3 Effective Supplements to Build Muscle Mass

There are a number of supplements that help build muscle mass. These muscle building supplements are designed to help you pack on serious muscles, enhance your strength and transform your body completely. In this article I will outline 3 of the most popular and effective supplements to build muscle mass.

(1) Whey Protein

Whey protein is the most popular muscle building supplement and holds a key place in the world of body-building. It has helped numerous muscle enthusiasts boost their metabolism and promote rapid muscle growth.

Whey protein is produced from cow’s milk. Milk contains casein and whey protein in the ratio 80:20 respectively. The most popular way to obtain whey protein is during the production of cheese from milk whereby the whey protein is separated from the casein and filtered out of the milk leaving high quality whey protein in a liquid form. It is then purified and put through a drying tower to remove water and made available in the market in the form of powders.

Whey protein is not found in food and therefore must be taken as a supplement to build muscle mass. It is most commonly sold as these extracted protein powders.

There are three types of whey proteins. They are isolate, concentrate and blend. Whey protein isolate is the purest form. This has the least amount of fat and lactose and it holds the highest bioavailability. Whey protein concentrate is cheaper than isolate but contains a higher amount of fat and lactose and a slightly lower bioavailability. Whey protein blend is a mixture of isolate and concentrate.

Whey protein plays a number of roles in the building muscle mass process. The most important of these include:

1. This protein aids with the growth and repair of muscles. Whey protein is easily digested and taken up by the muscles after an intense workout making them available for the muscle building process.

2. This protein boosts metabolism and stimulates protein synthesis which are crucial for not just muscle growth but also fat burn.

3. This protein has recently been found to serve as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogen helping to improve the immune system and fight cancer.

For the best results you should incorporate whey protein into your muscle-building nutrition program as a post-workout muscle building supplement.

(2) Creatine

Creatine is a natural occurring substance in the human body, an amino-acid chemically known as methyl guanidine acetic acid. Our liver, kidneys and pancreas produce creatine, with 95 percent of this creatine being found in the skeletal muscle system, heart, testes and brain. Creatine is transported to our muscle tissues in our blood via our vascular system.

The 3 major roles creatine play in the muscle building process are:

1. Creatine helps increase your strength via increased availability of ATP, your body’s energy source. This leads to you being able to lift more and therefore increase the intensity of your muscle building workouts.

2. Creatine increases muscle size due to its volumizing effect. This occurs by attracting water to your muscle cells causing them to retain water, swell and become larger.

3. Creatine reduces the effect of lactic acid build up in muscle tissue experienced during exercise. This allows you to pump out a few more reps and sets before feeling the burn during muscle fatigue.

Creatine is available in the form of powders, tablets, capsules, fruit-flavoured chews, bars and drinks. Unlike whey protein, creatine is found in some foods such as fish, red meat, dairy products, egg white, nuts and seeds.

(3) Branched Chain Amino Acids

Branched chain amino acids are essential amino acids. They play a pivotal role in the proper functioning of our overall health but also the functioning of skeletal muscle as they make up 33 percent of muscle protein.

There are three common branched chain amino acids found as a muscle building supplement. These are Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine and are available in supplement form as powders, shakes, drinks and bars. Foods that are a good source of branched chain amino acids also include legumes, meat and dairy products.

The benefits of supplementing your muscle building workout routine with branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) include:

1. BCAAs decrease muscle damage and muscle break down.

2. BCAAs increase recovery from muscle fatigue. BCAAs enter into muscle tissue and are available for muscle protein synthesis and repair.

3. Daily intake of BCAAs helps maintain optimal amino acid plasma levels in the body and ultimately aids in overall muscle development.

So there you have three great supplements to build muscle mass that can help you to gain strength, recover quickly and ultimately increase your muscle gain each in their own way. These supplements work well when consumed in adequate quantities and appropriate time intervals for your particular body type.

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