It’s pretty easy to get lost in the pool of bodybuilding Supplements let alone Natural Bodybuilding Supplements due to the amount of them out there!
But did you know that natural bodybuilding supplements are the BEST way to enhance your training? So, let’s talk about the Top 10 NATURAL bodybuilding supplements.
I really don’t like artificial and unhealthy stuff- and neither should you.
But first of all, what’s the difference between Natural Bodybuilding Supplements and synthetic supplements?
Synthetic vs Natural Bodybuilding Supplements
The difference between both natural and synthetic nutrients is that natural nutrients are purely acquired from your whole food diets, such as meats and plants.
Synthetic nutrients separate themselves from natural nutrients due to their source not being from whole food sources. The natural products come from meat and plants- instead of coming from a laboratory or industrial setting.
According to the NCBI, natural ingredients are sourced from “Animal products, meat, milk, milk products, egg, poultry, and fish are rich sources of protein containing a balanced level of amino acids. Plant food items, legumes, and nuts are also a source of the same. ”
The NCBI goes on to explain that, all these ingredients are more easily digested more than synthetic ingredients.
Therefore causing less digestional distress.
Why Take Natural Bodybuilding Supplements?
When it first comes to supplements, people value the fact of what they’re putting into their body.-And it makes sense. Who would EVER put deadly things in their body willingly?
The ingredients that are used in these supplements have a huge benefit! With the natural bodybuilding supplements, you can get the benefit of these supplements without any downside or any unhealthy ingredients.
Though this benefit applies to natural bodybuilding supplements- it doesn’t apply to synthetic supplements.
This is because companies can put unhealthy ingredients in their supplements that can harm you.
Not only that- but taking natural bodybuilding supplements directly helps your gut.
An article written by Leader Sports Nutrition states that digestive distress is common within athletes that use shakes or supplements one-to-four times a day! 1-4 times a DAY!
Luckily, this is solved easily when the supplements consist of natural ingredients instead of synthetic ingredients.
(#10) SunWarrior- Warrior Blend Organic Non-GMO Plant-Based Vegan Protein
Let me introduce you to the SunWarrior. Plant-Based protein powder!
First of all, you get the benefit of knowing that your source of protein is 100% natural with no GMO modifications made.
You also get the benefit of using “Medium-chain triglycerides from coconut oil then enhance this dynamic fusion to create a unique, raw, plant-based protein unlike any other.”- But why is this important? Well…
An NCBI study compared plant-based to whey protein and listed in the discussion that plant-based proteins promote just as “promote similar strength, performance, body composition, and muscular adaptations.”
I personally use this product after my resistance training sessions with an actual meal consisting of mostly protein and healthy fats. Like a Chobani Flip!
I personally don’t like the taste of this product so I usually blend it with soy-milk, ice, and cut up pieces of a banana. Using a shaker cup is ok but there will be some bits of the powder still remaining.
If you’ve ever read anything written by Tommy on this blog- you’ll know his recommendation of chocolate syrup in any protein powder. But, I’ll leave that up to you.
- Read: What Is Dirty Bulking?
All in all this product can still be redeemed due to its overwhelming high quality of protein it provides and its essential amino acids.
These are both CRITICAL in growing your muscle, especially after a super tough workout.
In addition to these benefits, this protein powder specifically is super easy to digest, helping those preparing for cardio or with IBS.
(#9) PerfectAmino Tablets
PerfectAmino Tablets are able to provide the consumer with the most essential Amino Acids which is said to be fully absorbed within “20-30 minutes”.
It is 100% vegan and NON-GMO! Furthermore, it isn’t made of anything else such as coating, dyes, fillers, nor binders.
PerfectAmino makes the natural bodybuilding supplements list because it makes it so easy to get the critical building blocks of muscle growth in your body.
It’s literally in an easy to digest tablet. No water needed, no mixing, etc. Just take the tablet and jumpstart your muscle growth!
PerfectAmino Tablets includes a blend of eight Amino Acids;
- L–Leucine
- L–Valine
- L–Isoleucine
- L–Lysine Hydrochloride
- L–Phenylalanine
- L–Threonine
- L–Methionine
- L–Tryptophan.
