WASHINGTON DC, Dec. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

Most Popular Legal Steroids for Muscle Building from CrazyBulk: Best-Selling Steroid Alternatives for Lean Muscle Growth and Cutting in 2026

CrazyBulk has emerged as one of the most trusted names in the world of legal steroid alternatives, offering fitness enthusiasts a safer and more natural path to muscle growth, strength gains, and faster recovery. As more athletes and gym-goers seek powerful results without the dangerous side effects of anabolic steroids, the demand for high-performance, legal alternatives continues to rise.

These innovative formulas are designed to mimic the muscle-building, cutting, and performance-enhancing effects of traditional steroids—without the risks associated with synthetic hormones. By utilizing natural ingredients and science-backed blends, CrazyBulk provides an effective way for individuals to transform their physique while prioritizing their long-term health.

CrazyBulk — one of the leading brands in performance nutrition — is transforming the bodybuilding world with its powerful line of bulking supplements designed to help athletes gain maximum muscle mass naturally. With its innovative CrazyBulk Stacks, the company offers a safe, effective, and legal alternative to anabolic steroids, delivering fast muscle growth without the risks or side effects.

As demand rises for legal steroid alternatives, more fitness enthusiasts and bodybuilders are turning to CrazyBulk for sustainable ways to build lean muscle, boost strength, and speed up recovery. These science-backed formulas make it easier than ever to achieve serious gains naturally — no needles, no prescriptions, and no harmful chemicals.

If you’re looking to build muscle mass, improve strength, and see better results from your workouts, this guide is for you. We’ve reviewed the best muscle building supplements on the market to see which products are the most effective.

Each of the muscle growth supplements below was evaluated on a variety of factors including ingredients, reviews, price, effectiveness, and value. Whether you’re looking to get lean and ripped or add some serious muscle mass to transform your physique, these muscle building supplements below are a great place to start.

Best Supplements for Muscle Growth 2026

Top Muscle Building Supplements of 2026

#1. D-Bal Max: Best Supplement for Lean Muscle Mass CRAZY BULK

D-Bal MAX is a leading muscle growth supplement that mimics the effects of Dianabol, an illegal anabolic steroid. This supplement can provide the same insane gains you’d experience with Dianabol without the dangerous side effects.

Benefits

Taking D-Bal MAX can produce several benefits for your fitness journey. This muscle supplement can:

• Enhance muscle growth
• Boost your energy levels
• Speed up exercise recovery
• Enhance fat burning
• Maximize strength and power

How It Works

D-Bal MAX produces these benefits through a carefully formulated blend of natural ingredients. This supplement contains only safe ingredients that your body needs to support internal processes and optimize your health and wellness.

One of the supplement’s most powerful natural ingredients is magnesium. Magnesium is a cofactor in over 300 enzyme systems within your body, contributing to numerous biochemical reactions. This component benefits protein synthesis, muscle function, and energy production, all of which can assist your muscle growth.

While most people obtain some magnesium through their diets, your body excretes this component through urine and sweat. Taking a supplement with magnesium can give your body more access to this cofactor to produce the above benefits.

Zinc is another crucial ingredient in D-Bal max. This trace mineral plays a significant role in the production of two primary male sex hormones: testosterone and human growth hormone.

Testosterone contributes to many physical processes, including muscle growth. Most men experience declining testosterone levels with age. Taking a supplement with zinc can help you gain muscle mass easier by giving you access to more of this essential hormone.

You may not realize it, but vitamin C plays an important role in muscle growth. This vitamin helps strengthen your muscle against damage, allowing you to experience lasting benefits from intense training. Humans are one of the few animals who cannot produce their own vitamin C, making supplementation necessary to see these benefits.

D-Bal MAX also contains two amino acids: L-arginine and L-lysine. L-arginine is a precursor to nitric oxide production, which is directly related to increased muscle power from strength training. Meanwhile, L-lysine promotes growth hormone secretion and collagen production.

You’ll also find 200 mg of caffeine in the D-Bal MAX formula, which is equal to drinking about two cups of coffee. This caffeine content can help you feel energized and alert without causing jitters. It can also make cutting sweet coffee drinks from your diet easier.

