Whether you’re a walking twig or someone who has been lifting for years, this list is essential to building muscle, especially if you’re body type is classified as an ectomorph. The fact is, unless you have the time (and money) to eat 6-8 good meals a day, you’re probably not getting the nutrients you need to maximize growth. This list could be the difference between gaining 2 lbs of muscle in a month, and gaining 5. Don’t work yourself to the ground, unless you’re going to give your body the chance to do what you want it to. Would you drive your car from New York to California without getting your oil changed and filling up the gas tank ? Doubtful.
Go to your local health shop or gym, and ask someone what you should be taking to get the muscle you want. You’ll probably get a different answer from everyone you speak to. Chances are, you’re speaking to someone who doesn’t know what the hell they’re talking about, or they’re taking steroids; neither of whom you want to take advice from….well unless of course you plan on taking steroids. I’ll make it easier on you. Let me break it down. First, I’ll leave you with a statement to live by:
The most important thing you must consume to gain muscle is food, period. There isn’t any supplement to date that can replace food, and there’s no reason to believe there will be any such product in the near future. Eat healthy food, and eat a lot of it.
Now, back to the supplements. If you can afford one, and only one, then buy protein. This can be in the form of a meal replacement, or a weight gainer, depending on what your goals are. Protein is made of amino acids, which are the basic building blocks of muscle. Just remember one thing, no protein = no muscle. Different studies have gone to persuade fitness gurus that a person should consume between 0.5-2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight each day. This measure can vary with each person, each goal, and each activity level. If you’re trying to gain muscle at the fastest rate possible, without risking your long-term health, I would recommend 1 to 1.5 grams of protein. In other words, if you weigh 150 lbs, you should be consuming 150-225 grams of protein every day.
The next three items on your shopping list should be creatine, glutamine, and NO (Nitric Oxide). Don’t worry, if you’re on a budget, you can usually find these together in a single product. These supplements will give you more energy, explosive power, and quicker recovery. You’ll also see a “pump effect” and probably notice yourself looking more muscular than usual after a week or two. I won’t go into detail about how these supplements work; save that for another article.
You also want to take a good multi-vitamin. Again, food is the best source for the nutrients you need. If you’re eating properly, your daily intake of vitamins and minerals should be on track. However, to ensure that you’re not missing any gaps in your diet, it’s a good idea to take a multi-vitamin, even if only once a day. If you’re working out and trying to build muscle, your body is under heavy stress. Don’t let yourself run low on fuel.
There are hundreds of supplements out there. Many work…..many don’t. Others work differently for each individual. In this article, I’m providing the basic list of supplements that everyone should be taking while trying to build muscle. That’s not to say that these are the absolute only products on the market that work. Yet if you’re on a budget, these are the only ones you need. If you’re really low on cash, you can’t go wrong with food and a good protein powder.
So now you know what supplements to take, but what brands do you buy? Here are my recommendations:
Protein (glutamine, and creatine included) - CytoSport Cyto Gainer & BodyTech Shaker Bottle
NO (creatine included) - BSN NO-Xplode
Multi-Vitamin - Optimum Opti-Men
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glad you wrote a post like you did, many young guys,esp teens, think you go to gnc or worse yet the needle and the more you spend, the bigger you get. It takes hard work and dedication - solid info here, keep it up!!
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I agree in that protein is the first thing to go for unless you’re seriously lacking in vitamins. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any protein formula/powder/bar that tastes good!
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wow i love all these supplements.
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Hmmm. I say you take Aspirin too. Aspirin is considered the cure-all pill and this has been proven by latest studies. I read that once in Men’s Health.
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With all the supplements out there you should be really careful about what you pick up. Stay healthy first and then get bigger (if that’s what you wish for).
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I agree with the daily supplements, I can feel a change when I get lax’s with my vitamin routine. My only caution about protien is that if you have any kidney issue’s, use caution. My mother developed an auto-immune disease and was thrown into kidney failure, because her body could not process the protien’s. If this is something that runs in your family, it’s best to get some blood work done.
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I don’t know if it’s because they want to become the “Alpha Male”, but for whatever reason I’m seeing more muscular hard bodied men in the last 5-7 years than I’ve ever seen.
At the American Family Fitness Center that I go to, I can barely get in the door in the evenings and it’s primarily men in there. They hog the weights, the treadmills and even the elliptical machines! Afterwards, the only relief that the ladies have is the Panera Bread next door, LOL.
It’s all good though, if between these supplements and the gym I get to see more rock-hard bodied men, I’ll take it!
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@Bendz - Ya, Aspirin has been proven to have a lot of benefits. It doesn’t actually do anything for muscle growth…but it does have many health benefits. Just be careful with studies and statistics. Many of them are bogus.
@Sue - Very good point about the protein. Even if you’re healthy, you don’t want to take too much protein. A lot of hardcore bodybuilders will take upwards of 3g per pound of bodyweight. It does make you grow faster, but you’re trading your health….which I definitely don’t recommend. Personally, I take 1g per pound of bodyweight.
@Shelia - You’re right, a lot more men are going for a muscular look. I think that’s just the image that society has given us to work with. Take a look at male models and all you see is their 12-pack, lol. By the way, I think I went to Panera Bread last week for the first time. It was awesome…if it’s the place I’m thinking of. I got a meatball sub. Best I’ve had in awhile.
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NO…if you take too much, can it give you unwanted erections?
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Jason reply on February 7, 2008:
The only supplement on this list that MAY give you more frequent erections, and an increase in the appearance of size is NO-Xplode. Nitric Oxide increases blood flow. I wouldn’t say it’s anything to worry about though. Definitely not Viagra, lol.
Good post man…like you said, there are many supps that work. I use Muscletech supplements. I’ve used Nan-Vapor(similar to NO-Xplode), i’m using Nitro-tech and Cell-tech. Probably gonna lay off the creatine for a while once I’ve used what I got. Another important supplement, nature’s supplement, is good ol water, especially if you take creatine and nitric oxide. Don’t forget to feed your body every 3-4 hours, but in moderate fashion. There are alot of factors such as body type and age that will determine how much, its just up to you. Good post man.
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Jason reply on February 9, 2008:
Also some good points Sean! I’ll be going over some of them in detail in future articles. With my metabolism, I eat about 8 fairly large meals a day when building muscle, 2 of them are weight gaining shakes. Many people don’t realize the benefits of eating smaller meals more often, rather than eating 2-3 large meals a day. Especially people who are trying to lose weight (fat). Sometimes they won’t eat at all. Eating small meals often, will actually help them lose weight.
Overall that’s a great post! Honestly though, there is nothing better than a good ol healthy diet full of meats,vegetables, some sweet potatoes and veggies! Too many people turn to supplements for their desired results!
Most supplements are JUNK! In fact, I’d say that 95% of supplements on the market are garbage! You will never replace what your body needs to achieve it’s goals with pills! That’s a FACT!
That’s the problem with society (especially America), always looking for the quick fix! Wasted money on supplements could mean good nutritious food in to your body!
I’m pissed! I’m outta here!
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