The list of the top ten bodybuilding supplements is a little below.
I first want to explain how easy it is to waste your money on fake worthless products.
Give me a minute of your time, and I’ll promise to save you some money.
The fitness industry is chocked full of gimmicks, broken promises, and so-called wonder drugs because working out isn’t easy, and humans perceive supplements that build muscle to be an easy shortcut.
Unfortunately, there aren’t any replacements for good old-fashioned hard work.
When it comes to reaching the fitness goals you have, you need to get in the gym, sling the weights around, lay down the miles, don’t eat like crap, and make a true effort to cut fat and build muscle. If you ever want to reach your goals.
That being said, not all supplements are bullshit, and many will build muscle and deserve a spot on your shelf.
The problem is when you start to look into the subject, it’s easy to get conned by over-hyped expectations of nonsense, wonder drugs, and placebos.
So how do you tell the difference between useful supplements and useless ones? If you’ve read my other articles, there is a common theme that occurs, and that is, to use your “common sense.”
Don’t outsmart your common sense; if any product is labeled as a “magic pill,” or if it’s claiming that you won’t have to work as hard to achieve your goals. Then it’s most likely bullshit; this is where common sense plays a part. Pay attention to the products that aren’t trying to sell you a sales pitch that you know sounds too good to be true.
I know what some of you are thinking…
” But I read an article in a popular fitness magazine stating that this product will get rid of all my fat and build my muscle while increasing my I.Q. by 70 points.”
I hope I was able to pass my sarcasm through to my writing right there.
What you need to understand is that supplement companies own fitness magazines. If you doubt me, google it.
Twinlab owns Muscular Development.
Weider owns Muscle and fitness
Muscle tech owns Musclemag and Oxygen
If you look hard enough, you’ll find many more of the best gym supplements; just use the guidelines in this article.
Please do your own research about the supplements you’re interested in, and do not ever listen to product ads and articles.
If a product out there gave guys the chiseled physique of a Greek god or woman the slender fit body of a runway model, everyone would look like that.
I’ve said it earlier, and I’ll repeat it. There are no shortcuts to getting what hard work, dedication, perseverance, and the proper knowledge will give you in the end.
Table of Contents
What Supplements Should I Take To Gain Muscle And Lose Fat
I’m going to make this as simple as possible and stick to the top ten bodybuilding supplements that have been around for a long time and are considered tried and true.
I’m going to break them into two categories;
(1st tier) will be the products I feel you need to add to your fitness regimen.
(2nd tier) are the products that I feel should be included but really depend on your supplement budget.
Creatine is the most heavily researched supplement on the market and is the single most effective natural muscle-building compound available, period.
What Makes Creatine So Effective
The first benefit is that it hydrates the cells in your muscles and increases their overall volume. Second, when you take creatine daily, your muscles become saturated as the phospho-creatine levels increase in the muscle tissue. This is because the cells in your muscles store the creatine and pull water into them.
This hydrates the tissue making your muscles seem thicker; since the hydration is happening within the actual cell and not underneath the skin, your muscles will look more defined than your body looks bloated.
A lot of people think taking creatine will make you fat this simply isn’t the case.
The second benefit is that it improves your body’s ATP system’s efficiency, which improves your strength and overall performance.
ATP- or Adenosine triphosphate is the primary energy carrier in all living organisms on earth. Microorganisms capture and store energy metabolized from food and light sources in the form of ATP.
When the cell requires energy, ATP is broken down through hydrolysis. As a result, the high-energy bond is broken, and a phosphoryl group is removed. The energy released from this process is used to drive various cellular processes.
Simply put, ATP is the primary energy molecule your body uses during stop-and-start activities such as weight training and cardiovascular exercises.
When you work out, your cells start demanding more energy, so they start to break down ATP.
ATP is made up of 3 phosphate groups and one molecule of adenine. By breaking down the third phosphate group, your muscles can produce energy.
Because of this chemical change, ATP now becomes ADP, which is two phosphate groups and one molecule of adenine.
Your muscles won’t be able to extract more energy until the third phosphate group appears again.
