For women, finding the right supplements can prove to be a challenging experience. Women who want to build muscle tend to fall into a grey category. Most women are looking for weight loss supplements, and men are looking to build muscle.
If you’re a woman looking to pack on some serious muscle, these supplements can certainly enhance an already stellar diet and training program. These are my top 10 picks. I encourage you to check them out for yourself; bring on the muscle.
Beastly Pick #1-Whey protein
Whey protein is easily assimilated by the body; it gets to the muscles quickly which makes it a perfect post workout. Consuming a protein shake between meals is also an easy way to ensure that you’re meeting your daily protein needs to build muscle. Investing in a good quality whey protein can be worth its weight in gold for your muscle building endeavors.
Beastly Pick #2-Creatine
Creatine is one of the very few supplements with actual research to back it up; it has been shown to promote a significant increase in strength. And we all know an increase in strength means being stronger in the gym which ultimately leads to muscle growth.
Beastly Pick #3-BCAA’s
Ever wonder why BCCA’s are so popular? Consuming BCCA’s produces an anticatabolic effect. In simple terms, BCAA’s reduce the breakdown of protein which in turn protects the muscle tissue you are building. BCAA’s (Branched chain amino acids) are made up of isoleucine, leucine and valine which are the most important amino acids; they can be taken separately, but they work best when taken together.
Beastly Pick #4-L-Glutamine
By consuming L-Glutamine levels of leucine are increased in the muscle fibers. See Beastly Pick #3. L-Glutamine helps decrease muscle breakdown and aides in recovery following a hard training session.
Beastly Pick #5-L-Arginine
L-Arginine has been shown to increase muscle strength and growth and is considered a crystalline, free-form amino acid. It is an important factor in muscle metabolism and is a precursor for nitric oxide, (NO) which promotes increased circulation by relaxing blood vessels.
Beastly Pick #6-Collagen
Although I won’t discount the benefits of glucosamine chondroitin, my vote goes to collagen. Collagen not only assists in renewing damaged tissue, it has been shown to improve sleep patterns, muscle tone, promote healthy bones and joints, cholesterol and promotes insulin balance.
Beastly Pick #7-D-Ribose
A less common pick is D-Ribose. D-Ribose is one of the necessary building blocks for the formation of ATP. After a hard training session your ATP stores in the muscles can become depleted. Ribose plays a vital role in replenishing ATP stores and improves overall muscle recovery.
Beastly Pick #8-Fish oil
Essential fatty acids (EFA’s) are needed by your body to assist with joint support, reduces inflammation and aids in muscle recovery. You can also get EFA’s through foods you eat. I will be discussing some of these foods next week.
Beastly Pick #9-Greens powder
Although most people wouldn’t give it much thought, greens powder has its place in the muscle building community. Consuming high amounts of protein will cause the body to become acidic. Having greens powder post workout will put the body back into an alkaline state.
Beastly Bonus
Drinking greens also supplies the body with essential vitamins, including bone building minerals, powerful antioxidants (NO), and can provide the body with higher levels of energy.
Beastly Pick #10-Casein
Casein is a slower digesting protein than whey which makes it a perfect bed time snack. Casein provides the body with a slow steady stream of protein throughout the night; this prevents catabolism while you sleep. And, if you have to go for long lengths between meals, casein can be an excellent snack.
Beastly Tip
If you’re serious about muscle building don’t leave casein out of the picture. Be sure to take it prior to bed. Try it between meals; you can also add a ½ scoop to your post workout shake.
Final Thoughts
I would also suggest adding a quality probiotic to your foundational stack. For more info on the foundational stack check out Tip #2 Top 10 Supplement Tips. For dosage on these supplements check out Tip #6 and refer to the manufacturer label.
If you try these supplements, let me know in the comment section below.
Editor’s Note: Just remember, supplements are just that supplements; if your diet and training stink you’re wasting your money. Keep your diet in check by picking up a copy of my E-book, Pantry Raid.
