5 Best Workout Supplements for Men
It’s difficult to decipher the best workout supplements for men when every supplement company is claiming that they are the best. So here are my top 5 dietitian recommendations.
The world of sports supplements can unfortunately be dangerous, and lead you to feeling more lost than you think. Unfortunately, most of the sports supplements on the market contain compounds that haven’t been proven to help build muscle or improve performance.
That said, there are supplements that do have scientific evidence behind them, but the brand either does not provide the right amount of what you're looking for, or contains additives that can be harmful or just cheap fillers. So, what supplements should you take for working out? Let’s see which ones are worthwhile for active men.
Top 5 Best Workout Supplements for Men
Each of these supplements provide unique benefits for health and performance. So let’s take a closer look at each.
Protein Powder
Creatine
Omega-3s
Vitamin D
Beta-alanine
1. Protein Powder
Some people wouldn’t consider this a supplement due to it not being in pill form, but it could also be because protein powder is just that common in the sports world. It’s an affordable, convenient, and often tasty way to increase your protein intake without having to get it all from food.
Protein powders can help men gain and maintain their muscle, especially when consumption is timed optimally. The most common type of protein powder is whey as it is the fastest absorbing and has an abundance of the amino acid leucine, which is the amino acid responsible for driving muscle growth. There are also plenty of plant-based options available. Just make sure you choose one that contains all the amino acids you need.
It is also advised that you prioritize protein foods first and fill in the gaps with protein powder. Remember to stay hydrated when planning to increase your protein consumption. Due to the extra work your kidneys have to do to metabolize protein, you lose some extra water in the process.
How Much Protein Powder to Take
Active individuals typically need 1.2-1.7g of protein/kg body weight total in a day, depending on the type and intensity of exercise. You’ll also want to be on the higher end if you’re going for weight loss and on the lower end if you’re trying to gain muscle.
Either way, protein powder can help you reach these numbers if you’re not getting them from food. It’s just strongly recommended that you are consuming most of your protein from food and only using protein powder to fill in the gaps.
Recommended Protein Powder Brands
Here are some of the top protein powders brands:
Best Tasting - Legion Athletics Whey+
Best Plant-Based - Naked Pea Protein
Best Unflavored - Now Sports Nutrition Whey Isolate
2. Creatine
What is the best muscle building supplement for men? Most would say protein powder, but I would argue it’s creatine. Protein powder can absolutely help with muscle growth, but it can serve other purposes besides muscle building. Creatine on the other hand is typically used only for this purpose. It is also the most researched sports supplement out there and the consensus is clear: it works.
By supplementing with creatine, the creatine stores in your muscles increase greatly. This increases muscle growth, muscle strength and power, reduces fatigue, reduces muscle damage after intense workouts, and prevents muscle breakdown after exercise.
How Much Creatine to Take
Due to its popularity, though, there are a lot of shady supplements out there that will short you on the effective amount of creatine if you’re not careful. So, when shopping for a creatine supplement, look at the label and be sure each serving delivers at least 5 grams (or 5,000 milligrams) of creatine monohydrate. If muscle growth is your goal, you need to be sure to get in 5 grams daily, even on the days you don’t work out.
There are no serious side effects reported when taking creatine as directed. Just make sure, like with protein powder, you are staying well-hydrated or you may experience mild stomach upset.
Recommended Creatine Brand
My top recommendation for creatine is Klean.
3. Omega 3s
Most people wouldn’t immediately think of Omega-3s as exercise supplements. However, you’ve likely heard about the heart and brain benefits of omega-3s (also known as fish or krill oil). Recent research has shown it can be a valuable workout supplement for men as well.
Omega-3s are also an essential nutrient that the body cannot make on its own. So, even if you don’t really care about the benefits stated above, unless you’re eating two servings of fatty fish a week, you should be supplementing with Omega-3s anyway.
Research Behind Omega-3s and Exercise Performance
According to a 2019 study, Omega-3 supplements can boost muscle gain, enhance recovery, reduce the risk of illness, and aid in competition performance. Omega-3's anti-inflammatory properties can aid recovery after exercise by reducing inflammation caused by the exercise. The result is less soreness, which allows you to lift more often and for longer periods of time. Which, in turn, means more gains in size and strength.
How Many Omega-3s to Take
The science surrounding Omega-3s as an exercise supplement is still relatively new, so recommendations vary. However, the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids recommends 500 milligrams of Omega-3s per day, including at least 220 milligrams of EPA and 220 milligrams of DHA. So, look for this on the label before you buy as there are a lot of cheap fish oil supplements out there. If the price seems too good to be true, check the label for these numbers – it probably is.
If you have a fish or a shellfish allergy, it is not recommended that you take this supplement.
