​Building Muscle Over 40: Supplements to Maximize Results

As we age, maintaining muscle mass becomes increasingly important for our overall health and well-being. For men over 40, building muscle can be a challenge due to changes in metabolism, hormone levels, and lifestyle. 

However, the right supplements can make a significant difference in your muscle-building journey. In this guide, we'll explore the best supplements to help you build muscle over 40, so you can stay fit and healthy as you age.

[Related Article] Building Muscle After 40: It's Not Too Late (Here's How!)

Short Summary

• Age-Related Muscle Loss: As you age, muscle mass declines, making it harder to build and maintain strength.
• Role of Supplements: Certain supplements can support muscle growth, recovery, and overall health for those over 40.
• Top Supplements: This article covers the best supplements for building muscle over 40.
• Balanced Approach: Combining supplements with proper nutrition and exercise can help maintain muscle and stay fit after 40.
• Ready to start your muscle-building journey? Consider Anafuse, our top-recommended supplement for building muscle over 40 muscle gain.

Can You Really Build Muscle After 40?

Yes, you can build muscle after 40. While it might be a bit more challenging than when you were younger, it’s definitely possible with the right approach. As we age, our bodies naturally undergo changes such as reduced muscle mass and a slower metabolism. 

However, with the right approach, including proper nutrition, exercise, and supplementation, it's entirely possible to maintain and even increase muscle mass.

Research shows that resistance training, combined with adequate protein intake, can stimulate muscle protein synthesis even in older adults. This process is crucial for building and repairing muscle tissue. 

While it may take longer to see results compared to younger individuals, consistency and a well-rounded approach can lead to significant improvements in strength and muscle mass over time.

How Muscle-Building Supplements Can Help?

Muscle-building supplements play a crucial role in enhancing your efforts to gain muscle, especially as you get older. 

Here’s how these supplements can make a difference:

• Provide essential nutrients: Supplements can help ensure you're getting enough protein, creatine, and other essential nutrients that support muscle growth and repair.
• Boost muscle mass: Certain supplements, such as creatine and protein, have been shown to increase muscle mass and strength.
• Improve recovery: Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and other amino acids can help reduce muscle soreness and fatigue, allowing you to train more frequently and effectively.
• Promote overall health: Many muscle-building supplements also contain vitamins and minerals that improve overall health and well-being.
• Improve Hormone Levels: Testosterone boosters can help balance hormone levels, which is crucial for muscle growth.

Our List of the Best Supplements for Building Muscle Over 40

1. Sergeant Steel by Assault Labs – Best Test Booster
2. AnaFuse by Vital Alchemy – Best Natural Muscle Builder
3. Androvar™ by Hard Rock Supplements – Best Hormonal Muscle Builder
4. AlphaBulk by Olympus Labs – Best Natural Muscle Bulker
5. True Shred by Hard Rock Supplements – Best Cutting Supplement

1- Sergeant Steel by Assault Labs

Sergeant Steel is a natural supplement designed to support healthy testosterone levels, muscle growth, and overall well-being. It includes a mix of natural ingredients such as shilajit, Ashwagandha, Mucuna, magnesium, boron, vitamin D, Bioperine, nettle, and zinc.

This formula aims to increase Nitric Oxide levels, which can boost your energy and enhance muscle growth. The ingredients are chosen to promote healthy blood flow, which helps deliver more oxygen and nutrients to your muscles, promoting better growth and strength. 

Additionally, Sergeant Steel supports your immune system and includes Ashwagandha, which may help reduce stress and promote relaxation.

Key Ingredients of Sergeant Steel by Assault Labs

D-Aspartic Acid:An amino acid that may help increase testosterone levels in the blood, potentially leading to muscle growth and faster recovery through enhanced nitric oxide production.

KSM-66® Ashwagandha Root Extract: An adaptogen that helps the body manage stress. It may improve testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels while reducing cortisol, which is linked to muscle loss.

Mucuna Pruriens: A precursor to dopamine that supports lean muscle growth and maintains normal hormone levels.

