Dietary supplements for mass are special foods that are supposed to help you achieve the best possible results of strength training. Simply put, these types of products are designed to help you build muscle mass. Apart from the support in building the figure, the task of nutritional supplements or pills for mass is also to increase strength, efficiency and endurance of the person training. Dietary supplements for mass are dedicated to both women and men. The gender doesn't matter and anyone who wants to improve the look of their figure can use this type of product.

Which mass supplements to choose?

Despite appearances, building muscle mass is not an easy task, as it is necessary to have basic knowledge about nutrition, training and supplementation. Moreover, the right attitude is also a key issue. You cannot lack consistency in pursuing your goal and patience. However, let's go back to the topic of dietary supplements for mass. These are willingly chosen by most athletes, both amateurs and professionals.

Often even beginners are interested in the subject of supplementation. They want to achieve the best possible results in the shortest possible time. Of course this is not surprising, because every trainer has a goal in mind and wants to achieve it as quickly as possible.

Dietary supplements for mass support the building of muscle mass on many levels. They provide valuable nutrients that affect the quality of training and help speed up post-workout regeneration. We should remember, however, that dietary supplements alone will not do the job for us, which is training, and they will not nourish the body as well as a diet including all macronutrients, i.e. proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

When training for mass, supplements such as pre-workout supplements, supplements to be taken after training, gainers, protein, as well as vitamins and minerals may prove useful.

It is popular among athletes to take many different products for mass. Meanwhile, one supplement, such as Bulk Extreme or Mass Extreme, is often enough. These are the best products in our ranking, which act as both a pre- and post-workout supplement. It may therefore be concluded that by buying such a product an athlete gets "two in one", or even "three in one", as some dietary supplements additionally help burn excess fat tissue.

Many athletes, even if they are not initially interested in dietary supplements, sooner or later reach for a product which is supposed to help build muscle mass. It is worth knowing which products are the most popular and which effects they have in the context of building muscle mass.

Creatine

There is no doubt that creatine is one of the most popular dietary supplements for muscle mass. It is a product willingly chosen by both professional and amateur athletes. No matter what level of strength training you are at, creatine may interest you and improve the effects of your exercises.

Importantly, creatine occurs naturally in the human body, so there are no dangers associated with its use.

Approximately 120 g of creatine can be isolated in the human body, the vast majority of which is accumulated in the muscles. Generally speaking, creatine allows you to perform long and intensive workouts, because your muscles are able to withstand more.

There are many creatine products on the dietary supplement market, which are available in various forms. Below is a list.

Creatine monohydrate - the most popular, simplest and also the cheapest form of creatine. It is characterised by high assimilability, has anabolic effects and promotes water retention.

Creatine citrate - is a combination of creatine with citric acid. This is a very well absorbed form.

Creatine malate - is a combination of malic acid and creatine monohydrate in a 3:1 ratio. It has a similar effect to monohydrate, however it does not tend to accumulate water in cells.

Creatine nitrate - a combination of creatine with nitrogen molecules. This form of creatine helps to increase the volume of blood vessels.

Creatine Hydrochloride - a stable form of creatine which does not change into inactive creatinine which is excreted in urine.

Creatine Alphacetoglucarate - a mixture of glucaric acid and creatine. It increases the body's ability to exert effort, accelerates regeneration after training and facilitates building muscle mass.

Creatine orotate - is a combination of creatine and orotic acid. It is commonly believed to be the strongest form of creatine.

In addition to the above forms of creatine, we can also find magnesium chelate creatine and alkalinised creatine.

Which creatine should I choose for the beginning? The best choice is monohydrate. It is cheap, effective and sufficient.

Creatine allows you to exercise more intensively and effectively, which translates into effects in the form of gaining muscle mass. Additionally, this supplement makes muscles regenerate faster, which in turn allows to train more often.

Creatine users emphasise that the very consumption of creatine in a way enlarges muscles. This is because creatine contributes to water retention in muscle cells, which makes them optically larger.

Some studies also show that creatine may be helpful in weight loss, as it helps burn fat tissue.

Protein

Another very important macronutrient, the consumption of which is obligatory if you want to build muscle mass, is protein. Protein is the building material of not only muscles, but also skin, hair and nails. Protein available in the form of dietary supplements is most often in the form of powder and is obtained from milk, soya or other plants.

