As a beginner, one is overwhelmed by the huge range of food supplements, also known as supplements. Often this is based on recommendations from people from the gym or friends. Even if it is meant nicely, this advice is usually not entirely correct and a touted success with a supplement may have been influenced by other factors and not by the supplement itself.

Since it is difficult to choose the most important supplements, especially as a beginner, today we are giving you a list of supplements that can serve as a first basis.

Which supplements should I take to Gain Muscles?

There are no real must-have supplements, after all , they are also called food supplements. They serve to supplement your diet sensibly if your current eating habits make a supplement necessary.

However, the experience and popularity of some products shows that a supplement can become necessary relatively quickly for an athlete and can make your life easier.

Protein: whey protein or other types of protein powder

When asked “Supplements for Beginners”, the very first thing that comes to mind is whey, egg white, and other protein based foods. Protein is the building block for our muscles, and athletes in particular have an increased need that has to be met in order to successfully build up muscles or maintain them in a diet. Protein is found in almost every food, some more, some less. For example, vegetables have relatively little protein, whereas meat contains a very large proportion of protein. But dairy products such as low-fat quark, cheese or milk also have a high proportion of protein. Fortunately, there is powdered protein too. In addition to vegetable raw materials such as soy or hemp, the most popular raw material comes from milk. With a proportion of up to 80% protein is whey protein of the best protein suppliers. Actually, whey protein doesn’t really count as a supplement, but rather as a food. Whey protein is a cheap alternative to meat and fish. However, whey protein is not a must-have either. If you have consumed enough protein throughout the day through meat, fish, dairy products, grains and vegetables, you are not dependent on consuming protein in powder form.

However, protein powder is a practical snack for in between and can also be taken dry in a shaker to work, school or university. Simply mix with water or milk if necessary and you have a protein-rich meal. But you can also use pre-mixed protein drinks or protein bars.

Carbohydrates:

Similar to protein powder, carbohydrate powders are a means of making your diet easier. If your goal is to gain muscle and you are having trouble gaining weight, carbohydrate products are a good choice to help you get your calories in more easily. There are different variants here. On the one hand there are multiple sugars like maltodextrin or simple sugars like dextrose or fructose. On the other hand, there is now also oatmeal flour , which, in addition to its carbohydrate content, also contains vitamins and minerals. No matter which carbohydrate product you want to choose, they can be combined very well with a protein powder.

Fats:

Fish oil , also known as omega 3, is an essential fatty acid found mainly in oily fish. Since our body cannot produce essential fatty acids itself, it has to rely on getting them from outside. However, many people do not or only rarely eat fish. Since omega 6 predominates in common fat sources, such as olive oil or rapeseed oil, an imbalance of omega 3 to omega 6 arises in our body.

It would be important here to eat enough fatty fish such as salmon or halibut. However, if this is not an option for you, there are fish oil capsules that make your omega 3 intake easier.

Vitamins-minerals

A healthy diet also includes maintaining a variety of vitamins and minerals. However, a diet with colorful vegetables and fruits for the vitamins and dairy products for the minerals should already cover a large part of your needs. A multivitamin preparation is therefore actually not necessary.

This vitamin is only found in very small amounts in foods such as eggs and fish, but the main source of vitamin D3 is sunlight.

Conclusion on: Which Bodybuilding Supplements should I take as a beginner?

It is not easy for a beginner to choose the right supplement. Before buying, you should definitely find out about the product and always keep an eye on the cost-benefit factor. With whey protein , carbohydrates , omega 3 and vitamin D3 you have laid a good basis for your success.

If you want to achieve your goals as quickly as possible, it makes sense to count your daily calories and adjust the amount if necessary. To find out your daily need for calories, we recommend our free calorie calculator . All you have to do is provide a few details about weight, gender and training level and you will receive an email with your result and an evaluation 15 minutes later. Maybe you are also interested in your body mass index, then we also have a free BMI calculator for you.