When you work hard in the gym, it is only natural to want to see results.
You bust your gut lifting, running, squatting and sweating, and, as impatient creatures, we want to see the fruits of our labours – and ideally sooner rather than later. Achieving your fitness goals – be it to sculpt, tone, lose weight or improve endurance and stamina – is a great motivator to keep you pushing on.
Whether your workout routine consists of HIIT training, regular runs or weights on the studio floor, the right supplements will support you in achieving your targets. These dietary add-ons are rich in electrolytes to replenish the body of nutrients and minerals lost in the sweating process and aid in the production of the crucial building blocks needed to increase muscle mass and recover faster - minimising the likelihood of injury.
Protein is the most well-known gym accompaniment and comes in powder, shake and bar form but there are other, lesser-known components made naturally in the body that deserve your attention as you start to take your fitness more seriously – namely creatine, BCAAs and casein. The market is awash with options, so which are the ones that deserve their place in your exercise practice?
To get to the bottom of the stress-inducing sports supplement industry, we have reached out to Reema Pillai, London nutritionist at Dietitian Fit to answer our burning questions.
What are sports supplements?
Quite simply, Pillai explains, “Sports supplements are products that are taken to help improve performance in sports. These can be specifically to help with endurance or strength, with losing weight, increasing muscle mass size or improving recovery. They can be found in a range of forms, including pills, powders and drinks”.
What supplements are banned in sports?
While you may not be participating in the next Olympic Games, there are ingredients that you will want to steer clear of due to their side effects. “There is a large range of banned supplements in sports nutrition, which include hormones such as testosterone and anabolic steroids, which can cause serious health problems such as liver damage and stroke”, says the nutritionist. “EPO (Erythropoietin) is another substance that is banned, as it is used to increase red blood cell size, allowing more oxygen to be transported in the body, aiding stamina and performance, but has a history of misuse in sports. Diuretics are banned in sports as they can cause rapid weight loss as well as masking the effects of other prohibited substances used by the athlete”.
What supplements should I take for muscle growth?
Whether you are just beginning your fitness journey or you’re a pro, you will have heard of protein. “Protein is essential for muscle growth, so supplementing your diet with protein powder can support the growth of muscle tissue”, Pillai confirms, while stressing that “this needs to be combined with regular strength training, for optimal benefit”. She continues, “Protein powders can be sourced from whey, as well as plant-based protein such as soy or pea isolate”.
Lesser known but no less important, she references creatine. “Another supplement that can help with muscle growth is creatine, which is a molecule used to provide energy for muscles. Supplementing with creatine can increase muscle creatine stores, supporting exercise performance and promoting muscle gain”.
What should you avoid?
According to the nutritionist, “Aside from any illegal supplements, there are no known safe supplements that can hinder muscle growth. However, many people can obtain sufficient protein from diet alone, especially if they focus on consuming whole protein food groups such as chicken, fish, meat, eggs, dairy, soy and pulses”.
Do protein supplements help build muscle?
“Yes, protein supplements help to improve muscle size and strength, when combined with regular resistance training exercises”, she confirms. “Without regular strength training, the muscles are not stimulated to break down and repair, and therefore will not grow to their potential, which will greatly slow down muscle-building progress”.
Shop the best sports supplements for building muscle below
Best pre workout drinks for energy, hydration and boosting performance
Best ready made protein drinks that taste great and supplement your diet
Best marine collagen supplements, tried and tested
Best BCAA supplements: MyProtein, Innermost, MyVegan
Best vegan supplements to boost your health, from Omega 3 to multivitamins
Protein
Form Nutrition - Superblend Protein Chocolate Salted Caramel
Best for: achieving your goals
Per 40g serving:
- Protein 20g
- Carbohydrates 4.3g
- Fat 0.8g
- Calories 158kcal
Containing pea, brown rice, hemp and whole algae protein, we couldn’t believe we were drinking something that was actually good for us. We tested the Chocolate Salted Caramel with unsweetened almond milk as well as water and the results were unanimous: Yum. This multi-plant-based formula is so truly delicious we forgot it was actually good for us too.
Ideal as a post-workout recovery drink as well as a mid-afternoon workday boost, we found it helped maintain energy post-workout (and pre-office lunch) while providing that perfect amount of fullness.
Full of amino acids this excellent blend also contains maca and spirulina which have been shown to help manage stress and fatigue. Form also offers a discount on monthly subscription packages if you’re committed to a protein regime. The brand also makes one of the best blender bottles we tried.
Buy now £20.69, Healf
Indi Recover performance protein supplement 480g
Indi is well aware of the importance of protein in your post-workout rituals. That’s why it has created this Recover supplement with the intention to provide the muscles with the key building block to support their growth and maintenance - but that’s not all. It is also beneficial for every cell in the body as the label explains, can be advantageous for immunity, skin, hair and nails. Protein is essential for a healthy body and this plant-based supplement will give you the dose that may be missing from your diet in a form that derives from pea.
Flavoured with a natural berry taste, the vegan blend offers immediate hydration and repair for the muscles, while minimising the time it takes for your body to get back to fighting form. The ingredient list reads like a delicious smoothie; pomegranate, lemon, coconut water, blackcurrant, green tea, Montmorency cherry and more, all of which have properties that range from supporting physical and mental performance to acting as an anti-inflammatory to combatting oxidative stress.
