How to Stack Supplements for Muscle Growth
People stack supplements all the time to help support their goals. Many people stack different supplements to promote muscle growth.
Unfortunately, not many people know how to properly stack supplements to get the best results possible.
The fact of the matter is building muscle takes more than just lifting weights. The right mix of supplements speeds up your muscle growth by 30%. You need to stack supplements in the right order and amounts to see real results.
In this article, we will dive deeper and show you the exact steps to combine protein, creatine, and BCAAs for bigger muscles.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to treat or diagnose any condition. It is recommended that you speak with your doctor before starting any exercise program, changing your daily nutrition, or adding any supplements to your regimen.
Table of contents
Key Takeaways
- Mix protein powder (20-30g per serving), creatine (5g daily), and BCAAs (5-10g) for 30% faster muscle growth.
- Take supplements at the right times: protein right after workouts, creatine with post-workout shakes, and BCAAs during exercise.
- Ghost Whey Protein and any type of creatine are top picks for quality muscle-building supplements.
- Women need extra focus on creatine since their natural stores are 70-80% lower than men’s levels.
- Space protein shakes 3-4 hours apart, take breaks every 3 months, and track progress with INBODY scans for best results.
Key Supplements for Muscle Growth
Your muscles need the right mix of supplements to grow bigger and stronger. These key supplements work together when you stack supplements to help you build muscle fast while cutting down recovery time.
1. Protein Powders
Protein powders build strong muscles fast. Ghost Whey Protein is loaded with high-quality protein in each scoop. Mix it with water or milk right after workouts to feed tired muscles.
Ghost Whey is a delicious protein powder that comes in a ton of different flavors other than your boring old vanilla and chocolate. If you want more details, check out my Ghost Whey review.
The amino acids in whey help repair muscle damage from exercise.
Protein needs to stay high during muscle growth. Take 1-2 scoops daily to meet these needs. Plant-based options work great for non-dairy folks. Pick powders with 20-30g protein per serving for best results.
Good protein timing boosts muscle gains from weight training.
2. Creatine
Creatine is one of the best muscle-building supplements on the market. Your muscles store 40% more creatine with proper supplementation. This boost leads to better strength gains and faster muscle growth during resistance training.
Female athletes need to pay extra attention to creatine intake — their natural stores sit 70-80% lower than males.
Take creatine monohydrate daily for the best results in your fitness journey. Being able to stack supplements correctly improves your results. Mix 5 grams with water or your post-workout shake.
Your body uses this supplement to make more ATP, giving you extra power for those tough sets at the gym.
My recommendation is Naked Creatine. It’s micronized, unflavored, and I can get it in 200 serving tubs, which lasts a long time. In fact, I just purchased another tub to stock back up.
If you want some more options, I did a full top 10 creatine feature that you can check out if that’s of interest to you.
3. Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
BCAAs pack three vital amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These building blocks fuel your muscle growth and cut down muscle soreness after tough workouts. Your body needs BCAAs to build and keep lean muscle mass.
The right BCAA mix helps you recover faster from weight-lifting sessions.
Taking BCAAs before and after exercise gives you better results. Your muscles use these amino acids right away during training. A daily dose of 5-10 grams works best for muscle gains.
People with liver issues get extra health perks from BCAAs, but eating enough protein foods can give you the BCAAs you need.
Personally, I’ve been a fan of XTEND for years, ever since Marc Lobliner owned Scivation (which he has since sold it). I use it intra-workout and enjoy pretty much all the flavors they offer.
Marc and I also published a book together called Billionaires & Bodybuilders if you want some awesome reading material.
I also took the time to showcase the top 10 BCAA supplements if you wanted more variety.
How to Stack Supplements Effectively Surrounding Workouts
Mixing your supplements at the right time makes them work better for muscle growth. You need to match each supplement with others that boost their effects — like taking creatine with protein after workouts. Being able to properly stack supplements can be the difference you need to get the best results possible.
1. Timing and Dosage for Strength and Performance
Proper supplement timing makes a huge difference in muscle growth. Your body needs the right nutrients at specific times to build muscle fast.
- Take pre-workout supplements like MyoLabs PV-7 30 minutes before exercise to boost energy and focus
- Mix 1 scoop of whey protein with water right after workouts for quick muscle repair
- Consume 5 grams of creatine daily with your post-workout shake to help muscles grow
- Use 5-10 grams of BCAAs during workouts to stop muscle breakdown
- Take EAAs after exercise to speed up recovery and build new muscle
- Space protein shakes 3-4 hours apart to keep amino acid levels steady
- Drink a casein protein shake before bed for overnight muscle growth
- Use vitamin D3 and zinc in the morning with breakfast to boost testosterone
- Take omega-3 fish oil with meals to reduce muscle soreness
- Track all supplement doses with a free fitness app to stay on target
- Keep pre-workout doses under 200mg caffeine to avoid jitters
- Start with half doses of new supplements to test tolerance
- Space fat-soluble vitamins 2 hours from mineral supplements
- Take amino acid supplements on an empty stomach for best results
2. Complementary Ingredients to Boost Fitness Results
Vitamins C and E work better together to build muscle. Your body absorbs these nutrients faster as a team. AG1’s blend mixes essential amino acids with creatine to boost your gains.