Recommended Omega-3 Brand
Our favorite Omega-3 supplement is Krill Oil by Transparent Labs. Given that fish acquire the Omega-3s in their cells from eating krill, an argument can be made that it’s more efficient to supplement with krill. Some research also suggests it may be better absorbed than fish oil and have better heart health benefits.
4. Vitamin D
This is another vitamin that everyone could likely benefit from supplementing with, given that there are shockingly few natural food sources that are rich in Vitamin D. The best source of the vitamin is actually from the sun. But if you don’t get outdoors much, live in certain regions with poor UV exposure at certain times of the year, or your skin is darker in pigment, your likelihood of becoming deficient increases.
In relation to men who exercise, there have been numerous studies that demonstrate that men can increase their muscle strength by supplementing Vitamin D. According to these studies, the higher the level of Vitamin D in your bloodstream, the better your performance can be (in terms of energy, power, and strength), and the less likely you will become injured. If you become injured, high vitamin D status is associated with faster recovery time. Therefore, supplementing can help you ensure that you’re not deficient.
Vitamin D does have some interactions with certain drugs. So, if you are taking prescription medication, please consult your doctor before taking Vitamin D.
How Much and What Type of Vitamin D to Take
When choosing a Vitamin D supplement, be sure to choose Vitamin D3, not D2, and check the dosage. For men who exercise, science says that 2,000 - 6,000 IUs a day is the dosage needed to deliver the results outlined above.
Recommended Vitamin D Brand
Our favorite Vitamin D supplement is from Thorne, which is formulated as an exercise supplement rather than a general health supplement, so it contains 5,000 IUs.
5. Beta-alanine
This is a prime pre workout supplement for men who do powerlifting. A substance called carnosine is formed by beta-alanine in the body, which regulates the acidity in your muscles, which causes fatigue mid-workout. Research shows that carnosine is able to clear acids from muscles much faster than normal, enabling them to contract more frequently.
How does this help? It means you can pump out more reps before you fatigue. Another study found that men who took beta-alanine every day for a month did 22% more reps. As far as muscle growth, beta-alanine is really a performance-based exercise supplement, so you’re better off just taking creatine. There is no direct evidence that beta-alanine can help you gain muscle in a significant way, so if that's your goal, you should skip this supplement.
How Much Beta-Alanine to Take
The amount of beta-alanine used in the studies was between 3-6 grams, so this is how much we recommend. It also must be taken pre-workout. One more very important thing to note though: To reap the benefits of beta-alanine, you must take it every day (even on rest days) for at least 30 days. So, before you decide to start, make sure you can stay consistent with your supplement regimen.
Recommended Beta-Alanine Brand
Our favorite brand of beta-alanine is Legion Pulse. It not only contains a blend of other compounds that amplify beta-alanine’s effects, but come in a lot of flavors to make the act of ingesting beta-alanine way more tolerable right before a workout.
Best Workout Supplements For Men Over 40
Though men over 40 could benefit from any of the supplements above, protein powder and creatine are probably more beneficial for men over 40 than younger adults. As you age past 30, your capacity to build and maintain muscle plummets due to hormonal changes.
Moreover, scientists have shown that taking creatine supplements is effective at preventing muscle loss in men over 40, even when they do not exercise and do not take part in athletic activities.
As you age, your body produces less stomach acid which can make digestion more uncomfortable and even cause absorption issues. Luckily, whey protein absorbs quickly and is easier for older adults to consume than other protein sources. Several studies demonstrate that whey protein can be greatly effective at building muscle, especially muscle that has been lost to sarcopenia, or muscle loss due to aging.
Do Workout Supplements Actually Work?
As we talked about at the start, there are endless workout supplements on the market.Unless you’re training for something very specific or have a very particular diet, the supplements listed above can cover most men’s fitness goals effectively.
Furthermore, since supplements are not regulated for safety by the FDA, it is more common than you think to find toxins, heavy metals, and even banned substances like steroids, in workout supplements. If you’re an athlete who gets drug tested randomly, you’ll have to do extra homework. Even so, no one wants to put ingredients in their body that they weren't aware of, even if they are a casual lifter or recreational athlete.
Look for products that are third party tested, meaning a lab not affiliated with the company has tested the products to certify it contains all the ingredients it claims and only the ingredients it claims to contain. To check if a supplement is third party tested, look for logos from NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Choice or LabDoor. Just so you know, all of the supplement brands we recommended above have been third party tested.
The Bottom Line
The best workout supplements for men are likely supplements you’ve already heard of before. That’s because you don’t need anything fancy or weird like Deer Antler to get performance benefits. If you’re a man that’s looking to gain some muscle, a proper diet full of protein and carbs that’s timed properly before and after your workouts may be all you need.
In my capacity as a dietitian, I would be remiss to suggest that supplements are more important than a balanced nutrition plan. If you want to eliminate the conflicting information and know what a solid nutrition plan looks like, schedule a call and we can discover the best plan of action to reach your goals.