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So, you want to pack on some serious muscle mass, huh? And the big question, of course, is how you are going to do it. You are dedicated, have your training and diet in check, and are ready to take it to the next level with a well-thought-out supplementation program. I will be the first to say that bodybuilding supplements, when used correctly under the right conditions, can be the difference between mere muscle maintenance (stagnation) and strong ongoing muscle growth. But you may be wondering which ones, as the list of possible supplements to use for this purpose is near endless. To help take some of the guesswork out of the process, I spent some time putting together an article detailing some of the fundamentals in building a solid individualized mass program. While it would not be possible to discuss every supplement option, and indeed there are many great supplements to talk about, I can go over what I feel are some of the more popular and clinically proven supplements available today.
  Click Image To Enlarge.Supplements Can Be The Difference Between Muscle Maintenance & Ongoing Muscle Growth. Note that I will get as many product recommendations spaced throughout this article as possible, but must apologize ahead of time that I can't include all the great products and companies that ought to be mentioned here. There is just too much to cover to list everything. At the same time, if you don't find a particular product in this list that you like, keep shopping. Bodybuilding.com has an immense selection of excellent products to choose from. (For more options and more details on the individual ingredients discussed in this article, please visit their respective product profiles here).
What's your favorite multivitamin? Your favorite protein powder? What!? You don't have one? We need to talk about two of the most basic categories of all mass building supplements.
You need to remember that vitamins and minerals are important to virtually all body processes, from forming and transporting hormones, to facilitating the use of nutrients for growth, and just about everything in-between. If you have a notable deficiency, it can hinder your ability to properly grow. Even if only minor, over time minor differences have a way of adding up to big ones. Are you sure you are getting everything you need from your diet - that the enhanced needs of an active training person are being met with food and not just the standard USRDA's. If not, you should consider a good athletic multivitamin/mineral product.
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I personally stick by the general guideline of 1-2 grams of quality protein per pound of bodyweight per day. While it is possible to meet your daily needs with diet alone, it can be very difficult for many people.
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Make no mistake - essential fatty acids can be powerful modulators of the human physique. If you are not thinking about EFA's, in my opinion you are leaving a big (sorry, gaping) hole in your supplementation program.
If your AA levels are low, you are going to be stagnant, and likewise, kicking up your AA levels when you are stagnant is a great way to trigger new growth. AA can be taken in low doses as a daily supplement (250mg per day or less) to facilitate long-term ongoing growth, or more commonly as a rapid-growth anabolic in moderate doses (500mg-1000mg daily) for 50-60 days.
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Fish oils are also great for overall health, and good at helping you maintain the muscle you've already got. My recommendation for EFA management is to focus on arachidonic acid for short burst cycles, and then to switch over to fish oils for their muscle preserving and health promoting benefits. Actually, I can't take credit for the idea myself. Industry researcher and columnist Will Brink actually came up with the alternating AA/Fish Oil concept several years ago. It really does make a lot of sense, and helps you balance your overall long-term intake of pro-anabolic and anti-catabolic EFA's. Note that it is perfectly fine to take some fish oil during a period of arachidonic acid supplementation as well, meaning that EPA/DHA supplements can be taken year round. Remember, EFA's are important. Don't overlook these very important muscle fundamentals!
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This is where we get to those add-ons that are known for improving our strength, size, or performance. While some may not consider these to be fundamental supplements like the vitamins, minerals, proteins, and EFA's in Step 1 & 2, the products in this category are known for having strong positive effects on your weight training performance. Any of these will make an excellent addition to a supplement program. Step 3 products are most often cycled on and off at different times of the year depending on the training intensity of the individual.
 Click Image To Enlarge.Any Of These Will Make An Excellent Addition To A Supplement Program.
Beta Alanine allows you to get more reps on your training, and works at a level that you really do notice. This is an ideal supplement to take when you are focused on pushing past a plateau or stagnation point, or are going to be on a particularly intense training program and are determined to get the most out of each and every session. Cycles of 8-12 weeks are probably the most common.
