Before you spend another dollar, see how a sports nutrition PhD ranks a list of the best muscle mass building supplement — by real evidence, cost per pound of lean mass, and results that actually show up.

I asked a Doctor of Sports Nutrition to rank the top 8 supplements for building muscle (the best muscle mass building supplement, from worst to best). From the ones that actually help you pack on real size to the ones that are just burning your cash.

The goal? To find out which supplement delivers the most gains, without ANY negative side effects — in other words, the best muscle mass building supplement.

At the end, I’ll be testing our number one supplement on my friend Dennis, and trust me when I say you're not gonna believe how his body responds to the top muscle mass building supplement.

Creatine (S): The Best Muscle Mass Building Supplement?

Let’s start with every gym bro’s second favourite white powder, creatine — one of the best muscle mass building supplement.

How Creatine Works

Creatine is the King of fast results.

One of the ways it works is by pulling water into your muscles, filling them up like balloons. This can make you look fuller and more jacked in weeks. But does this change in appearance actually mean you’ve gained muscle?

"So, definitely part of the gain in fat-free mass that we see in creatine studies is due to the fact that it's bringing a little bit of water with it. But you still see long-term that the increased performance benefits seem to lead to actual increased muscle growth."

"We also see, you know, tangible effects on strength and power performance ... And the longer term data would suggest that this does materialize into actual muscle proteins and muscle tissue."

That’s Dr. Eric Trexler, a bodybuilder and sports nutrition researcher at Duke who’s spent his career studying muscle growth and debunking supplements.

It turns out, it’s not just the water that creatine pumps into muscles. It’s also an increase in energy reserves.

This means your muscles are equipped to push harder and do more reps.

Together, these benefits have been shown to provide a 3 lb boost in lean mass in just 8-12 weeks when compared to a placebo.

For reference, here’s how much those extra gains actually look like.

And because your body only needs 5 grams of creatine a day to saturate your muscles, it’s incredibly cost-effective. For an extra 1 pound of lean mass, it’ll cost you a total of $7.70.

"It is a very, very, very cost-effective supplement. When we think about how well researched it is, again, absolute top marks."

Hair-Loss (DHT) Myth: What the Data Says

But in order for Creatine to make it into S-Tier on our list, it will have to pass three criteria:

1. Is there enough scientific research backing it up? Check.
2. How much will you have to spend before you’ll build 1 pound of new muscle? Creatine scores great.
3. But the third criterion, whether there are any negative side effects, is where creatine might have a dark side.

Whenever I’ve covered creatine in the past, many people reached out in the comments, concerned about hair loss from taking it, with some simply refusing to take it because of these fears.

"I should have worn a hat so people would take my answer. However, this is a question that has been raging for years and years. It all dates back to a single study that found (a very tiny) fluctuation in a hormone called DHT."

DHT is a hormone associated with hair loss in men.

In one study from 2009, participants who took creatine had higher levels of DHT. So as soon as this paper was published, everyone assumed creatine causes hair loss.

But when we looked closer at the study, we found another explanation.

At the end of the study, the group taking creatine had DHT levels higher than those in the placebo group. But when you look at the difference between the groups before the test started, the difference was basically the same.

This means the subjects selected for the creatine group just happened to already have higher levels of DHT.

However, this was the only study ever done on creatine and hair loss, so I still had my reservations… Until now.

A study published this year was the first to ever measure creatine’s impact not just on DHT, but on actual hair loss. They found no changes in both DHT and hair follicle health from taking creatine. In other words, you’ll probably lose more hair worrying about the effect of creatine than you ever will from taking it.

Gummies vs Powder: Stability and Potency

But before we officially rank creatine on our list of best muscle building supplements, there’s still one way you could be taking creatine that would make its effect completely useless. You see, many supplement companies are now rushing to capitalize on creatine’s popularity, flooding the market with creatine gummies, candies, and other easy-to-take options.

But when independent labs recently started testing these gummies, they often found only a fraction of the creatine that was on the label — sometimes nothing!

