The Best Bodybuilding Supplements: A Beginner's Guide

If you're getting into bodybuilding, it's important that your diet allows you to capitalise on your hard work in the gym. Here, we take a look at the best beginner supplements for bodybuilding and the evidence supporting them in terms of growing muscle cells, helping you recover from muscle breakdown, and improving your weight training performance. 

The Best Supplements for Muscle Mass

Protein Shakes

A randomized controlled trial (RCT) by Mertz et al. (2021), published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that daily supplementation with 40 grams of whey protein powder significantly enhanced muscle growth in adults undergoing resistance training.

Calories and Macronutrients per 100 Grams of Whey Proteins from Bodybuilding Warehouse, Myprotein, and Optimum Nutrition* 

*Macros, calories, and ratings can vary across flavours and as new versions are released. 

Since you're interested in muscle gain, you might also like my article on the best dietary supplements for women who want to increase their muscle tissue. 

Essential Amino Acids

Vieillevoye et al. (2010) examined the effects of amino acid supplementation during the early stages of an intensive training programme. 

Over 12 weeks, 29 young males were assigned to either a placebo or an essential amino acid (EAA) supplement group. 

While both groups showed significant improvements in muscle mass and strength, those taking the EAA supplement experienced greater gains.

Top-Rated Essential Amino Acid Powders

You could also check out my article on the benefits of amino acid supplements for muscle building.  

The Best Supplements for Fat Loss

Protein Shakes

Taylor et al. (2016) conducted an RCT that found that eight weeks of whey protein supplementation in basketball players significantly increased lean mass, decreased fat mass, and enhanced 1-repetition maximum bench press strength and agility compared to a control group.

You might also be interested in my article on the best weight loss supplements. 

Essential Amino Acids

Dudgeon et al. (2016) investigated the impact of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation alongside heavy resistance training and a calorie-restricted diet on body composition in 17 resistance-trained men. 

Over eight weeks, participants received either a 14-gram daily BCAA supplement or a carbohydrate (CHO) supplement. 

The BCAA group maintained lean mass while losing body fat, whereas the CHO group experienced reductions in both lean mass and total body weight.

Top-Rated BCAA Powders

 You could also take a look at my article comparing amino acids in pill and powder form. 

The Best Supplements for Muscle Strength

Pre-Workouts

A study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that short-term ingestion of a multi-ingredient pre-workout supplement (MIPS) improved strength endurance in the bench press, leading to more repetitions in the final set to failure and a higher total volume load. Additionally, MIPS consumption reduced fatigue and increased alertness, which may support performance during high-intensity training (Jagim et al., 2016). 

Top-Rated Pre-Workouts

How pre-workouts can enhance athletic performance is also discussed in my article comparing BCAA and pre-workout supplements. 

Creatine Monohydrate 

A meta-analysis of 22 studies (Chillibeck et al., 2017) found that creatine supplementation combined with resistance training significantly enhances lean tissue mass and strengthens both upper and lower body muscles in adults.

Top-Rated Creatine Monohydrate Powders

You could also take a look at my article on the right supplements to take if you want to get stronger. 

The Best Supplements for Muscle Recovery

Protein Shakes

Although rice and whey protein powders have different amino acid profiles, a study published in Nutrition Journal suggests they may be equally effective in promoting increases in lean body mass, muscle mass, strength, and power (Joy et al., 2013). 

The study also found no significant differences in perceived recovery, soreness, or readiness to train among participants consuming a moderate daily dose (48 grams) of either brown rice or whey protein powder. 

Similar results have also been reported for soy protein and pea protein powder. 

Calories and Macronutrients per 100 Grams of Brown Rice, Pea, and Soy Proteins from Bodybuilding Warehouse, Myprotein, and Sevenhills*

*Macros, calories, and ratings can vary across flavours and as new versions are released. 

How having a protein shake can facilitate the recovery process is also discussed in my article on the best supplements for recovery. 

