List of Nutritional Supplements for Weight Gain
If you are trying to gain weight by bulking up, the most important thing is a good base diet. There are also other sections of this sports nutrition section on eating for weight gain. For someone who is training at a high intensity, the diet should be high in carbohydrates, and the timing of the food intake should to optimized pre and post training sessions.
Below is listed a range of different supplement types, with a brief outline of what each of them are about. It is best to consult a sports dietitian before undertaking a supplement regime.
body size is shaped by training Sports Foods
There are many sports drinks, bars, gels and powders that claim to assist increasing muscle mass, such as Musashi bulk, Up & Go liquid meal, sports drinks, carbohydrate gels.
Protein
- Pure 100% protein is no good
- It should be combined with carbohydrate for best effects
- For more information see protein for athletes
Amino Acids
- There is no clear evidence to show better muscle growth than with ‘complete protein’ in the diet
- There are negative side effects of specific amino acid ingestion; kidney damage, inc. loss of calcium, gout, dehydration
- Better results in combination
- For more info, see article about Amino Acid Supplements.
Creatine
- Creatine works to improve intermittent exercise effort, and increase weight (+ inc. water in muscle).
- No significant side effects, however anecdotal claims (cramps, gastric effects) therefore not for everyone.
- You should follow a specific protocol for best effect.
- For more information, see article on what you need to know about Creatine
HMB
- HMB is a by-product of the amino acid leucine
- Theory: influences muscle metabolism; reduces protein breakdown therefore increasing muscle size
- Research has indicated a very small improvement
- You should follow a specific protocol for best effect
hGH
- HGH is a BANNED substance in many sports
- It is naturally produced by the adrenal gland and used for metabolism and muscle growth
- Stimulates the liver to produce insulin-like growth factor for bone growth and muscle growth
- Very bad side effects – ‘acromegaly’
Colostrum
- Colostrum is the very first milk from a cow, high in immunoglobulins, minerals, protein and IGF-1.
- IGF-1 is also found in normal milk.
- Theory: IGF-1 broken down in the stomach, therefore not useful as a growth factor.
- For more information, see article on what you need to know about Colostrum
SARMS
- A class of compounds designed to selectively target and stimulate specific androgen receptors in the body.
- They are intended to mimic the effects of anabolic steroids without some of the associated side effects.
- Potential side effects of SARMs include hormone imbalances, liver toxicity, and cardiovascular issues.
- For more information, see our article about SARMS.
Tribulus
- Tribulus is a plant steroid, a natural anabolic substance
- No science to show it works, in fact most research shows NO effects at all
- High risk of doping result due to impurities in the product.
Related Pages
- More about nutritional supplements
- Train the natural way. See the Fitness Training section
- Protein for athletes
- Go Shopping in the Supplement Store
- Nutrition for weight gain
Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.
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