Just how can a person build muscle with supplements? When you think of supplements, do you think of taking a multi-vitamin or some rare herb? It may please you to know that the world of supplements expands far beyond either of these categories. There is a large selection of supplements that can help you in many different areas, even in body building or gaining muscle.

Some people want to gain muscle, or lean mass, because they are underweight. Others do so for sports or conditioning reasons. They want to be stronger, or simply to look more muscular. Regardless of why you want to build muscle, you have a myriad of supplement choices at your disposal. Rather than popping a pill, you will most likely be mixing yourself a tasty shake, eating a delicious bar, or adding a supplemental powder to the protein shake you already drink.

Building Muscle with Weight-Gainer Drinks

First, there are weight-gainer drinks. These supplements are usually offered in a variety of flavors, although the most common are vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. They are very high in calories, and should only be consumed in addition to meals if you are truly underweight, or if you�re sure that your muscle-building routine in the gym is rigorous enough for your body to use the extra calories without turning them into fat.

Whenever the body does not need as many calories as it is consuming, the excess is stored as fat. It doesn�t matter if the extra calories come from a nutritional supplement or not! These weight-gainer drinks are usually 400 calories or more per serving, and contain a good amount of healthy fats along with carbohydrates and protein. Generally, they are consumed two or three times per day depending on how much weight you are trying to gain. They are essentially like a protein shake, with a higher calorie count and a greater number of carbs and fat.

Building Muscle with Weight Gainer Bars

The next type of supplement is the weight gainer bar. Any supplemental bar you find at your health food store that has approximately three hundred to five hundred calories, and is higher on the fats and carbohydrates than your average protein bar, can be considered a �weight gainer� bar. The best bars to seek out in this area are those with all natural ingredients. You can find plenty of tasty chocolate bars that are full of maltodextrin (a sugar derivative) and coated with various fractionated oils (palm oils, and other not-so-healthy oils). But there are also plenty of bars that contain healthy nuts, nut and vegetable oils, and honey as their main ingredients. If you can find a nutty bar that is high in good oils and fats, this will be your best bet.

Building Muscle with Creatine

Another popular weight-gaining supplement is creatine, which usually comes in a powder form. You can buy creatine supplements in pill form as well, or you can buy a protein powder or weight-gainer drink that has the creatine already built in.

If you are underweight and are trying to reach a healthy weight without bulking up, this may not be the right supplement for you at this time. But if you want to see results in muscle development, and you are willing to work in the gym and supplement your diet, creatine is a great choice.

So just what is creatine? It is actually a component of skeletal muscle, and it is an acid of sorts. It helps the body convert energy to muscle � good news for all of us who want to increase muscle! It is very low in calories (about fifty calories for two heaping teaspoons). Generally, you can add the creatine one to three times a day to your favorite protein shake or drink. Some people like to drink it before a workout to fuel the muscles prior to the pump at the gym, and some drink it afterward to re-fuel the muscles. Either way is acceptable.

Because there is not sufficient creatine found in vegetable sources, it is also a good supplement for vegetarians who find that they have a difficult time building lean muscle mass. Creatine is a relatively inexpensive supplement as well, so it is attractive to a wide range of customers. The supplement is regarded as very safe, with almost no history of negative side effects. The only thing to watch for is bloating; some people feel significant water retention after consuming creatine. Others, however, do not feel this at all.

Whether you have serious weight to gain, you want to add some muscle, or you�re just looking for a tasty, high-calorie bar to add as a meal replacement on-the-go, there are a number of great choices for you in the supplement market. Check them out and see what you like best!