Now you might assume it’s greedy supplement companies who are just trying to cut corners and rip you off, but the real answer has to do more with chemistry than actual corruption. You see, when you dissolve creatine in water, it will slowly start breaking down into a new molecule called “Creatinine”, which is useless for muscle growth.

Now, if you’re just mixing creatine into a shake, this isn’t a problem. As there isn’t enough time for this breakdown to occur.

However, when companies dissolve creatine in water and inject it into gummies, the breakdown process continues slowly as the gummies are shipped to the store, purchased by you, and then sit on your counter. By the time you finally get around to eating it, there’s barely any creatine left.

Now, some creatine gummies are manufactured in a way that saves them from this breakdown, but it’s hard to tell which ones do and which don’t.

So if you actually want the benefits of creatine, your best bet is to stick with the cheapest, most stable form: creatine monohydrate. It can sit in your cupboard for years without losing potency.

Which is why creatine gummies are dropping all the way to D-tier, whereas Creatine Monohydrate is going right into S-Tier (and into any list of the best muscle mass building supplement).

And for an in-depth look at creatine, check out this ultimate science-based guide.

Turkesterone (D): Why It Ranks Low on the Best Muscle Mass Building Supplement List

What It Is (and Why the Hype)

That’s gonna be tough to beat, but we still have 7 popular supplements coming up. With the next one backed by a small army of influencers who swear by its benefits.

Now, these influencers are right about one thing.

Turkesterone is a natural steroid ... but for plants and bugs, produced to protect them against certain insects.

So the theory behind it was that if you could package these plant steroids into a supplement and use it in humans, you might see steroid-like gains without the dangerous side effects.
But when we looked into the research to see if these claims were true, we wound up finding the one thing I wasn’t expecting.

Label Accuracy And Current Evidence

"There's actually a published study in 2023 where they went out and collected a bunch of Turkesterone products off the shelves. 
And they did extremely high-quality laboratory testing to see how much your turkesterone was in them."

"And none of the eight turkesterone products contained even 1% of the labeled turkesterone."

Thankfully, after this blew up, most manufacturers actually did start putting them in. But the thing is, even if you were getting the quote “good stuff”, there’s still no promising data to show that it provides a strong benefit for building muscle.

So, you could spend thousands of dollars on Turkesterone without it ever contributing to even a 1-pound gain in new muscle.

But to be fair, there haven’t been many studies conducted yet, as it’s a fairly new supplement, which is why we’re placing it into D-Tier rather than among the best muscle mass building supplement.

HMB (C): Where It Fits Among the Best Muscle Mass Building Supplement

The Big Claims vs the Data

But if taking a natural Steroid won’t help, what about a supplement that researchers did find produced gains almost identical to steroids?

"Some of these studies reported, for example, a 7- to 8-kg gain in lean mass over a 12-week study. And this was in people who knew what they were doing, trained people lifting weights. So obviously, any gains of that magnitude are going to catch people's eyes."

The supplement they were taking is called HMB, beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyric acid.

Mechanism And Early Hype

It’s actually a substance our bodies already produce naturally to reduce muscle breakdown and increase recovery.

Knowing this, researchers were curious what would happen if you filled your muscles with double or even triple your natural levels. Would your gains triple as well? Well, that’s actually what these early tests seemed to find …. Until people took a closer look.

Replication And Who Might Benefit

"In the months and years that followed, these papers started to get a lot of scrutiny from, really, you know, respected, reputable researchers in the area, saying we have very, very little faith in the results of these papers for a variety of reasons."

And while the credibility of these studies was never fully resolved, in every single study that followed, no one has come close to getting these results.

With HMB having no detectable benefit for trained lifters, but a potential small boost of 0.5 to 1lb of lean mass in new lifters. And since HMB is relatively cheap as a supplement, a new lifter could gain in the best-case scenario 1lb of lean mass with a $20 purchase.

