In fitness and training we are all just eternal students. And that goes for us too, although we know the exercises, we know how much chicken breast to eat and what supplements to use to maximize our performance. But what if you are on a budget? How can you support muscle growth without putting a strain on your wallet? In our tips you will find the most effective and affordable dietary supplements that you should definitely not miss.
1. Creatine
Creatine not only increases muscle strength and muscle volume, but also promotes muscle regeneration between training series. Thanks to this, you can train longer and more intensely , which ultimately leads to stronger muscle growth . Additionally, hundreds of studies have proven the beneficial properties of this supplement.
Your body produces a small amount of creatine. However, if you want to maximize your supplies and take full advantage of creatine’s effects, you will need to either consume 1 to 1.5 kg of meat a day or help yourself with creatine in supplements.
There are two ways to maximize the amount of creatine in your body . The first is to “overdose” your body on creatine for a short period of time, which means that you are consuming 20 grams of creatine per day for 5-7 days and then moving into the maintenance phase (3- 5 grams a) day). This way, you flood the muscles with creatine, which has been shown to be effective in building muscle.
If you are not in a hurry to maximize inventory, you can choose a long-term low dosage of around 5 grams per day. However, this will take 4 weeks to maximize stocks and muscle mass growth will be a little slower. If you want to learn more about creatine, check out our article: How to Use Creatine for Maximum Muscle Growth.
- Recommended dose : 5 grams per day
- Lowest price per creatine serving: 0.049 €
- Timing: Anytime
2. Whey Protein
The numerous benefits of protein include increased muscle strength and size, reduced body fat and faster recovery. Therefore, this protein can be regarded as a very important nutritional component of every bodybuilder.
Protein synthesis is a process that is an important one role in increasing muscle size and strength . Weight training can increase protein synthesis, but it also increases protein breakdown. To achieve muscle mass growth, you need to outweigh protein synthesis over protein breakdown.
The study showed that protein consumption decreased after training can significantly increase protein synthesis in muscles. This will later be reflected in an increase in muscle strength and size. If you’re only looking to pick one type of protein that you would spend your hard earned money on, we’d recommend whey protein. It is a quickly digestible protein that gets into the bloodstream very quickly. This gives you more power and better protein synthesis than sources like soy or casein.
Although the protein powder costs a few cents more per serving than eggs or chicken, it is one of the due to its portability and ease of use most important nutritional supplements that you shouldn’t miss. We assume that the protein should last as long as possible. The studies that looked at different doses (0, 5, 10, 20, 40 grams) have shown that 20 grams is enough to fully stimulate protein synthesis after exercise . If you want to learn more about whey protein, check out the article – Whey and Whey Protein: Everything You Need to Know.
- Recommended dose: 20 grams
- The lowest price for a serving of whey protein: 0.199 €
- Timing: Immediately after training
3. Caffeine
Whether your goal is to increase energy levels during exercise or get rid of body fat, look for Caffeine. The thermogenic component can increase your metabolism while providing you with a quick source of energy.
In addition to performance benefits, caffeine has been shown to reduce fatigue during exercise. Muscle fatigue has also been shown to decrease the motor unit received in the muscle, resulting in a decrease in the force of muscle contraction. Using caffeine before a workout can help maintain motor unity and maximum strength .
In addition, thanks to caffeine, you can get rid of the excess kilos that you put in won the vacation. One study showed that consuming 1.8 mg of caffeine per approximately 0.45 kg of body weight Increase your metabolic rate by up to 12%. [7] This increase in metabolic rate ultimately helps you lose a few extra pounds . We recommend that you use pure caffeine, which is best viewed as an improvement, not to mention it only costs $ 1.90 or less per serving. If you want to learn more about caffeine, read Caffeine and How You Can Use It to Make Your Workout More Effective.
- Recommended dose: 150-300 mg
- The lowest price for a serving of caffeine: 0.055 €
- Timing: 30 minutes before training
4. BCAA Branched Amino Acids
Whey protein is a great supplement that helps build muscle. If you’re not taking BCAA, it can Muscle growth may be limited. BCAA consists of three essential amino acids , which make up almost a third of skeletal muscle proteins. Several studies have shown that they stimulate protein synthesis and support recovery and regeneration.
Taking BCAA reduces muscle training and speeds up Recovery process . [8] Taking BCAA during exercise reduces protein breakdown, replaces muscle glycogen and reduces fatigue. You should take BCAA especially if you are fasting.
- Recommended dose: 5-10 grams
- The lowest price of a single BCAA -Dose: 0.23-0.478 €
- Timing: Before or during training
5. Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are one of the most important nutrients for the body. They are deemed necessary – which means that your body cannot build up its own supplies and therefore has to be replenished through diet or food supplements .
Fish oil with a high content of EPA and DHA fatty acids helps to relieve muscle pain after exercise . [11] The Studies also showed less pain and swelling and greater range of motion after intense exercise. [12] Not to mention that omega-3 fatty acids too are very important for building and maintaining muscle mass . This also speeds up muscle regeneration and ensures that you can train harder.
For most people, it can be very difficult and expensive to eat enough fish to make the recommended daily allowance Omega-3 fatty acids. Due to the low price and the lower odor, which is a problem for many people, supplementing with fish oil is a good solution . If you want to learn more about omega-3s, check out the article: 3 Reasons To Take Fish Oil And Omega-3 Fatty Acids.
- Recommended dose : 1-2 grams
- The lowest price for a serving of Omega-3: 0.065-0.131 €
- Timing: with food
There are many great nutritional supplements on the market that and when you have the budget for it, the options are overwhelming. If it doesn’t, follow these recommendations for your next order and watch your muscles grow. If you liked the article and found it helpful, please support it by sharing it.