Fish oil from AG1 gives you omega-3 fats that help muscles grow. Your supplement stack needs vitamin D plus healthy fats to work best.
Mix your protein powder with citrate and taurine to speed up muscle recovery. B12 and zinc team up to boost your immune system during tough workouts. L-arginine pairs great with creatine to pump more blood to your muscles.
These combos create stronger effects than taking each supplement alone. Your muscles get more nutrients when you’re able to stack supplements smartly.
Tips for Maximizing Results to Reach Your Goals with Supplement Stacking
Getting the most from your supplement stack needs smart planning and tracking. Mix your supplements with good food choices and watch your progress through photos and strength gains.
1. Pairing with Proper Nutrition and Meals
Your body needs proper food to grow muscles. Stack supplements with a balanced diet rich in proteins, fish, and fresh veggies. Your muscles need key nutrients to recover after tough workouts.
Eat enough calories and drink plenty of water to support muscle growth.
Your daily meals must include lean proteins, healthy fats, and good carbs. Track your food intake along with your supplement stack to see better results. A solid nutrition plan helps your supplements work better for muscle building.
Your body uses proteins and amino acids from food to repair muscle damage and build new muscle fibers.
2. Track Your Progress
Track your muscle gains with the free INBODY scan to get clear body composition reports. The scan shows exact changes in muscle mass, body fat, and strength levels. Log daily supplement intake and workout results in the free tracking app to spot what works best.
NASM staff guides you through progress checks every 4-6 weeks. They help adjust supplement stacks based on real data from your body scans. Simple tracking leads to better muscle gains and keeps you moving toward fitness goals.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Stacking Supplements
Stacking supplements needs careful planning to get the best results. Smart choices when you stack supplements help you avoid wasting money and stay safe.
- Taking too many supplements at once: Mix 2-3 supplements max to start. Your body needs time to adjust to new combinations when you stack supplements.
- Skipping health checks: Get blood work done before starting new supplement stacks. This helps spot any vitamin b12 or zinc deficiency issues.
- Missing proper timing: Drink a protein shake with creatine following your workouts to start the recovery process.
- Buying low-quality brands: Pick premium supplements from trusted brands in the industry to ensure potency and purity.
- Not reading labels: Check the caffeine content in pre-workout stacks. High doses can cause stress and sleep problems.
- Mixing wrong combinations: Some supplements fight each other. BCAAs and creatine work great together, but fat burners and sleep aids don’t mix.
- Going without food: Take supplements with meals to boost metabolism. Empty stomach intake can cause stomach upset.
- Using expired products: Check dates on dietary supplements. Old products lose their strength.
- Ignoring side effects: Stop use if you feel odd. Tell your doctor about new supplement stacks.
- Missing supplement breaks: Take 1-2 weeks off every 3 months. This stops your body from getting too used to supplements.
Stack Supplements to Get the Best Results Possible
Being able to properly stack supplements helps build muscle fast with the right plan. Your body needs protein powder after workouts, creatine daily, and BCAAs during training for the best results. Mix these key supplements to create the ultimate muscle-building stacks at the right times to grow stronger muscles.
Track your progress each week, eat good food, and stay patient — real gains take time and effort.
Supplement Stack FAQs
Supplement stacking means taking different supplements together to maximize muscle building and enhance performance. It helps bodybuilders build lean muscle and support fat loss.
Pre-workout, omega 3, and antioxidants make a good basic stack. Add B12 if you have a deficiency.
Yes, but track your progress and start slow. These products are not intended to diagnose, prevent any disease, or fix any health problem — results may vary.
Look at supplements on the market that match your goals. Each supplement needs to align with what you’re trying to accomplish to help provide compounding effects.
Take pre-workout before exercise, and space other supplements throughout the day. Caffeine anhydrous works best before training.
Yes — cycling helps prevent your body from getting too used to the supplements. Take breaks every 8-12 weeks to keep seeing good results.
Stack Supplements Resources
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/supplements-for-muscle-gain
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-bcaa
- https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/stacked-your-guide-to-supplement-dosage-and-timing.html
- https://www.ironman.com/news/supplement-stacking-how-combine-nutrients
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7909540/
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