1. Whey Protein
Whey protein has a particularly fast digestion rate, which means the amino acids contained in a whey protein powder will be available to build muscle shortly after you have consumed it. When you consume a protein source, the protein is digested and the amino acids enter the bloodstream. The faster the protein is digested, the faster the amino acids are available for use to build new muscle.
Whey also has a high leucine content, which is needed to switch on your body’s muscle protein synthesis processes (your body’s ability to use protein for muscle growth).
Due to its fast digestion rate and amino acid content, consuming a whey protein shake following resistance exercise further enhances the effect on muscle growth in comparison to resistance training without whey protein powder.
2. Casein Protein
Casein is a protein found in milk and other dairy. Due to its slow digestion rate, it’s been shown to prolong increased muscle protein synthesis (MPS) compared to whey protein.
It’s also been shown to reduce muscle protein breakdown, which is when muscle protein is broken down to be used for energy. This is important as it’ll help your body to preserve the positive muscle protein turnover required for muscle gain.
Due to this, casein has been touted as a beneficial protein to have pre-bedtime, as it’ll maintain increased protein synthesis even whilst you sleep.
3. Protein Blends
Protein blends are shakes which contain both whey and casein and will, in theory, give you the best of both worlds. Whey protein will provide the initial high spike in muscle protein synthesis and the casein will help to prolong this increased rate of synthesis.
In a study that looked at 10 weeks of resistance training, those who used a protein blend of casein and whey built more muscle than those only using whey protein.
4. Creatine
Creatine is considered one of the best supplements available when it comes to building muscle.1 The evidence suggests that creatine supplementation can help you gain nearly twice as much muscle mass than if you didn’t use it.
The exact mechanisms for the increase in muscle mass are unclear when using creatine, however, it’s speculated that these gains may be due to an increased capacity to perform a larger amount of high quality training.
With full creatine stores, you will be able to push out extra reps and improve recovery between sets. In time, this will amount to more muscle gain.
5. BCAA
BCAAs, also known as branch-chained amino acids, contain leucine, which acts as a ‘trigger’ to enhance muscle protein synthesis rates.
BCAAs have also been shown to ‘rescue’ a meal low in protein and provide a similar increase in muscle protein synthesis rates if taken alongside a meal low in protein.
This makes BCAAs a great option for those looking to gain muscle whilst following a vegetarian or vegan diet.
6. Multivitamin
You’ve seen the headlines. One day no one needs to take vitamins, the next day, it turns out everyone needs them.
Just how important is it to take vitamins anyway and which ones are we to choose for best results?
If you’re a high performance athlete then you know you can be more vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies than the average person.
Bodybuilders and other athletes place a heavy demand on their bodies and often restrict certain nutrients/foods to get lean. But doing this can actually create a barrier between you and that muscle growth you’re striving for.
So if you’re struggling with muscle growth, energy replenishment or even positive performance outcomes then you might just have a poor micronutrient intake.
7. Fish oil
Fish oil is commonly taken to promote heart, brain, eye, and joint health.
Yet, bodybuilders and other athletes also utilize this popular supplement for its anti-inflammatory properties. Some people believe it may boost muscle strength, improve range of motion, and provide numerous other benefits.
As such, you may wonder whether fish oil can bolster your workout routine.
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