Creatine allows your muscles to carry additional phosphate groups, which will allow ADP to Convert back to ATP at a much quicker rate.
This will give your muscles the ability to lift heavier weights, achieve more reps, and limit the time between sets because creatine limits lactic acid build-up, promoting faster recovery time.
We know you should include creatine in any muscle-building regimen, but it is just as important in fat loss or cutting phases.
When your goal is to burn fat, you have to create a calorie deficit in your nutrition plan. If not done correctly, this can result in the loss of hard-earnedlean muscle.
By continuing to ingest creatine during your cutting phase, your body will hold on to a higher percentage of muscle and burn more fat.
3d render of creatine pill with granules over white background. Sports supplements concept.
What Is The Best Creatine
Not all creatine products are the same.
Creatine monohydrate in powder form is the optimal choice; studies show that liquid creatine and creatine ethyl ester (CEE) are unstable and break down in your bloodstream.
100% creatine powder is recommended, and some companies add electrolytes or other ingredients, but studies have shown little evidence that they improve performance.
Save money and buy the powder and mix it with fruit juice. The sugar in the juice raises insulin levels, which increases the creatine levels in your muscles.
A good way to test if your creatine is high quality is to see if it dissolves easily in your drink.
If there is any residue at the bottom of your glass after you drink it, your brand is probably not the best quality.
You want the powder in your body, not in the glass; if this happens, try another type.
Is Creatine Safe
Researchers are constantly studying creatine for its effectiveness and safety. That’s why many trainers and health experts support the use of it.
Studies indicate that it is safe, and there isn’t any published literature to suggest otherwise.
To put it another way, creatine is backed by more studies, tests, and research than any other supplement and has constantly been shown to be safe in the short term and long term.
This brand is derived from 100% CreaPure; this is the purest form of micronized German-grade creatine available.
Other products have a bad habit of mixing in lower-grade alternatives from China, which often contain impurities. This brand also has a low price-per-gram ratio.
Dosage: 5 grams daily -1 teaspoon equals 5 grams
Directions: Mix 5 grams with fruit juice any time of the day, don’t worry about the what time you take it; whenever it is convenient for you is fine.
The full effects of creatine will be administered after taking a 5-gram dosage daily for 3 weeks.
Whey Protein Powder. (1st tier)
Whey protein is a mixture of proteins found in the discarded liquid produced during the cheese-making process.
It is found in the milk of nearly all animals, including humans. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, and amino acids needed for muscle growth. So much so that it’s considered a complete protein since it has all 9 amino acids in it.
Whey protein shouldn’t even be considered a supplement; calling it a separate food group would be more accurate.
I say this because it is the highest quality protein source you can put into your fitness plan to facilitate your body in building muscle and burning fat.
Whey protein is also very high on the bio-availability scale; what this means is your body will absorb the highest percentage of protein in comparison to any other food.
It also has a complete amino acid profile, largely because of the amount of L-leucine.
Consuming a sufficient amount of L-leucine every day is critical to achieving your muscle-building and fat-loss goals, as it is the amino acid most responsible for protein synthesis to occur.
Whey protein also boosts the body’s glutathione output, which is the most powerful antioxidant in your body.
Larger percentages of glutathione will increase the strength of your immune system, protect your cardiovascular system, and increase brain function.
In addition to all of the above benefits, whey protein is also the most convenient source of protein you’ll find.
Prepared correctly, a great-tasting protein shake can be mixed up and consumed within minutes, and whey can be used to make countless recipes and shakes.
If you’re on a structured fitness plan with higher protein needs, whey protein will help make your diet needs more accessible and far easier to stay on track over a longer period.
This product has been on the market for 24 years and has set the standard for whey protein powders.
The main reason for this success is that optimum nutrition owns every phase of the manufacturing process.
This gives them complete control over quality control and product consistency, so you receive a product that is high in protein (24 grams per serving) and complete with muscle-building branched-chain amino acids or BCAAs (5.5 grams per serving).
Ultra-pure, fast-absorbing, and gluten-free with 25 grams of fast-digesting hydrolyzed whey protein isolate per serving.