Buy now £29.00, Selfridges
Wild Nutrition Food-Grown Organic Protein + Superfood Powder
Enrich your diet with superfoods and get the muscle-growing benefits of protein at the same time with the female-founded label Wild Nutrition. It has earned the title of one of the ES Best top supplement brands on the market and this powder is a testament to why. The blend is made up of seven adaptogenic mushrooms, including the buzzy reishi, shiitake, Lion's Mane and cordyceps that have earned hype in the wellness community for their mood and immunity-boosting properties. There are also super greens; chlorella, spirulina, wheatgrass and barley grass that are rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants. Last but certainly not least, pea and rice protein service the muscles to repair, while providing energy.
Buy now £30.59, Healf
MyProtein Impact Whey Isolate
Isolate protein powders are by far the best when choosing whey, as it’s simply a refined form. Naturally, it only suits those who aren’t dairy-intolerant or vegan as it’s derived from milk, but the protein content is next level.
MyProtein’s Impact Whey Isolate comes in with a massive 90 per cent protein content, with almost zero carbs or fats, which means it’s an all-around brilliant protein supplement. At the lower range price point, it’s good for those just starting out, and it mixes well so it’s nice to drink on its own, too.
Buy now £15.71, MyProtein
Bulk Pure Whey Isolate 500g
Bulk is one of the leaders in supplementation in the U.K. With athlete ambassadors such as Anthony Joshua on its roster, you know its products are going to work.
For maximum gains, this one’s for you. Firstly, the mammoth 24g of protein in each serving is not only staggering, but it comes from grass-fed cows too, which means it’s 100 per cent free from hormone and genetic modifications - now that is clean. It also mixes well, but, for us, we preferred it with less water for a consistency that’s just right.
Buy now £26.49, Bulk
Vivo Life Perform Raw Cacao Flavour Vegan Protein Powder
Best for: pure ingredients
Protein per serving: 25g
Did you know that many protein powders contain heavy metals like mercury, cadmium, arsenic and lead? These come from pesticides and contaminated ingredients, which can be toxic if they accumulate in your body. Vivo Life is one of the few protein powder brands that test its products for heavy metals, so you can rest easy knowing that you’re ingesting the cleanest possible ingredients.
Alongside having just 0.23g sugar per serving, the brand’s vegan Perform Protein is gluten-free, vegan and soya-free and is packed with BCAA, turmeric and herbal enzymes. Flavours range from cocoa to strawberry.
Buy now £44.99, Amazon
Creatine
Thorne Creatine
Best for: being the best you
A pure creatine formula, Thorne's Creatine will promote muscle performance and lean body mass, as well as cellular energy production and improved cognitive function - making it perfect for gym goers and the elderly alike.
Simply mix a scoop with 8 ounces of water or juice daily for best results.
Buy now £29.04, Healf
Peak Supps Creatine Monohydrate Powder
House in a sleek and vibrant exterior, Peak Supps keeps it minimal on the branding front - a nice break from the traditional eye-popping designs in the sports supplement industry. The sports nutrition label places creatine monohydrate at the heart of this blend, selected after extensive research that it says has demonstrated an improvement in physical performance during high-intensity training.
The form in which it appears in this supplement is in a micronized 200 mesh particle size that enhances the likelihood and speed of absorption. It is also tasteless so you can add it to your sports bottle without noticing its presence. The formula is free from dairy, wheat, gluten or GMOs. Use pre-workout.
Buy now £21.49, Amazon
PE Nutrition Performance Creapure Creatine
Best for: vegetarians
PE Nutrition's Performance Creapure comes unflavoured, so you're free to add it to your favourite drinks, protein shakes or even your favourite bakes (protein pancakes or banana muffins, anyone?) without having to experience a lingering aftertaste that some may feature.
With 5g of creatine per serving, this vegetarian-quality-assured creatine is a great budget-friendly option for implementing into your nutrition routine.
Buy now £31.00, Holland & Barrett
BCAA
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard BCAA Train + Sustain
Optimum Nutrition has developed a stellar reputation with athletes for its performance-boosting supplements and this blend is no different. Enhanced with either raspberry & pomegranate, peach & passionfruit or apple & pear flavourings, it can slip easily into your hydration practices, whether in a smoothie or mixed with water.
The formula is rich in nutrients, namely vitamin C, magnesium and electrolytes to replenish the body and support immune system functioning. The main ingredient is Gold Standard BCAA, or branched-chain amino acids, that are included to mimic that in the body which act as the building blocks of protein to grow muscle.
Buy now £22.94, Amazon
USN BCAA+ Power Punch Tangerine
Fuel your workout with the Power Punch amino acid blend, designed to be consumed during training for an added boost. With essential proteins to support your body, challenge yourself and increase performance levels, it should also play a part in reducing tiredness and increasing muscle growth and recovery. The zesty tangerine flavour contains zero sugar and zero carbs.
Buy now £23.71, Holland & Barrett
Casein
Protein Works 100% Micellar Casein Protein Powder
Casein is lesser known in the fitness market but plays a very important role in providing the body with the amino acids that it needs to build muscle. It is often found in cow’s milk but comes in supplement form too with the intention to boost exercise performance. In its 100 per cent micellar state, as is the case in this dietary add-on from Protein Works, it provides a slow release of the essential components to improve muscle growth and aid in recovery. The high-protein, low-sugar powder is vegetarian and comes flavoured with banana, chocolate or vanilla.
Buy now £17.08, Amazon
