What are the Best Muscle Building Supplements For Size, Strength & Growth?

Welcome to the Vital Repz roundup of the 5 best muscle building supplements. In an industry brimming with terrible testosterone "boosters" and scammy weight loss pills, it is easy for well-meaning fitness enthusiasts to buy the wrong supplements.

Not only are many of these supplements completely ineffective for muscle growth, but they can also be incredibly dangerous, especially if you don't understand the ingredients you're putting into your body.

On that note, we hope our article leaves you feeling a little underwhelmed.

Yes, you read that right. You won't leave this page with any magic bullets or crazy expectations. In our experience, high expectations in the supplement game only lead to complacency in the more critical areas like diet and training.

Supplements won't make you grow muscle, but they sure can help. Here are our top picks:

1. Protein Shakes

Whether you are a complete gym newbie or a seasoned bodybuilding veteran, good protein powder should form the foundation of your supplement stack.

In our opinion, the best protein powder for you, and anyone serious about muscle growth should check off 4 main boxes. Here they are in order of importance:

• Be free from amino spiking
• Have high amounts of essential amino acids (EAAs)
• Contain a minimum of 20g protein
• Taste great (so that you drink it consistently)

The first two go hand in hand. Most amino-spiked protein shakes are also low in EAAs, making them a poor choice for muscle growth.

On the other hand, high-quality protein powders offer plentiful EAAs and BCAAs, both of which cannot be produced by the body, and must be obtained through our diets, and from our supplements.

Pros

• Makes hitting daily protein requirements easy
• Idea for post-workout
• Can be used to aid muscle growth and fat loss
• Great for baking and adding to smoothies

Cons

• Some powders may be amino-spiked
• Taste can be hit and miss

2. Creatine

Without question, there is no better supplement for strength gain than creatine monohydrate. With decades of research supporting its effectiveness and safety, it is ideal for those seeking an increase in power and muscle fullness, without the nasty side-effects that some supplements carry.

As one of the most sought-after supplements around the globe, there are now more forms of creatine than ever vying for our attention. Although many of these exotic-sounding forms can and do work, I recommend sticking with monohydrate because it's been tested way more than any other type of creatine.

But before you pull the trigger, there's something I need to tell you.

Creatine causes weight gain. Yes, you heard that right, It is not uncommon for your body weight to bump up a few pounds during your first week of use. But fear not, this is only water weight and is actually a good indication that you are a creatine responder.

Add to the fact that most of the body's creatine is stored in the muscles, and you can see why the weight gain is a huge bonus.

Pros

• Research-proven supplement
• Inexpensive
• Promotes muscle growth & strength gains
• Can be mixed with any drink

Cons

• Not everyone is a responder
• Weight gain (water weight)

3. Mass Gainers

Anyone who has ever embarked on a purposeful bulk has probably also considered using a mass gainer. Being naturally higher in calories, carbs, and protein than any other supplement, it is no wonder they are a top choice for those seeking noticeable weight gain.

With calorie levels ranging from 500 well into the thousands, whether you are a genuine hardgainer, or just going on a lean bulk, finding a mass gainer that fits the bill has never been easier.

In fact, the 5 gainers that we painstakingly tested and reviewed, each cater to a different type of person. So, whether you're looking for a product really high carbs, loaded with protein, or something extra tasty, we have you covered.

Want to find out what the best mass gainer supplement is for you?

Then check out our chart above, or click on the link for our full take on the topic.

Pros

• Promotes weight gain
• High in protein and carbs
• Different calorie amounts are available

Cons

• May cause fat gain
• Can be expensive per serving

4. Pre-Workouts

While even the best pre workout supplements may not build a ton of muscle by themselves, what they can do, is help you have an effective workout, which definitely does build muscle.

It doesn't matter how clean our diets are or how on point our recovery is, if we don't provide the muscles with a strong enough training stimulus, they just will not grow.

As you can see from our top 5 list, some pre-workouts focus more on pump and vascularity, while others are better for strength, endurance, and muscle recovery.

As a guideline, if you're more of a powerlifter or weightlifter, then go for a supplement geared more towards strength. But if you're more concerned with physique, then go with one of our recommended pump-based supplements like Pre Kaged and Legion.

Pros

• Can increase focus, pump, and recovery
• Keeps your attention on your workout
• May help you lift more weight, and perform more volume

Cons

• May make some users feel jittery
• Your caffeine tolerance will increase

5. Branched Chain Amino Acids

BCAAs are at the heart of any credible intra-workout supplement. Being anti-catabolic by nature, their main job is to prevent excessive levels of protein breakdown while we're in the gym.

They're also useful for taking between meals, to keep muscle protein synthesis high, and stimulate more growth.

While each of the 3 BCAAs is important, leucine is the one that we really care about, and is why the 2:1:1 ratio is the most popular among those seeking maximal gains.

Although they are most certainly not any kind of miracle supplement, many users report faster recovery and less debilitating DOMS during times when they take bcaa.

If you want to do everything in your power to maximize muscle growth and recovery, then you may well benefit from using one of the recommended supplements during training, between meals, or wherever else you need an amino acid boost.

Pros

• Can decrease muscle soreness
• May reduce recovery times
• Promotes muscle protein synthesis

Cons

• Unnecessary if you already consume a lot of protein

What Are The Best Supplements For Strength?

Before we dive into the best supplements, I want to quickly clear up any confusion about what true strength really is.

I like to separate strength into two different categories:

• True strength (how much you can lift)
• Strength potential (how much you could lift)

Now, all else being equal, a bigger muscle is also a stronger muscle, thus having more ‘strength potential.' However, the biggest guy in the gym is not always the strongest because strength, believe it or not, strength is a skill as well.

The more skilled you become at an exercise, the more natural it feels, and the more easily you are able to apply force. Think about how awkward your first weighted squat felt compared to how it feels now (substitute squat with ‘bench' if you skip leg day).

What's the point of all this you ask?

Well, since there are no supplements that can make you more skilled, I'm going to focus specifically on supplements that increase strength at the muscular level — not ‘brain level,' for lack of a better term.

1. Creatine monohydrate
2. Protein powder (anything that builds muscle also increases strength potential)
3. Betaine
4. Caffeine (think pre-workouts)

We hope our guide to the best muscle building supplements helped you decide what to add to your stack. Feel free to click around our site for reviews of individual supplements and comparisons.

If you're having trouble deciding between two supplements, or just want to know the key differences, check out these articles that we've listed below.

• BCAA vs Creatine
• Whey vs Casein
• Mass Gainer vs Whey protein
• Glutamine vs BCAA
• Creatine vs Whey Protein