ISO 100 also delivers 5.5 grams of BCAAs to amp up muscle building and joint protection.
With less than a gram of fat and less than a gram of sugar, ISO 100 can help you reachmuscle building and weight-lossgoals. It comes in 12 flavors.
I recommend these particular products because they offer a high-quality blend of whey isolate at an economical cost per serving, are well flavored, mix easily, and, most importantly, have been the third-party tested to guarantee that the ingredient label is accurate.
Dosage: Whey protein doesn’t have a set dosage; use as much as needed to fill in the gaps in your diet.
Directions: Mix your protein powder with anything from milk, water, almond milk, rice milk, and juice or blend it with fruit, vegetables, oatmeal, and peanut butter to make it a complete shake.
Meal Replacement Powders and Protein Bars (necessary but only for convenience, not excessive use)
MRP’S and protein shakes’ difference is that MRP will include carbs, and a higher percentage of minerals and some brands will have healthy fats included in them.
You get a complete meal; in my opinion, they should only be used when you need them for convenience; you should never make a habit of using MRP over meals consisting of whole foods.
The same goes for protein bars; anytime you buy protein bars or MRP, you need to make sure you know exactly what you’re putting into your body.
The range of ingredients can be very different for every brand, and some will drastically alter your results if not used properly.
To make sure I got my point across, I wrote a separate article on How to use meal-replacement shakes and protein bars.
Please read this to get a better understanding of how to use these properly.
High Potency Bio-Available Multivitamins (necessary)
Supplement ads are everywhere! Surprisingly one of the most important supplements is rarely shown, a multivitamin.
For your body to complete all the tasks it has on a normal day, it needs a wide and complex variety of vital nutrients.
Becoming deficient in any of these essential vitamins or minerals causes the breakdown of the metabolic process and will cause your performance to diminish quickly.
Obviously, this isn’t what you want. Bodybuilders, athletes, and people that lead active lifestyles need even more nutrients than the average person.
If you think just grabbing the first one you see off the shelf will work, you should think again.
Supports optimal digestion, immune system, and joint health
45 servings
Orange triad combines key vitamins, minerals, and nutrients for supporting optimal digestion, immune system, and joint health into one twice-daily vitamin.
The joint and flex complexes help lubricate joints and cartilage and increase the resiliency of connective tissue.
In contrast, the digestion and immune complex include digestion aids and nutrient agents to increase your body’s performance levels.
Opti man is a complete multivitamin providing 70 active ingredients in 4 blends designed to support overly active people.
Taken as a single tablet at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it provides 22 vitamins and essential minerals, including 1,500 IU of vitamin D, free-form amino acids, botanical extracts, and antioxidants.
Think of Opti Men as potent nutritional insurance for your fitness lifestyle.
Dosage: Follow the instructions on the back of the label
Directions: Again, follow the directions on the label, but you may want to take it with a meal as some people can have slight stomach discomfort taking it on an empty stomach.
Fish Oil (1st tier)
Fish oil is a commonly used supplement because it provides many health benefits. The oil is high in omega-3 fatty acids, improving brain function, protecting the heart, and promoting healthy bones and muscles.
Fish oil is naturally found in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna. However, if you don’t eat these foods often, taking a daily supplement will help you receive the benefits of getting enough omega-3.
Some of the benefits are;
Reduces high blood pressure
Lower risk of heart disease
Reduces joint pain and stiffness
Improves your skin
Supports a healthy pregnancy
Benefits of fish oil in a muscle-building or fat-burning program;
Increase muscle anabolism by raising protein synthesis; a study at the Washington university school of medicine using 4 grams of fish oil daily demonstrated this.
Reduces muscle breakdown by lowering cortisol levels and suppressing the key system involved in muscle catabolism.
Improve recovery in between workouts by reducing muscle inflammation. This will also help joint health, which in turn helps lower your chances of injury.
Increases thermogenesis, the number of calories that are burned as heat energy throughout the day.
Increases the activity of certain enzymes responsible for fat oxidation.
Fish oil isn’t going to increase your biceps by 2 inches or slap 50 pounds on your bench, but Its overall health benefits and effects on your body warrant it as a staple in this top ten bodybuilding supplements list.
