Building muscle with bodybuilding supplements is a lot easier than you might think. Supplements alone do not build muscle and there are no magic pills or powders for achieving your fitness goals. To build muscle you must create a growth stimulus in the gym and then take in the proper nutrients so that the body can repair muscle tissues, making them bigger and stronger. There are a handful of natural supplements that can accelerate muscle building and enhance your bodybuilding results.
Step 1
Take a pre-workout supplement that contains three to five grams of L-arginine. These NO or nitric oxide products cause the body to produce more of this important gas. Nitric oxide vasodilates blood vessels, allowing them to relax and expand. What this means for your workout is a better pump, or full-muscle feeling and increased blood flow to working muscles for faster muscle recovery and fat burning.
Step 2
Take 1.5 grams of beta alanine before your workouts. This powerful amino acid is also found in many pre-workout formulas. Beta alanine increases the amount of L-carnosine, another amino acid, in muscle tissue. According to "Natural Anabolics", L-carnosine buffers lactic acid, which builds up in response to intense training, and is the limiting factor on muscle contractions. Beta alanine supplementation allows you to train longer and harder to create a better muscle growth stimulus. Another serving can be taken later in the day before a meal.
Step 3
Add BCAAs or branch chain amino acids to your supplement stack. Branch chain aminos are special because they become metabolized by muscle cells directly, rather than in the liver. BCAAs can be used as a source of energy by muscles and they prevent protein breakdown. Take 5 grams prior to your workout and 5 to 10 additional grams during and/or after your workout.
Step 4
Use whey protein as a post-workout source of protein. Whey is a fast-digesting protein derived from milk. After you finish working out your muscles desperately need protein to begin the process of repair. Since whey protein proves the fastest digesting protein available it becomes a natural choice for post-workout nutrition. Take 35 to 50 grams (one or two scoops) immediately following your workout.
Step 5
Take 5 to 10 grams of creatine monohydrate immediately following your workout. Creatine helps muscle to produce energy or ATP for stronger contractions and faster recovery, according to "Natural Anabolics." As a side effect, creatine monohydrate also draws more water into muscle cells, which literally makes your muscle physically larger.
Step 6
Mix 5 to 10 grams of L-glutamine into your post-workout shake. L-glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in human muscle tissue. Intense training can cause muscle glutamine loss. Supplementing with L-glutamine can speed muscle recovery, help support the immune system and increase the pituitary gland's secretion of HGH or human growth hormone. Take an additional 5 to 10 grams before bed.
Things You'll Need
- L-Arginine
- Beta alanine
- Whey protein
- Creatine Monohydrate
- BCAAs
- L-Glutamine
References
- "Homemade Supplement Secrets;" Jeff Anderson; 2008
- "Natural Anabolics;" Jerry Brainum; 2007
- "Combat the Fat"; Jeff Anderson, 2008
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