Ingredients/Formula

Altogether, the D-Bal MAX formula contains the following natural ingredients:

• Magnesium
• Zinc
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin B6
• Copper
• KSM-66 Ashwagandha
• Vitamin B9
• L-lysine HCL
• L-arginine HCL
• Senactiv (Panax notoginseng + Rosa roxburghii)
• Caffeine

Best For?

While D-Bal MAX can benefit anyone looking to boost muscle growth, this muscle-building supplement is best for men looking for a natural alternative to Dianabol.

Click Here for the Lowest Price and Exclusive Discounts on D-Bal Max

#2. CrazyBulk Bulking Stack: Best for Bulking Cycles and Bodybuilding

Bodybuilders often stack three or more steroids to produce the most intensive results. While we don’t recommend stacking steroids, you can mimic the effects of a steroid stack by taking the CrazyBulk Bulking Stack.

This stack contains four CrazyBulk steroid alternatives. Taking all four of these natural supplements daily can promote muscle growth and a range of other fitness benefits without the adverse side effects of steroid usage.

Benefits

The CrazyBulk bulking stack can produce several benefits:

• Increase muscle mass
• Speed up muscle development
• Limit muscle fatigue and speed up recovery time
• Enhance muscle strength

How It Works

The Bulking Stack contains four supplements for muscle growth and strength:

• Testo-Max: Alternative for Sustanon
• Trenerol: Alternative to Trenbolone Acetate
• DecaDuro: Alternative to Deca-Durabolin
• D-Bal: Alternative for Dianabol

First, Testo-Max is a testosterone booster supplement that can increase your T levels safely and naturally. Taking this supplement in the morning can boost your testosterone levels, giving you power and strength for the rest of the day.

Testo-Max can also enhance your exercise performance, allowing you to go harder in the gym and achieve your fitness goals faster. You may also see more rapid muscle growth when taking this testosterone booster.

Next, Trenorol contains ingredients that help your muscle tissue retain more nitrogen. Nitrogen is a building block of protein and an essential component for muscle growth. When you have access to more nitrogen, you’ll experience faster muscle gains and accelerated fat burning.

Trenorol can also ramp up your red blood cell production, which gives your muscles access to more oxygen during intense workouts. You may experience more energy and power while exercising, allowing you to complete more intense workouts.

DecaDuro can enhance your nitrogen production to give your body more power for building muscle mass and maintaining muscle growth. This supplement also boosts collagen synthesis.

Collagen may stimulate the production of certain proteins involved in muscle production. It may also strengthen the tendons and ligaments, increasing muscle strength and aiding workout recovery.

Finally, D-Bal can speed up muscle gain, increase strength, reduce muscle soreness, and strip body fat. This supplement has a new formula that is seven times stronger than its previous version, maximizing benefits.

Crazy Bulk recommends taking these supplements in the following order each day:

• Take Testo-Max every morning
• Take Trenerol and Decaduro before your workout
• Take D-Bal after your workout

Ingredients/Formula

Each of the four steroid alternatives in the CrazyBulk Bulking Stack contains a unique blend of natural ingredients. You can check out the full Bulking Stack ingredient list on the CrazyBulk website.

Best For?

Altogether, we highly recommend the CrazyBulk Bulking Stack for bodybuilders who are serious about bulking up and building muscle.

Click Here for the Lowest Price and Exclusive Discounts on CrazyBulk Bulking Stack

#3. Testo-Max: Great Supplement for Energy and Getting Ripped

Testo-Max is a muscle-building supplement from Crazy Bulk that can support maximum natural testosterone levels. This supplement uses a clinically researched formula of natural ingredients with no known side effects.

Benefits

Taking Testo-Max can produce several benefits:

• Increase testosterone production
• Enhance energy and motivation
• Boost fat burning
• Enhance your sex drive

How It Works

Testo-Max contains a natural complex with key male nutrients that support testosterone in a few ways. While the supplement contains eleven ingredients, its three key ingredients provide the bulk of the formula’s benefits.

D-aspartic acid is one of this muscle-building supplement’s most powerful natural ingredients. It’s a natural amino acid regulator that can stimulate your body’s production of luteinizing hormone (LH).

Luteinizing hormone plays an essential role in several sexual and reproductive processes within the body. In women, it helps with ovulation. In men, it assists the production of testosterone.

