Dedicating hours of your time to the gym every week can help you build the strong, fit physique you want and attain the wellness your body needs to stay healthy in many different ways. For example, the extra muscle mass helps protect you from injuries and building muscle with your workouts and diet keeps you strong enough to maintain peak physical condition. Additionally, by visiting your gym several times each week, you are part of a community that gives you helpful workout tips so you can reach your goal of muscle growth.
For many people, however, it is not easy to maintain this level of fitness on their own. People who struggle with severe anemia (iron deficiency) may struggle to maintain a steady heart rhythm to keep up with regular workouts. If you struggle to finish a workout or are ravenously hungry afterward, you may not have enough protein in your diet. Fortunately, adding vitamins and minerals via nutritional supplements can give your body the nutrients it is missing and act as the extra boost you need to see results. Compounding Pharmacy of America can help you find the supplements you need to build the muscle you desire. We’ve rounded up some of the most beneficial here.
The Benefits of Muscle-Building Supplements
Of course, there are many things you can do to get the most out of your workouts. Working with a personal trainer to make sure your workouts are optimized for muscle gain with a mix of dumbbell rows, squats, and leg raises is a great way to build muscle naturally. Similarly, fueling your body well by eating plenty of fruit and lean meats can go a long way toward building lean muscle mass alongside your workout. Still, most people need some additional help.
Even if you have a perfectly engineered diet, there is no guarantee that you will get all of the nutrients you need. When you work out frequently, your body uses oxygen quickly, burns more fat, and metabolizes your food faster, so ensuring your body can access an above-average supply of vitamins and nutrients is essential. Adding vitamins and supplements into your fitness routine is an effective way to make sure you get everything that may be missing from your diet, especially essential muscle-building nutrients like iron or protein.
Extra essential nutrients can increase your energy levels so you are able to work out at a consistent level for longer periods of time, which increases your chances of muscle growth. Still, it’s important to focus on nutrients and vitamins that are key to muscle building. For example, making sure that you have enough magnesium can regulate your heartbeat, which will give you more stamina for cardio. To further enhance muscle growth, you may add branched-chain amino acids into your diet as a protein supplement. Let’s explore some of the most crucial supplements for muscle growth.
Seven Vitamins and Supplements to Boost Muscle Growth
Whether you want to be able to breathe better while you are running on the treadmill or not feel so hungry after a workout because you burned through all your carbs, there is a supplement to help. Here are seven of the best supplements for muscle growth.
Iron
Getting enough oxygen into your system during a workout is especially important as your body uses it more quickly. If you do not get enough oxygen, it will be harder to breathe, and your heart rate will increase, making it harder to sustain a workout. Iron is a great way to increase the oxygen in your system so you can build muscle with your workouts.
When you take an iron supplement, it goes to work so your body can produce the hemoglobin it needs to carry oxygen from your lungs to your blood and muscles. You can also get plenty of iron by eating iron-rich foods like red meat, lentils, and leafy greens. Whether you switch up your diet or get an iron supplement from Compounding Pharmacy of America, the extra iron in your system will help you sustain longer workouts by boosting energy and breath control while also getting oxygen to your muscles to avoid fatigue.
Magnesium
The average American needs between 300 and 400 mg of magnesium every day. Unfortunately, however, most do not get near this amount. Magnesium is essential because it helps the body absorb fats, amino acids, and carbohydrates, which are then turned into energy.
Sustaining enough energy to finish your workouts can help you reach your muscle growth goals faster as you increase weight or reps on a more consistent basis. Getting the magnesium you need every day can also ensure that you keep a regular heart rate during your workout, which will increase the effectiveness of your cardio exercises. Adding chia seeds to a smoothie or snacking on almonds can increase your magnesium levels, or you can pick up a magnesium supplement from Compounding Pharmacy of America.
Vitamin A
This vitamin does not have a direct impact on your muscles, but it can still help you achieve an effective muscle-building workout regimen – here’s how. While taking supplements that increase your muscle mass can be key, it is important to have plenty of behind-the-scenes support so you do not get hurt. Vitamin A helps keep you healthy by keeping your immune system strong and building bone strength. While it may not be directly responsible for bulging muscles, it gives your body the strength you’ll need to show up to every leg day, treadmill run, and bench press. Grilling salmon for dinner with roasted carrots will give you plenty of vitamin A, or you can grab a 10,000 IU supplement.
Vitamin C
If you already take an iron supplement to boost your muscle growth, you may want to consider adding vitamin C because it helps your body absorb iron more effectively. When you have enough iron in your system, it increases your energy and strength, so you can do deadlifts all day. Vitamin C is also a great supplement if you want to avoid injuries that keep you from the gym.
Also called ascorbic acid, vitamin C makes your tendons, blood vessels, and ligaments stronger by making sure they have enough collagen. It also serves as a booster for your immune system, which can be essential for your muscle growth goals because you are less likely to miss a workout because of a cold. A 1,000 mg vitamin C supplement from Compounding Pharmacy of America will give you the support you need, but you can also add in vitamin C from strawberries, bell peppers, and white potatoes.
Biotin
Also known as B7, biotin is an essential part of the vitamin B complex that helps your body produce energy from bread, popcorn, and other carbs. It can also metabolize fats and proteins in your body more quickly so you can get the energy you need. You want biotin in your system while you are perfecting your squat form so you have the energy to do it right every time. A biotin supplement from Compounding Pharmacy of America can help fuel your cells so your muscles can rebuild stronger after a workout. You can also get more biotin with your morning serving of avocado toast and sunny-side-up eggs.