Fish Oil Supplements

Tartibian et al. (2009) found that fish oil supplementation decreased perceived pain and enhanced range of motion 48 hours after exercise. Additionally, thigh swelling was reduced at both 24 and 48 hours post-exercise in the omega-3 group. These results indicate that fish oil may help mitigate delayed onset muscle soreness caused by eccentric exercise.

Top-Rated Fish Oils

You could also check out my article the main benefits of fish oil supplements for bodybuilders. 

Conclusion

For building muscle while keep your fat levels down, whey protein supplements and amino acid supplements are a good bet. For strength, pre-workout supplements and creatine supplements can make a big difference. For muscle repair and faster recovery, fatty acids (e.g., docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid) and different types of protein powder (e.g., whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, casein protein, plant-based protein) are great options. 

As an aspiring bodybuilder, you might also be interested in one of these articles:

• How eggs compare to whey protein in terms of muscle protein synthesis
• The best protein powders if you want to aviod animal products
• How creatine supports different types of high-intensity exercise
• Comparing whey and brown rice protein in relation to protein content
• Protein powders vs. mass gainers for weight gain

About the Author

Dave Robinson is a co-founder of ukfitness.pro and has a background in psychology (BSc) and neuroscience (MSc, PhD). As well as strength training, he enjoys endurance challenges and has completed marathons and ultramarathons, cycled across several countries, and completed the Three Peaks Challenge. When writing, he draws on scientific evidence to understand the pros and cons of different diets, supplements, and training regimes. 

As an Amazon Associate, the site earns from qualifying purchases.

References

• Chilibeck, P. D., Kaviani, M., Candow, D. G., & Zello, G. A. (2017). Effect of creatine supplementation during resistance training on lean tissue mass and muscular strength in older adults: A meta-analysis. Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine, 8, 213–226. https://doi.org/10.2147/OAJSM.S123529
• Davies, R. W., Carson, B. P., & Jakeman, P. M. (2018). The effect of whey protein supplementation on the temporal recovery of muscle function following resistance training: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients, 10(2), 221. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10020221
• Jagim, A. R., Jones, M. T., Wright, G. A., St Antoine, C., Kovacs, A., & Oliver, J. M. (2016). The acute effects of multi-ingredient pre-workout ingestion on strength performance, lower body power, and anaerobic capacity. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 13, 11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-016-0122-2
• Joy, J. M., Lowery, R. P., Wilson, J. M., Purpura, M., De Souza, E. O., Wilson, S. M., Kalman, D. S., Dudeck, J. E., & Jäger, R. (2013). The effects of 8 weeks of whey or rice protein supplementation on body composition and exercise performance. Nutrition journal, 12, 86. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-12-86
• Mertz, K. H., Reitelseder, S., Bechshoeft, R., Bulow, J., Højfeldt, G., Jensen, M., Schacht, S. R., Lind, M. V., Rasmussen, M. A., Mikkelsen, U. R., Tetens, I., Engelsen, S. B., Nielsen, D. S., Jespersen, A. P., & Holm, L. (2021). The effect of daily protein supplementation, with or without resistance training for 1 year, on muscle size, strength, and function in healthy older adults: A randomized controlled trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 113(4), 790–800. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqaa372
• Tartibian, B., Maleki, B. H., & Abbasi, A. (2009). The effects of ingestion of omega-3 fatty acids on perceived pain and external symptoms of delayed onset muscle soreness in untrained men. Clinical journal of sport medicine : official journal of the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine, 19(2), 115–119. https://doi.org/10.1097/JSM.0b013e31819b51b3
• Taylor, L. W., Wilborn, C., Roberts, M. D., White, A., & Dugan, K. (2016). Eight weeks of pre- and postexercise whey protein supplementation increases lean body mass and improves performance in Division III collegiate female basketball players. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 41(3), 249–254. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2015-0463
• Vieillevoye, S., Poortmans, J. R., Duchateau, J., & Carpentier, A. (2010). Effects of a combined essential amino acids/carbohydrate supplementation on muscle mass, architecture and maximal strength following heavy-load training. European journal of applied physiology, 110(3), 479–488. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-010-1520-9