Verdict: Mid-Tier on Our Best Muscle Mass Building Supplement List

So it could be worth experimenting with, but because of the lack of strong, consistent evidence, we’re placing it in C tier on our list of the best muscle mass building supplement.

Protein Powder (A): Why It Ranks High Among the Best Muscle Mass Building Supplement

Why It Ranks High (But Isn’t Magic)

Now, with HMB and Turkesterone both underperforming, I think it’s time to go with something that should rank high.

Protein Powder.

It’s well studied and safe to use, but it also might be the supplement I’ve personally wasted the most money on. And to be clear, I also sell my own protein powder, so I do think it’s valuable.

But when I was younger, I would drink multiple protein shakes a day, hoping I could supercharge my gains. But according to the latest data, I probably would have made as much progress if I threw one of those extra shakes right into the trash.

"Protein really gets its time to shine if your baseline protein intake is low, right? So if you're eating 0.8- 1.0g of protein per kilogram of body mass, and you decide you're going to use supplementation to bump that up, we can realistically expect some pretty substantial increases in fat-free mass."

"On the other side, if you are already at 1.8g/kg and you decide you're going to start supplementing with protein, we may really not see anything meaningful in terms of additional gains."

The Simple Intake Rule

I actually just published a whole article covering how much protein you actually need to build muscle, which you can check out here, but here’s the quick rule: take the total grams of protein you eat in a day and divide it by your body weight in pounds.

If that number’s below 0.55, then adding just 1-2 scoops of protein a day — especially if each scoop has around 30 grams like ours — could help you gain up to an extra 1-2 lbs of lean mass over the next three months.

Based on the average cost of most protein powders, that means you’ll be spending about $77 to gain one new pound of lean mass.

Whole Food vs Powder (Convenience And Control)

Now, you could get that protein from chicken instead, and it would cost about the same.

But you’d need to eat this much chicken breast to match the 29 grams of protein in this scoop.


And especially when you’re eating out, it’s hard to know the exact amount of protein you’re getting unless you’re using my Built With Science Plus app to scan your meal, which instantly gives you a full breakdown of all the nutrients.

Plus, protein powder is just way more convenient, tastes better, and has the highest-quality amino acid profile out of any protein source. So while it’s pricier than creatine, based on our criteria list, it’s still enough to place Protein Powder firmly in A Tier.

Does Protein Type Matter? Whey vs Plant

However. Not all protein powders are created equal. Could the type you choose, move that A-tier ranking up or down?

Well, for years, I would have said whey protein, made from cow’s milk, was the king of protein powder and easily a tier above any plant-based protein. Study after study has shown higher muscle protein synthesis immediately after consuming whey compared to plant-based alternatives.

But new research shows that doesn’t tell the full story.

When scientists looked at long-term studies that measured actual muscle growth, they found plant-based proteins can be just as effective, as long as you’re getting enough total protein from a variety of sources.

"It seems that as long as you're getting enough total protein, you can choose either a completely vegan or an entirely animal-based protein source, and you'll likely end up at the same place."

Which places plant protein also in A-Tier of our list of best muscle mass building supplement.

Verdict

Now, although there are no protein supplements landing in S-Tier, there’s still plenty of supplements that can knock creatine out of the top spot, and possibly 1 that can get my friend Dennis steroid-like strength gains — which is why protein still sits near the top of any list of the best muscle mass building supplement.

Mass Gainer (B): Where It Sits on Our Best Muscle Mass Building Supplement List

What’s Inside (And Why It’s So Calorie-Dense)

But first, what if we paired protein powder with a ton of extra carbs? Say hello to mass gainer.

"Basically, you're looking at a protein shake. And you're looking at a whole bunch of other calories, right? So, these usually have a little bit of fat, a whole lot of carbohydrates, either coming from sugar or maltodextrin."

"So they say you're going to take a serving of this, and by the time you're done, you're going to have consumed like a thousand calories. And that's pretty much the promise."

Hardgainers: Liquid Calories That Add Up

Now, for some guys who struggle to put on size, this promise might be appealing.