A study made by the NCBI said that, “supplementing the diet with essential amino acids is an efficient method to increase the efficiency of nitrogen supply and maintaining the integrity of the largest reservoir of amino acids, skeletal muscles while optimizing urea synthesis”.
So what is this saying? The NCBI is saying that when you do this you are effectively increasing your nitrogen stores.
But, why are nitrogen stores so important? Nitrogen stores are so important because they are one of the most essential parts of actually growing muscle, it’s basically the foundation of muscle building.
This study is just further showing that you NEED PerfectAmino tablets.
Dosage of PerfectAmino Tablets
I recommend taking a tablet before you go to bed to make sure your body has enough fuel to keep building muscle in your sleep.
Here’s the ancient saying: “You break down muscle in the gym, you build it back up in your sleep”.
Your muscles regrow WAY faster when you’re sleeping. Taking a PerfectAmino tablet before you go to sleep is a surefire way to make sure your muscles have all the nutrients they need to grow.
Imagine you tell a bunch of construction workers to build a house but don’t give them any concrete. Sure, they can build some of the house, but they are missing half of it!
Make sure your muscles have enough nutrients to keep building.
(#8) Raw Series Beta-Alanine
Beta-Alanine is a nonessential amino acid that when taken can provide you with an effect that will be extremely beneficial to your body.
When Beta-Alanine is absorbed it created a chemical called Carnosine. Carnosine then blocks the acid in your muscles that make you sore and prevent you from getting a better pump. This means you get a bigger pump, grow muscle faster, etc.
This is incredibly useful as it allows you to strengthen your endurance between reps.
Raw series is part of the Natural Bodybuilding Supplements that provides a product that has no artificial coloring, sweeteners, no gluten or GMO modifications, and artificial preservatives.
The NCBI concluded that “the overall effect of β-alanine supplementation is an improvement in the outcome of an exercise measure”
And I’ve personally felt beta-alanine in action while I’m working out. Tommy has written extensively on beta-alanine on his C4 Sport Pre Workout Review, where he talks about how it always allows him to get an extra rep in.
Beta-Alanine is Like SUPER Good Stuff
Beta-alanine is some of the best stuff you can get. It really changes your workout- and my favorite thing is that you can feel beta-alanine.
It makes your muscles tingly when you’re working out, not super tingly but you can definitely notice it on those last few reps.
Beta-alanine really kicks in when you start getting super heavy on those sets and start trucking towards your last reps.
It works by forcing more energy into your muscle at those last reps to make sure you hit them.
In the long term, this can add to a ton of extra heavy reps that will grow your muscle in the long-term.
(#7) Purely Inspired Organic Super Greens Powder (Multivitamins)
A properly nutritious diet combined with the right vitamins WILL prove very beneficial to your body and your bodybuilding goals.
And it makes sense, how is your body supposed to grow without the proper nutrients?
Purely Inspired is able to provide the consumer with Non-GMO and 100% vegan multivitamins. You will have no worries putting these in your body, as these aren’t scary artificial vitamins.
The NCBI cited that, “evidence from some large prospective, cohort studies and randomized, controlled trials suggests that MVMs (non-synthetic vitamins) may contribute to a reduction in the risk of some chronic diseases such as CVD and cancer, but additional long-term clinical trials are necessary”.
Adding to the list of benefits-Bodybuilding.com also cited, “Making sure you take a high-potency multivitamin/multi-mineral formula may help ensure the presence of those essential nutrients necessary for thousands of metabolic reactions”.
Think about it. You can work out as hard as you want, but if your muscles don’t have any vitamins or minerals to rebuild themselves- it’s 100% useless.
It’s like giving construction workers blueprints to rebuild a house, but not giving them any supplies to do it! You can’t expect the muscle to grow back without any supplies.
Multivitamins are highly affordable as well as being able to acquire them anywhere. They are essential and can really help you build up your body if you take them on the regular.
Best of all, this is a one of many natural bodybuilding supplements. Nothing strange or confusing about what you’re putting in your body.