According to the latest recommendations, people who train for strength should increase their protein intake, and sometimes the recommended intake can be even twice as high as in the case of a person who does not train. So how much protein should a gym-goer take in? It is assumed that from 1.4 g to even 2 g per kilogram of body weight. This means that a 70 kg person should provide the body with 99 g to 140 g of protein. Sometimes we have problems with consuming this amount during the day, which is why protein supplements come to our aid.

What types of protein are there?

If you go to a supplement shop, you will quickly notice that there are different types of protein on the shelves. It is worth getting to know these products a little better:

WPC or whey protein concentrate - this is the most popular type of protein supplement. 80% of this dietary supplement is protein and the remaining 20% is fat. WPC protein has an anabolic effect.

WPI - whey protein isolate - is a protein derived from whey. It is very well absorbed and therefore supports anabolic processes immediately after intake.

WPH - whey protein hydrolysate - provides amino acids and has a high biological value

Casein - prevents the breakdown of muscle tissue. Casein is digested for a very long time, which ensures constant access to amino acids for a long time.

Soy protein - contains essential amino acids. It is mainly used by people on vegan and vegetarian diets.

In addition to the above-mentioned types of protein, athletes often choose egg protein or beef protein.

At this point it is important to dispel the myth that protein alone can help build muscle mass. Working on your figure is not just about eating protein. It is necessary to have a calorie surplus, a proper diet and also regeneration. Of course you need to realise that an insufficient supply of protein in the diet of an athlete can lead to a lack of progress in building muscle mass, so protein should be treated as one element of the whole puzzle.

It is also worth emphasising that protein can be consumed by both women and men. It contributes equally, regardless of gender, to building the figure.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are another macronutrient that we should not avoid. Recently, carbohydrates have been highly demonised due to the prevalence of high-fat diets, in which carbohydrates are consumed in minimal amounts. The ketogenic diet is designed to quickly lose weight, not build mass, so it will not be recommended for strength-training athletes. It is therefore important to remember about carbohydrates and not to avoid eating them.

Carbohydrates are a source of energy. It doesn't matter if we are physically active or not, we need carbohydrates. It's hard to list sources of carbohydrates because we find them almost everywhere - in processed and unprocessed foods.

Carbohydrates are divided into simple sugars and complex sugars. Simple sugars are quickly digested by the body, which means that energy is delivered quickly. Consumption of simple sugars causes a spike in blood glucose. When we eat simple sugars, we quickly crave more carbohydrate snacks, and this is a direct route to exceeding our calorific needs and growing fat rather than muscle tissue.

Athletes should definitely more often reach for complex carbohydrates which do not cause a sudden jump in blood sugar, as is the case with simple sugars. Complex carbohydrates ensure that energy is released gradually over a much longer period of time.

Building muscle mass is a process that takes time, and the effects depend on factors such as individual predisposition to building mass, the diet followed and, of course, commitment to training. Some people need a few months to get a good-looking figure, while others will need several years. What's more, you can also take shortcuts, but that's not what this article is about, because we want to promote natural ways of building muscles.

In the process of building muscle mass, we can distinguish two types of metabolic reactions: anabolic and catabolic.

In a nutshell: anabolic reactions come down to the growth of muscle tissue. As far as catabolic reactions are concerned, they mean the breakdown of muscles, which is why it is necessary to reduce them as much as possible.

Every athlete who wants to achieve maximum results should strive for the advantage of anabolic over catabolic reactions.

A calorie surplus is extremely important in the process of building muscle mass. It allows us to increase the number of anabolic reactions taking place in the body. Without a calorie surplus, building muscle mass will not be effective. Over time it will lead to weight loss, but also to the shedding of muscle tissue.

Before taking any action related to building muscle mass, it is worth calculating your caloric needs. You can do this with the help of the internet, a smartphone app or by consulting a specialist. We recommend using the services of a professional, because it will give us a guarantee that we will receive the most reliable guidance.

Once we know what our caloric needs are, we should compose our menu in such a way that it includes a caloric surplus. This means that we need to eat more calories than we can burn. The recommended calorie surplus is around 100-200 kcal, although it may be higher or lower depending on the frequency and intensity of training. When it comes to the diet and calorie surplus itself, we can consult a dietician or use the help of a personal trainer.

Achieving a calorie surplus is very easy, but to build muscle mass it must be done wisely. Overeating fast-food or sweets may contribute to the growth of fat tissue.

It is worth "listening" to the body. If we see that a calorie surplus of 100 kcal does not give satisfactory results, then it is worth increasing the calorie supply. That is why many people who want to achieve the best results in the shortest possible time use the help of specialists.

