Many supplements can help you gain weight. Perhaps you are training to get bigger and stronger for a competitive sport like football, baseball or soccer. Recreational trainees, fitness enthusiasts and bodybuilders are always looking to add more muscle without resorting to illegal performance enhancers. Some people have such fast metabolism that they may need supplements to gain weight. Stick to supplements that have science to back up their beneficial effects. Most of them are relatively inexpensive and can help you gain weight quickly.
Betaine
Betaine comes from beets and is a natural source of TMG, or trimethylglycine. According to "Supplements 101," betaine encourages weight gain by promoting faster recovery and decreasing inflammation. It can also increase power and strength in athletes who train intensely. TMG from betaine repairs the joints and liver and also acts as a precursor for the potent muscle-enhancing supplement creatine, which is produced naturally in the liver. The recommended dosage is 1,250 mg twice a day, one serving taken with a post-workout meal on training days.
Caffeine
Caffeine may instantly increase your strength by 12 percent, as measured by men performing 60 percent of their one-rep max on the leg press exercise, according to "Power Pills" by Jose Antonio. Though caffeine is not for everyone, it can be very effective for many people. Best-selling author Jeff Anderson recommends it because it works on a psychological level as well on a physical and physiological level. An increase in workout intensity and energy means that you can move more weight and stimulate more muscle mass and growth. If you tolerate stimulants well, you can take 2 to 2.5 mg of caffeine per pound of your body weight in pill form before your workout, according to Muscle & Fitness: The Ultimate Supplement Handbook. For a 150-pound man, this would equal about three cups of coffee. Start with half of that dose to assess tolerance and then increase to the full recommendation.
Beta-Ecdysterone
Beta-ecdysterone is to insects what anabolic steroids are to humans. Plants produce this hormone as a defense mechanism against insects. However, in the human body, ecdysterone has no hormonal effects. It does increase protein synthesis, according to "Supplements 101." Anabolic steroids also increase protein synthesis, meaning that muscles use protein more efficiently to repair and rebuild damaged tissue. Ecdysterone can do this without the dangerous side effects of illegal steroids. You can take 400 to 500 mg of beta-ecdysterone per day, spread among protein-rich meals.
Creatine Gluconate
Creatine monohydrate has been called the most effective sports supplement on the market by Jerry Brainum, the author of "Natural Anabolics." However, some people do not absorb creatine very well. According to an interview with Jeff Anderson, author of "Homemade Supplement Secrets," creatine gluconate absorbs more readily in the body. This is because the creatine molocule is attached to glucose, which readily travels into and out of cells to provide energy to the body. Glucose works to "piggy-back" creatine into muscle cells. Once inside muscle tissue, creatine draws large amounts of water, physically swelling muscle cells for a noticeable and instant gain in size and body weight. You can take 5 to 10 grams after your workouts or upon waking on non-training days.
Waxy Maize
Amylopectin, or waxy maize, comes from corn starch, which is modified to have a very high molecular weight, according to "The Carbo Rater" by Jordana Brown. Amylopectin quickly empties from the stomach and intestines to be delivered to muscle tissue. Carbohydrates like waxy maize are critical to muscle recovery after intense workouts. The faster the carbs get to the muscles, the faster they can repair themselves. You can take 30 to 60 grams after your workouts to speed muscle recovery.
References
- "Natural Anabolics"; Jerry Brainum; 2006
- Muscle & Fitness: Ultimate Supplement Handbook; "The Carbo Rater"; Jordana Brown, January2010
- "Homemade Supplement Secrets"; Jeff Anderson; 2008
- Muscle & Fitness; Ultimate Supplement Handbook; "Supplements 101"; Jim Stoppani, January 2010
- Muscle & Fitness: Ultimate Supplement Handbook; "Power Pills"; Jose Antonio, January 2010
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