(#6) Nature Made Fish Oil, Softgels
Fish Oil is extremely wealthy in omega-3 Fats.
These fatty acids will benefit bodybuilders by allowing their muscles to be less sore and have a lighter stage of DOMS. (let me tell you, DOMS hits different after a leg day…)
Taken after a workout it can even increase muscle mass and strength. Nature Made Fish Oil is able to provide all of these benefits with no artificial adjustments or GMO modifications.
The NCBI conducted a study on the Omega-3 Fats and cited that “Nutritional strategies and supplements such as n-3 PUFAs can result in optimal training gains, enhanced recovery, reduced risk of illness, and high-level competition performance. In addition, it was demonstrated that they could affect mood and emotional states. Supplementing 24 female elite soccer players with 3.5 g per day of DHA-rich fish oil for four weeks produced perceptual-motor benefits (i.e., improvements in complex reaction time and efficiency)”.
In addition to the list of benefits Omega-3 provides, a study done by Frontiers in Nutrition came to show that the omega-3 fatty acid “has the potential to enhance skeletal muscle anabolism”.
Harvard Health Publishing of Harvard Medical School also conducted a study and found that if IRRESPONSIBLY used omega-3 supplements can give a negative effect.
So, just don’t be stupid with the fish oil.
Across all-natural bodybuilding supplements, fish oil is always touted among one of the best you can take.
Fish Oil is definitely a supplement you notice that you’re taking or not. It’s hard to explain- but there’s just a huge mood difference when you take it.
And if you don’t want to take the fish oil supplement- just try and get a regular serving of fish.
(#5) Ora Organic 100% Natural Pre-Workout
Ora Organic Pre-Workout is a perfect way to become energized and get an overall better pump from your workout.
Although pre-workouts are not needed for a workout, they certainly do help! Pre-workout is especially helpful for people coming off of long shifts at work or going to the gym at night.
But the problem is, most of the pre-workouts include unhealthy amounts of caffeine or other ingredients.
If only there was a way we could turn pre-workout into one of the natural bodybuilding supplements….wait a minute!
Ora Organic provides 100% natural pre-workout source which is USDA verified and a clean source of energy.
- Keto-friendly
- No GMOs
- US Made
- No Artifical Supplements
A study done by the NCBI suggests that it is beneficial for resistance-trained males to take pre-workout supplements then they cited that “to consume a proprietary pre-workout supplement containing beta-alanine, creatine, BCAAs, and caffeine improves lower body strength. It seems likely, based on the available research, that taking the pre-workout supplement for an extended period of time in combination with exercise is safe and can lead to beneficial changes in strength and body composition.”
To add to the benefits of pre-workouts as a whole a study was done by the JISSN and cited that “Ingestion of the pre-workout dietary supplement led to significant improvements in anaerobic peak and mean power values in comparison to the placebo and baseline treatments.”
Another conclusion that they had come is that “taken prior to exercise, a caffeine-containing pre-workout dietary supplement may improve anaerobic power performance.”
It’s not an argument that pre-workout works, but let’s talk about Ora Organic a little more.
What makes Ora Organic so special?
What’s really cool about Ora Organic is some of the key features behind the product.
First of all, it’s a super nice switch up to go from synthetic crazy pre-workout to a natural healthy one.
Many people other than myself have attested to the claim that there is no more jittering.
Sometimes when I take C4 pre-workout I get really jittery and anxious. Meanwhile- this does none of that.
In a way- it’s like waking up from a nap. You’re just super energized and refreshed. It’s constant but good energy.
Ora Organic Pre Workout is LOADED With Extra Workout Supplements
Ora Organic pre-workout is LOADED with extra natural bodybuilding supplements that boost your workout and make you feel better.
Pomegranate (MY FAVORITE, Boosts Test!)
So pomegranate is one of those ‘ancient’ bodybuilding ‘legends’ if you will.
There are rumors that ancient armies would all feed their men pomegranate to boost their test before the battle.
And many studies say that a regular diet of pomegranate can increase test, but there aren’t ‘definitive’ studies.