LH tells your testes to produce more Leydig cells, the primary source of testosterone in men. As a result, the more LH your body has access to, the faster you will produce testosterone. Your T levels contribute to muscle gains and fat loss support.

Korean red ginseng is another primary ingredient in the Testo-Max formula. This natural plant extract is a healing root that people have used for centuries to promote overall health.

Korean red ginseng specifically produces the following benefits:

• Enhances energy levels
• Boosts libido
• Regulates cardiovascular functions
• Reduces physical stress

This plant extract may increase serum testosterone levels. However, its main function within Testo-Max is promoting many of the same benefits as increased testosterone production.

Testo-Max also contains fenugreek extract as a primary ingredient. Fenugreek is a clover-like herb with a smell and taste similar to maple syrup. It produces many benefits, such as increasing testosterone production, lowering blood sugar, and assisting appetite control.

Fenugreek may also boost your libido, helping to counteract this side effect of low testosterone in men. Taking a supplement with fenugreek extract can promote several benefits that contribute to overall health and wellness.

Ingredients/Formula

Testo-Max’s complete ingredient list includes the following:

• D-aspartic acid
• Fenugreek
• Korean red ginseng
• Zinc
• Nettle leaf extract
• Vitamin D3
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin K1
• Boron
• Magnesium
• BioPerine

You’ll need to take four capsules of Testo-Max each day to receive the full dose of each of these muscle supplements.

Best For?

We recommend Testo-Max for men looking for a more comprehensive approach to muscle building through boosting testosterone.

Click Here for the Lowest Price and Exclusive Discounts on Testo-Max

#4. Crazy Nutrition Mass Gainer: Best Mass Gainer Shake for Bulking

Mass Gainer is a meal replacement powder from Crazy Nutrition, a partner company of Crazy Bulk. This powder comes in chocolate and vanilla flavors and contains a 2:1 carbohydrate-to-protein ratio along with several vitamins and nutrients that boost muscle growth.

Benefits

Taking Mass Gainer can produce several benefits:

• Increase muscle gains
• Speed up muscle recovery after workouts
• Help you bulk up
• Satisfy cravings and fill you up

How It Works

If you’re looking to bulk up, eating enough protein, carbohydrates, and nutrients is important. Your body needs access to these components to build muscle and energize you to complete intense workouts. However, you may get tired of eating the same foods and not seeing noticeable results.

The Mass Gainer supplement provides an excellent substitution for the typical meals you may eat to bulk up. It uses cutting-edge, patented, science-backed ingredients that improve your body’s absorption and digestion, allowing you to gain the most from its ingredients without feeling bloated.

The powder’s primary ingredient is gluten-free oat flour. This component contains high levels of complex carbohydrates that can boost muscle gains, improve digestion, promote healthy blood sugar levels, and keep you feeling full.

The supplement also contains a few ingredients that specifically promote benefits for muscle growth. For example, sweet potato flour has vitamins and minerals that can fuel your muscles and promote natural muscle gain. Meanwhile, creatine monohydrate supports the natural production of phosphocreatine in the muscles, which can improve strength, recovery, and energy.

Next, Mass Gainer includes CARB10, a patented ingredient derived from premium pea starch. Research has shown that CARB10 can improve digestion and aid your body’s absorption of the complex carbohydrates within the Mass Gainer formula.

Mass Gainer also contains a whey protein blend that includes whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate. This blend provides you with a rich amino acid profile that boasts more benefits than the typical milk proteins you see in protein powder.

Ingredients/Formula

Mass Gainer contains only whole-food source ingredients. Notably, this formula does not include maltodextrin or other fillers commonly found in protein powder.

This supplement contains the following ingredients:

• Gluten-free oat flour
• CARB10 derived from premium pea starch
• Whey protein powder
• Sweet potato flour
• Creatine monohydrate
• Flaxseed powder

Best For?

Overall, Mass Gainer is best for men and women looking for a protein supplement that takes a scientific approach to bulking up and tastes delicious.

Click Here for the Lowest Price and Exclusive Discounts on Crazy Nutrition Mass Gainer

#5. HGH-X2: Recommended HGH Booster for Muscle Development and Increased Protein Synthesis

HGH-X2 is a muscle-building supplement from Crazy Bulk that mimics the effects of the HGH analog Somatropin. This supplement triggers your pituitary gland to release more human growth hormone into your bloodstream, producing a range of benefits.

