Put these supplement combos to work and reap superior gains in muscle and power.

The term “supplement stack” has become a mainstay at gyms across the country, and M&B uses it frequently. It’s a simple concept: A stack is a combination of supplements that work synergistically to achieve a specific goal. Some supplements are actually more powerful when combined with others, while a combination of certain nutrients exert a powerful effect as a team.

Whether you decide to go the easy, convenient, all-in-one prestacked route, or whether you decide to build your own, the following stacks and ingredients provide you with valuable information for achieving your specific physique goals.
 

The Protein Stack
Supplements: Whey protein, soy protein, casein protein

Years ago, the scientific consensus was that you needed only one type of protein to build muscle mass: whey protein. This fraction of milk protein was considered the gold standard in protein powders, and was recommended for all times and purposes. Research performed in the last several years, though, has demonstrated that the way the human body processes protein is more complicated than this initial conclusion indicated. For instance, we now know that two other common protein powders, casein and soy, provide benefits that enhance the muscle-building effects of whey protein. If you want to maximize your muscle gains by supplementing with protein, one solution is to buy jugs of soy, casein and whey and mix them together in equal parts. Or, you can go the more convenient route of buying a protein product that already has these three super proteins mixed together in a single blend.

Look for: A protein product that contains whey, casein and soy, and take in 20–40 g of this protein blend at any time of day — before workouts, after workouts, between meals or before bed — for optimal muscle growth.

► Whey: Whey is the fastest-digesting form of protein and it is the best source for stimulating muscle protein synthesis, and thus muscle growth. The reason for this is that whey’s molecules are smaller than other protein molecules, and it’s rich in branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which are particularly good for those trying to build muscle mass. Whey is also good for boosting insulin levels, the anabolic hormone that helps promote muscle recovery and growth. It’s particularly important to take whey protein before and after workouts, the times of day when you need fast delivery of protein to your muscles for recovery.

► Casein: For years, casein was considered to be far less desirable than whey as a protein source for athletes. The reason for this is that casein digests much more slowly than whey, but this also provides an important benefit: Casein stays with your body much longer, meaning the aminos are available for your body to use for a much longer time. Because of the slow rate of digestion, many sports nutritionists didn’t recommend it around the time of workouts. But new research has found that casein stimulates muscle protein synthesis at a comparable rate to whey. Other research shows that a mix of casein and whey is superior to whey alone.

► Soy: Soy protein not only provides numerous health benefits, but it also has many muscle-building properties similar to whey. Since soy protein comes from soybeans, which also contain carbs and fat, the soy protein must be separated. Products that list soy protein concentrate contain about 70% protein, and soy protein isolate is greater than 90% protein. Like whey, soy protein is quickly digested, making it a good protein before and after workouts. Soy is comparable to whey in its amino constituency. It’s rich in BCAAs, and has even higher concentrations of arginine and glutamine. Research has also shown that soy can better protect muscles from oxidative damage from exercise, leading to better muscle recovery than whey or other proteins.

The Testosterone Stack
Supplements: Tribulus terrestris, Safed musli, Eurycoma longifolia

If there’s one thing everybody at the gym knows, it’s that testosterone is the king of hormones when it comes to building muscle and strength. So it only makes sense that you should strive to boost your levels of testosterone to help maximize strength and muscle growth. Today, you can find several testosterone-boosting stacks at your favorite supplement store. Those that contain the ingredients Tribulus terrestris, Safed musli and Eurycoma longifolia are among the most popular because of their effectiveness in boosting your testosterone levels. For best results, follow labeling instructions for dosing and cycle lengths.

Look for: A supplement stack that contains about 250–500 mg of Tribulus terrestris per dose; 200–400 mg of Safed musli extract per dose; 100–300 mg of Eurycoma longifolia per dose.

► Tribulus terrestris: This herb helps to increase your testosterone levels by encouraging your brain to release more luteinizing hormone (LH). LH travels through your bloodstream to the testicles, where it signals an increase in testosterone production. By boosting LH release, you indirectly boost your testosterone levels.

► Safed musli: Recent discoveries of this root’s effect on testosterone levels have made it one of the most popular ingredients in bodybuilding supplements. It boosts testosterone levels through the saponins (stigmasterol and hecogenin) that it contains. Stigmasterol is similar in its chemical structure to testosterone, and it is thought that it binds to the specific receptors in the body that testosterone also binds to. This then causes effects in the body similar to those of testosterone. Hecogenin gets converted into compounds that are similar in structure to testosterone, and these have similar effects in your body.

► Eurycoma longifolia: Also known as Tongkat Ali, Eurycoma longifolia is believed to boost testosterone levels through two mechanisms: 1) It directly stimulates the Leydig cells (specific cells of the testes that produce testosterone) to increase production of testosterone; and 2) It frees testosterone from sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG, a protein that binds testosterone in the blood and prevents it from performing its anabolic functions). Research shows this herb can lower SHBG by about 30%, boost testosterone levels by almost 20%, and decrease cortisol levels by over 30%, as well as increase muscle mass and strength.