https://weider.es/ganancia-muscular/You don't need an arsenal of supplements to reach your muscle gain goals. To achieve this, prioritize the 8 essentials we present below.
1. Whey Protein Isolate
Protein supplements are one of the essential supplements for bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts. After all, 80% of dry skeletal muscle is composed of protein, and for decades we have known that muscle cells need a constant and abundant supply of amino acids to renew, repair, and synthesize new proteins during growth.
Whey protein isolate is made from whey protein concentrate (whey, one of the milk proteins) and represents the purest protein source available on the market, with a purity of around 90% in most products.
Benefits of Whey Protein Isolate
Whey protein isolate contains approximately only 0.5% fat and less than 0.5% lactose, making it ideal for those who want to control fat intake and for those who suffer from lactose intolerance. Its importance for muscle building is due to the abundance of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and the profile of the eight essential amino acids. Whey protein isolate is digested quickly (compared to other products), leading to greater utilization of amino acids to repair and build muscle tissue rapidly. Numerous studies confirm the positive effect of this “super supplement” on muscle development and strength.
Whey protein isolate not only acts as a powerful anabolic agent but also offers multiple advantages for muscle building. For example, it up-regulates antioxidant production (glutathione) due to its high amount of cysteine, a sulfur-containing amino acid. Additionally, the subfractions of ß-lactoglobulin, α-lactalbumin, bovine serum albumin, and immunoglobulins have a positive effect on overall health and development.
Strategy for gaining mass:
Immediately upon waking, take 30-40 grams of whey protein isolate to kickstart the anabolic mode and prevent any possibility of catabolism due to overnight fasting. Then, 30 minutes before training, and again immediately after, consume a shake containing 20-30 grams of high-quality whey protein isolate.
This food ensures that blood amino acid levels are optimal and constant during the training period and recovery.
Note: Remember that not all protein products are the same, and the quality and timing of intake are key to gaining mass. Therefore, it may even be more beneficial to drink a hydrolyzed whey protein immediately after training (see priority #3).
- Recommended Product: Isolate Whey 100 CFM
2. Caseinate
Micellar casein (the other milk protein) is the purest form of casein. A micelle is a large colloidal particle, and this property gives casein the ability to form a gel or clot in the stomach, making it a long-acting amino acid supplier. Micellar casein is isolated using microfiltration, so protein supplementation should be one of the essential supplements for athletes.
- Recommended Product: Day & Night Casein
3. Hydrolyzed Protein
Whey protein hydrolysate is usually made from whey protein isolate, undergoing enzymatic degradation (hydrolysis, breakdown) to "pre-digest" the protein. It therefore contains a high proportion of peptide fractions (short chains of amino acids). The result is a powder with a large number of small peptides with low molecular weight (MW). These di- and tri-peptides with low MW are absorbed more quickly than any other protein or amino acid supplement.
As a result, whey protein hydrolysate intake brings more water into the muscle cell (giving it more volume), stimulates anabolism by accelerating recovery and the normal functioning of the immune system. The absorption rate of di- and tri-peptides is higher than that of free amino acids, thus minimizing competition between these two substrates, which favors the assimilation of small peptide fractions.
Consequently, the intake of whey protein hydrolysate brings more water into the muscle cell (giving it more volume), stimulates anabolism by accelerating recovery and the normal functioning of the immune system. The absorption rate of di- and tri-peptides is higher than that of free amino acids, minimizing competition between these two substrates, which favors the assimilation of small peptide fractions.
Strategy for gaining mass
Consume a shake containing 25-30 grams of high-quality whey protein hydrolysate immediately after your workout (instead of the whey protein isolate shake). This will allow you to make the most of the anabolic window by providing a rapid influx of amino acids into the blood, which will completely maximize muscle growth.
4. Creatine
If you think the advantages of creatine supplements originated in 20th-century science, you're mistaken. In fact, a scientist named Liebig formulated his first hypothesis on creatine's potential for muscle building back in 1847. More than half a century later, researchers began extracting creatine from meat and investigating its properties as an ergogenic aid to improve performance.
Creatine is a non-essential substance that the body produces (from arginine, methionine, and glycine) and is found mainly in meat products. There are countless scientific studies showing creatine's impact on strength, muscle building, and power.
Creatine supplementation is associated with skeletal muscle hypertrophy and increased protein synthesis due to its ability to create an osmotic gradient that draws water into muscle cells (which is a signal for anabolism). In addition, creatine increases muscle phosphocreatine, which is used to produce more ATP (a form of energy) and, as a result, allows for longer and more intense training sessions. Recent scientific evidence has also shown that creatine intake elevates Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1), thus providing another pathway for mass building.
How to take it?
Based on scientific data, the best way to take creatine monohydrate supplements is through a loading phase of approximately 4/5 days at a rate of 0.2 grams (200 mg) per kilogram of body weight per day, followed by a maintenance phase at a rate of 0.05 grams (50 mg) per kilogram of body weight per day. During the loading phase, divide the total daily dose into portions of approximately 5 grams to be taken throughout the day in 3 or 4 doses, ensuring that you take one 30 minutes before training and another after.
Recent scientific evidence has also shown that creatine intake elevates Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1), thus providing another pathway for mass building and becoming another essential supplement you shouldn't miss.
Strategy for gaining mass
During the maintenance phase, on training days, this is one of the indispensable supplements, so take one portion before and one after training; on rest days, take one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Be sure to take creatine with fast-digesting carbohydrates (e.g., sugars like dextrose (glucose)) to maximize absorption.
