If you are into Fitness or Gym, the world of supplements is a weird and wild one. There's one big reason why: Unlike medication, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) does not require dietary supplements to be proven safe before they hit the market.

Remember, you don't need a prescription for supplements. You don't need a doctor's approval (although it's always a good idea to talk to your doctor before taking any supplement). And you often don't need a ton of money to buy a supplement either.

So instead of trusting the marketing lingo on the supplement label, here's an idea: Trust us. We've studied the research. We've talked to the experts. Heck, we've even tasted all this stuff.

What follows is a list of supplements you can trust to help you hit your goals, be they gaining muscle, improving strength, or losing weight—or all three. There are a few proven supplements that can aid an already good diet, sleep regime, and training program to ensure you get the most out of workouts. But quality definitely matters and that’s the main concern when considering using any products to get that competitive edge.

Note: Only take the recommended dosages listed on product labels as this is an effective and safe amount for most individuals. Also, it’s always a good idea to consult with a medical professional before implementing a nutritional supplement regime especially if you suffer from any pre-existing health conditions.

1. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder

 

Protein is the ‘muscle-building’ macronutrient found in meats, dairy, nuts, grains, and more (apparently, it’s popular among the food groups). And It’s made from amino acids which are the building blocks of the body.

Protein is essential for the growth and repair of all body tissue in general. Not to mention, it fuels many chemical reactions, regulates hormones, keeps your heart and immune system healthy, and does so much for helping us to maintain our healthy bodies.

So, by now, you should be convinced of just how important it is for the Strongman athlete who needs to build maximum muscle mass and strength. Now, you definitely don’t “need” to supplement your protein with a powdered product but it’s extremely convenient and a great way to get in a decent amount of additional protein without anything else.

Well, Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard 100% whey is one of the better products out there overall not just because of the protein quality but mainly because of the overall value. It’s definitely nothing special but for a decent price you get a really good amount of servings, a powder that tastes pretty good, and it comes from a reputable company.

There are many different sizes and flavors too which is awesome for protein powder lovers! But a serving typically contains 120 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, it’s very low sodium (2%) and carb (1%), has one gram of sugar and 24 grams of gains-promoting protein. The protein is a mix of isolate (90% or more protein contents), concentrate (80% or more protein), and peptides.

As for additional ingredients, this product does have natural and artificial flavors, plus acesulfame potassium which is an artificial sweetener that may be a turn off for many people. And it also contains lactase for easier digestive of the dairy ingredients.

ON Gold Standard definitely isn’t a protein powder for the individual who prefers all-natural ingredients but it’s still a high-quality option and popular for a reason.

Not to mention, whey products are fast-digesting which means drinking a shake after a workout is ideal for promoting muscle growth, and whey also contains all essential amino acids in addition to leucine which is the branched-chain amino acid most responsible for muscle protein synthesis.

You can buy this product from Amazon which is pretty cheap: https://amzn.to/2w4FB6D

2. Muscletech Essential Series Platinum Multi-Vitamin

Just as its name would suggest, MuscleTech Platinum Multivitamin is a multivitamin supplement that has been designed specifically taking the needs of athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness-minded individuals into consideration.

This comprehensive multivitamin product combines essential vitamins and minerals with enzymes, herbal extracts, and even amino acids to offer a truly broad spectrum of nutrients to help you recover from your workouts and enjoy a boost to your general health and energy levels.

Although MuscleTech Platinum Multivitamin is far from being the cheapest multivitamin supplement on the market it does offer a reasonable degree of quality with clear labeling of how much of each ingredient you are receiving.

MuscleTech Platinum Multivitamin contains the following ingredients:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin E
• Thiamin
• Riboflavin
• Niacin
• Vitamin B6
• Folic Acid
• Vitamin B12
• Biotin
• Pantothenic Acid
• Calcium carbonate
• Calcium Citrate
• Magnesium Oxide
• Zinc Oxide
• Zinc Amino Acid Chelate
• Copper Amino Acid Chelate
• Manganese Sulphate Monohydrate
• Molybdenum Amino Acid Chelate
• Potassium Chloride
• Amino Support Matrix, containing:
• Glycine;
• ALA (Alpha Lipoic Acid);
• L-Methionine;
• L-Citrulline Malate;
• L-Arginine Hydrochloride; and
• L-Cysteine
• Herbal Matrix, containing:
• Green Tea Extract;
• Saw Palmetto Fruit Extract;
• American Ginseng Root Extract;
• Echinacea Root;
• Ginkgo Leaf;
• Grape Skin Extract;
• Green Coffee Bean Extract;
• Turmeric Rhizome Extract; and
• Octacosanol
• Enzyme Complex, containing:
• Amylase; and
• Papain
• Mineral Support Complex, containing:
• Inositol;
• Boron Citrate;
• Choline Bitartrate; and
• Choline Dihydrogen Citrate
• Microcrystalline Cellulose
• Croscarmellose Sodium
• Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
• Talc
• Polythylene Glycol
• Polysorbate 80
• Magnesium Stearate
• Silicon Dioxide