Without protein you will not grow

From the previous paragraphs you already know what protein is and what types of protein supplements we distinguish. It is worth bearing in mind that this macronutrient is the most important building block and therefore protein supply must be at the right level. Most strength trainers consume between 1.4 g and 2 g per kilogram of body weight. Some people allow themselves a higher intake, but this is not always recommended, as protein in excessive quantities can be harmful to the body through excessive strain on the kidneys and loss of calcium, as well as deficiencies in other minerals and vitamins.

It is therefore necessary to find the golden mean and take in the amount of protein that is sufficient and does not lead to side effects.

Protein sources are mainly dairy products, fish, meat, pulses and nuts. Many strength trainers choose to supplement their protein with protein supplements.

Training and recovery

Diet and supplementation are half the battle. And what is the other half? Obviously it is training, that is physical activity in the form of strength training. Exercise causes micro-damage to the muscle tissue. During regeneration this damage is built up with stronger bonds.

It is difficult to determine which training is best. In most situations it depends on the individual case. It is worth preparing a workout that works on the muscle parts that we care most about expanding. There are free workout charts available on the web which you can use, but to get the best results it is worth consulting a personal trainer who will prepare a workout adjusted to your capabilities and expected effects.

In the process of building a muscular body the regeneration process is also important. Unfortunately, many people forget about regeneration or deliberately avoid it hoping that daily workouts will give the best results. Meanwhile, it is worth realising that muscles grow when they rest.

What does regeneration consist in? First of all, it is a break from exercise lasting at least 24 hours. Not only is rest important, but also sleep, which should last 8 hours. Now do you understand why most people exercise 3 times a week e.g. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday? The remaining days of the week are intended for recovery.

Building muscle mass is a process requiring many sacrifices from us. Apart from diet and training we often decide on supplements, which is common and normal. But which supplements should you choose?

First of all, take a look at our ranking. In it we have identified the 5 best dietary supplements for athletes: Bulk Extreme, Mass Extreme, Titanodrol, Probolan 50 and Somatodrol. These products enjoy very good opinions, have been available on the market for a very long time and are recommended by both amateur and professional athletes. Special attention should be paid to such products as Bulk Extreme and Mass Extreme. They have been created from natural ingredients, so when you choose one of them you can be sure that you are using the highest quality product.

What should you watch out for?

Some dietary supplements may contain dyes, the same as those found in sweets. Their advantage is that they give the nutrient the right colour - more pleasing to the eye. From the point of view of an athlete, however, dyes are not necessary, because nutrients do not have to be visually attractive, but simply effective.

In addition to dyes, nutritional supplements may contain other substances that act only as 'fillers' and in fact have no health-promoting properties. Therefore, we should choose products which are free of unnecessary ingredients, such as dyes.

Many people who start their adventure with strength training have a specific goal. It usually comes down to achieving 100% effects in the shortest possible time. We often decide to use the gym when we want to lose weight, shape our figure or have an important event waiting for us when we just want to look good. Unfortunately, supplement shops are full of products which are of low quality, give little or no effect and the only thing we achieve is to get rid of... cash. Many products are made of low-quality, cheapest ingredients, so we can encounter negative opinions about all supplements. It is important to know that lumping all dietary supplements together is a mistake, because there are products that are effective, work, and athletes have been using them for many years.

What are these products? Take a look at our ranking. We have created it in order to select the best of the best supplements. We have provided our readers with 5 dietary supplements and everyone is sure to find a product tailored to their needs. The products we have indicated enjoy favourable opinions of both experts and consumers. Thanks to this study you already know which product is worth choosing and which should be avoided.

Remember also that our ranking is addressed to everyone counting on excellent effects of strength training. Using Bulk Extreme, Mass Extreme and other dietary supplements from our ranking you can expect very good results, regardless of whether you train as an amateur or you are planning your future in bodybuilding.

If you are planning to train for strength and you want to support yourself with dietary supplements for mass, our ranking will certainly be helpful. Remember, however, that you must take care of such elements as a diet including all macronutrients, training and regeneration. Remember that supplementation alone cannot be treated as the basis of a diet or as the basis of the muscle mass building process in general. All dietary supplements you use are designed to have a specific nutritional effect.

We believe that the products presented by us are currently the best dietary supplements available on the market to help you build muscle mass. No matter which product you choose, you can expect the effects declared by the manufacturer. Of course, we recommend the products from position 1-2 the most, because they meet the expectations of even the most demanding sportsmen.