Like my friend Brandon. When I tried to help Brandon bulk up last year, we quickly ran into a problem. Even at just 13% body fat, Brandon was barely ever hungry, and it felt like I literally had to force feed him to help him bulk up.

But if I got him to drink even just half a serving of mass gainer a day, that’s an easy 500-calorie daily boost, which in his case would lead to an extra lb of size per week.

"At the end of the day, you are paying quite a premium for what is essentially a protein shake with a whole bunch of sugar. Why not just a normal protein shake and a candy bar, you know."

Cost Per Pound And Practicality

Now, depending on how often you're taking mass gainer, your total cost to gain just 1lb of lean mass could be anywhere from $50 to over $300 (solid but mid-pack on our list of the best muscle mass building supplement).

"I would have to put it, I think I would go with B tier. Okay. Yeah. At the end of the day, will it work? Yes. Is it the best way to do it? Probably not."

Fish Oil (C): Where Omega-3 Fits Among the Best Muscle Mass Building Supplement

Why Consider It (Mechanisms And Recovery)

So if mass gainer is losing points and dropping rank on our list of best muscle mass building supplement for cost, I want to test a supplement that only costs me $25 from a local drug store.

Fish Oil.

Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, we typically associate fish oil with heart and brain health — and in my case, the terrible flavor when my mom would feed me a spoonful before school each morning. 



But new research into the benefits of Omega-3 makes me wonder if my mom was actually providing me with the secret sauce for adding muscle.

"There's been some research indicating that very high doses can help acutely with recovery from very intense training sessions. It might be able to increase hypertrophy or muscle growth. Generally speaking, what they tend to find is, it may have a small positive effect, particularly in older people."

Who Seems To Benefit Most

Now, in younger adults, the effect was much smaller, but for older untrained adults, taking 2g/day of omega-3s over 12-24 weeks could increase lean mass in some cases by up to 1-2lbs.

Cost And Verdict

So, for the right individual, this adds up to a cost of about $105 to gain 1lb of lean mass.

But for most people, even though it’s a great supplement I’d recommend for overall health, for actual muscle growth benefits it’s going to have to land in C-Tier on our list of the best muscle mass building supplement.

Testosterone Boosters (F → B if Deficient): Where They Fall on the Best Muscle Mass Building Supplement List

Normal-Range Boosts Don’t Move Muscle Much

Now we all know that one of the most powerful “supplements” for muscle growth is steroids, which work in part by increasing your testosterone levels. But what if, instead of taking steroids, you just took a testosterone booster?

"So there have been studies that have kind of done all the map of what kind of a testosterone increase you would need in order to really move the needle in terms of total muscle mass, and this kind of normal physiological range really don't do a whole lot unless you're going from like 300g to a 1000g."

So while testosterone boosters do give you a boost … you’re looking at most increase of 15% While this may be beneficial for your mood and libido if you’re currently on the low end, for muscle growth it’s not anywhere near enough of a boost to make an actual difference.

Considering some testosterone boosters on the market have been shown to be completely ineffective, I’m throwing these into F-Tier.

The Micronutrient Exception (Deficiency Case)

However, I should mention there are some “testosterone support products” that contain a few key micronutrients like boron, magnesium, and zinc.

And if you don’t get enough of these, then studies have shown supplementing with them can not only boost your testosterone and your overall well-being, but improve muscle growth as well.

But these supplements only help if you’re not getting enough of them through your diet.

One way to tell is with a blood test, but a much easier way is to log all your meals into a fitness app like our Built With Science Plus app. Which we recently upgraded to show you a complete breakdown of all your micronutrients, so you’ll know exactly which ones you’re getting too much of, or in this case, too little of.

So if it turns out you are deficient, then supplementing with a testosterone support or anything that contains these key micronutrients is enough to move this all the way up to B-tier on our list of the best muscle mass building supplement.