Nettle Extract: Helps increase testosterone by inhibiting Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG), which binds testosterone and reduces its availability.

Fenugreek: Enhances libido and testosterone levels, improves strength, and aids in reducing DHT (dihydrotestosterone).

Shilajit: Provides essential nutrients and minerals, helps boost testosterone levels, and enhances energy.

LJ100: A patented extract that may enhance sexual function and fertility by influencing free testosterone levels and reducing SHBG.

Dehydroabietic Acid (DHAA): Known for its anti-estrogen effects, it may prevent the conversion of testosterone to estrogen and support weight loss by increasing adiponectin levels.

Tribulus Extract: Known for boosting testosterone levels by 12% and IGF-1 levels by 20%.

Maca Extract: Improves fertility by increasing sperm production.

Boron: An essential mineral that may support bone health and lower SHBG levels, potentially increasing testosterone levels.

Key Benefits of Sergeant Steel by Assault Labs

• It increases testosterone levels.
• It enhances nitric oxide levels.
• It boosts your overall mood.
• It enhances your muscle mass.
• It increases Luteinizing Hormone.
• It reduces estrogen and cortisol levels.
• It supports your recovery.
• It improves your strength.
• It boosts libido.
• It blocks DHT.

Customer Reviews: Sergeant Steel by Assault Labs

 Top of the Line

“Have been using this quality supplement for a long time and have been completely satisfied with the results it gives. The strength, pumps, vascularity, blood flow, and muscle ****** I have seen. Thank you Assault Labs for another fine product.”

-D.B.

 Strong Test Booster!

“Sergeant Steel is pretty strong! I have used Apex Male in the past and Sergeant Steel seems to out perform from a motivation and performance standpoint.”

-Tracy G.

 Best natty test booster

“I have tried just DAA and a few other natty test boosters, but this stuff is legit. I run it after my pct between cycles and I feel like it really helps maintain my gains and definitely keeps my mood and libido up. Good stuff right here.”

-Todd

2- AnaFuse by Vital Alchemy

Anafuse is a muscle-building supplement designed to help you gain and maintain muscle mass. It features a blend of ingredients aimed at enhancing muscle growth and endurance. The supplement includes components that help reduce muscle fatigue and increase exercise capacity, potentially leading to better performance and muscle gains. 

One key benefit is that it helps reduce Myostatin, a protein that limits muscle growth. By inhibiting Myostatin, this supplement may help you achieve better muscle gains and reach your muscle-building goals more effectively.

Key Ingredients of AnaFuse by Vital Alchemy

Epicatechin: A flavanol found in green tea and cocoa, Epicatechin helps reduce Myostatin, a protein that limits muscle growth. By decreasing Myostatin levels, it promotes greater muscle development.

Ajuga Turkestanica (Turkesterone): A natural compound that supports muscle growth, fat loss, and recovery. It helps repair muscle tissue and enhances protein synthesis, leading to improved workout recovery and muscle building.

HICA: A metabolite of leucine that supports protein synthesis and reduces muscle breakdown. It helps accelerate muscle recovery and supports gains in mass and strength.

Eriobotrya Japonica (EJ): Contains natural anabolic compounds that promote muscle growth, fat loss, and performance. EJ enhances muscle protein synthesis and prevents muscle atrophy, making it beneficial during calorie deficits.

Vitamin D3: Essential for muscle health, it supports protein synthesis and muscle strength. Low levels can lead to muscle weakness and fat accumulation.

Quercetin: A flavanol found in many fruits and vegetables, known for supporting respiratory and cardiovascular health. It may enhance the effectiveness of epicatechin by preventing its deactivation in the body.

Key Benefits of AnaFuse by Vital Alchemy

• It increases your mass gains.
• It helps reduce body fat.
• It enhances muscle endurance.
• It improves muscle hardness.
• It boosts your strength.
• It helps increase muscle pumps.
• It speeds up muscle recovery.
• It reduces muscle soreness.

