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Muscle growth

Muscle getting bigger, which is separate from getting stronger. It is measured as lean mass on a DXA scan, as muscle thickness on ultrasound, and as muscle fibre size on a biopsy.

23 supplements analyzed and ranked by clinical evidence.

Supplements23

Supplement Evidence

Whey Protein
Strong

MPS +40-100%

Lean mass +4kg

662 studies·17 benefits
Essential Amino Acids
Strong

Leucine/EAA boost MPS +22%

Lean mass/strength gains

2629 studies·19 benefits
Branched-Chain Amino Acids
Strong

Anabolic signaling +mTOR

Muscle preservation +gains

1422 studies·10 benefits
Lysine
Strong

Muscle synthesis +70%

Lean mass +1.2%

Growth efficiency up

368 studies·18 benefits
Leucine
Strong

MPS + leucine

Muscle size/gain +

392 studies·17 benefits
Glutamine
Strong

Anabolism +N balance

Anti-catabolic, ~+10% glutamine

485 studies·16 benefits
HMB
Strong

Lean mass +0.8–12.7%

Muscle loss −2.0 kg

132 studies·13 benefits
Creatine
Strong

Strength + lean mass

~+2–6 kg

1912 studies·14 benefits
L-Methionine
Strong

Muscle protein synthesis +

Growth + weight gain

Amino acids + methionine

343 studies·17 benefits
Casein
Strong

Casein boosts MPS

Whey stronger short-term

352 studies·15 benefits
Alanine
Strong

Amino acids +N balance

Protein accretion +lean mass

3028 studies·18 benefits
Alanylglutamine
Moderate

Protein sparing, less infection

Nitrogen balance +positive

54 studies·12 benefits
Aspartate
Moderate

Albumin/muscle synthesis +37%

Arginine: collagen/IGF-1 +52%

Nitrogen balance improved

2017 studies·18 benefits
Arachidonic Acid
Moderate

Muscle genes up

MPS no change

595 studies·19 benefits
Alpha-Ketoglutarate
Moderate

Protein anabolism +20%

Less catabolism; faster healing

Better strength/power

69 studies·10 benefits
Isoleucine
Moderate

MPS/anabolism +3.5x

Lean mass/growth +1.0%

86 studies·13 benefits
Beef Protein
Moderate

Muscle size/strength +4–6%

Muscle protein synthesis +47%

249 studies·12 benefits
Pea Protein
Moderate

AAs↑; MPS same

Strength/mass same

45 studies·14 benefits
Carnosine
Moderate

Fat-free mass +1.7%

Muscle oxidation markers ↓

77 studies·17 benefits
Ornithine
Moderate

Nitrogen balance +127g

Muscle protein synthesis +20%

Protein breakdown reduced

115 studies·14 benefits
Urolithin A
Weak

Endurance +33.4m

+12% strength

Inflammation ↓

15 studies·17 benefits
L-Proline
Weak

MPS ↑ proline

Collagen synthesis ↑ proline

961 studies·13 benefits
Betaine HCL
Weak

Strength gains +30%

Lean mass +5-6%

120 studies·6 benefits