MuscleTech Platinum Multivitamin is by no means the most cost-effective multivitamin supplement for bodybuilding but it is a solid product that contains an impressive array of essential vitamins and minerals, as well as tons of extra beneficial ingredients.

MuscleTech is easily one of the most popular manufacturers of sports and bodybuilding supplements so it should come as no surprise that MuscleTech Platinum Multivitamin has been very well received by users and has been highly praised overall.

To summarize, ensure you are eating a well-balanced diet with loads of fruit and vegetables and high-quality protein sources to ensure you are receiving as many nutrients are needed to maintain your health and fitness lifestyle.

You can buy this product from Amazon which is pretty cheap: https://amzn.to/390aUOJ

3. BPI Sports Micronized Creatine

Creatine, which is the most studied and proven ergogenic performance aid known to the man currently. It helps to build muscle, increase strength and power output, and possibly even provide some endurance benefits as well.

Creatine is naturally made by the body and is located mostly in the muscles and brain. It’s converted into phosphocreatine and stored in the muscles for energy. But to get the performance and aesthetic benefits, supplementation is really non-negotiable as the body doesn’t make enough to support the desired performance benefits achieved with this amino acid.

Hence the reason for the abundance of creatine products on the market. But one thing to remember about creatine is that it’s not a miracle supplement and it’s not a performance-enhancing drug. So with that being said, it does provide a slight advantage which is quite obvious. Micronized creatine in powdered or any form, works plain and simple. And from a top brand, even more, likely that you’re getting quality. Well, BPI Sports is one of those top brands which make good supplements.

Each serving contains 5g of creatine monohydrate as the only ingredient to support performance and muscle growth and you really can’t go wrong with the price either considering you get 120 servings. With basic monohydrate powder though, it’s a good idea to do a loading phase which involves consuming 15-20g per day for the first 4 or so days and then maintain every day thereafter with 5g. This is well known to saturate the muscles with this amino acid much faster which will cause faster results.

You can buy this product from Amazon which is pretty cheap: https://amzn.to/3ccbUB0

4. Optimum Nutrition (ON) Amino Energy BCAA Drink

If you're a strength athlete or bodybuilder, we can't think of a single reason not to take BCAAs during your workout. Besides the fact that they taste delicious, sipping on BCAAs between sets may help speed up the recovery and repair processes after a tough workout.

A 2010 study published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found that participants who ingested BCAAs at 100 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, or about 9 grams for a 200-pound individual, experienced significantly less muscle soreness and damage following a high-volume squat protocol.

It appears that BCAAs, especially leucine, help to regulate protein metabolism by promoting protein synthesis and suppressing protein degradation, which may improve the recovery of muscles damaged during resistance training.

You can buy this product from Amazon which is pretty cheap: https://amzn.to/3a6Ut3g

5. Optimum Nutrition Enteric-Coated Fish Oil

Fish oils are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which provide myriad benefits for the body. For strength athletes and bodybuilders, we're most concerned with their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Intense resistance training can cause microscopic tears in your muscle fibers, leading to muscle damage and inflammation. While some inflammation is desirable, too much can delay the post-exercise recovery process.

Research suggests that omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce post-exercise muscle soreness and speed up the recovery process, getting you ready for your next session with the weights. As an added benefit, when combined with BCAAs and carbs, omega-3s can increase protein synthesis rates, leading to greater gains in muscle mass.

You can buy this product from Amazon which is pretty cheap: https://amzn.to/3cjjM42

Let us know in the comments which supplement is a perfect fit for you!