Benefits

Taking HGH-X2 can produce several benefits, such as:

• Enhance muscle gain
• Speed up fat loss
• Reduce recovery time
• Boost protein production

How It Works

This muscle-building supplement contains essential amino acids that contribute to HGH production. As a result, taking HGH-X2 can ramp up your body’s ability to produce the human growth hormone.

Human growth hormone helps build, maintain, and repair healthy tissue in your brain and other organs. It also regulates fat and muscle production. The pituitary gland, which is located at the base of the brain, produces HGH.

While your pituitary gland creates a lot of HGH as a child, this production slows with age. As a result, many people looking to boost muscle growth take muscle supplements that target human growth hormone production.

One of this supplement’s main ingredients is the amino acid L-arginine. L-arginine is one of the conditionally essential amino acids that promote HGH production.

This amino acid may also promote other benefits for your health and wellness, such as lowering blood pressure, enhancing athletic performance, and aiding muscle protein synthesis.

Next, maca root is a popular supplement that assists in several processes, such as fertility, libido, and hormone production. This root extract may enhance your body’s HGH production. It also contains high levels of iron and iodine, which can help you maintain a healthy metabolism.

Hawthorn berry extract is another essential ingredient in HGH-X2. This plant extract can keep your heart healthy by lowering blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels. It also contains flavonoids, which are chemicals that produce antioxidant effects.

In terms of muscle growth, hawthorn berry extract can increase the supply of oxygen and other nutrients to the muscles, allowing you to gain muscle faster and experience more energy and power in your workouts. It may also speed up your body’s removal of lactic acid, helping to reduce muscle fatigue.

If you want to enhance this supplement’s muscle-building effects, you can stack it with Winsol, Clenutrol, and Tenorol, which are other muscle supplements from Crazy Bulk.

Ingredients/Formula

HGH-X2 contains the following primary ingredients:

• L-arginine
• Maca root
• Hawthorn berry extract
• Mucuna pruriens

This formula does not contain sugar, salt, yeast, gluten, wheat, shellfish, artificial flavorings, sweeteners, or colors.

Best For?

HGH-X2 is best for bodybuilders looking to produce more human growth hormone to support rapid muscle growth.

Click Here for the Lowest Price and Exclusive Discounts on HGH-X2

#6. OSTA 2866: Great Weight Lifting Supplement for Size and Strength CrazyBULK

OSTA 2866 is a safe, natural alternative to Ostarine MK-2866, which is a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) that treats muscle wasting and osteoporosis.

SARMs have become popular in recent years due to their ability to induce anabolism while confining their benefits to muscle tissue. However, SARMs can produce severe side effects, such as liver toxicity, testicular atrophy, and heart attacks.

Taking OSTA 2866 can provide you with some of the benefits of this SARM without any of the harsh side effects.

Benefits

OSTA 2866 can create the following benefits:

• Boost muscle growth
• Preserve and build lean muscle mass
• Increase muscle size
• Boost natural testosterone
• Enhance endurance and power in workouts
• Melt unwanted fat

How It Works

OSTA 2866 produces the above benefits through its blend of natural ingredients, including minerals, plant extracts, and dietary supplements.

One of the supplement’s most potent ingredients is reishi fungus extract. This mushroom extract contains adaptogens that stimulate your body’s production of ATP, which is metabolic energy.

Taking a supplement that contains reishi extract can improve your muscular strength and speed up muscle recovery. As a result, you may experience less muscle soreness after high-intensity exercise.

OSTA 2866 also contains southern ginseng extract, which comes from an herbaceous vine native to Asia. This extract may improve adrenal gland activity while exercising, which can help you increase muscle strength faster and enhance endurance.

Salacia is another essential ingredient in the OSTA 2866 formula. This plant extract can stimulate glucose metabolism, which can help you lose weight and pack on muscle faster. It may also promote weight reduction and fat burning.

Like several other workout supplements on our list, OSTA 2866 also contains zinc. This mineral produces several benefits within the body, including enhancing aerobic capacity. Your muscles may have more access to oxygen when you take a supplement with zinc.

This supplement also contains magnesium, which can help you build healthy muscle tissue and improve your workout performance. Each serving of OSTA 2866 contains 35 milligrams of magnesium.

