3 Basic Supplements Every Young Bodybuilder Needs

by on October 20, 2025

Navigating today’s supplement market can be difficult, especially for those who are unsure of where to begin. A common pitfall I see bodybuilders making is loading up on every supplement they can get their hands on, thinking more is always better. While I’m sure we’ve all thought like this in the past, there are definitely more productive ways to come up with a protocol that will suit your needs.

So, more is not always better… then what should we take? Is there a PERFECT supplement protocol for all bodybuilders?

Yes and no. I would be wary of anybody trying to sell you an exhausted list of “essential” products that you should be taking, without being aware of your unique situation. That being said, I have narrowed down 3 basic supplements that you will (almost) always find in a bodybuilders supplement regimen. Treat this as the base of your supplement routine and expand on it however you feel necessary.

Whey Protein

I know you’ve likely heard it countless times, but it works, it’s safe, it’s effective, and it’s affordable! Numerous studies have proven that whey protein supplementation can aid in building muscle mass, without accumulation of body fat, (1) which is the PRIMARY goal of a typical bodybuilder’s off season, is it not? In the other direction, during a diet phase, cutting phase, or competition prep, increasing protein consumption by supplementing with whey protein will greatly increase the likelihood of weight loss favoring bodyfat rather than muscle. (2) You really can’t go wrong here.

In the bodybuilding community it is often preached that your total daily protein consumption should be made up of whole food sources. Whole foods being single ingredient, ideally animal based sources of complete proteins like chicken, red meat, fish, eggs, milk, etc. However, oftentimes consuming 5-6 meals per day, each containing 6-8oz of meat, is just not feasible. First of all, that sounds incredibly boring, but second, you might be in a time crunch and be unable to spend 10-15 minutes preparing and eating a large meal, so why not replace one or two meals with a quick shake? This is where a whey protein supplement comes in handy. It is remarkably easy to put 50g of whey protein into a shaker cup with water, shake it up, and drink it. On top of that, it’s easy to prepare to go if needed. Plus, modern whey protein supplements mix well and are incredibly tasty!

What a blessing it is to be bodybuilding in this time period. You can walk into any supplement store, or go to any online retailer, and find a wide selection of high quality protein powders in every flavor you can imagine, from plain vanilla to toasted marshmallow or pumpkin cheesecake. This can help us turn our plain, boring bodybuilding meals, into something that tastes just as good as our favorite cheat meals, AND we get to enjoy it daily!

So whey is good, but what about a casein protein supplement?

A casein supplement is absolutely viable in some cases, as it (like whey) contains all 9 essential amino acids in acceptable quantities. (3)(4) The main difference between a whey and casein product is the speed at which they digest. Whey protein is faster digesting than casein. (3)(4) This makes whey an ideal choice for a meal in most circumstances, considering as bodybuilders we usually aim to eat every 2-3 hours, our food should be relatively fast digesting, allowing us to consume our next meal within a short time span. However, some bodybuilders may opt for a casein supplement before going to bed, thus allowing for a slower release of amino acids into the blood stream overnight during the 6–12-hour period of fasting.

Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine monohydrate is widely known as one of the most studied performance supplements on the market today. Usually, creatine in the form of creatine monohydrate is used and recommended; however, regardless of the form, creatine has consistently been shown to aid in the accumulation of fat free mass, and strength metrics when paired with resistance training. (5)(6) Creatine is often said to have positive effects on muscle size and roundness in individuals who seem to respond well. This is because creatine is an osmotically active substance and will promote water retention. (7) Consequently, it is common to see an initial spike in body weight when creatine supplementation is implemented.

About 95% of creatine found in our bodies is stored in the muscle, with the remainder being stored in the heart, brain, and other tissues. (8) As bodybuilders consuming a large amount of meat, we tend to naturally take in a larger than average amount of creatine from our diets, as it is found most abundantly in red meat and fish. (9) It is also worth noting that our bodies make a small amount of creatine in the liver, pancreas, and kidneys. While we could in theory get an adequate amount of creatine from our diets, this would mean consuming a very large amount of red meat daily, and most likely given factors such as the caloric content of the meat, digestion concerns, as well as financial concerns, this would not be a viable option. (Creatine content in select foods are shown in the table below) Luckily for us, creatine monohydrate is cheap, especially when purchased in large quantities.

