These are the only three muscle-building supplements you need. Get these before wasting your money on anything else.
I love supplements. That said, I wasted a lot of money during my teenage years buying worthless products. The truth is that very few supplements do what the label claims. Even supplements with some research behind them tend to be hit or miss.
Supplement companies do a great job of making you think you need their latest creation. They feed on our desire and fear of missing out. However, some products can help your muscle-building efforts. Among them are protein powder, creatine, and caffeine.
Protein Powder
Let’s start with protein powder. In a way, it’s not even a supplement. You could consider it food. We all know eating enough protein is vital for muscle growth. For the most part, you want around one gram per pound of body weight. It’s the gold standard. However, knowing you need to eat more protein and doing it are two different things. The solution is easy – protein powder.
One of the most significant advantages of protein powder is its versatility. It lets you get creative with your protein consumption, whether making a delicious shake on the go, a protein-packed smoothie, or even adding it to recipes like pancakes.
There are many different types of protein powders to choose from, and they each offer unique benefits.
Whey protein, for example, is rich in essential amino acids, including leucine, which is critical for maximizing muscle protein synthesis. It’s also fast-acting, making it ideal when you want a rapid increase in amino acids.
On the other hand, casein protein digests more slowly, providing a steady release of amino acids over several hours, making it ideal for times when you won’t consume any protein for an extended time.
Milk protein isolate is another excellent option. It combines whey and casein proteins, blending fast- and slow-digesting proteins. Like milk, milk protein isolate is 80% casein and 20% whey.
For those who prefer plant-based alternatives, the options have expanded a ton in recent years. Back in the day, the only plant-based protein powders on the market were soy. Now, you can choose between a pea, rice, soy, or hemp blend. While plant-based proteins generally contain fewer essential amino acids than whey, since they are formulated to include a variety of plant sources, they still can have a complete amino acid profile.
How To Use It
As mentioned, protein powder is just a convenient way to get your daily protein intake. There is nothing special about it. Use it to replace protein you would otherwise get from another source.
For example, if you are in a rush in the morning, a quick, high-protein breakfast option is a scoop of protein powder, a cup of oatmeal, and a piece of fruit. You can throw that together in less than two minutes.
Protein powder works great as an afternoon snack, too. Since I typically eat a late dinner, I often have a scoop of protein, an apple, and a tablespoon of peanut butter around 3 or 4 pm.
Creatine
Creatine is one of the most well-researched supplements of all time. And for good reason, it works. Although there are still many misconceptions about creatine, it’s not as bad as it used to be. It is safe and effective.
Creatine is found naturally in the body and is synthesized from the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine. You also get creatine nutritionally when you eat meat or fish.
Understanding creatine’s effect on exercise comes down to energy systems. It works by increasing the amount of phosphocreatine in your muscles, which produces ATP, the energy source your muscles rely on during short bursts of intense activity like lifting weights or sprinting. By boosting the availability of ATP, creatine allows you to perform better during high-intensity workouts, enabling you to lift heavier weights or do more reps, leading to greater muscle growth over time.
Creatine monohydrate is the most studied and recommended form of creatine. It’s affordable, effective, and generally well-tolerated by most people. While other forms of creatine are on the market, like creatine hydrochloride or ethyl ester, monohydrate has consistently shown the best results in research studies [1].
Not all creatine monohydrate is created equal. Creapure is a premium-grade creatine monohydrate manufactured by AlzChem in Germany. It is produced using a patented method that ensures minimal impurities, which can sometimes be present in lower-quality creatine products. Because of its meticulous testing and quality control, Creapure is highly regarded as the best form of creatine monohydrate.
As for downsides, creatine is generally considered safe for long-term use, but some people may experience mild water retention or digestive discomfort. Drinking plenty of water when supplementing with creatine is also important, as the increased water content in muscles can lead to dehydration if you’re not adequately hydrated. However, for most people, the benefits of creatine far outweigh any minor drawbacks, making it an excellent option for those looking to improve their strength and muscle-building potential.
How To Use It
At one time, a loading phase was recommended, taking 20-25g of creatine daily for five days to fast-track the muscles’ becoming fully saturated with creatine. While this does work, you don’t have to do it. You can take 5 grams a day, and your muscles will become saturated in around three weeks.
With creatine, the prescription is simple: take 5g a day, every day. It doesn’t matter when you take it. You can take it pre-workout, intra-workout, post-workout, at breakfast, or night. The big thing is to take it when you will remember.
Caffeine
Of all the supplements, caffeine offers a benefit you notice within minutes. That’s why it’s so popular. But caffeine is more than just your morning jolt of energy. Research shows it can also increase your gym performance [2].