OSTA 2866 produces the most noticeable benefits when you take it as directed. Crazy Bulk recommends taking four capsules with a glass of water around 30 to 45 minutes before you begin lifting. You should take this supplement for at least two to three months.

Ingredients/Formula

This muscle-building supplement contains the following ingredients:

• Magnesium
• Salacia
• Zinc
• Southern ginseng
• Fennel
• Cinnamon
• Reishi mushroom extract

Best For?

OSTA 2866 is the best muscle-building supplement for athletes looking to mimic the benefits of a SARM without the adverse side effects.

Click Here for the Lowest Price and Exclusive Discounts on OSTA 2866

What Are Muscle Building Supplements?

Muscle-building supplements are capsules or powders that contain curated blends of natural ingredients that promote muscle growth. These supplements typically offer a wide range of benefits for exercise performance, making them beneficial for athletes or those looking to meet specific exercise goals.

Muscle-building supplements can produce many benefits, such as:

• Speeding up muscle growth
• Increasing muscle mass
• Building and strengthening muscle tissue
• Nourishing and hydrating muscle cells
• Speeding up muscle recovery

They can contain several different types of ingredients, such as essential and non-essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals, plant extracts, and more.

Muscle-building supplements produce the above benefits through many different methods. One of the most common effects of these supplements is boosting testosterone production. Many supplements also aid protein synthesis.

If you’re trying to build lean muscle mass, bulk up, or feel stronger, taking one of these muscle-building supplements can help you reach your goals faster. However, muscle supplements work best when you combine them with a healthy diet and exercise regimen.

How We Ranked the Top Muscle Growth Supplements

You can find dozens of muscle growth supplements on the market today. Many of these supplements boast the same benefits and contain overlapping ingredients, but they aren’t all as effective, reliable, or safe.

When we ranked the best muscle-building supplements above, we examined several factors that make up each supplement. Here are the criteria we used to create our top-seven list.

Ingredients

The ingredients in muscle-building supplements play a significant role in the overall effectiveness of these pills. Supplements for muscle growth need to contain the right blend of ingredients to support muscle mass and muscle gain without producing any adverse side effects.

Additionally, dietary supplements must contain only natural ingredients. These pills and powders cannot include the powerful chemicals and drugs you see in prescription muscle-building pills. Their natural ingredients need to be strong enough to produce noticeable effects.

When we created this list of the best muscle-building supplements, we closely examined each product’s ingredient list. First, we looked at the types of ingredients in each formula, such as amino acids, plant extracts, or minerals.

We also examined the dosages of each ingredient to ensure that these formulas are safe and effective. Sometimes, low-quality workout supplements contain effective ingredients in small dosages to save money, limiting the benefits of their products.

You can feel confident that all of the muscle gain supplements on our list contain optimal ingredients and dosages to produce effective benefits for muscle growth.

Benefits

The best muscle supplements must also produce the right benefits for their target customer base. Of course, all of these supplements claim to aid muscle development. However, the best products also produce benefits that support other aspects of fitness.

For example, some of the muscle-building pills on our list assist with lean body mass, protein synthesis, fat burning, and appetite suppression. These benefits all coincide with muscle mass, producing more well-rounded muscle-growth supplements.

All of the muscle and protein supplements above produce effective benefits for muscle growth and related processes, making them ideal for athletes and bodybuilders.

Price and Guarantee

The best supplements for muscle growth also come at the right price point.

If you’re on a budget, you may be tempted to purchase the cheapest muscle-builder supplements you can find. If price doesn’t matter to you, you may think buying the most expensive workout supplements is the right choice.

In reality, the top bodybuilding supplements typically come in a moderate price range. These supplements cost anywhere from $60 to $100 for a one-month supply.

This moderate price point allows you to trust that the ingredients in a dietary supplement are high-quality and effective but are not unnecessarily costly.

The best muscle-building pills also come with money-back guarantees. These guarantees typically range from 60 to 100 days and enable you to try a supplement risk-free. If a supplement does not meet your needs, you can return it within this period for a full refund.

Reviews

Reading reviews from current and previous customers is an effective way to learn about a supplement’s real-life benefits. While not everyone experiences the same benefits from muscle mass supplements, if most users experience a specific effect, you can assume you will too.

