When it comes to the best muscle building supplements on the market, you can bet that I know the facts inside and out.
I spent nearly $900 on fitness supplements, so I know my stuff… I’ve tried damn near every bodybuilding pill and powder out there.
From rare Chinese herbs claiming to extend your life by 40 years, to a BCAA blend found on Amazon, I’ve spent RIDICULOUS amounts of money on supplements.
And do you know what? Most of that money was wasted on crappy products that don’t work. But, there are some that do work—you just have to know which ones.
That’s why I’ve made this list for you. I remember when I first started getting into bodybuilding – I was completely clueless.
I got scammed on numerous occasions by GNC reps, online marketers, and influencers who promised to help me build muscle, and I lost hundreds of dollars in the process.
It wasn’t until many years later that I started to figure out which ones were actually worth my time, and which are worth YOURS!
These supplements aren’t just for all lifters though…
This article is specifically for skinny guys who want to build muscle. I used to be very skinny, so naturally I bought the supplements that would help skinny guys. I weeded out the ones that don’t work, and continued taking the ones that do.
So, with that in mind, I’d like to present to you the top weight gain supplements for skinny guys.
Mass Gainers
Mass gainers are excellent for helping you get an extra 500-1,000 calories in at the end of the day.
It’s no secret that you need to eat LOTS of calories (well over your basal metabolic rate) to get big.
Lots of the time, it’s hard to fit all of them in. This is where mass gainers come into play.
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Let’s say you’ve been eating all day, but you feel like you can’t eat any more. You can easily fit in the extra 1,000 calories that you still need with a mass gainer shake.
Now make no mistake: mass gainers WILL NOT make you big unless you’re already eating a lot with it. Think of them as an extra meal.
You can pick up mass gainers from almost anywhere, but my personal favorite is the GNC Whey 1340. Just scoop some powder into a blender bottle with whole milk and shake it up.
Ashwagandha
Aswhwagandha is an amazing, lesser known supplement that boosts your testosterone, improves your sleep, and builds muscle mass specifically in your arms.
Ashwagandha’s magic lies in its ability to reduce stress. The ashwagandha binds to cortisol in the body (stress hormone) and essentially destroys it.
High cortisol is the number one driver of stress, so naturally you want less of it. Stress also lowers your testosterone.
This is the primary reason ashwagandha boosts your testosterone. Higher testosterone means you:
- Build more muscle;
- Sleep better; and
- Are more driven.
Protein Powder
Protein powder is similar to mass gainer (mentioned above) in that it’s added on to what you’re already eating.
I remember being a skinny 14 year old thinking “if I have this protein powder I’m magically going to get jacked.”
Little did I know that I had to be tracking my protein intake and using protein powder when I couldn’t get enough in my regular diet.
We all know this macronutrient is CRITICAL for building muscle. Everyone has associated protein with muscle since birth.
You should use protein powder to get an extra 25-50 grams of protein at the end of the day.
I personally make sure I have protein before I go to bed. Protein is the slowest macronutrient to digest, so it fuels you for longer.
Some professional bodybuilders like Zyzz even woke up at 2 am to have a protein shake.
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The reason to do this is because you repair and build muscle while you sleep. Doesn’t it make sense to have a full fuel tank to build your muscle?
You can get protein powder from just about anywhere, but don’t get low quality. You’ll end up having stomach issues for weeks if you use that.
Creatine
Creatine is the closest supplement we have to a natural steroid. When taking creatine, so many muscle-building elements go up:
- Strength;
- Muscle mass; and
- Endurance.
This supplement is also one of the most clinically researched out there. Creatine is 100% safe to use.
One study conducted at the Neuromuscular Research Lab at the University of Oklahoma, found that creatine improved “high-intensity anaerobic peak power” by 19.6% in TRAINED athletes.
This is especially impressive, because usually trained athletes are already almost as strong as they can get. Researchers concluded by stating:
“Our findings indicate that creatine, supplemented concurrently with resistance and anaerobic training, may positively affect cell hydration status and enhance performance variables further than augmentation seen with training alone.”
Creatine can be found at any major stores, especially supplement ones. I wouldn’t waste your time with special expensive brands, because it all does the same thing.
The other pro about creatine is…it’s DIRT cheap. In other words, this is probably the most important bodybuilding supplement in terms of its cost to benefit ratio.
Pre-Workout
If you want to build muscle fast, you’re going to need some help. You’re probably tired just reading this right now. How do you have energy to go to the gym? A good pre-workout supplement is a great way to get it.
A good pre-workout will make your workouts far better, give you a ton of energy, and help you smash the gym 10x harder than ever before.
I personally like cycling through 3 different pre-workouts to ensure my body doesn’t get used to one and develop a tolerance.
Pre-workout is great, but BEWARE. There are hundreds of pre-workout brands designed to scam you. You pay $60 for a little bit of caffeine and cool branding, only to crash an hour later.
Good pre-workouts should contain:
- Caffeine
- Vitamins
- Beta alanine
- Nootropic supplements