Unsurprisingly, this is one of the queries I get asked the most. This is my normal answer to such a question.
What Supplements Should I Take
There aren’t any dietary supplements that I think you make sure you take.
You need not read that a second time. You got it the very first time. You don’t need supplements to build muscle, or lose weight. Actually, these items do not matter in bodybuilding. If you’re not eating and exercising well, this will have no consequence.
If you’re not training properly, and don’t have your diet in order, then I’d suggest simply giving up on supplements. You are just costing you time and your money. Once you’ve perfected everything else, only then should you even consider getting a supplement. Still, they’re not necessary, and they’re not a magic bullet. You will not have any results from it.
What Supplements Should I Take?
That said, I am not in opposition to supplements. If used properly, they can transform your performance and thereafter, your results. With this, it is possible to ‘level up’ with your weights. They have the capacity of decreasing your recovery time. Plus, it can be a great way to supplement your diet. Even if you’re eating as perfectly as you can, it’s nearly impossible to get a full match of vitamins and minerals on a day to day basis through food alone.
Just as before, supplements should be considered the icing on the cake. They’ll give you that extra 5% in terms of training and recovery – so long as you’ve got the other 95% nailed.
Fortunately (for your wallets sake), there aren’t many supplements that I’d recommend, even under the better of circumstances. My chosen ones are given below. I have based my selections on research. Let’s start.
Compound Exercises
Multivitamins
This is like a promise. A multivitamin will fill out any gaps and an absence of your diet so you can rest your head a night understanding that you’re not missing any vital nutrients that will help your body build muscle. Research has shown that some of the substances contained in the average multivitamin will allow you to sleep (zinc), aid in muscle restoration (iron and calcium), and prevent illness (vitamin c).
Tip: I suggest you take vitamins immediately after your workout because it can dispose any free radicals that your body produced during the workout.
Whey Protein
If you said that you were only ready to take one supplement, I would suggest taking whey protein. I think it’s fair to say that it’s by far the most popular muscle building supplement around, and even for good reason.
Lean muscle mass needs proteins. You need about one gram of protein for every single pound of bodyweight. Since you cannot effortlessly achieve this with the use of diet, then drinking whey protein can be a good alternative. I prefer Prograde’s protein powder, as it’s generally regarded as the very best grade protein, has a high quality control process (the same thing can’t be said for most supplement companies), and is a reasonable price.
Creatine
I’ve heard that this is one of highly researched performance enhancing supplement. It’s used widely by the great majority of professional and amateur athletes alike. The main advantages of creatine? Actually, you can have a faster recovery any time you take this. I have tried it once. However, I have not thought any changes when I took it. Even so, this is not what other people are stating. See for yourself if it will be effective for you.
That’s all I’ve got to say. This list contains only the top three supplements. All that was not described are useless. Since FDA is not testing these herbal supplements and that is why they have no one to answer to. Regrettably, this is the reason why so many products out there fail to perform. Do your research and stop wasting your money.