5 Best Supplements for Weight Loss and Muscle Gain

1. Whey protein

Right at the top of the list of whey protein. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, a different source of protein also works just as well.

Let’s start with muscle building side of protein. This amino acid is the building blocks for muscle. Whenever you work out, you tear the fibers in your muscle and protein is needed to build it back up, bigger and stronger [1].

Ensuring you have enough in your system is essential to building muscle.

This is where the fat burning comes in to play.

Muscle burns more calories than fat does, and having more muscle on your frame is proven to enhance your overall metabolic rate.

Studies have linked a high protein diet with increased muscle mass, and lower levels of body fat [1].

2. Creatine

Building muscle and lowering fat comes down to diet and workouts.

Creatine is one of the most highly researched supplements in the world and has been proven to increase athletic performance [2]. In particular, it helps to increase the power output of every workout [3].

By being able to add a few more reps to your workout and work harder overall, you should reap the rewards in more muscle.

Studies have linked supplementing with creatine to an increase in fat-free mass [4].

Once again, with more muscle on your body, your metabolism should be raised and you’ll be well placed to lose any unwanted fat.

Creatine can be found in high protein foods and you should get a good amount through your diet. However, to benefit from the positive impacts of this supplement, you need higher servings, which is often cheaper and easier when consumed in a powdered form.

3. Caffeine

You may not think it, but this widely used stimulant can have an influence over body composition, making it one of the best supplements for weight loss and muscle gain.

Let’s start with the muscle gain. When taken as a pre-workout supplement, caffeine has been shown to improve overall athletic performance [5].

In a study conducted on weightlifters, taking 150-200mg of caffeine before a training session improved their strength and performance during resistance training [6].

If you have more athletic ability during a workout, you’ll gain muscle at a faster rate, which can help you burn excess fat.

Alongside that, caffeine has unique fat loss properties. It’s a thermogenic, which is proven to cause an increase in body temperature and heating the body requires energy from burning additional calories.

When studied, science shows this can raise the metabolism by up to 11% [7].

To complement this, caffeine can also increase fat oxidization by up to 13% [8], so your body uses fat for fuel, burning through more during a workout.

[Related Article: 6 Best Natural Fat Burners According to Science]

4. BCAAs

Branched chain amino acids are key protein molecules, which are can be supplemented into your diet via high protein foods.

They play an essential part in muscle growth and development [9]. Some studies have shown that supplementing with these amino acids could help to improve your ability to gain and maintain muscle [10].

While BCAAs are key to new muscle growth, it’s widely acknowledged that you should get the optimal amount of these amino acids by consuming a healthy diet.

5. Beta Alanine

This supplement is also present in a number of foods you eat and can help to reduce fatigue during workouts and therefore increase overall performance [11].

On top of this, a study has linked regular beta alanine supplementation with heightened lean body mass [12].

In another study the amino acid was tested during a high intensity interval training program. Those who supplemented with beta alanine boosted lean body mass by around a pound more than those who took a placebo [13].

Currently, we’d like to see more studies to definitively assess the extent to which this amino acid can benefit your body composition. However, the information we have at the moment appears to indicate it has the potential to help.

[Related Article: Best Fat Burners for Women]