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Its effects are two-fold. On one hand it increases the intracellular retention of fluid, which expands the size of your muscle cells. This in of itself may lend to some performance gains, and doesn't hurt either by making you look visibly bigger. But creatine is also important because it supplies creatine phosphate to the body, which is used to regenerate a key energy source in the muscles called ATP (adenosine triphosphate). In short, creatine makes you bigger, makes you stronger, and gives you more muscle endurance. Like Beta Alanine this is a great product to cycle on and off throughout the year depending on your particular needs and goals.
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Studies have proven over and over again that BCAA supplementation, particularly with regard to Leucine, has positive effects on your muscles that aren't replicated with general protein supplements. The result is usually greater protein synthesis rates, which add to more muscle size, and greater overall muscle performance.
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To date NO2 is the most well known and clinically studied nitric oxide booster, but as a supplement category these products are broad in number. Many NO products are regarded as highly effective products. As with most other add-on ergogens, the cycling of NO products (8-12 weeks) is generally recommended.
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Many people consider this an advanced step, as it involves changing the balance of hormones in your body for the sake of increasing the rate of muscle growth. With that said, we all know that testosterone is one of the most important hormones for muscle growth. Testosterone levels can pay huge dividends on your mass gains. Testosterone Articles:
Given how important testosterone is for muscle growth, the implications of this should be obvious. These products are not recommended for long-term use, however, because they artificially shift your internal hormone balance for the sake of muscle growth. Still, these products can be used safely for short "anabolic" cycles of 6-12 weeks in length, followed by an equally long or greater amount of time off.
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The science of its use to free up testosterone from serum binding proteins seems logical and sound, and I expect with time we will see clinical studies examining its benefits in athletes. Until then, I remain swayed by the animal data and anecdotal reports from bodybuilders. At the very least, this supplement seems to make a good "no-brainer" addition to a natural aromatase inhibitor or testosterone supplement if you have some on-hand and want to try for a little extra boost.
While you can't expect this supplement to have the strong effect of a natural aromatase inhibitor, it is still considered by most to be a highly efficacious supplement. LongJack also supports the management of certain catabolic hormones (catabolic hormones support the breakdown of muscle protein). Like all hormonal supplements, I believe it is best to use Longjack in cycles lasting no more than 6-12 weeks in length.
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So there you have it - four steps to supplementation that I think can make a big difference in your quest for, well, bigness. Tying them all together and working up the right program for you may take a little bit of work. If I had any suggestion as to an overall approach, it would be to take sure you are always taking something outlined in Step 1 and 2. As far as EFA's go, EPA/DHA would be the more year round constant focus, with arachidonic acid supplements being added in for short anabolic burst cycles (2-3 cycles per year). After your Step 1 and 2 supplements are sorted out, you can construct periodic cycles throughout the year utilizing supplements from Steps 3 and 4. Give some thought to how you might want to alternate or stagger your approach.
 Click Image To Enlarge.Trying To Add All These Supplements Together Might Take A Little Bit Of Work. Just as an example, since you shouldn't take testosterone boosters all year long, you might want to schedule a 2-month cycle in the spring using a Natural Aromatase Inhibitor or Longjack, combined with Divanillyltetrahydrofuran. You can do this at the same time as running arachidonic acid for maximum gains, or save it for a later non-hormonal cycle. Once your testosterone boosting stack is completed you still have solid non-hormonal products to work with for the summer like beta alanine, creatine, or NO boosters. Note there are also many "stack" products to shop for that include combinations of these ingredients.
The possibilities for constructing a yearly program are almost endless. But one thing I am very sure of is that you should notice your best progress by covering the fundamentals and working with solid and proven ergogenic supplements. Do this while staying dedicated to your training schedule, workout intensity, and general dietary needs, and you really can't go wrong!
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