I recommend this specific product because it delivers a high-quality fish oil source in its natural triglyceride form. Ethyl ester from fish oils is only 30% as absorbable as the triglyceride version.
This product also provides a high-potency dose of EPA and DHA. Which are the specific compounds responsible for the benefits that fish oil provides?
You get 550mg per soft gel rather than the 300mg other brands will give you.
Dosage: For this particular product, it’s two soft gels a day
Directions: Take in the morning or night, whatever is more convenient for you; if it makes you burp, try splitting the dosage up during the day or putting the pills in the fridge.
Vitamin D (1st tier)
The only way you are receiving enough vitamin D-3 is to spend 6 hours a day in the sun.
It is nearly impossible to achieve enough through diet alone; getting vitamin D-3 through a supplement is the only choice.
The benefits of vitamin D-3 are many, but the most common are
Increased energy levels
Mood enhancing
Strengthens the immune system
Enhances calcium and phosphorous absorption
Most people think of supplements as having a direct effect on your muscle size or fat loss. While vitamin D won’t contribute to either of those, it will benefit your mood and energy levels, which will definitely help your performance and motivation in the gym.
Directions: Take 2000 to 3000 IU daily, whenever is convenient for you.
Carnosyn Beta-Alanine (2nd tier – highly recommended if you can afford it)
The early stages of Carnosyn beta-alanine are a lot like creatine was in the early years; people in the know love it, and the research is building to show how this amino acid helps with muscle strength, power, growth, and endurance.
What Exactly Is It
Essential amino acids cannot be made by your body and gained through your diet or supplements.
Non-essential amino acids are the opposite and can be made by the body.
For your body to make a wide variety of proteins, it needs to repair, grow, and maintain all of its cells. It needs the full complement of amino acids.
Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid that is gained through meats such as poultry and beef. It is also produced naturally by your liver.
Your muscle fibers take it in and combine it with another amino acid, Histidine, and this forms Carnosine. Carnosine provides nearly all the same associated benefits as carnosine Beta-Alanine.
What Does It Do
Having higher percentage levels of Carnosine in your system allows your muscles to resist hydrogen ions, which build up when lactic acid levels rise during intense workouts like strength training.
When you have a buildup of acid in the muscle, it hinders your ability to contract the muscle, so limiting the build-up of lactic acid allows you to work out longer and increase your intensity level.
This brand is recommended because many other brands use the amino acid L-alanine as opposed to actual beta-alanine.
All Max uses the purest quality beta-alanine sourced from pharmaceutical-grade carnosine.
With this product, you know you’re receiving the best
Dosage: 3 to 5 grams daily
Directions: Mix with any liquid that you like the most.
After taking beta-alanine, you may feel a harmless tingling feeling; you can decrease or eliminate this by splitting up the dosage or taking it with a meal.
L-leucine (2nd tier – but highly recommended if you can afford it)
Of all the amino acids, this is probably the most important. It is an essential amino acid that you have to get through your diet.
It is found in Wheat pasta, wheat bread, nuts, brown rice, and whey protein powder.
Its primary benefit comes from being one of the three branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) needed for muscle tissue structure.
Of the three BCAAs, leucine separates itself by being a signaling molecule that helps regulate skeletal muscle protein synthesis.
I’ll explain that in a normal way, it slows muscle degradation by creating muscle proteins; it’s used by muscle, body fat, and liver to increase endurance and energy.
It also helps control blood sugar and plays a part in human growth synthesis.
Dosage: one serving two times a day; take one serving directly after your workout. If it’s a rest day, split the servings up however you would like.
Directions: Pure Leucine has a tart or bitter taste and does not dissolve well in water; what I normally do is take one serving in my protein shake and put the other in any liquid, making sure there isn’t much residue left in the cup.
Pre Workout Supplements
The products in this grouping will help with energy performance and strength; if you feel like you need a boost to improve your workout performance, these will help.
If you have never used a pre-workout product, I recommend half the recommended serving at first until you build your tolerance up.
