What Are The Best Muscle Building Supplements?

By  Alissa Carpio, CPT and IFBB Pro

When it comes to choosing which bodybuilding supplements work best for gaining size and strength, it can be hard to weed through it all and find what really works. So hopefully we can take some of that guesswork out for you by breaking down this list of the best supplements for muscle gain and strength.

Which are the Best Natural Muscle Building Supplements?

The Science Behind Anafuse by Vital Alchemy:

1. Epicatechin: This flavanol, found in green tea and cocoa, is a potent antioxidant that decreases the presence of Myostatin in the body. Myostatin is a protein that regulates and limits muscle growth, but epicatechin reduces these limiting factors and enhances muscle development.

2. Ajuga Turkestanica (Turkesterone): This ecdysterone, found in plants and insects, is believed to be one of the strongest natural supplements for fat loss, muscle building, focus improvement, and muscle recovery. A study, "The Anabolic Properties of Turkesterone phyto ecdysone and turkesterone tetraacetate in experiments," showed that this ingredient can maintain the integrity of aged skeletal muscles and speed up workout recovery by stimulating protein biosynthesis.

3. HICA: HICA is a metabolite of leucine that promotes protein synthesis and decreases muscle protein breakdown. It helps to neutralize catabolic muscle wasting products during high intensity training, supporting gains in mass and strength while promoting accelerated muscle recovery.

4. Eriobotrya Japonica (EJ): This plant contains natural anabolic ingredients, such as Epicatechin, Ursolic Acid, Tormenic Acid, and Ellagic Acid, that help with muscle building, fat burning, and athletic performance. Studies indicate that EJ increases the expression of myogenic genes, activates the AKT/mTOR pathway, and promotes muscle protein synthesis and lean muscle mass. EJ can also prevent muscle atrophy and increase muscle hypertrophy, making it ideal for use during caloric deficit to preserve muscle mass.

5. Vitamin D3: Vitamin D3 is crucial for muscle health as low levels can result in decreased protein synthesis, weakness, muscle wasting, and fatty muscles.
6. Quercetin: This flavanol, commonly found in fruits, vegetables, leaves, and grains, is used to support respiratory health, cardiovascular health, and balanced blood pressure. In the case of epicatechin, quercetin inhibits the deactivation of epicatechin by preventing sulfotransferases from binding to it.

Honorable Mention Supplements for Muscle Gain and Strength

While Androvar and Anafuse top our list, there are other effective products that are potent and worth mentioning as some of the best supplements for muscle growth.

What are the Best Supplements for Increasing Strength?

If strength is your main goal, these three supplements top our list.

Androvar, which we previously discussed, is equally as potent for gaining strength as it is for growing muscle.

Second on the list is Anabolic Trinity. Hard Rock Supplements has taken the anabolic game to the next level with the powerful triple effect of Epiandrosterone, Laxogenin and Androsterone. We’ve already learned the benefits of Epiandrosterone converting to DHT and helping with lean, dry muscle gain. Having reviewed Laxogenin, we know it’s a potent, all-natural plant-based steroid that suppresses cortisol and helps with muscle protein synthesis.

By adding Androsterone to the mix, Anabolic Trinity could be one of the most effective prohormone substances on the market today.

Androsterone is a 3-alpha-isomer that gets converted by the body into testosterone-like hormones and is widely used by athletes and bodybuilders [ 6].

The main benefits of androsterone including strength gains and bodyfat loss.

The combination of these ingredients in Anabolic Trinity makes it a great supplement for cutting cycles or lean bulking.

In addition to the anabolic ingredients in this product, you also get the benefits of Agmatine sulfate, a substance sometimes referred to as “super arginine.” Arginine is best known to be a vasodilator and a precursor to nitric oxide production, the popular supplement used to help increase pump, blood flow, and muscle protein synthesis [ 7].

These benefits are all seen from arginine supplementation as well. How Agmatine differs is by the removal of the carboxylic acid group, allowing it to be stored within the neurons of the brain and released upon activation.

Using a blend of grapefruit and bergamottin as a delivery matrix, Anabolic Trinity can be considered one of the best muscle building supplements available. Its potent ingredients have a powerful androgenic effect and should be used for serious athletes and bodybuilders.

Finally among our top strength builders is R-Andro Shred. For lean, dry gains, Hard Rock Supplements has cut right to the strongest legal ingredients available with a combination of Androsterone and 7-Keto-DHEA.

If you’re looking for powerful anabolic agents with intense thermogenic fat loss ingredients, look no further.

R-Andro Shred contains the simple, proven ingredients to help with any cutting cycle or lean bulk.

Increase muscle size, strength, hardness, and vascularity while reducing body fat and excess water weight.

Which Supplements are Good for Muscle Gain and Weight Loss (Cutting/Shredding)?

True Shred by Hard Rock Supplements is a true hybrid shredder which offers high-powered shredding with the added benefit of being anabolic. This means you can keep your gains, and possibly even make new ones, while shedding unwanted body fat.

The compounds in True Shred combine to offer what most bodybuilders are seeking: gains in lean mass with a decrease in body fat. For this reason, it could be one of the best bodybuilding supplements available today.

