Fundamentals of muscle nutrition
Building muscle mass is difficult because there are many factors at play beyond just strength training. Genetics, sleep and diet also play a role. If you can't act on your genetics, you can however control your sleep and nutrition. So, that leaves your muscle diet. This is where muscle building supplements come in. Yes, supplements are a safe and practical way to help you gain muscle mass, as long as you know the right products to buy.
Protein fuels muscle growth
Protein, more than any other nutrient, fuels muscle growth. If you want to build muscle, you should aim to eat 0.8 to 1.1 grams of protein per pound of target body weight daily, according to the research body. For example, if you want to weigh 185, you should consume about 185 grams of protein per day.
Now, if you think you want to try to eat about 30 grams of protein at each meal to best fuel your muscles, and you're eating three meals a day, you'll only get a total of 90 grams of protein. Even if you add two smart snacks, each containing about 15 grams of protein, you're still missing about 65 grams. Of course, you can reach your protein goals without supplements, but protein powders make it easier.
Other supplements to increase muscle mass
In addition to protein powder, creatine, the most researched and effective performance-enhancing supplement in existence, is the best choice to help you increase strength, power and size.