Question 1

What do muscle building supplements actually do?

Accepted Answer

They cover the gaps around your training, nothing more. Protein contributes to the growth and the maintenance of muscle mass. Creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise. Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function. That is the honest scope. The training itself, enough calories and enough sleep do the heavy work. Supplements mainly make it easier to hit your protein target and to keep training at the same quality week after week.

Question 2

How much protein do I need each day?

Accepted Answer

The UK reference intake is a baseline for general health, not a target for lifters. People who train regularly usually sit above it, and average UK intakes are already higher than the reference. Use the figures below as a starting point, then check what your own meals add up to before adding a shake.

Situation	Protein reference
Adults, per kg body weight	0.75 g per day
Woman of 60 kg	about 45 g per day
Man of 75 kg	about 55 g per day
Food label reference intake	50 g per day

Source: NHS and British Nutrition Foundation

Question 3

Which form should I choose?

Accepted Answer

Pick on how you will actually use it every day, because consistency decides the result. Powder is the cheapest and easiest to dose, capsules travel well, gummies suit people who dislike shakes.

Situation	Protein reference
Adults, per kg body weight	0.75 g per day
Woman of 60 kg	about 45 g per day
Man of 75 kg	about 55 g per day
Food label reference intake	50 g per day

Question 4

When is the best time to take protein and creatine?

Accepted Answer

Your daily total matters more than the clock. Spreading protein over three or four meals of roughly 20 to 30 g each is easier on your appetite than one large shake. Creatine works through saturation of the muscle, so the time of day is not important. Take 3 g every day, including rest days, with a meal or a drink. If you miss a day, just carry on, there is no need to start again.

Question 5

How long before I notice a difference?

Accepted Answer

Think in weeks, not days. Creatine needs roughly three to four weeks of daily use at 3 g before your stores are full. Some people load with a higher dose for a week to get there faster, which works but is not necessary. Extra protein shows itself through training progress over one to three months. If nothing shifts, look at your programme, your sleep and your calories before buying another product.

Question 6

Does creatine cause bloating or water retention?

Accepted Answer

Creatine draws a small amount of water into the muscle cell, so the scales can rise by half a kilo to a kilo in the first weeks. That water sits inside the muscle, not under the skin. Stomach discomfort is usually a dosing issue rather than the ingredient. Three to five grams in plenty of liquid, taken with food, sits better for most people than 20 g in one go during a loading week.

Question 7

Can I build muscle on a plant-based diet?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Muscle building depends on your total protein and on leucine, not on whether the protein came from an animal. Single plant proteins can be low in one amino acid, so choose a blend, usually pea with rice, which covers the full profile. Serve slightly larger portions than with whey, because plant proteins carry a little less leucine per gram. The leucine content per serving is worth checking on the label.

Question 8

Which supplements matter most for keeping muscle after 50?

Accepted Answer

Two things carry most of the weight: resistance training twice a week and enough protein at every meal, since the body responds less strongly to protein with age. Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal muscle function, and UK sunlight is too weak from October to March, so the NHS advises a daily 10 microgram supplement in those months. You can find our range of vitamin D3 here. EFSA has also assessed creatine at 3 g a day combined with regular resistance training in adults over 55 favourably.

No results for "Muscles"

Knowledge base

We are moving to a bigger warehouse

BONO rebranding: the same service, new look

Popular Muscles pages

Articles

Achieve your health goals

We supplement your goals.

Knowledge base

We are moving to a bigger warehouse

BONO rebranding: the same service, new look

Popular Muscles pages

Articles