6 Supplements that Will Build Your Muscle to the Max!

If the muscles and the rest of the bodily systems have an abundant supply of L-glutamine, muscle tissue will be less likely depleted under conditions of stress. After a hard training session, L-glutamine levels will be reduced throughout the body by as much as 50 percent.   Experts found the best way to supplement L-glutamine is to take 5 grams 3-4 times per day so the body has a constant supply. Adding it to protein shakes is an excellent way to include it in one’s diet.

CREATINE

When creatine hit the shelves in the early ’90s, it quickly became the supplement of choice for athletes the world over.   A supplement that can support increases in size and strength – as attested to by countless scientific studies – creatine (monohydrate, the version that, despite many new revolutionary forms, still seems to work best in the long run) will, for most, boost lean muscle mass and amplify strength gains.   A large quantity of raw meat would need to be eaten to extract five grams of creatine, the quantity provided in one teaspoon of creatine monohydrate powder.

“MANY POUNDS OF RAW MEAT WOULD NEED TO BE EATEN TO EXTRACT FIVE GRAMS OF CREATINE, THE QUANTITY PROVIDED IN ONE TEASPOON OF CREATINE MONOHYDRATE POWDER.”

Many bodybuilders found that when they’re not taking it my muscles become much flatter and energy levels tend to plummet. Creatine’s major benefits – among many – are twofold.   It increases muscle energy, allowing one to train harder and to reap the results.

And secondly, it hydrates muscle tissue, which, over time, causes them to become bigger and stronger.   Naturally produced in the kidneys, pancreas, and liver, creatine is transported to muscle tissue where it is transformed into creatine phosphate, from which the energy molecule ATP is produced to regenerate the muscles’ ability to contract and generate power during short-burst (anaerobic) activity.

This translates to more productive workouts and faster muscle growth.   Though produced in the body, these levels are sufficient only for ongoing cellular function, not massive muscle growth, which in itself is not at all conducive for survival purposes.

And relying on nutrition to significantly boost creatine is futile in that many pounds of raw meat would need to be eaten to extract five grams of creatine, the quantity provided in one teaspoon of creatine monohydrate powder. So supplementation is necessary to realize creatine’s full benefits.

OMEGA-3 FISH OIL

The many health benefits to be derived from eating fatty, cold-water fish such as salmon and mackerel are well documented.   However, due to various contaminants, purity, and quantity of essential fatty acids supplied, availability and price, gaining valuable Omega-3 fatty acids from these sources is often not ideal. Fish oil in supplemental form, on the other hand, provides the perfect ratio of these Omega-3’s in the purest and most concentrated way possible.

To improve performance and build muscle a healthy physical state must first be attained as muscle can only grow when the right conditions are in place to do so. Omega-3 fatty acids may support blood circulation to allow nutrients such as protein and carbohydrates to reach muscle and exert their effects.

Omega-3s may also assist fat loss by maximizing metabolic rate and helping to form a foundation from which thermogenesis can occur. Joint lubrication and cardiovascular health are also major benefits to be derived from Omega-3 supplementation.

6 VITAMIN/MINERAL SUPPLEMENT

A multivitamin and mineral supplement is not purely a bodybuilding supplement in terms of directly targeting muscle growth the way creatine and L-glutamine do. Taking a high potency and high-quality vitamin/mineral product is a fundamental way in which to support the cellular conditions under which performance and muscle growth can occur.

Though certain compounds like vitamin-C (comprising, along with A and E, the so-called antioxidants) are thought to be of greater importance for immune function, it is the synergistic effect of all key vitamins and minerals taken in a specific ratio that will support the best results in health and subsequent tissue growth and function.

So-called doctors and nutritionists might tell us that the perfect ratio of vitamins and minerals can be achieved through eating a diet rich in certain fruits and vegetables. However, today’s soil conditions, various pollutants, and the over-processing of foods make it all but impossible to achieve such a perfect ratio.

Even those who eat strictly “organic” do not get what they should as far as nutritional potency and quality is concerned. AST and Beverly International are multivitamin/mineral brands I have found to be effective.

SUPPLEMENT PROGRAM TO BOOST BODYBUILDING PROGRESS     UPON RISING (FIRST THING IN THE MORNING)

• 30g Serving of Whey Protein
• 5g of Creatine
• 1 Serving of BCAAs

WITH BREAKFAST

• 1 Multivitamin Tablet
• 5g Serving of L-Glutamine
• 1 tsp (or Serving) of Fish Oil

WITH LUNCH

• 1 tsp (or Serving) of Fish Oil
• BEFORE TRAINING
• 5g of Creatine
• 5g of L-Glutamine

DIRECTLY AFTER TRAINING

• 5g of L-Glutamine
• 30g of Whey Protein

BEFORE BED

• 30g of Whey Protein
• 5g of Glutamine
• 1 Serving of BCAAs

Supplementation could today be regarded as a necessity rather than optional to supplement a balanced diet. Since the conditions under which muscle growth occurs demand precision as far as the nutritional status we achieve is concerned, a good diet, regardless of how well balanced it is, simply cannot fulfill this function.

Creatine, L-glutamine, and whey protein – as the big three bodybuilding supplements – can only be obtained in sufficient amounts in supplemental form.   Sufficient quantities of fish oil, from which to extract Omega-3 fatty acids, key vitamins, and minerals, and Branch Chain Amino Acids also are found lacking in the foods we eat.   Gaining the athletic edge has, since the ’90s, been a process of consuming the right nutrients in the correct ratios.

Simply put:

With correct supplementation, the process of building muscle, losing fat, and amplifying performance is made significantly easier. And, as opposed to less than natural means, the results are lasting.

Recently, SARMs became a new class of performance-enhancing compounds that are shaking up the fitness industry. They have the ability to promote muscle growth, fat loss, and even cardiovascular endurance. Research is currently ongoing about this alternative.

Try this little exercise sometime

Follow the supplement plan provided above for at least three months. Then quit all supplement use for a further three months and watch what happens. Sure, most supplement marketing involves hype and some companies make laughably outrageous claims, but there is no secret as to why the supplement industry is booming. Supplements work.