- Recommended Product: Pure Creatine
5. Glutamine
Glutamine is another essential supplement and one of the most abundant amino acids in the body. It is probably the most popular amino acid supplement used by bodybuilders worldwide. And for good reason – glutamine is necessary for normal muscle function and plays an essential role in muscle growth.
It is a primary energy source for the immune and digestive systems and is depleted during intense workouts. In terms of its direct effect on muscle growth, glutamine triggers intramuscular Leucine levels, which produces an anti-catabolic effect, meaning it preserves muscle, preventing its loss and degradation. It also raises growth hormone levels and contributes to energy production. Moreover, glutamine intake strengthens the immune system, reducing the risk of overtraining and, therefore, missing workouts due to illness.
New studies show that taking glutamine before training combats exercise-induced fatigue (buffering metabolic byproducts, allowing for longer and more intense workouts), and post-exercise intake helps replenish glycogen in fatigued muscles (contributing to faster energy recovery). BCAAs are true muscle builders and are one of the essential supplements during exercise and recovery.
Strategy for gaining mass
Take glutamine four times a day in doses of 3-5 grams: once upon waking, once 30 minutes before training, once immediately after training, and once before going to bed.
- Recommended Product: L-Glutamine from Weider
6. Arginine
Most bodybuilders recognize the benefits of high-quality Arginine supplementation. This can bring us relatively short or long-term success when taken alone or with other anabolic ingredients. L-Arginine performs many important functions throughout the body, and recent studies have found multiple reasons to add it to our list of indispensable supplements.
In metabolic terms, L-Arginine is vital for its ability to transport, process, and excrete nitrogen. It also functions as a much-needed substrate for the synthesis of creatine and nitric oxide. Due to its effect on nitric oxide production, arginine supplementation increases blood flow to skeletal muscle when you train, transporting nutrients and getting rid of waste metabolites, allowing you to train harder and longer.
When you're resting, the extra blood flow to tired muscles increases nutrient transport and removes waste byproducts, optimizing the muscle environment for recovery.
Benefits of L-Arginine
- L-arginine supplementation promotes increased blood levels of growth hormone (GH), norepinephrine and epinephrine, as well as insulin, glucagon, and prolactin during rest to further encourage "L-arginine drives greater nitric oxide production, which opens blood vessels, increasing blood flow – congestion – and nutrient transport for muscle building." anabolism.
- Additionally, it works by increasing mitochondria (the energy "powerhouses") in skeletal muscle, which intensifies metabolism and increases the capacity to use energy for contraction.
- As if that weren't enough, long-term use of L-arginine has been shown to increase blood vessel growth in both skeletal and cardiac (heart) muscle, resulting in a greater capacity to transport nutrients and eliminate metabolites during and after training.
Strategy for gaining mass
Most products are sold as nitric oxide precursors, so try to find one that contains at least 2-5 grams of arginine per serving in the form of L-arginine base, L-arginine HCl (hydrochloride), or L-arginine-alpha ketoglutarate. Take three servings a day: the first upon waking, the second 30 minutes before training, and the last before going to bed.
- Recommended Product: L-Arginine from Weider
7. BCAAs
The essential amino acids Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine share a unique branched structure and are, therefore, transported and metabolized by the same mechanisms. One of the fundamental properties of BCAAs is that muscles rapidly consume them after intense training. In skeletal muscle, Leucine is key to accelerating protein synthesis through different mechanisms. First, Leucine has been shown to increase the secretion of insulin, a highly anabolic hormone.
At the molecular level, recovery after resistance exercise relies primarily on Leucine. Hence the importance of ingesting supplements that can increase its intramuscular concentration (much needed), which activates muscle growth factors. In fact, studies have shown that neither carbohydrates, non-essential amino acids, nor essential amino acids have the anabolic capacity of Leucine.
BCAAs have been shown to decrease blood cortisol (which is catabolic and lowers testosterone levels), improve training intensity, decrease perceived exertion, combat fatigue, and improve recovery. All of this makes BCAAs true muscle builders with incredible benefits during exercise and recovery. Therefore, they are another of the essential supplements when working on strength.
Strategy for gaining mass
Take 5-10 grams of BCAAs at breakfast, 30 minutes before exercise, and again 60 minutes into your workout. Studies show that the best BCAA ratio is 2:1:1 (there should be twice as much Leucine as the others). Most product manufacturers take this into account in their formulas.
- Recommended Product: BCAAs with L-Glutamine from Weider
8. Prohormonals
For years, scientists have diligently worked in their laboratories trying to find more and more compounds that naturally increase testosterone production, and this effort has only increased since prohormones were banned.
Natural testosterone boosters have been around for centuries, but they were primarily used to increase libido and virility. For this reason alone, it should be one of the essential supplements in your daily life.
Studies on protodioscin have shown that it increases levels of testosterone, luteinizing hormone, dehydroepiandrosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. A recent publication clearly showed that the concentration of protodioscin in herbal extracts is highly influenced by plant standardization. That's why you should always look for products that contain standardized plant extracts and only buy products from reputable and well-established manufacturers. Quality products usually use standardized extracts indicating the percentage of standardization and, if possible, the analysis method used.
Strategy for gaining mass
2 capsules a day, with one of your meals.
- Recommended Product: Weider Prime
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