That was- until I tried it myself. And let me tell you, I don’t know what it was, but it changed me. I’m almost scared to eat the pomegranate because it’s like TOO much test is in me.
Ora Organic will give you that boost you’re looking for without the trouble of actually trying to peel a pomegranate yourself. (which is easier said than done…)
Nitric Oxide
Nitric oxide is one of those super-powerful natural bodybuilding supplements that could’ve been on this list if this list wasn’t so short.
This supplement is naturally produced in your body and is CRITICAL to blood flow and muscle growth. Your muscles can’t pull any weight if they can’t get any blood in them!
Incredibly Gut Friendly
Ora Organic is known for being incredibly gut friendly. This is awesome for people with IBS or people that have a weaker stomach! Many people have attested that this has helped their gut drastically.
Dosage of Ora Organic Pre Workout
All you have to do is scoop this into some water.
But, the taste is ‘weird’- for lack of better terms. They try to make a berry tasting flavor, but it really just misses the mark.
Ultimately, if I were you, try to mix this in with maybe some other fruits. Even on their website Ora Organic recommends mixing in some fresh berries and mint leaves.
Overall- if you don’t mind the taste of products, go for it. But if you do, maybe toss the banana in with it in the blender!
(#4) Country Life Glutamine Pure Powder
Glutamine is an amino acid that can and should be taken on this list of natural bodybuilding supplements. So- what is glutamine?
Glutamine improves muscle gain and the performance of each exercise! Yep, that’s right- your muscle grows faster and you lift more, what is there to not like?
Country Life sells its Glutamine Powder as a product made with no GMO additions or any kind of any other ingredient except the Glutamine itself.
Why can’t more companies just do this? Why is it that when I want to buy a supplement there’s always some catch with it. Always some weird fricken chemical that lo and behold- when googled, is horrible to put in your body.
This is why Country Life is one of my favorites on this natural bodybuilding supplements list. Hands down, it doesn’t get much better than this. They literally just ONLY have glutamine in their product.
In addition to the benefits of bodybuilding from Glutamine, the NCBI conducted a study that showed “Immune cells largely depend on glutamine availability to survive, proliferate, and function, and ultimately defend our body against pathogens”.
Especially in today’s world of the COVID-19 pandemic, having a strong immune system is critical to survival. So, why not?
Another study conducted by BJSM came to conclude that due to Glutamine being an EAA it “enhances athletic performance, preparation, removal fatigue and minimizing risk of injures”.
Furthermore, that same study by the BJSM also would come to reveal that “L-glutamine supplementation attenuates DOMS effects, muscle damage and the downfall of performance in flexor of the hip.”
So, not only does this supplement build muscle, strengthen your immune system, but it reduces fatigue.
This has to be hands down one of the BEST natural bodybuilding supplements out there.
Dosage of Country Life Glutamine Powder
Country Life Glutamine Powder is best taken post-workout. This way the body uses more fat and carbs for energy instead of protein.
So if I were you, I’d recommend that you put the glutamine powder in your post-workout shake.
Maybe combine it with an Ora Organic protein shake, which we mentioned earlier in our natural bodybuilding supplements post.
(#3) ATH Organics Creatine Powder
Creatine is a natural tripeptide acid that is created in our liver. And if you know anything about bodybuilding, you’ve already heard enough about creatine.
It is an extremely useful source of fuel as well as a tool to fight fatigue. It can even result in greater muscle mass and explosiveness in reps if taken correctly.
In our other article, Everything You Need to Know About Creatine (ancient article), we discuss ALL the science about it.
Did you know that creatine is scientifically proven to not only grow your muscle faster, but make it bigger?
But the problem is, many creatine supplements have randomly added chemicals to them. Among all the natural bodybuilding supplements, ATH organics came out on top.
ATH Organics provide a Creatine Powder that is NON-GMO and dissolves easily. And trust me, when creatine clumps up it gets really disgusting.
To back up the benefits of Creatine Powder the JISSN conducted a study that which concluded that “Creatine monohydrate remains one of the few nutritional supplements for which research has consistently shown has ergogenic benefits”.