Many muscle supplement companies post reviews of their products on their websites, but these reviews are not always authentic. The best places to read reviews of workout supplements are on third-party review websites such as the Better Business Bureau.

When we searched for the top seven muscle and protein supplements to add to our list, we read reviews of numerous options. We found that the seven products above have mainly positive reviews, indicating that most customers experience the stated benefits from these formulas.

How to Choose a Good Muscle Growth Supplement

The pre-workout supplements on our list represent only a fraction of the supplements available on the market. You may wonder how to choose an effective product outside this list or what qualities make up a safe, reliable dietary supplement.

Here are a few qualities you can look for in a good protein supplement:

No Proprietary Formulas

Some supplement companies hide their formulas behind the “proprietary” label. When a company uses a proprietary formula, it may share its list of ingredients, but it does not share the specific amount of each ingredient in its product.

Companies that use these formulas often claim that their ingredient dosages are secret and that if they shared the amount of each ingredient in their formulas, other companies could steal this information.

In most cases, a proprietary formula indicates that a company does not use effective dosages of its ingredients. It may include popular ingredients like D-aspartic acid or whey protein powder but not contain large enough dosages to make a difference.

We recommend avoiding proprietary formulas and only considering supplement companies that are transparent about their ingredients.

Discounts for Bulk-Buys

Pre-workout supplements typically work best when you take them daily for at least two to three months. The best supplements offer discounts that make taking these supplements long-term more affordable.

For instance, some supplement companies allow you to purchase two bottles and receive one bottle free. Looking for these types of discounts may help you decide between two pre-workout supplements in different price ranges.

Vegan and Non-GMO

Low-quality supplement companies often include filler ingredients to bulk up their formulas and save money. The best pre- and post-workout supplements have clean formulas without any fillers.

For example, sometimes protein powder contains milk ingredients as a filler. Dairy products typically do not contribute many benefits to muscle-building supplements. Instead, we recommend looking for vegan ingredient lists that do not contain milk.

You should also look for supplements that do not contain GMOs. GMOs can produce numerous adverse health effects, such as allergic reactions, antibiotic resistance, cancer, toxicity, and loss of nutrition.

Clinically-Dosed Ingredients

The top supplement companies go through extensive testing to determine the specific ingredients and dosages to include in their formulas. They often post their clinical findings on their websites to help you understand the exact effects their formulas produce within your body.

If a supplement company does not mention scientific or clinical testing on its website, you can assume it did not undergo this type of testing. As a result, its formula may not be trustworthy, safe, or effective.

Types of Mass Building Supplements

Different types of muscle-building supplements can produce different benefits and effects within the body. Understanding the various types of supplements can help you determine the right kind for your specific needs and goals.

Here are the most common types of muscle supplements you will see on the market:

Whey Protein and Mass Gainers

Mass gainers or weight gainers are a type of protein powder that contain more protein, carbs, and fats than a typical pre-workout supplement. Whey protein supplements are a common form of mass gainer.

These powders are best for people looking to bulk up and build muscle mass while maintaining a healthy body composition. They often contain whey protein because it produces effective benefits for muscle growth.

Whey protein supplements typically contain leucine, one of the essential amino acids that aids protein synthesis. Taking a muscle gainer powder with whey protein can help you gain muscle mass and bulk up faster than you can through a normal diet.

Testosterone Boosters

The top testosterone boosters target your testosterone production to produce benefits for your lean muscle mass, overall fitness, libido, and reproductive health.

Boosting testosterone can help you increase muscle mass faster, as this hormone provides your body with the tools necessary to build muscle. Men over age 30 often take testosterone booster supplements because their T levels have begun declining with age.

If you’re having trouble experiencing muscle gains through exercise and diet, you may want to consider having your testosterone levels tested. If you’re deficient, a testosterone supplement can help.

Creatine

Creatine monohydrate is a naturally occurring chemical in the muscle cells. Supplementing your body’s production of this chemical with a creatine pre-workout supplement can help you build muscle mass more effectively. It can also revitalize your muscle cells, aiding muscle recovery.

Creatine monohydrate is just one of the many forms of creatine. However, many muscle supplements contain monohydrate because it is more powerful and effective than other types.

Legal Steroid Alternatives

Legal steroids are supplements that produce some of the same benefits as anabolic steroids. For example, the Crazy Bulk Bulking Stack on our list contains four supplements that are steroid alternatives.

