Best Muscle Building Supplements

Table of content

1. Why is Muscle Building Needed?

Muscle is essential for our overall health. Apart from performing the daily job and home responsibilities (performing daily home responsibilities include: starting the physical movement as well as the movement of other parts of the body, shifting furniture from one room to another room, dragging and carrying personal baggage during the journey, carrying groceries from market to residence, lifting a baby to set on the chair or mother’s lap, to gardening that needs intense labour, such as

• Digging
• Shovelling
• Weeding out
• Watering
• And planting

Muscle plays a pivotal role in boosting metabolism and the body’s immune system (Metabolism is a biological process in the human body that functions for the growth and development of the body. And the body’s immune system is a host of defence systems such that the organs and the process of the body provide resistance against infection and toxins. Organs include thymus, bone, marrow, and lymph nodes), increasing bone health and improving mental health.

2. What is the supplement?

Supplement, or dietary supplement, is a manufactured product intended to supplement the diet (orally taken as a pill, capsule, tablet, or liquid). A supplement can provide nutrients (It is a substance used by an organism to survive, grow and reproduce. The requirement for dietary nutrient intake applies to all plants and animals, including humans) either extracted from food sources or synthetic, individually or in combination, to increase the quantity of the food nutrients needed for overall health development including muscle build-up. The dietary supplements include vitamins (The health benefits of vitamins include their ability to prevent and treat various diseases like heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, eye and skin disorders, etc., which other nutrients can’t perform), minerals (It is a solid and naturally occurring inorganic substance. Like vitamins, minerals are essential for our body to grow, develop and stay healthy. Minerals perform many functions, from building strong bones to transmitting nerve impulses); enzyme (It is an organic chemical substance found in living cells that can cause changes in other substances without being changed itself), an amino acid (Protein in food is broken down into amino acid necessary for building and maintaining muscle tissue), herbs, botanicals, and other dietary ingredients.

3. Why are dietary supplements needed?

Dietary supplements are needed in addition to daily food consumption because They can minimize possible health problems. For example,  magnesium (Helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady) supports a healthy immune system and strengthens bone health. Additionally, it regulates blood sugar and promotes normal blood pressure) with food that can reduce the possibility of diarrhoea. Again taking iron (An essential component of haemoglobin and a substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to transport it throughout the body. An iron deficiency implies anaemia) with food can reduce chances of stomach upset, which can’t be treated by food alone.

4. List of best muscle-building supplements:

Creatine, Protein supplement, Beta-Alanine, Weight gainer shake, Branched Chain Amino Acid. Details are given below

4.1) Creatine supplement:

Creatine is a molecule produced naturally in the body, providing energy for our muscles and tissues. It is the best single supplement for muscle build-up. It is pretty effective in increasing muscle protein synthesis. It also improves power output which helps strengthen the muscle in the long run. However, a dietary supplement can boost muscle creatine content by 40%. It helps strengthen muscle cells and supports exercise performance, promoting muscle gain. Creatine also increases the water content in the muscle cells. This can cause the muscle to grow bigger, indicating muscle buildup. Furthermore, it may increase the level of hormones (This is a unique chemical messenger in the human body. It controls most of the primary body functions from simple system  ‘hunger’ to complex system ‘reproduction’. Too much or too little hormone causes serious health problems) involved in muscle growth.

4.2) Best protein powder for muscle gain:

Getting enough protein is crucial for ensuring more calories to support overall health development, including muscle building. For those with a protein deficiency, adding a protein supplement to a regular diet is essential to achieve muscle gain. Significant among the protein supplements include :

• Whey protein supplement (It comes from milk and is digested quickly).
• Casein protein (like whey protein) comes from milk but is digested slowly).
• Pea protein (It is a complete protein and easily digested. It is as good as whey protein for building muscle, feeling full and fuelling physical workout).
• Hemp protein (Hemp seeds are one of nature’s best plant-based protein sources. Hemp protein powder has 20 amino acids—of which 9 are essential as the human body is unable to produce of its own and hence must be procured from dietary sources)
• Mixed Plant Protein (The mixed plat protein includes: tofu, tempeh, edamame, and soy products).

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4.3) Beta-Alanine:

It is an amino acid that reduces fatigue and increases exercise performance ability. Research shows that 4-gram beta-alanine consumed daily (for 8 weeks) increases muscle mass. It dramatically supports exercise performance needed for muscle build-up.

4.4) Weight gainer shake:

It is a high-calorie product. It is recommended only when one is struggling to eat enough food to build overall health and muscle build-up but finds it easier to drink than eat food. 