Creatine content in select foods (10)

Dosing protocols can range greatly from individual to individual. An approach that seemed to be more popular in previous years, was a “front loading” protocol. This involved taking a higher dose of creatine, usually 20g daily, for 5-10 days (doses may be split into 4 x 5mg doses), before lowering to a dose of 5-10g per day for long periods. Recently, I more commonly see bodybuilders emitting this loading phase altogether, simply starting at 5-10g per day, and continuing at that dose. While either approach will be beneficial in the long run, by forgoing a loading phase, the creatine stored within our bodies may take up to 21-28 days to build up, and to produce the desired effects (5). Therefore I still tend to recommend that a new user use a front loading approach, if they wish to reap the benefits as quickly as possible.

Because creatine monohydrate supplementation is considered to be extremely safe, and has little to no unwanted side effects or health hazards, it is not uncommon to see bodybuilders (especially larger individuals), using doses of up to 20g per day for long term periods. There is some argument to be made for possible benefits to brain health and longevity, (8) and these higher doses of creatine are thought to be beneficial in this regard. As previously mentioned, there are considered to be very few risks as far as creatine supplementation goes, so if you find you get a benefit from a particular dose, then go for it!

Intra-Workout Carbohydrate Powder/Drink

During resistance training, our muscles primarily rely on glucose found in the bloodstream, and muscle glycogen stores to produce ATP (energy). (11) When our glycogen stores are not replenished, our body must find alternative ways of producing ATP for muscle contraction. In this scenario, the body may begin to break down amino acids found in skeletal muscle into glucose for use in energy creation. Therefore resulting in a breakdown of muscle mass. (12) Muscle breakdown during training may be of particular concern to you if you are in a contest prep or dieting phase, as your carbohydrate intake, and therefore your glycogen stores are often low to begin with. Pre, intra and post workout carbohydrate timing becomes more important during times such as these to prevent unwanted catabolism (breakdown of muscle tissue), and promote glycogen replenishment at a time when it is most efficient, during and immediately following exercise. (11)(13) The purpose of an intra-workout carbohydrate drink is to replenish these glycogen stores as efficiently as possible. This not only provides the fuel for our training session, but restoring muscle glycogen adequately is essential for optimal recovery following exercise and leading into subsequent training sessions. (11)(14)

So why did I say carbohydrate “drink” specifically? Can’t it be any quick digesting carbohydrate?

Well, you may have seen some individuals (usually powerlifters) snacking on candy, or fruit in between lifts. While yes, it is a carbohydrate, and a fast digesting one too, I tend to stay away from this. By eating solid food, our body will pull blood from other areas of the body, to the stomach and intestines to aid in digesting and absorbing nutrients. (15) When we are training, we’d ideally like this blood to be in our muscles and surrounding tissues. By using a powdered form of carbohydrate, the carbs are far more readily available to be used for fuel, as intended.

Intra-workout carbs come in plenty of different forms. A few common examples you may come across would be: Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin, maltodextrin, dextrose, Karbolyn, waxy maize. If I had to choose one, I would usually recommend a Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin supplement due to it being very well tolerated and rarely causing gastric distress. (16) That being said, I don’t have much of a preference or favourite myself. Ideally you’d perform your own experiments and determine which of these suits your needs, based on digestibility, flavour/texture/enjoyment, cost and availability, or even a preferred supplement brand. As far as dosing goes, I and most others will recommend beginning with anywhere from 20-50g of carbohydrates, although this number is highly variable based on your height, weight, sex, metabolic needs, training duration and intensity, current diet and goals, etc. Therefore it is up to you to determine a dose that is right for you. This dose may change from time to time, whether your goal is to build new muscle, or retain muscle while losing fat.

Wrapping up

This is where I would recommend all bodybuilders begin when it comes to their supplements. Having a solid understanding of these three products and how they can benefit you, will be an essential step in your bodybuilding journey. From here, you continue educating yourself and designing supplement protocols for yourself that are based on your needs. Remember there is no “one size fits all” supplement protocol, and what you use should be based on your experience, or guidance from somebody that you trust.

Best of luck out there!

References:

-Duarte NM, Cruz AL, Silva DC, Cruz GM. Intake of whey isolate supplement and muscle mass gains in young healthy adults when combined with resistance training: a blinded randomized clinical trial (pilot study). J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2020 Jan;60(1):75-84. doi: 10.23736/S0022-4707.19.09741-X. Epub 2019 Sep 23. PMID: 31565912.

-Frestedt JL, Zenk JL, Kuskowski MA, Ward LS, Bastian ED. A whey-protein supplement increases fat loss and spares lean muscle in obese subjects: a randomized human clinical study. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2008 Mar 27;5:8. doi: 10.1186/1743-7075-5-8. PMID: 18371214; PMCID: PMC2289832.