While supplements cannot produce as powerful benefits as anabolic steroids, they also do not produce the adverse side effects many users of anabolic steroids experience. These supplements present a safer solution to “bulk up” or gain muscle without the health risks.

SARM Alternatives

Selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) are compounds that bind to androgen receptors. They’re synthetic drugs that produce similar benefits to steroids. Like steroids, they’re dangerous without a prescription.

SARM alternatives are supplements that mimic the effects of SARMs without the harsh side effects. For example, OSTA 2866 is an alternative to the SARM Ostarine MK-2866.

BCAAs

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are a special type of amino acids that can aid muscle protein synthesis, helping lean muscle growth. These amino acid supplements are popular among bodybuilders trying to build more strength and stamina.

BCAAs can also produce other benefits for athletes. These amino acids can reduce muscle fatigue and soreness, allowing you to get back into the gym faster and continue bulking up. They also prevent muscle loss, helping you maintain the gains you’ve worked so hard for.

The three essential amino acids that make up branched-chain amino acids include leucine, valine, and isoleucine. You may see these amino acids listed in a supplement formula or the general term “BCAAs.”

Frequently Asked Questions about Muscle Mass Supplements

What is the best muscle-building supplement for seniors?

Men often experience declining testosterone as they age, leading to several health effects. As a result, the best muscle-building supplements for seniors are testosterone boosters.

Testogen and Testo-Max are two of the best testosterone booster pills on the market. These supplements both boost testosterone in several ways, producing noticeable effects on your T levels. Increasing your testosterone can help your body burn fat and build lean muscle faster.

How much do muscle builder pills cost?

Muscle-building supplements can range in price significantly. You may find pills for as low as $20 per month. Meanwhile, the most expensive muscle supplements can cost upwards of $200 for a one-month supply.

The supplements on our list cost anywhere from $60 to $100 per month, but you can receive a discount when you purchase multiple bottles in the same order. We recommend looking for supplements around this price range to ensure that you receive a high-quality pill without getting scammed.

How can I get the best results with workout supplements?

Muscle-builder supplements typically work best when you combine them with a healthy diet and exercise routine. These supplements are not magical pills that do all of the work for you to build lean muscle. Instead, they provide a boost to your other muscle-building efforts.

Most supplement companies recommend taking their supplements for at least two to three months to see the best results. This timeline gives your body plenty of time to get used to the ingredients in the supplement and optimize the benefits of each component.

Which supplement works best for bulking and bodybuilding?

All of the supplements on our list can help you build muscle. However, the best option for bulking and bodybuilding is D-Bal MAX.

D-Bal MAX is the legal steroid alternative to Dianabol. It contains several effective ingredients that can help you pack on lean body weight and muscle mass.

Do any bulking supplements offer discounts?

Most of the supplements on our list come with discounts when you purchase them in bulk. For instance, you can typically receive at least one bottle of supplements free when you purchase two or more in a single order.

You may also see supplement companies that offer special discounts and coupons throughout the year. Sometimes, you can sign up for a company’s email list to receive coupon codes in your inbox.

Many supplements also come with money-back guarantees. While these guarantees will not discount your total costs, they can help you feel more confident spending money on a supplement. If you’re dissatisfied with your supplement for any reason, you can return it within the designated window to receive a full discount.

Final Thoughts on Muscle Growth Supplements

If you’re looking for an effective way to speed up muscle growth, a muscle-builder supplement may produce your desired benefits. The top seven supplements on our list each offer effective results for muscle growth. Many also produce other benefits for health and fitness, such as helping you burn fat and recover from exercise faster.

If you’re still not sure which supplement is right for you, we recommend considering the specific benefits you’d like to receive from a muscle supplement. Do you want to build lean muscle, burn fat, or improve your exercise endurance? Once you have a list of benefits, you can search for a product that checks all of your boxes.

Try a supplement for muscle growth today to experience the significant benefits these supplements can produce for athletic performance.

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Green tea is full of antioxidants, which are compounds that help protect your cells from damage and can lower your risk for disease.

Green tea’s antioxidant capacity is about 570-2,620 micromoles per 100 milliliters. Many foods contain antioxidants, some with an even higher antioxidant capacity than green tea.