One of the biggest challenges during a cutting cycle is retaining your hard-earned muscle and strength. So Hard Rock has included the anabolic agents Laxogenin, l-Norvaline, Colostrum, Bulbene Natalenis, and 7-Keto-DHEA.

Let’s take a look at these with a little more detail.

We’ve got Laxogenin, the all-natural plant-based steroid known to enhance the effects of other anabolic agents.

L-Norvaline is a form of the amino acid Valine, which is one of the Branched Chain Amino Acids responsible for 35% of amino acids in body protein. Norvaline is a strong vasodilator helping with NO production and assists in muscle protein synthesis and post-workout recovery.

Bulbine Natalensis assists in raising testicular cholesterol to provide the raw materials necessary for increased testosterone production.

Colostrum powder can increase endurance and strength through its growth hormone (GH) precursors IGF-1 and IGF-2. IT helps with nutrient assimilation, resulting in increased nitrogen retention, reduced catabolism, higher energy levels and improved performance.

Finally, let’s look at 7-Keto-DHEA. This form of DHEA does not convert into estrogens. It is, however, used to produce body heat and increase metabolic rate and thyroid gland activity, making it a formidable thermogenic and fat burner.

7-Keto-DHEA also aids in building muscle and increasing lean body mass, boosting immunity, and treating mood disorders such as depression and anxiety [ 8].

Which Supplements are Good for Muscle Gain and Strength?

Did we mention Androvar? Of course we did, and that’s because its proven ingredients top the list for best bodybuilding supplements. We have two others to introduce you to as well.

Andro the Giant by Hard Rock Supplements is simple and highly effective with the single ingredient of 4-androstene 3b-ol, 17-one, or simply referred to as “4 Andro.”

4 Andro is a powerful prohormone that activates through the presence of testosterone, enhancing your body’s anabolic and androgenic effects, making Andro the Giant one of the best supplements for muscle growth.

Studies have shown it to increase serum testosterone levels, increase lean mass and increase muscle strength [15].

You can expect an amazing muscle pump along with increased strength and performance.

Side effects may include aromatization but can easily be prevented by stacking Andro the Giant with an estrogen inhibitor.

Finally we have Super Mandro, another advanced prohormone in the form of 1dehydroepiandrosterone, or “1 Andro.”

As we already know, prohormones land among the best muscle building supplements because they work to increase your body’s production of testosterone, the standard ingredient by which all steroids and prohormones are measured.

With a 1:1 anabolic to androgenic ratio, nothing works better than testosterone at muscle protein synthesis (both an increase in muscle cell size and an increase in number of muscle cells), muscle fullness and pumps, fat loss and lasting strength gains. By providing 1 Andro, we’re allowing the body to make 1 Testosterone, and  reap all the benefits of testosterone supplementation.

By conversion into 1 Testosterone, supplementation with 1 Andro has been shown to mimic true, steroid-like gains [16].

As with many prohormones and testosterone enhancers, we can expect some health risks, so it’s recommended to take a digestive health product and liver aid while cycling any oral product.

Honorable Mention Supplements for Muscle Gain and Strength

Major Bulk. For advanced users, Assault Labs offers Major Bulk, combining six major compounds for one of the strongest natural muscle building stacks on the market.

These six hand-selected ingredients work synergistically for a compounded effect that’s unparalleled when it comes to natural bodybuilding supplements.

Let’s take a look at the four key ingredients in detail.

Ursolic acid is a natural chemical compound that occurs in apple skin and herbs such as rosemary and sage. Ursolid acid boasts strong antioxidant properties, so it’s great for fighting inflammation, disease, and helping with post-workout recovery.

Ursolic acid can help with fat loss by blocking the formation of fat cells, but let’s take a look at its muscle-building properties [ 9].

Studies conducted on mice found an increase in grip strength, exercise performance and lean muscle, with an increase in both fast- and slow-twitch muscle fibers [10].

By regulating insulin and increasing growth hormone, ursolic acid can help with muscle gain [11].

Maral Root extract is an Edycosteroid, a naturally occurring steroid, and has been shown to exhibit strong androgenic effects in studies conducted on mice [12].

HICA comes from the amino acid Leucine, which is one of the Branched Chain Amino Acids that collectively account for 35% of skeletal muscle tissue. Leucine improves muscle protein synthesis [13] and reduces soreness.

HICA quickens the effects of high intensity training by eliminating catabolic products from the body, supporting muscle and strength gains through improved post-workout recovery [14].

Finally, the fourth key ingredient in Major Bulk is Laxogenin, which we already discovered is a natural steroid building block to enhance your body’s muscle gaining potential. 

Whether your primary goal is to gain muscle, gain strength, lose bodyfat, or maybe a combination of these, you can find the most potent and safe legal bodybuilding supplements available in this list.

Questions on cycle length, creating your own stack, supportive products, nutrition and more, please check out each product’s Q & A section for common questions, or drop us a line and we’ll be happy to help.

Authored by Alissa Carpio

Alissa Carpio is an accomplished writer and athlete in the fitness industry, with over fourteen years of experience. She hold’s a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Management, is an IFBB Professional athlete and the 2017 NPC National Fitness Champion. Alissa’s work has been published in Oxygen magazine and MET-Rx magazine. She’s also written for MET-Rx, Max Muscle, Pampers.com, Prevention.com, Bodybuilding.com and Eat the Bear.

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