Creatine, caffeine, protein powder: the short list of supplements with real benefit for muscle training – and why the rest on the shelf is not worth your money.
The honest answer no salesperson gives you: only a handful of supplements are even scientifically backed for muscle growth — creatine, caffeine and protein powder. The big rest on the shelf is a waste of money. No powder replaces training, protein and sleep; supplements are the finishing touch, not the base.
And the most effective is also the cheapest: creatine monohydrate is the best-backed legal supplement there is and safe over years. A kilo costs less than a single restaurant visit and lasts months. That much effect for that little money you find nowhere else on the shelf.
Straight talk: before you even think about pricey fat burners, BCAAs or testosterone boosters, get the base right — enough protein, hard training, sleep. Only then are the three tools we cover here worth it. Everything else you can skip.
3–5 g of creatine monohydrate per day, every day, training day or not. It tops up your muscle energy stores so you get a few more reps — over weeks more volume, more stimulus, more muscle. A loading phase (20 g/day for 5–7 days) only speeds up the effect but is optional.
Caffeine makes hard sessions easier and performance better: 3–6 mg per kilo of bodyweight, about 60 minutes before training. At 80 kg that is about 240–480 mg — anywhere from two strong coffees to a pre-workout serving. More (9 mg/kg) adds no benefit, just a racing heart and shakes.
Whey or plant protein is simply protein to go. It builds no extra muscle but helps you hit your roughly 1.6 g/kg per day when real food falls short. A shake after training or on the move is handy — but quark or skyr do the same and are often cheaper.
Beta-alanine can help slightly at high rep ranges (muscular endurance) and is considered useful in contest prep. For normal building it is optional, not mandatory — and the typical skin tingle is harmless. Buy it only once the base three are in place.
BCAAs (redundant with enough protein), testo boosters, fat burners, "anabolic" miracles: for the vast majority the evidence is missing. Put the money into good food and proper sleep instead — both build more muscle than any trend powder.
Buy plain creatine monohydrate as a powder, not the pricey special types. The heavily marketed variants ("HCl", "buffered") are not proven better than simple monohydrate — they are just more expensive. A big bag of monohydrate costs a few euros a month and is the only "muscle supplement" that truly earns the name. Save the rest and eat one more egg instead.
Creatine monohydrate — the best-backed legal supplement there is. 3–5 g daily lets you get a few more reps per set, which over weeks means more volume and more muscle. It is cheap, safe and the clear starting point before you buy anything else.
No, a loading phase is optional. 3–5 g per day fill your stores just as well within a few weeks. A loading phase (20 g/day over 5–7 days) only speeds up the start but is not needed — and higher doses afterward add no benefit. What matters is the daily intake, not the timing.
3–6 mg per kilo of bodyweight, about 60 minutes before. At 75 kg that is roughly 225–450 mg. More (9 mg/kg) does not improve performance further but makes side effects more likely. Take it deliberately before hard sessions and not too late in the day, or your sleep suffers.
No, it is pure convenience. Protein powder builds no extra muscle; it only helps you hit your roughly 1.6 g/kg when real food falls short. Quark, skyr, eggs or poultry do the same. Buy powder if it eases your day — not because you think it is a muscle booster.
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