4.5) Branched-chain amino acid supplements

It consists of 3 individual amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Leucine is an essential amino acid that the human body cannot produce and must be procured from dietary sources. Of the 3 essential amino acids, the proportion of leucine is the highest for muscle buildup. It also helps maintain regular blood sugar and is critical in hormone synthesis. These 3 amino acids, despite having structural similarities, have 3 different structural routes: valine (solely going to the carbohydrate route), leucine (solely to fats), and isoleucine (going to both fat and carbohydrate routes). Branched-chain amino acid supplements are found in most protein sources (such as animal sources, meat and fish). They are essential for muscle growth and add about 14% of amino acid. Research shows that branched-chain amino acid supplements may improve muscle gain and reduce muscle loss.               

4.6) HMB (Hydreary Methyl Butyrate)

This molecule is produced when the body processes the amino acid leucine. HMB contributes to some of the diet's beneficial effects of protein and leucine. Since HMB is naturally produced, it is a dietary supplement to strengthen muscle growth. It is the most effective dietary supplement for those who have just started an intense physical workout for muscle buildup.

4.7) Other supplements:

4.7.1) CLA (Conjugated Linoleic acid):

CLA refers to a group of omega—6 fatty acids that exert several beneficial effects on the body. (Omega--6 acids are poly-saturated fatty acids with an expected final carbon-carbon double bond in the N- 6 position, the 6th bond counting from the methyl. Dietary sources of omega—6 fatty acids are flaxseed oil, hemp seed oil, grape seed oil, pump seed, and nut).

4.7.2) TB (Testosterone Boosters):

TB supplements are D-Aspartic acid (An amino acid regulator of testosterone synthesis and can act as a stimulatory receptor), Tibullus Terrestris (It is a plant in the caltrop family widely grown worldwide, especially in dry climate regimes. It is an invasive species grown in North America and is a small leafy plant that has been used in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine for centuries), DHEA (Is both a natural hormone as well as a popular supplement that can affect the level of hormone existing in the body), Fenugreek (it is a herb as well as a supplement that has many benefits for the overall health, such as balancing cholesterol, reducing menstrual cramp, soothing stomach upset and muscle pain, etc. It is cultivated worldwide, and its leaves are common ingredients used in dishes) Ashwagandha (It is a herb used in treating various diseases in ‘Ayurvedic’ Indian and ‘Unani’ medicine and is described as ‘Indian ginseng).

4.7.3) Glutamine and carnitine:

The supplement primarily benefits elderly people.

5. Concluding remarks:

5.1) Like drugs, dietary supplements also have side effects. However, the health risks are not equal for all. The side effects and possible risks vary depending on age, general health condition, genetic factors, racial characteristics, food habits, etc. On the other hand, unlike drugs, dietary supplements are mostly self-prescribed (and not prescribed by the physician). It is, therefore, suggested to consult a physician before consuming a dietary supplement to avoid any possible health risks.                                                                                                         

5.2) Often, questions may arise:

• Is muscle-building essential for women?
• Are muscle-building supplements the same for both men and women?
• In addition to supplements, is muscle-building workout harmful to pregnant women?

Veritably, “Men eat for maintaining strength, but women eat for maintaining beauty”—runs the adage. Hence for most women, the fitness goal lies in diet restriction to decrease body fat with the main target of attaining and maintaining a friendly and attractive shaped body structure (rather than consuming dietary supplements for building muscles as observed in the case of most among the musclemen).

Generally, the muscles of men and women are the same and perform the same function, and additionally, the muscle-building supplements are also the same for both men and women. Explore the best weight gain supplements for skinny girls. Over and above, men have more testosterone (It is the primary male sex hormone and an anabolic steroid in males hormone in which testosterone plays a crucial role in developing male reproductive tissues, such as the testes and prostate. It promotes increased muscle and bone mass) which helps them to build muscles faster than women. Studies reveal that men develop more muscle mass (than women) through an intensified physical workout in which women are least involved (especially in developing and the least developed countries). Moreover, the daily job and home responsibilities that play a dominant role in building muscles are usually performed more by men (as compared to women).

In the case of pregnant women, most exercises, including muscle-building workouts, are safe and beneficial as long as they are performed with due caution and within limits and, more importantly, as per the advice of the physician or health care provider.

5.3) The dog is the most faithful animal

So, muscle-building supplements for a dog is quite an important issue for those who keep dogs as domestic animal. Vegetarians, as well as experienced canine trainers, agree that the best muscle-building supplements for dogs are whey protein (it comes from milk), amino acids, BCAA (Branched-chain amino acid), and glutamine (It is an amino acid that affects the growth and the function of the cells in the body including the muscles. It is produced in the muscles and is distributed by the blood to the organs needing it. Glutamine is recognized as a nutritious supplement). 

To help muscle build-up, a dog typically needs about 1 gram of protein per 1 pound body weight daily. So, a dog weighing 50 pounds needs about 50 grams of protein daily.