Antioxidants include nutrients like vitamins A, C, and E, the mineral selenium, and compounds called polyphenols.

Berries are a great source of antioxidants. They can be rich in vitamin C, especially blackcurrants and sea buckthorn berries. Eating a cup of mixed berries provides 26 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C, or 29% of the Daily Value (DV).

Berries are also rich in anthocyanins, a type of polyphenol and plant pigment. These compounds give berries red, purple, and blue colors.

Most berries have an antioxidant capacity of about 2,100 to over 15,000 micromoles (μmol) per 100 grams (g). Berries with the highest antioxidant capacity include:

• Aronia berries
• Blackberries
• Blackcurrants
• Black raspberry
• Cranberries
• Blueberries
• Strawberries
• Red raspberry

Vegetables are a great source of antioxidants. One study measured the antioxidant capacity of 303 vegetables and vegetable products. On average, vegetables had about 800 micromoles per 100 grams. However, a few vegetables had much more while some had less.

The study found that curly kale has an antioxidant capacity of about 2,800 micromoles per 100 grams. Kale is rich in vitamins A and C and contains polyphenols.

Other vegetables with high antioxidant capacity include artichokes, red chili peppers, and green chili peppers.

Cocoa powder has about 636 micromoles of antioxidant capacity per gram. So, chocolate made with more cocoa has higher antioxidant capacity.

Eating antioxidant-rich foods may help reduce inflammation and prevent disease. A 2023 study found that eating 10 grams of cocoa high in polyphenols helped reduce inflammation linked to heart health. Another 2024 study found that people who ate cocoa regularly had lower blood cholesterol.

Spices come from the seeds, bark, roots, or leaves of plants. These parts of plants are naturally high in polyphenols.

A 2024 study looked at 425 spices and herbs. Clove had the highest antioxidant capacity, followed by peppermint, allspice, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary, saffron, and tarragon. Their antioxidant capacity ranged from 440 to 2,770 micromoles per gram.

Seeds can contain antioxidant nutrients like vitamins A and E. They are also packed with polyphenols.

A 2020 study looked at the antioxidant capacity of five different seeds. Sunflower seeds had the highest antioxidant capacity, followed by flaxseeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and hemp seeds.

Here is the antioxidant content of those seeds:

• Sunflower seed: 450 µmol/g
• Flaxseed: 210 µmol/g
• Sesame seed: 80 µmol/g
• Poppy seed: 50 µmol/g
• Hempseed: 30 µmol/g

A study showed that germinating seeds, like chia seeds, improved their antioxidant capacity. In chia seeds, their capacity increased by about 87-105% after four days of germination.

Nuts are rich in antioxidant nutrients and beneficial plant compounds. A 2025 study showed that eating 60 grams or more of almonds daily may reduce blood markers of oxidative stress (a state of cell damage that can lead to disease). It may also increase antioxidant enzyme activity, which helps protect cells.

Other studies show that regularly eating nuts may lower the risk of dying from any cause.

Here are the antioxidant capacities of some nuts:

• Walnuts: 219 µmol/g
• Pecans: 85 µmol/g
• Chestnuts: 57 µmol/g

Some nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts, and Brazil nuts, are especially rich in vitamin E. Brazil nuts are also particularly high in selenium.

Coffee is one of the drinks with the most antioxidants. It has about 75 to 172 micromoles of antioxidant capacity per gram of ground coffee.

The amount of antioxidants in coffee can change depending on the type of coffee bean, how it is roasted, and how it is brewed.

A 2020 study found that Aeropress coffee had the highest antioxidant capacity. Drip coffee came next, followed by pour-over, espresso, and French press.

Here are some ways to add more antioxidants to your diet:

• Eat a variety of foods: Different foods contain different types of polyphenols, each with unique health benefits. Include a variety of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds in your meals.
• Use herbs and spices: Add different herbs and spices to your meals or drinks to increase antioxidant intake. You can make a golden latte with turmeric, sprinkle cinnamon on oatmeal, add cloves to tea, or use ginger in smoothies or stir-fries.
• Drink antioxidant-rich beverages: Drinks like tea, coffee, and cocoa are great sources of antioxidants. Consume them in moderation, as too much caffeine can cause side effects.
• Minimize ultra-processed foods: Whole, minimally processed foods usually contain more antioxidants than highly processed options.