Caffeine is a popular supplement for enhancing muscle-building because it boosts energy, focus, and work capacity and decreases feelings of perceived exertion.
Caffeine works as a stimulant by blocking adenosine, a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation. This, in turn, increases the release of adrenaline and dopamine, leading to heightened alertness and reduced perception of fatigue. This cascade of events can help you push harder during your training sessions, lift heavier weights, or complete more reps, all of which contribute to greater muscle gains over time. Caffeine also stimulates the central nervous system, improving strength output and endurance, making it a valuable tool for both resistance training and endurance workouts.
However, there are some downsides to consider. caffeine can lead to jitteriness, anxiety, or an increased heart rate in sensitive individuals. Overuse can also lead to tolerance, reducing its effectiveness over time and, in some cases, dependency.
It’s also important to avoid taking caffeine too late in the day, as it can interfere with sleep. So, if you workout at night, it’s best to go with a stim-free pre-workout. Caffeine’s half-life is about 4-6 hours, meaning half of the caffeine you consume remains in your system after that time. With this in mind, avoiding caffeine at least 6-8 hours before bed is generally recommended to prevent it from interfering with your ability to fall asleep. If you’re more sensitive to caffeine, you should allow more time.
How to Use It
Consume 200-400mg of caffeine thirty minutes before training for a pre-workout boost. This allows enough time for the caffeine to reach peak levels in your bloodstream and maximize its performance-enhancing effects. Many people prefer to take caffeine in the form of pre-workout supplements or energy drinks, but coffee works great, too.
3 Health Supplements
While protein powder, creatine, and caffeine are the best supplements to build muscle, I recommend a few others for overall health.
- Multivitamins provide a broad range of essential vitamins and minerals that may be lacking in your diet, supporting overall health by filling nutritional gaps. They can improve immune function, energy levels, and general well-being. The dosage varies depending on the brand and formulation, but typically, it’s only one serving per day. Multivitamins are designed to provide a range of daily nutrients, so exceeding the recommended dose is usually unnecessary.
- Vitamin D is crucial for bone health, immune function, and hormone production. Since many people don’t get enough sunlight or dietary vitamin D, supplementing can help maintain optimal levels. A standard recommendation for general health is 1,000-2,000 IU (International Units) per day. However, those who are deficient may require higher doses, often between 2,000-5,000 IU.
- Fish Oil, rich in omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), promotes heart and brain health, reduces inflammation, and supports joint function. The recommended dose is typically 1,000-3,000 mg of combined EPA and DHA per day, depending on your dietary intake of omega-3s. Higher doses may be suggested for individuals with specific health conditions like high triglycerides or joint issues.
Since I Know You Will Ask
As for what I recommend, I’m not trying to “sell you” on products, but I use PR Breaker. They make high-quality products with great formulas and excellent taste if you are looking for new supplements. Plus, the owner is my friend.
Here is what I recommend:
Hitpoint Protein Powder: It’s a milk protein isolate, so you get the best of both worlds – whey and casein. I like it because it mixes a little thicker than most protein powders.
Materia Pre Workout: Materia is a well-formulated pre-workout with 6g L-citrulline, 5g Creapure® Creatine Monohydrate, 3.2g CarnoSyn® Beta-Alanine, 2g L-tyrosine, 500mg AlphaSize® Alpha-GPC, 300mg Caffeine Anhydrous, and 200 mcg Huperzine A. It covers both your recommended creatine and caffeine dose.
If you want to get either of these products, the discount code “HUNT” will save you some money here: https://www.prbreaker.com/
PS—I haven’t changed my stance on supplements in a while. Here is a video from early 2016 in which I discuss protein, creatine, and caffeine as the three supplements that matter. If you want to see a young Kyle, check it out.
Author: Kyle Hunt
Email: KyleHuntFitness@gmail.com
Hire Kyle as your coach: http://www.kylehuntfitness.com/services/
References
- Escalante G, Gonzalez AM, St Mart D, Torres M, Echols J, Islas M, Schoenfeld BJ. Analysis of the efficacy, safety, and cost of alternative forms of creatine available for purchase on Amazon.com: are label claims supported by science? Heliyon. 2022 Dec 6;8(12):e12113. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12113. PMID: 36544833; PMCID: PMC9761713.
- Astorino TA, Roberson DW. Efficacy of acute caffeine ingestion for short-term high-intensity exercise performance: a systematic review. J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Jan;24(1):257-65. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c1f88a. PMID: 19924012.