10 Best Muscle Building Ingredients
The "Must Have" Ingredients for Muscle Growth
Building muscles takes serious work. Hours of gym-time, buckets of sweat, and even more motivation. But most people find that not even these sacrifices get them the power and definition they are looking for.
When you hit a fitness wall, or you are looking to build muscle quickly, some supplemental help is exactly what you need to muscle-up. Below are the 10 best ingredients for muscle building so that you can build strong, healthy muscle tissue fast.
1. Creatine
Creatine monohydrate is the most researched form of creatine, backed by numerous studies supporting its ability to increase strength and performance.
If you experience gastrointestinal discomfort from creatine monohydrate, it may be caused by poor creatine quality. Make sure you’re using a high quality monohydrate source like Creapure.
If these issues persist, there are alternatives to creatine monohydrate such as the buffered Kre-Alkalyn, creatine HCL, and creatine ethyl ester. These were designed to break down easier and improve creatine absorption.
2. Protein
Not surprisingly, protein is one of the best ingredients for building muscle. Protein supplies the raw materials necessary to not only repair torn and damaged muscles, but build new muscle fibers.
To get the most out of your protein powder, look for a pure whey protein isolate. While it’s more expensive than whey protein concentrate, it contains a much higher percentage of protein per volume.
If a pure whey protein isolate is too expensive, try a blended protein such as Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey, or Myotein. They're more affordable and still high quality.
3. Multivitamins
Believe it or not, that Flintstones chewable in your cabinet might be one of the best ingredients for building muscle. Muscles are not immune to deficiencies from essential vitamins and minerals. If you aren’t getting sufficient amounts from your diet, your muscles will suffer.
Vitamin B1, or Thiamine, is used to metabolize protein. It is also an essential component to hemoglobin production. Vitamin C, on the other hand, stimulates collagen production and can prevent injuries.A multivitamin is a great way to ensure your muscles have the vitamins they need.
4. Glutamine-Micronized
Glutamine is the most common amino acid found in muscle tissue. When glutamine is micronized into a powder, it can quickly replenish depleted muscle cells.
During anaerobic exercise a large amount of lactic acid builds up in muscle tissue. Glutamine counteracts this acidosis and keeps muscles from becoming shaky and weak. Because of this, glutamine is one of the best ingredients for muscle building workouts.
5. BCAAs
BCAAs, or branched-chain amino acids, account for 40% of the essential amino acids required by mammals. The three BCAAs are leucine, iso-leucine and valine. During workouts, BCAAs can be used immediately for energy by working muscles. When purchasing BCAAs, look for at least a 2:1:1 ratio of leucine, isoleucine, and valine.
A study conducted in 2006 revealed that BCAAs signal two regions of the brain: first to decrease food intake and second to increase basal metabolic rate.
With less appetite and a faster metabolism, you more easily burn fat just underneath the skin. With less subcutaneous fat, muscles look more cut and toned.
6. Leucine
Although leucine is a BCAA, it is more essential and is needed in larger amounts. In fact, leucine is the only amino acid that has the ability to stimulate muscle synthesis according to an article in The Journal of Nutrition.
Leucine slows muscle atrophy as well as catalyzes muscle growth. An ideal ratio of leucine to other BCAAs is 2:1:1 of leucine, iso-leucine and valine, respectively.
7. EAAs
Essential amino acids, sometimes referred to as EAAs, are amino acids the body can’t produce on its own. In other words, EAAs must be somewhere in your diet. You'll get these EAAs in the protein you consume.
EAAs include histidine, iso-leucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.
Since these are some of the best ingredients for muscle building, it is essential you get plenty of complete sources of protein. Or you can use protein supplements with EAAs for more convenience.
8. Testosterone
Testosterone is a potent anabolic hormone, and plays an important role in building muscle. Part of a hormone class known as androgens, testosterone stimulates increased protein synthesis in muscle cells. This improves exercise recovery time, and allows you to build more muscle.
Natural testosterone boosters such as Syntheroid are a safe way to boost testosterone levels, and increase muscle mass without the dangers associated with testosterone injections and prescriptions.
9. ZMA
Zinc magnesium aspartate is a supplement that is one of the best muscle building ingredients for bodybuilders and athletes.
More than 50% of the U.S. population doesn’t reach the government’s standard for magnesium intake. Magnesium plays an integral role in protein absorption and thus muscle tissue growth. ZMA supplements give you the minerals you need to build healthy, powerful muscles.
10. Pre-Workout Booster
Although optimizing the health of your body is crucial to building muscles, so is optimizing your workout. With the right pre-workout booster you’ll have the energy you need to train with more intensity and focus.
Look for pre-workout boosters with quick but sustainable energy sources -- a huge dose of caffeine by itself isn’t going to cut it -- rather look for vasodilators, creatine and/or beta alanine. A pre-workout booster with various sources of energy is going to offer more benefits than a supplement simply packed with stimulants.