The study also then went to add that “Creatine monohydrate is the most effective ergogenic nutritional supplement currently available to athletes with the intent of increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training”.
Creatine is NOT A Steroid
For what it’s worth, many people think that creatine is a steroid. While it 100% is NOT a steroid or does anything like that- you can takeaway that creatine is really strong.
So please use this responsibly and the right way. Another study, this time conducted by the NCBI stated that creatine supplementation at the right dosage has positive effects on:
- The effects of resistance training for strength enchantment
- The quality of HIIT.
- The improvement of aerobic endurance performance.
So what are you waiting for? Creatine is one of the most heavily researched supplements EVER. It’s time for you to trust the science and start taking one of the best natural bodybuilding supplements on the market.
When Should I Take Creatine?
Creatine is best taken after a workout, but I used to take it before my workouts everyday.
Ultimately, it’s not a big deal. I found taking creatine in the morning helped my workouts a little bit.
But taking it at night will help you look bigger- so, it’s really up to your goals. Regardless, this is one of the best natural bodybuilding supplements out there.
(#2) True Nutrition Citrulline Malate Powder.
Citrulline Malate powder can improve your workouts and take them to the next level! This is all because Citrulline improves the body’s endurance.
Citrulline causes an increase in blood flow and feed muscles with the blood they need for each rep.
When you’re working out, your muscles need new blood that is filled with energy to keep pushing. An increase in blood flow will cause your muscles to work better.
This is why your heartbeat increases when you’re exercising. This is because your muscles desperately need blood to keep working. So, your heart steps it up!
Luckily, when it comes to natural bodybuilding supplements, true nutrition has your back.
True Nutrition offers a vegan-friendly and Non-GMO source of Citrulline Malate adding to another of the natural bodybuilding supplements.
The NCBI conducted a study of finding benefits of L-Citrulline and found that it increased the femoral blood flow and vascular conductance by 14%!
Another case study was performed by JISSN and would use the supplementation of L-Citrulline, it cited that “during resistance training increased lean mass after 4 weeks of RT and was positively associated with muscle strength.
However, after 8 weeks of RT, there were no significant differences in any of the measured variables.” Although there was no significant improvement after the 4th week, there was indeed still an improvement.
(#1) Chemistry Labs L-Carnitine
L-Carnitine is a naturally occurring amino acid that is used for fat and weight loss.
It allows the transport of fat into the mitochondria of cells, soon after they become oxidized in order to be used as fuel for the consumer.
This all relates back to basic science.
Your body gets energy by burning fat in the ‘mitochondrion’. The mitochondrion is in every animal cell and is one of the parts of the cell that generates all the energy you need.
So, forcing this tells the mitochondria to use more fat instead of say, carbs or protein for energy. This burns more fat, and makes you feel more energized.
Chemistry Labs provides the consumer with a NON-GMO and purely 2g per serving of high-quality L-Carnitine.
A study by NCBI would come to state that “Carnitine supplementation also had an ergogenic effect and was shown to increase work output by 11% in a performance trial with a fixed duration of 30 min.”
Another case study by NCBI was preformed for 8 weeks and would show that strength performance would improve by week 6! This is a DIRECT correlation to Carnitine and performance.
Another statement in this study said that “From a practical point of view, our results suggested that 2 g/d of LCR supplementation improved muscle strength and anaerobic performance”
Although there have been mixed studies about this amino acid so I would consult your doctor first as well as taking any other supplement that might affect your wellbeing.
This does go for all supplements, however. Always make sure you aren’t taking too much and always consult with a medical doctor first.
When Should I Take L-Carnitine?
So because L-Carnitine is useful for getting energy into you, it’s recommended to take it in the morning/before your workout.
If you take it before your workout you will be more energized!
Conclusion of Top 10 Natural Bodybuilding Supplements
When you’re looking for the best natural bodybuilding supplements, look no further than this list.
All of these supplements are created by companies that aren’t putting junk or other harmful chemicals in their product.
And we tried to include credible documentation for each supplement to prove its’ effectiveness.
These are the best natural bodybuilding supplements out there- now get out there and start bodybuilding!
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