Creatine
This is easily one of the best-known and most beloved supplements to increase muscle mass because it is so effective. Your body naturally produces creatine as an energy source for your muscles, but not at levels that will skyrocket your muscle growth. A study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition claims that taking a creatine supplement can boost muscle creatine by up to 40%. Creatine increases the strength of your muscles, which will help you achieve muscle growth because your workouts will improve over time, increasing your muscle mass. Taking a few grams of creatine before and after a workout can increase your strength and fight fatigue.
Protein
Protein is an essential part of muscle building because your body synthesizes proteins in order to build lean muscle mass when you exercise. When your goal is to build muscle, you will have to consume more protein than your body burns because otherwise, you will stay stationary. A casein protein shake before bed, for example, can help your muscle build overnight because it absorbs into your body slowly.
Protein supplements come in many forms, like whey or casein powder and pre-made shakes, but they all work to add extra protein into your system while you are working out. Branched-chain amino acids, or BCAAs, are made up of the molecules your body combines to create protein. If you are worried that you are not getting enough protein from your diet, it can be beneficial to take about 5 grams of BCAA before your workout.
How to Take Vitamins and Supplements
Whether you are just starting out on your fitness journey or you have been a regular at your gym for years, adding new vitamins and supplements into your routine can be a challenge. For example, you might not know to take iron when you need increased energy. Similarly, reaching for biotin when you want to increase your carb intake without hurting your progress is probably not second nature to you. Understanding ways to incorporate these supplements into your existing routine can help make the process easier and help you get off to a solid start.
Include Them in Your Healthy Diet
The easiest way to get the vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy and reach your muscle growth goals is to eat them. Seeds and nuts can boost your magnesium if you want to regulate your heartbeat during your workouts. Eating an omelet with spinach and bell peppers for breakfast is a great way to make sure you get the vitamin A your body needs to keep your bones strong.
Supplements like creatine and protein powders can also be added at meal times. A whey protein shake for breakfast before your morning rowing session can make sure there is enough blood flow to your muscles so they get the necessary oxygen and hormones.
Incorporate Them into Your Fitness Routine
You may spend time in the gym nearly every day, hitting cardio and perfecting your squats, but that is not always enough. Adding supplements to your workout routine can accelerate your goals by providing targeted support. Taking 3 to 5 grams of creatine right before your workout can help you recover more effectively between sets, so you can do more reps while building your muscle mass.
Similarly, using BCAAs right before and right after your workout will increase your body’s ability to synthesize proteins, the chemical process behind muscle growth. Making supplements a part of your workout as part of a warm-up or cool-down can help you get the nutrition and support you need so you can reach your goals more quickly.
Trust Compounding Pharmacy of America with Your Custom Mixes
Every time you go for a bike ride or spend an hour on leg day, you put your body at risk for injuries because you are pushing yourself to the limit. It is understandable that you would get frustrated when you do not get the results that you want, even when you work so hard. There are countless vitamins and supplements, from natural vitamins A and C to traditional products like creatine, that can help you reach your muscle-building goals.
Compounding Pharmacy of America is proud to stock quality muscle-building vitamins and nutrient supplements to kickstart any strength training regimen. Alternatively, if you prefer to boost your muscle growth without over-the-counter supplements, you can consider compounding medications for sports performance. Contact us for a personalized set of recommendations and custom compounded medications.
Resources :
- Greatist. (n.d.). 11 Best Vitamins and Minerals for Muscle Growth. Retrieved from source https://greatist.com/fitness/best-vitamins-for-muscle-growth
- Muscle & Fitness. (n.d.). 13 Secret Benefits of Your Supplements. Retrieved from source https://www.muscleandfitness.com/supplements/build-muscle/13-secret-benefits-your-supps/
- Verywell Fit. (n.d.). Supplements for Building Muscle. Retrieved from source https://www.verywellfit.com/supplements-for-building-muscle-88233
- Healthline. (n.d.). Supplements for Muscle Gain. Retrieved from source https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/supplements-for-muscle-gain
- Men’s Journal. (n.d.). 11 Best Supplements for Building Muscle Mass. Retrieved from source https://www.mensjournal.com/food-drink/11-best-supplements-building-muscle-mass
- A Guide To The Best Supplements For Muscle Growth. (2023, March 3). Forbes Health. https://www.forbes.com/health/body/best-supplements-for-muscle-growth/
- Nastas, Pete., certified sports nutrition. (2023, June 28). The Best Supplements for Building Muscle and Shredding Fat. Sports Illustrated. https://www.si.com/showcase/nutrition/best-supplements-for-muscle-growth
Chief Operating Officer, The Compounding Pharmacy of America
Matthew Poteet, Pharm.D. graduated with Honors from Lee University with a Bachelors of Science in Biological Science. After his undergraduate training, he completed the Doctor of Pharmacy program at Mercer University Southern School of Pharmacy, graduating in 2004. Dr. Poteet has spent much of his pharmacy career on staff at two of the most prestigious academic teaching hospitals in the Southeast; Emory University in Atlanta and Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. At these institutions he received extensive experience and training in sterile products compounding.
He returned home to East Tennessee in 2010, where he has held the position of Pharmacy Director at two sterile products pharmacies in Knoxville. Matthew lives in Knoxville with his wife, Chris. Dr. Poteet is Tennessee’s first Board Certified Anti-Aging Pharmacist by the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine.
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