-Sindayikengera S, Xia WS. Nutritional evaluation of caseins and whey proteins and their hydrolysates from Protamex. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B. 2006 Feb;7(2):90-8. doi: 10.1631/jzus.2006.B0090. PMID: 16421963; PMCID: PMC1363751.

-Kanda A, Nakayama K, Sanbongi C, Nagata M, Ikegami S, Itoh H. Effects of Whey, Caseinate, or Milk Protein Ingestion on Muscle Protein Synthesis after Exercise. Nutrients. 2016 Jun 3;8(6):339. doi: 10.3390/nu8060339. PMID: 27271661; PMCID: PMC4924180.

-Cooper R, Naclerio F, Allgrove J, Jimenez A. Creatine supplementation with specific view to exercise/sports performance: an update. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012 Jul 20;9(1):33. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-9-33. PMID: 22817979; PMCID: PMC3407788.

– Cribb PJ, Williams AD, Hayes A. A creatine-protein-carbohydrate supplement enhances responses to resistance training. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007 Nov;39(11):1960-8. doi: 10.1249/mss.0b013e31814fb52a. PMID: 17986903.

–Powers ME, Arnold BL, Weltman AL, Perrin DH, Mistry D, Kahler DM, Kraemer W, Volek J. Creatine Supplementation Increases Total Body Water Without Altering Fluid Distribution. J Athl Train. 2003 Mar;38(1):44-50. PMID: 12937471; PMCID: PMC155510.

-Kreider RB, Stout JR. Creatine in Health and Disease. Nutrients. 2021 Jan 29;13(2):447. doi: 10.3390/nu13020447. PMID: 33572884; PMCID: PMC7910963.

-Purchas RW, Rutherfurd SM, Pearce PD, Vather R, Wilkinson BH. Concentrations in beef and lamb of taurine, carnosine, coenzyme Q(10), and creatine. Meat Sci. 2004 Mar;66(3):629-37. doi: 10.1016/S0309-1740(03)00181-5. PMID: 22060873.

-Nutritional Supplements for Endurance Athletes – Scientific Figure on ResearchGate. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Creatine-Content-in-Select-Foods_tbl3_227249571 [accessed 14 Sept 2025]

-Murray B, Rosenbloom C. Fundamentals of glycogen metabolism for coaches and athletes. Nutr Rev. 2018 Apr 1;76(4):243-259. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuy001. PMID: 29444266; PMCID: PMC6019055.

-Eberle, S. G. (2014). Endurance sports nutrition (3rd ed.). Human Kinetics.

-Jentjens R, Jeukendrup A. Determinants of post-exercise glycogen synthesis during short-term recovery. Sports Med. 2003;33(2):117-44. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200333020-00004. PMID: 12617691.

-Gonzalez JT, Wallis GA. Carb-conscious: the role of carbohydrate intake in recovery from exercise. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2021 Jul 1;24(4):364-371. doi: 10.1097/MCO.0000000000000761. PMID: 33973552.

-Kvietys PR. The Gastrointestinal Circulation. San Rafael (CA): Morgan & Claypool Life Sciences; 2010. Chapter 5, Postprandial Hyperemia. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK53094/

-Morenas-Aguilar MD, Miras-Moreno S, Chacón-Ventura S, Martín-Olmedo JJ, Cwiklinska M, Jiménez-Martínez P, Alix-Fages C, Janicijevic D, García-Ramos A. Highly branched cyclic dextrin supplementation and resistance training: A randomized double-blinded crossover trial examining mechanical, metabolic, and perceptual responses. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2025 Feb;65:305-314. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2024.12.002. Epub 2024 Dec 5. PMID: 39644922.

Ethan is a young and aspiring trainer with big dreams. His bodybuilding journey began in the 9th grade, training in the basement of his house with nothing more than a pull-up bar. After a few months of basement workouts, Ethan gained access to his school’s weight room. With some previous athletic experience in the form of youth hockey, Ethan quickly regained his love for training and progression. From that moment on, he hasn’t looked back, waking up each morning with a passion and a purpose. Outside the gym, Ethan dedicates his free time to studying every aspect of bodybuilding- training, diet, supplementation, and more. Recently, he has connected with coach Andrew Berry, learning and applying new knowledge while progressing in his own journey. Ethan continues to exhaust every possible avenue of education when it comes to learning how to effectively build a physique from the ground up. For him, nothing is more rewarding than seeing progress, whether it's his own progress, or the progress of people around him.