Supplements for Muscle Mass

Nothing can replace a healthy diet to fuel workouts, but the right workout supplements can provide an extra edge in helping you achieve your fitness goals. There are countless supplements on the market that allege to boost workout efforts, yet research shows that only a few supplements are backed by science as successful workout supplements for building muscles.

Beta-Alanine

In findings reported in the "Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition," scientists examined the impact of beta-alanine supplementation on body composition in participants performing high intensity interval training, a form of cardio that alternates between high and low intensity exercise. Beta-alanine is a naturally occurring amino acid. Scientists found that participants performing high intensity interval training while taking beta-alanine supplements for six weeks experienced greater increases in lean body mass and improvements in VO2 peak, an indicator of aerobic endurance, than those given a placebo.

A-GPC

Tim Ziegenfuss and colleagues investigated the effects of alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine or A-GPC, a compound found in the brain, on growth hormone, a protein hormone associated with increases in muscle mass and decreases in body fat. The testing was done on subjects undergoing resistance training. Participants supplementing with A-GPC before performing weight training exercise experienced increases in post-exercise growth hormone levels compared to those taking a placebo, according to research reported in the "Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

Whey Protein

Whey protein might help boost blood flow during exercise, according to findings published in the "Nutrition Journal." Kevin Ballard led a team of researchers who studied the impact of whey protein on vascular function or blood flow during exercise. They found that healthy participants ingesting whey protein had greater blood flow to muscles than those taking a placebo. Increasing blood flow during workouts enhances the delivery of oxygen, amino acids and hormones to working muscles. This allows you to train harder for longer, because oxygen is needed to create energy molecules known as ATP for muscle cells and also removes waste products that can cause muscle fatigue.