Customer Reviews: AnaFuse

 Awesome Stuff

“This is one of the best supplements ever. It has helped me recover faster and I have more strength as well as more endurance during my workouts. All this in just two weeks so I can’t wait to finish the bottle. The results will be amazing since we are off to a great start.”

-Jean B.

 Strength

“I know I'm late for the party but I know for a fact Anafuse added that extra 40 pounds of lift so could add that extra muscle, some supplements add muscle but do get you strength, some give you strength, that's what Anafuse does I know for certain, I will cycling it for sure for now on because it works.”

-Gary

 Great Stuff

“This is by far the most complete natural muscle builder on the market. You get great strength gains and fast recovery on this stuff. I will be buying again!”

-Jay B.

3- Androvar™ by Hard Rock Supplements

Androvar™ by Hard Rock Supplements is formulated to enhance muscle growth and strength. It contains Epiandrosterone, which converts into Stanolone in the body—a compound much stronger than testosterone. This helps with gaining lean, solid muscle.

Epiandrosterone in Androvar™ does not convert to estrogen, which helps decrease stubborn fat and water weight and may alleviate gynecomastia. It provides a high dose of Epiandrosterone (300-400 mg per serving) and comes with 180 servings, enough for a full 6-week cycle.

Key Ingredients of Androvar

Epiandrosterone: A derivative of DHEA found in pine pollen, Epiandrosterone converts into Stanolone (Dihydrotestosterone or DHT). 

Adequate levels of DHT are crucial for maintaining a healthy sex drive, improving mood, and enhancing muscle growth. Epiandrosterone helps increase strength, and muscle mass and reduces body fat and water retention.

Key Benefits of Androvar

• It helps enhance lean mass.
• It improves your strength.
• It boosts intensity during workouts.
• It increases fat burning.
• It helps improve muscle definition.
• It enhances vascularity.
• It helps reduce water retention.
• It helps increase protein synthesis.
• It helps in enhancing muscle hardness.
• It helps improve the sense of well-being.
• It helps increase muscle pumps.

Customer Reviews: Androvar

 Awesome

“On round 2. Great results. Definitely gotta put the work in still but around the third week I really start to see and feel the difference.”

-WillGp

 Amazing product.

“Best product I've found for dropping water and losing body fat while actually gaining strength, I feel really good all day and have not noticed any side effects other than some minor irritability at times, couldn't recommend it enough.”

-Alex

 Great product huge gains

“This picture is real I just ate a balanced diet / protein shake for breakfast , salad / soup light chicken & worked out took this product/ protex & I went from 30 dumbbells to 70-80 in 64 days no bs ..”

-Toke

4- AlphaBulk by Olympus Labs

AlphaBulk features α-Cedrene, a unique anabolic agent shown to increase muscle mass and strength while aiding in fat loss. It also features α-Ionone in its most effective liquid form to promote muscle protein synthesis, reduce muscle breakdown, and assist in fat metabolism. 

The supplement uses advanced Liquigel capsules to improve delivery and effectiveness. This technology aims to provide optimal benefits from the supplement.

Key Ingredients of AlphaBulk

α-Cedrene: A natural compound that may enhance skeletal muscle mass and strength. It works by stimulating hypertrophy and reducing muscle atrophy, potentially improving overall muscle growth and performance. Research suggests that α-Cedrene activates specific pathways that lead to increased protein synthesis and decreased catabolic processes in muscle tissue.

α-Ionone: This ingredient is believed to support muscle protein synthesis and has anti-catabolic properties. It enhances anabolic signaling pathways, which may help preserve muscle during cutting phases and promote overall muscle growth.

Tectochrysin PhytoFUSE: Extracted from Black Ginger, Tectochrysin supports muscle growth and recovery by increasing protein synthesis and nitrogen retention. It enhances muscle endurance, glucose uptake, and exercise performance. The PhytoFUSE delivery technology improves the absorption and effectiveness of this ingredient.

