, then you should go with creatine monohydrate . As we mentioned, it is the most studied and proven effective supplement for increasing lean muscle mass and strength. It is also very affordable, making it a great option for those on a budget. Personally, I have had tremendous success with creatine as well.
What Supplement Is Best For Muscle Recovery?
If you’re looking for a supplement to help with muscle recovery, then you should go with whey protein supplements. Whey protein is a fast-digesting protein that helps your muscles recover and grow after a workout. It is also very affordable and widely available, making it a great option for those on a budget.
Final Word
While there are many supplements on the market that promise to help you build muscle, not all of them live up to their claims. In this article, we’ve highlighted some of the best supplements for muscle gain that have been proven to be effective. So if you’re looking to add some size and strength to your frame, these supplements should definitely be at the top of your list. Give them a try and see how they work for you.
Ryan is a former college wrestler and lifelong fitness fanatic. He has run half marathons, done mud runs, placed in body transformation contests, coached wrestling, and now coaches girls’ soccer. Not to mention he has also tried literally hundreds of supplements over the years and has a vast and thorough supplement knowledge. He has written for Muscle & Strength, Testosterone Junkie, The Sport Review and other publications. He is also the editor-in-chief of this website and has over 25 years of experience in the fitness industry. Feel free to connect with him on his LinkedIn page below.
Creatine is the answer. for get the other and stick with creatine. Every time I use it I get massive gains. All you need, trust me