Cheap Muscle Building Supplements

Nutritional supplements are a popular method of increasing the results from serious strength training. When coupled with sound nutritional practices, some supplements can improve your rate of muscle gain. While many supplements are prohibitively expensive to the average recreational weightlifter, some of the most effective are also the least expensive. These cheap muscle-building supplements offer a great deal of benefit to the athlete.

Protein

The most commonly available muscle-building nutrition supplement is also one of the least expensive. Protein powders are generally a byproduct of the cheese-making process. The most common type of protein powder, whey protein, is available in large quantities for less than $20 at discount retailers. Mixed with water, milk or fruit juice, it is a relatively palatable drink that closely replicates the consistency of a milkshake.
Mark Rippetoe, a Texas-based strength coach writes, in is book "Starting Strength," that the average bodybuilding athlete should consume a minimum of 1.5 to 2 grams of protein per pound of body weight. You will not be able to eat this amount of protein in whole foods alone. Supplementing your whole foods meals with whey protein can allow you to reach this goal.

Creatine

The most researched nutrition supplement in history, according to nutritionist Dan Benardot in "Advanced Sports Nutrition," creatine is found in all muscle tissue. A component of creatine phosphate, it is the fuel for short-term bursts of muscle energy. Supplementing with creatine provides additional short-term fuel, making it possible to lift heavier weights. This can lead to gains in muscle size and strength. Additionally, as creatine fills the intracellular space inside of your muscles, it creates a fullness, commonly referred to as a "pump." This occurs as the individual cell walls are stretched and filled with the synthesized creatine. This leads to larger muscles.

Creatine can be found at sports nutrition stores and discount retailers, often on sale for less than $20 for up to 40 servings. It is among the cheapest nutrition supplements, as well as being one of the most effective according to Benardot. This is a great bargain in an industry often plagued with over-priced, less-than-effective products.

Milk

Mark Rippetoe recommends one nutritional supplement above all others for beginning strength trainers. Whole milk provides a blend of protein, fats and carbohydrates that are perfectly balanced for human tissue growth. Advocating the "GOMAD" or "Gallon Of Milk A Day" program, Rippetoe suggests starting slowly, with a cup or two of whole milk. Over the course of two weeks, he suggests gradually adding more milk to your daily consumption, until you are consuming an entire gallon of whole milk each day. An article on GOMAD for the website Stronglifts.com, titled "GOMAD: Gain 25 Pounds in 25 Days" suggests that, at least initially, it is possible to gain a pound a day on the program.
Whole milk, somewhat obviously, is readily available at grocery stores. For less than $3.00 a day, you can have the most effective muscle-building supplement available.