There are many pre-workouts on the market, and 99% of them are bullshit; these are the only 3 options I would ever recommend.
Caffeine is one of the most popular stimulants in the world and is consumed by millions of people every day,
Caffeine increases your heart rate, perspiration, and blood flow to the brain, heart, and muscles.
The side effect of this is a boost in energy and mental alertness, and it increases the overall effort you put into your workouts.
While many believe caffeine to be a great appetite suppressor, it is actually only modest at best.
However, it does have a mild fat-burning effect because it does increase thermogenesis; this is the number of calories burned as heat in your body.
To put it mildly, caffeine is the single strongest component of any pre-workout stack you can put together.
To make it even more attractive is how affordable it is compared to other pre-workouts; you can buy it in pill form, which is how I’m going to recommend it or make a coffee or a shot of espresso at home.
Just remember that over time you will start to build a tolerance and may need to increase the amount you take to reach the desired feeling,
Dosage: 100 to 200 mg about 30 minutes before your workout,
I know some people who like to do it on an empty stomach; I prefer to eat a small snack with it. In the end, do whatever feels comfortable for you.
Directions: I’ll say it again just to clarify it; make sure to start off on the lower end of the dosage to make sure you don’t take too much; you can always take more later if needed.
I’m biased toward this product since it is one of my favorites.
Since it is all-natural, you won’t have any crashes or jitters. Often, you don’t even notice it’s working until you’re 40 minutes into your workout and realize you’re not tired yet.
• Supports proper hydration and oxygenation • Provides a natural source of energy • For support of healthy blood sugar levels
This organic beetroot formula delivers oxygen and nutrients to fuel workouts and keeps endurance strong.
Sustaining vascular integrity and health, CAN’T BEET THIS is low in sugar and filled with natural herbs and plants to support energy levels as well as flavor.
Among the organic blend, key ingredients include Coconut Water, Yerba Mate Leaf, Maca, Rhodiola Rosea, Panax Ginseng, Eleuthero Root, and Cordyceps Mushrooms.
It’s a pre-workout supplement that provides you with the clean feeling, energy, and focus you need to help keep you motivated and on the top of your game without all the nasty side effects.
With a freakish formula backed by controlled 3rd party scientific studies and trusted by elite and amateur athletes, what’s more, it tastes great and doesn’t leave you feeling jittery and the need to climb the walls.
It also comes in a non-caffeine formula for those of you that are sensitive or already drink too much caffeine (as I make another shot of espresso)
Reach your peak intensity level during every workout with a combination of L-citrulline, dynamine, creatine, and caffeine anhydrous.
This group of ingredients will give you fresh, clean energy without the crash or anxiety that other pre-workouts give you.
Heightened focus
From start to finish, the dynamine, caffeine, taurine, and L-tyrosine will keep you focused from the warm-up to the cool-down due to increased clarity and focus on helping you stay locked in and laser-focused on every aspect of your workout.
Workouts are mental and physical, you can be as strong as an Oxen, but your workouts will suffer if you’re mentally feeble.
Maximum Endurance
Beta-alanine, betaine, L-citrulline, and AAKG will increase your stamina to support your performance for higher reps and weight.
It doesn’t have any positive side effects when used by itself, but when it is accompanied by caffeine, it helps increase mental focus greatly.
This is because caffeine causes catecholamine to release in the bloodstream, and L-tyrosine increases catecholamine production. Hence, hand in hand, they have a symbiotic relationship and increase each other’s effects when combined.
It only makes sense to add tyrosine to a pre-workout stack that already has caffeine as the base.
Conclusion
The top ten bodybuilding supplements are available to help you gain an edge and can help you perform better and reach your goals faster, but cannot be used as a shortcut or as a way to half-ass your fitness program.
The old saying “you get what you put in” may sound cliche, but it is very true, especially in the fitness world.
About Jamie
Once weighing in at 305 pounds, it was along his journey to become healthier that Jamie discovered how deceptive and potentially unhealthy the fitness industry can be. Jamie's technical education as well as his personal weight loss and fitness struggles have instilled in him the confidence that he can help others reach their goals – *without* all the mistakes he once made.
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