Urolithin B: A metabolite of ellagic acid, Urolithin B has been shown to mitigate muscle damage from intense exercise and protect against high-fat diet stresses. It enhances myotube growth and differentiation by increasing protein synthesis. Urolithin B is shown to enhance muscle protein synthesis more effectively than testosterone, even at lower doses.

Key Benefits of AlphaBulk

• It enhances anabolic signaling.
• It increases lean muscle growth.
• It helps increase your strength.
• It improves myogenesis.
• It boosts your lipolysis.
• It enhances exercise performance.
• It speeds up your muscle recovery.

Customer Reviews: AlphaBulk

 Alpha Bulk

“I recently purchased Alpha Bulk two weeks ago and all I can say is WOW!!!! The only downside about the pills are the taste, I’m taking 3 pills daily on an empty stomach. I like to train that way. They give me more endurance and can get out an extra rep or two before failure. No size yet, I’m only two weeks in. I ordered 2 bottles to run so I’m hoping to get a bit vascular full size.”

-LaMichael W.

 Quality supplement

“I’m using this a in my pct and it’s been 3 weeks and I haven’t lost any weight.”

-DJ

 Stellar Pumps and Vascularity!

“About 3 weeks in and man the pumps in the gym are incredible. Feel like Alphabulk really is starting to bring out my physique. Noticing it feels better when I am in a caloric surplus. Also I am just now seeing the strength increase. Each week the weight and reps are going up on my bench and squat. Excited to see how 8 weeks treats me.”

-Tony H.

5- True Shred by Hard Rock Supplements

True Shred is marketed as the first-ever hybrid cutting agent that combines natural anabolics and hormone enhancers (without using prohormones) to help users achieve a lean, hard, and chiseled physique. 

It helps with muscle hardening, growth, and provides support for testosterone and growth hormone levels. It also boosts metabolism to aid in achieving a lean and defined physique.

Key Ingredients of True Shred

Bulbine Natalensis: This herb is traditionally used in African medicine and is believed to enhance testosterone levels and support muscle growth. It may also have potential benefits for libido and overall vitality.

L-Norvaline: An amino acid that may help improve blood flow by inhibiting arginase, an enzyme that breaks down arginine (a precursor to nitric oxide). Increased nitric oxide levels can enhance muscle pumps, endurance, and overall workout performance.

Chinese Smilax Extract (Laxogenin): Laxogenin is a plant-based compound that is thought to have anabolic properties. It may help increase protein synthesis, support muscle recovery, and enhance overall muscle growth without the side effects of traditional anabolic steroids.

Androsta-3,5-diene-7,17-dione: This compound is known as a potent aromatase inhibitor, which means it can help prevent the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. By reducing estrogen levels, it may support lean muscle gains and help prevent water retention and fat gain during cutting cycles.

Colostrum Powder: Colostrum is the initial milk produced by mammals after birth. It contains high levels of immunoglobulins and growth factors like IGF-1 and IGF-2. These components may aid in muscle growth, improve recovery, and support the immune system.

T2: T2 is a synthetic thyroid hormone that boosts fat burning without harming muscle. It helps convert slow-twitch muscle fibers, which are used for endurance, into fast-twitch fibers, which are used for strength. This process can enhance strength while promoting fat loss.

Key Benefits of True Shred

• It enhances muscle hardness.
• It helps build lean muscle mass.
• It reduces body fat.
• It boosts vascularity.
• It increases your test levels.
• It enhances metabolism.
• It reduces estrogen.
• It improves growth hormones.
• It helps improve endurance.
• It increases protein synthesis.

Customer Reviews: True Shred by Hard Rock Supplements

 True shred works overtime

“It’s effective if you stay consistent with your routine of trying your best to lose weight and gain muscle and strength. it’s not for everybody and it takes time for it to see real results. I workout 6 to 7 days a week that’s why lol.”

-Cal

 Great cutter

“This is one of the best and strongest formulas out there. It attacks fat loss from multiple angles, with real ingredients that work.”