Which brings me to my final supplement …

Placebo (S+): The Mindset “Supplement” on Our Best Muscle Mass Building Supplement List

The Classic Study Setup

Which leads me to our final supplement on our list of the best muscle mass building supplement, the one I believe could produce steroid-like results but without any of the side effects.

What’s even crazier is that we've actually known about the benefits of this supplement for decades.

In 1972, researchers recruited well-trained college athletes. For the first eight weeks, the researchers simply put them on a standardized training program and tracked their progress. In these eight weeks, their bench press improved by an average of 4.5 kgs, while their squat improved by 2.7 kgs.

Not bad.

But for the next 4 weeks, they were given the secret sauce.

"During the supplementation period of only one month, the bench press increased by 13.3kg. And the squat increased by 18.9kg. So we're talking about 3 to 7 times greater gains in half the time, right after the initial gains were made."

Dennis Tries “Muscle Max 100”

The results from this study were so shocking that I had to test it for myself using my friend Dennis.

So what is this magic supplement I’m giving Dennis?

"In this particular study, the supplement was a placebo."

You see, every college athlete in the original study believed they were taking an approved steroid and then proceeded to lift heavier and heavier with confidence. And right now Dennis believes he’s testing a new supplement called Muscle Max 100 …

A product I’ve told him will increase oxygen to his muscles to help him bang out PRs on every exercise, as long as he gives it 10 minutes to let the effects kick in.

And for reference, these are Dennis’s latest PR’s in Pull-ups, Dumbbell Press, and Squats.

"And at the end of the day, what was really causing the effects was the expected effects."

"They themselves got in the gym every day, they trained their ass off, and they really believed I am going to be stronger today than I was yesterday. And they believe that day after day after day."

Squat PR And Reveal

And even on the squat, which is the exercise Dennis dreads most.

He actually jumped his normal weight up from 60lbs to 70lbs. Just because he believes he’s gotten stronger. So I’m curious how he’ll react when he finds out when I tell him the truth.

If you want to give yourself the same belief and confidence in your own workouts, that is why we’ve designed Built with Science Plus. Every single week, it’ll tell you exactly what to eat and what workouts to do based on the latest science and how your body is responding.

It not only guides you with proper form on every exercise, but pushes you just the right amount to help you set PR’s every week.

It’s just like I was personally coaching you, which is how our members of all different body types and experience levels have achieved incredible results simply by following the plan the app creates for them.

To try it for 2 weeks free, just click the link below, and you’ll start setting PR’s just like Dennis is right now.

Verdict

And while Dennis might be mad at me, he hit three major PRs just on belief alone. Placing our placebo into an S+ tier.

But the truth is that even the best supplements only account for a small amount of growth. You’ll easily get 5x times the gains by dialing in the other aspects of your training, nutrition, and recovery.

TL;DR

• Creatine (S): Among the best muscle mass building supplement options for fast, reliable gains; cheap per pound of lean mass, hair-loss fears unsupported, stick to monohydrate (not gummies).
• Turkesterone (D): On the list but low; evidence doesn’t show meaningful hypertrophy, so it’s not the best muscle mass building supplement right now.
• HMB (C): Mixed data; may help new lifters slightly but not trained athletes — mid-pack versus the best muscle mass building supplement contenders.
• Protein Powder (A): High impact when daily protein is low; convenient way to hit targets, keeping pace with the best muscle mass building supplement when intake is optimized.
• Mass Gainer (B): Adds easy calories for hardgainers but pricey — useful, yet not the best muscle mass building supplement for efficiency.
• Fish Oil/Omega-3 (C): Small hypertrophy signal mainly in older adults; great for health, middling versus the best muscle mass building supplement for size.
• Testosterone Boosters (F → B if deficient): Most do little; fixing zinc/boron/magnesium deficiencies can move it closer to best muscle mass building supplement territory.
• Placebo/Mindset (S+): Belief boosts performance acutely; mindset multiplies results from whatever best muscle mass building supplement you actually use.

By the way, here’s the article summed up into a YouTube video: