Bodybuilding supplements are products that are commonly used by athletes to promote the growth of lean body mass. The goal is to build muscle, gain weight, improve athletic performance, and, in some cases, simultaneously reduce percent body fat to generate superior muscle definition. Protein powders, beta-alanine, branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), glutamine, arginine, essential fatty acids, creatine, caffeine, weight gainers, multimineral supplements, omega-3 fatty acids, HMB, ZMA, and energy drinks are among the most popular. Supplements are available as single-ingredient preparations or as “stacks,” which are a mix of multiple supplements.
Protein Powders
Protein is an essential macronutrient for muscle growth, tissue repair, and the production of enzymes and hormones. Proteins vary in terms of their origin, amino acid profile, and processing or isolation methods. The rate of digestion/absorption of the protein, as well as its metabolic activity, are additional crucial factors to consider. Varying types of proteins, such as whey, casein, and plant, are digested at different rates, affecting whole-body catabolism and anabolism along with acute muscle protein synthesis stimulation.
Data from 49 studies with 1863 participants who had engaged in resistance training for at least 6 weeks were evaluated in a major systematic review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2018. During times of prolonged resistance exercise training, these researchers discovered that dietary protein supplementation significantly increased changes in: strength—one-repetition-maximum, fat-free mass (FFM), and muscle size. Protein supplementation had a lower influence on fat-free mass gains as people got older, and it was more beneficial in resistance-trained individuals. Protein supplementation beyond total protein intakes of 1.62 g/kg/day resulted in no further resistance exercise training-induced gains in FFM.
HMB
Hydroxymethylbutyrate (HMB) is a molecule created by the body when leucine is broken down. Leucine is an amino acid that stimulates protein synthesis in muscle and is linked to the release of gluconeogenic precursors from muscle, such as alanine. It is used to enhance the effects of weight training and exercise. According to one study, Supplementing with 1.5 to 3 g of calcium HMB per day during resistance training can increase muscle mass and strength, especially in untrained persons just starting and the elderly. The current least effective dose of HMB is 1.5 g per day, with 3 g per day providing extra effects on lean body mass.
Creatine
Creatine is a naturally occurring chemical found in muscle cells. It aids in the production of energy in your muscles during weight lifting or high-intensity training. Creatine supplementation is widely used by athletes to gain muscle mass, increase strength, improve exercise performance, and help the muscles recover more quickly. Creatine is the most effective nutritional supplement accessible to athletes for increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and muscle mass during training.
Creatine supplementation has been shown in multiple trials to enhance muscle mass during exercise. Over 4–12 weeks of training, body mass increases are typically one to two kg higher than controls. About 70 percent of the nearly 300 research that has examined the potential ergogenic benefit of creatine supplementation indicate statistically significant findings, whereas the other studies report non-significant performance gains.
BCAAs
Branched-Chain Amino Acids are a must-have in your supplement stack if you want to boost muscle growth, reduce muscle soreness, reduce exercise exhaustion, speed up muscle recovery, and prevent muscle loss. The BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) are three of the nine essential amino acids that the human body cannot produce on its own and must be obtained from food. Muscle growth, the formation of new immune cells, food digestion, and human tissue repair are just a few of the functions that amino acids are needed for.
BCAA supplementation has been shown to reduce exercise-induced protein degradation by promoting an anti-catabolic hormonal profile, and further research supports their capacity to favorably stimulate responses to damaging eccentric muscle contractions.
Fish Oil
Supplementing with fish oil enhances your body’s recovery from physical exertion. Fish oil is known to have anti-inflammatory properties, which can be very beneficial before or after a workout, especially for bodybuilders. It can help in the reduction of muscle soreness, joint pain, and the speeding up of your body’s process of healing microscopic tears in your muscles that occur as a result of exercising. According to one study, supplementing with 3000 mg of DHA/EPA omega-3 for one week reduces the severe localized soreness associated with eccentric strength exercise, which is an indication of inflammation.
Electrolytes
Electrolytes, which provide calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphate, potassium, and sodium, are frequently included to replace those lost due to sweating during intense exercise. These substances are present in your blood, bodily fluids, and urine. Electrolytes assist the body hydrate, balancing blood acidity, and pressure, and repairing damaged tissue. The inflammatory response of muscles can lead to a lack of healing and increased pain and soreness if the right alkalizing minerals aren’t present in sufficient amounts.