Nutritional supplements are compounds intended to support an athlete's regular whole-foods diet. Muscle-building supplements for men are those that are designed to facilitate the synthesis of new muscle. These are supplements that, in one way or another, assist the male body in turning macronutrients---protein, fat and carbohydrates---into muscle tissue. Different supplements will do this is in different ways.
Multivitamins
Dan Benardot, PhD, a sports nutritionist and author of "Advanced Sports Nutrition," calls multivitamins the basic building block of any sound nutrition supplement program. Multivitamins allow the body to synthesize basic macronutrients to build new muscle tissue.
Multivitamins are available from several sources and in various forms. They can be purchased at your local nutrition retailer.
Protein Power
Protein powders and shakes can be used to supplement a basic diet. They provide added protein, necessary to the synthesis of new muscle. Strength coach Mark Rippetoe, in his book "Mean Ol' Mr. Gravity," recommends a minimum of 2g of protein per pound of body weight for men interested in building muscle. While that can be difficult to achieve eating solely whole-food sources of protein such as meat, fish and dairy products, the use of protein powders for supplementation makes this much more feasible. Protein powder supplements are inexpensive and readily available at sports nutrition retailers and pharmacies.
Creatine
At one time, creatine was bad-mouthed in sports nutrition literature because of its apparent propensity to cause severe muscle cramping and high blood pressure. According to Benardot however, these anecdotal side effects were a result of improper hydration, rather than the supplement itself.
Creatine is a naturally occurring substance in muscle tissue in all warm-blooded animals. Now the single most researched and studied supplement in history, it provides immediate energy for near-maximal muscle contractions, as well as filling the intracellular space in muscle fibers. These two traits make creatine extremely effective for building muscle size and strength in athletes.
Creatine, like the other supplements listed, is readily available and inexpensive. It can be found in the same places you find multivitamins and protein powders.
References
- "Mean Ol' Mr. Gravity;" Mark Rippetoe; 2009
- "Nutrition for Serious Athletes;" Dan Benardot, PhD; 1999
- "Essentials of Personal Fitness Training;" National Academy of Sports Medicine; 2008
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