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If you have some fitness goal and your mind wants to hit the trail, treadmill, mat or bike but your body needs a little motivation to get off the couch. We get it. It's cold outside or it might be scorching hot. Whether you want to change up your routine or start one after a long hiatus these pro tips from our archives will help kick start your workout resolutions and set you on the path for success.

• 1. Take it slow. If you're just getting back to a workout regimen after a longish break, maybe don't try to start where you left off. "Trying to go all-out your first session back in the gym is a recipe for injury and frustration, so avoid that temptation," advises Greg Pignataro, a personal trainer with Grindset Fitness who specializes in strength and conditioning. "When trying to get back into the swing of things, start at a level that's no more difficult than a four or five out of 10. Starting at this manageable level will help prevent you from feeling overwhelmed. Slowly and consistently ramp up the challenge over your next few weeks. Do this, and you'll be back at your old level of performance — or beyond it — before you know it."

• 2. Use a foam roller to help prevent injury. Foam rolls can improve your performance, deepen your stretching, increase flexibility, and better your workout results. Using one for a few minutes a few times a week can help prevent injury too. "Personally, I use a foam roller any time I'm doing a cardio workout (such as running or spinning)," says celeb trainer Juliet Kaska. "I try to always foam roll out my legs before these types of workouts, especially my IT band because I'm prone to IT syndrome. Recently, I didn't stick with my usual foam rolling routine before a treadmill boot camp workout class and I ended up injured." Rolling, Kaska explains, specifically helps her clients release tightness and increase range of motion (especially for hip and knee flexion), and it can even reduce inflammation after a hardcore cardio sesh. "Foam rolling is really good for releasing tension by rolling out the knots that accumulate throughout our body from stress, misuse, and physical activity. Plus, it improves circulation, can help reduce [the appearance of] cellulite, and feels so darn good."

• 3. Save most of your stretching post-workout. "After your workout is a better time to stretch with more dedication," says Nichole Tipps, lead trainer for V Shred, a virtual fitness training program. "Your muscles are tense, and they are tired and stressed in a good way. So stretching can help relieve that tension and reduce the soreness that results from working a muscle." Before your workout do a light stretch and then allot 10-15 minutes for post-sweat stretches. "Ease your muscles into the idea that you will be challenging them to perform," Tipps instructs.

• 4. Shake up your routine. Finding what you love applies to work AND fitness (and pretty much everything else). Break out of a fitness rut by trying something new – boxing, spinning, yoga – or mixing up your routine each week for a little variety. Here are 7 Tips to Actually Enjoy Exercising, including grabbing a buddy, making a killer playlist and stocking up on new gear to get you motivated.

• 5. Start with strength, end with cardio. Not sure whether to hit the weights or the treadmill when you make it to the gym? "The biggest scientific benefit to finishing with cardio is an added metabolic burst," explains Bree Branker, FitOn trainer. "This can contribute to faster and greater weight loss." The rush of cardio at the end of your workout can inspire you to come back for more too. "I love to end sessions with cardio to really achieve that high heart rate, sweat-all-over type of accomplishment that screams, 'I did it!'"

• 6. Train your flexibility. "It's important for adults to be strategic about including flexibility training into their workouts because maintaining flexibility and physical function as we move into middle and older adulthood is associated with a better quality of life and independent living," says Dr. Rachelle Reed, Ph.D., Director of Fitness Science at Orangetheory Fitness. Dr. Reed explains two main types of flexibility training that you should aim to incorporate into your routine: "Dynamic stretching, where a stretch is performed by moving through a challenging but attainable range of motion several times in a row, and static stretching, where a stretch is held in a challenging but attainable position for a longer period of time (at least 10-30 seconds).

• 7. Don't be discouraged if you've been out of the game. It's never too late to start exercising if you want to improve your health found a study published in JAMA Network Open. Dr. Jennifer Haythe, MD, a New York-based cardiologist and co-director of the Women's Center for Cardiovascular Health and Columbia, explains, "The heart is a muscle and can always be trained like any muscle. Picking up exercise at any time has been shown to improve blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol, mood, and sleep." Starting at just two hours a week and gradually increasing can be enough to make a difference. Anthony McClain, a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) and host of podcast Bout That Time, explains, "Six to eight hours of vigorous activity sounds nice to me, yet studies have shown as little as 30 minutes of moderate/vigorous activity five days a week yields consequential qualitative and quantitative health benefits."

• 8. Ease in by starting at home. Jumpstart your new workout routine at home to build up your confidence and get motivated!

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