-Joe

 Really good stuff

“Love the impact I'm seeing with this - can definitely tell a difference in my energy and results”

-Sean

How We Selected These Supplements?

Choosing the right supplements involves several key steps:

• Scientific Evidence: We look for supplements backed by research. Effective ingredients should have proven benefits for muscle building and overall health.
• Quality Ingredients: Only supplements with high-quality, effective ingredients are considered. We prioritize those that use pure, well-sourced components.
• Manufacturer Reputation: We select products from reputable manufacturers known for quality and transparency. This ensures the supplements meet high standards.
• User Reviews: We review feedback from users to gauge real-world effectiveness and satisfaction.
• Safety and Side Effects: We review potential side effects and safety concerns associated with each supplement. It’s important to choose products that are safe to use.

How to Build Muscle Over 40

Building muscle after 40 requires a strategic approach that takes into account the natural changes in your body. Here are some key tips to help you build muscle effectively:

Focus on Compound Exercises

Compound exercises that work for multiple muscle groups simultaneously are the most efficient way to build muscle. Focus on exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and pull-ups. These movements allow you to lift heavier weights and stimulate more muscle growth.

Optimize Nutrition

• Adequate protein intake: Consume enough protein to support muscle repair and growth.
• Balanced diet: Include a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats to provide essential nutrients.
• Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water to support overall health and performance.

Prioritize Recovery

Allow sufficient time for your muscles to recover and repair. Get quality sleep and manage stress to support overall health and muscle growth.

Consider Supplements:

• Protein powder: protein supplements Can be a convenient way to increase protein intake.
• Creatine Supplementation: May enhance muscle strength and power.
• BCAAs: Branched-chain amino acids can support muscle growth and recovery.

Consult a Professional

If you’re new to weight training or have specific health concerns, consider working with a fitness professional or a healthcare provider to create a tailored workout and nutrition plan.

FAQs: Building Muscle Over 40 Supplements

Q: Is it too late to build muscle after 40?

A: Absolutely not! While it may take more effort than it did in your younger years, building muscle is still possible at 40 and beyond. By following a consistent workout routine, eating a balanced diet, and prioritizing rest and recovery, you can achieve significant results.

Q: How long does it take to build muscle over 40?

A: The rate at which you build muscle will depend on various factors, including your genetics, diet, exercise routine, and overall health.

Q: How can I avoid injuries when building muscle over 40?

A: Proper form is crucial. Always consult with a fitness professional to learn the proper technique for each exercise. Listen to your body and avoid pushing yourself too hard, especially if you're new to working out. Warm up before your training and cool down afterward.

Q: How much protein should I take to build muscle over 40?

A: Aim for 0.8-1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. This will provide your muscles with the necessary building blocks for growth and repair.

What are the best supplements for building muscle over 40?

Key supplements for building muscle after 40 include protein powders, creatine for strength and muscle mass, BCAAs for muscle recovery, and vitamin D to support overall health and muscle function.

[Related] 5 Best Supplements for Men Over 40: Enhance Your Health and Wellness Today

Conclusion

Building muscle after 40 is not only possible, but it’s also a great way to improve your overall health and well-being. With the right approach, including a solid workout routine, proper nutrition, and smart use of supplements, you can achieve noticeable results. 

Stay consistent, listen to the body, and make adjustments as needed to stay on track. By combining these elements, you will be able to stay healthy, fit, and strong into your 40s and beyond.

Sources:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/supplements-for-muscle-gain

https://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/g38883476/best-supplements-for-muscle-growth

https://us.myprotein.com/thezone/supplements/top-muscle-building-supplements

https://www.strongsupplementshop.com/sergeant-steel-by-assault-labs

https://www.strongsupplementshop.com/anafuse-by-vital-labs

https://www.strongsupplementshop.com/androvar-by-hard-rock-supplements

https://www.strongsupplementshop.com/alphabulk-by-olympus-labs

https://www.strongsupplementshop.com/true-shred-by-hard-rock-supplements