In the past 15 to 20 years, the supplement industry has literally exploded, producing some amazing compounds that provide real results – but only if your training and diet regimens are also on point. That said, even if you choose the right ingredients/products, eat clean, and train correctly, you must take supplements consistently and at the correct times (i.e. when the body needs them and/or can utilize them to their potential) to maximize your gains in muscle mass, decrease body fat, and enhance your strength and performance.
What follows is a list of some of our most effective OTC supplements and exactly how and when they should be used for the best overall outcome.
1 of 9
AlexSava / Getty
L-leucine
More and more clinical research is pointing to the fact that leucine is the most anabolic and anti-catabolic of the branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), acting primarily through the all-important mTOR pathway. Leucine increases protein synthesis (independent of insulin), decreases protein degradation, stabilizes blood sugar (in a calorie-restricted state) and has even shown powerful fat-loss properties through increased expression of uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3).
Take It Like This: Use 5 grams in water or a protein shake immediately following a workout.
2 of 9
jorgegonzalez
Creatine Monohydrate
Supplementing with creatine monohydrate increases creatine phosphate within muscle cells, hastening ATP resynthesis, allowing for more strength and power while training with weights. Creatine also helps volumize (fill with fluid) muscle cells, creating a more efficient anabolic (muscle-building) state. Additionally, creatine has also been shown to reduce levels of “myostatin,” a myokine protein that actually interferes with muscle hypertrophy. The lower one’s myostatin level, the greater potential he/she has for increasing muscle size.
Take It Like This: For the first week of use, take 5 grams per serving, four to five times per day, with a meal. Thereafter, simply take 5 grams with a post-workout shake on training days, or 5 grams with breakfast on rest days. Cycle creatine for 12 to 16 on, and four weeks off.
3 of 9
Michelle Arnold / EyeEm
Beta-alanine
Beta-alanine combines with histidine to augment muscle carnosine levels, which has been shown to dramatically enhance endurance, delay neuromuscular fatigue, and raise the anabolic threshold by buffering muscle acidity. Additionally, BA helps to generate great levels of nitric oxide so that your muscle pumps are both more intense and longer lasting.
Take It Like This: Consume 3.2 grams in water upon waking up and another 3.2 grams 15 to 30 minutes before a workout. (Note: Some lifters prefer to split their BA into four daily doses of 1.6 grams to help prevent paresthesia, or itchy/tingly skin. Others find that a single 6.4-gram dose before training works best).
4 of 9
ArishaRay/Getty Images
Citrulline Malate
This amino acid compound helps to improve training intensity, endurance, and recovery speed. This happens via several physiological mechanisms, including increased nitric oxide levels, enhanced blood flow to muscles, reduced levels of ammonia/lactic acid, and more rapid replenishment of PCr (phospho-creatine) stores.
Take It Like This: Consume 6 grams in water approximately 30 to 45 minutes before commencing a weight-training workout.
5 of 9
Drazen / Getty
Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
The branched-chain amino acids are comprised of leucine, isoleucine, and valine, and perform many vital physique-enhancing functions within the body. Their myriad of benefits include the ability to enhance protein synthesis, reduce protein breakdown, boost energy, stave off fatigue, support greater fat loss, improve intra-workout hormonal profile (i.e. higher testosterone and lower cortisol levels), and decrease muscle soreness.
Take It Like This: Take 5 to 10 grams in water immediately upon rising, and another 5 to 10 grams about 30 to 45 minutes before an intense workout. Then, start sipping on 5 to 10 grams approximately halfway through your training session.
6 of 9
Vedrana Sucic / EyeEm / Getty
Betaine
Also known as trimethylglycine, or TMG, most of its proposed benefits are the result of its role as a methyl donor. Studies have shown that using ample amount of this compound can lead to significant gains in strength, power, and muscle mass. It is suggested that betaine works by increasing creatine production in the body, augmenting protein synthesis, enhancing anabolic hormone profiles, and supporting healthy homocysteine levels.
Take It Like This: Consume one to 1.5 grams both pre and post workout on training days, and first thing in the morning on rest days.
7 of 9
MirageC / Getty
L-Glutamine
This amino acid is one of the most abundant in the body. It helps to increase the release of growth hormone, enhances nitrogen retention, staves off muscle wasting, augments the number of “Heat Shock Proteins,” and provides a meaningful boost to the immune system.
Take It Like This: Five to 10 grams on an empty stomach upon waking, 30 minutes before training, and just before hitting the sack at night.
8 of 9
by sharaff / Getty
Essential Fatty Acids
EFA’s are essential for overall health, proper hormonal production (including testosterone), fat burning, mood enhancement, insulin sensitivity, skin, hair, and brain function (i.e. learning and memory). Additionally, EFA’s improve the elasticity of arterial walls and reduce the harmful effects of plasma triglycerides. This is truly a staple supplement that should be a part of any health-conscious person’s program.
Take It Like This: Take one to two 1,000-milligram gel caps with breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
9 of 9
Radius Images / Getty
Multivitamin/Mineral
Multivitamin/mineral products should be used to make sure that you are meeting all of your micronutrient needs, as certain cooking methods and the quality of the foods we eat often compromise their total vitamin and mineral content. Intense training, emotional stress, and environmental factors cause a lot of free radical damage, which can negatively affect your heart health, internal organs, joints, central nervous system, and muscles, which means most basic multivitamins are not adequate for athletes. Make sure you seek out an engineered-for-athletes formula that works as hard as you do.
Take It Like This: When it comes to these, it’s best to follow the directions on the label.
