5 Best Muscle Recovery Supplements for Athletes and Body Building

Updated on  January 1, 2023

20

Products Considered

37

Hours of Research

6

Experts Interviewed

19

Customers Consulted

William Toro

Published By: William Toro

Fact Checked by: Bridget MacDonald, RDN

Our Methodology

We personally test every products with our researchers, trainers and members. All products are ordered anonymously. We evaluate on point based system to determine ranking under each category. Learn More

Muscle recovery is a crucial part of any workout routine or diet plan, whether working out for weight loss or working out to build muscle.

When you continuously workout with a lot of intensity, your body loses a decent amount of essential nutrients and vitamins. That is why post-workout recovery is essential. After working out, your muscles and tissues are broken down, and your body goes through exhaustion.

I used to always face lot of delayed onset of muscle soreness also called as DOMS, but supplementing myself with muscle recovery supplement has helped lot to recover much faster and better. 

Recommended
Muscle Recovery POST Transparent Labs

Overall Rating: 5/5

Has perfect mix of ingredients which will not only help reduce DOMS (Delayed Onset Of Muscle Soreness) but also help build muscle. 

Glutamine For Muscle Recovery

Overall Rating: 4.2/5

Cheapest yet the single best supplement you need if you are looking to get over muscle soreness and for faster recovery. 

Jacked Factory Growth Surge

Overall Rating: 4.6/5

This simple yet effective formula has been popular since ages. And does what is says, helps in growth of muscles and recovery.

Post-workout recovery supplements are a great way to push your body towards muscle recovery to help your body regain all the lost nutrients and vitamins. (1)

People often tend to ignore the importance of post-workout muscle recovery. A proper rest after a workout is necessary but supplementing it with recovery supplements have always helped me with faster recovery of muscles strength.

What most people fail to realize is that if you don't let your muscles recover or ignore your muscles' recovery process, it can negatively impact all the positive amount of effort you put into your workout routine. 

Muscle Soreness

Many people who start a new workout regimen face soreness in all the different muscles they use during their workout. This soreness is also known as delayed onset muscle soreness. This soreness is believed to be caused by constant exertion and inflammation of the muscles.

This process usually occurs because your muscles are trying to become used to new activity and typically lasts 2-3 days. Depending on how fast you recover, it can take up to 8 days. In order to prevent this process or to speed up the recovery process from muscle soreness, it is recommended that you use post-workout supplements for muscle recovery. (2)

Effects Of These Supplements For Muscle Recovery

Protein synthesis is the process muscle cells go through to make more protein. Protein is a key factor when it comes to muscle building and muscle growth. Some protein supplements are used to promote muscle protein synthesis. These types of post-workout supplements are favorable for those looking to build muscle because protein synthesis is one of the building blocks for muscle growth. (3)

People who are beginners and building muscle for the first time or looking to lose weight are often faced with muscle soreness and muscle fatigue. Some types of muscle recovery supplements help reduce muscle soreness and also help in reducing muscle fatigue. (4)

Many people, when faced with muscle soreness, often tend to quit their workout routine because of the amount of time it takes for the muscle soreness to heal completely. To prevent this from happening, keep a steady workout routine going.

Therefore, it is recommended that beginners who are new to building muscle or exerting their muscles seek the aid of muscle recovery supplements, as this will help speed the recovery process. Many supplements help reduce the amount of lactic acid buildup in your body faster, which also helps speed up the recovery process and helps get rid of acute muscle soreness.

There are also various supplements for muscle recovery that aid in healing injuries caused due to rough workouts that consist of high-intensity exercises. These types of muscle recovery supplements provide your body with the right amount of nutrients to speed up the healing process during injuries.

Here Are 5 Of The Best Muscle Recovery Supplements

Knowing what supplements suit your workout routine and long-term or short-term fitness goals is essential. Supplements can often be very costly. Spending money on something your body does not require will not benefit you or your finances. Here are some of the best supplements you can take for quick muscle recovery and enhanced performance. 


1. Transparent Labs Post Muscle Building And Recovery Formula (Editors Choice)

4.9/5
Muscle Recovery POST Transparent Labs

This is by far the best muscle recovery supplement we recommend . TL is also known for complete transparency of ingredients. Its comes in 3 flavors of strawberry lemonade, black cherry and orange.

Key features:

• Perfect clinically dosed supplement

• The ingredients are perfect for muscle recovery and faster healing

• Non-GMO

Ingredient Quality:

5/5

It has on of the finest ingredients with all of them listed. 

Recovery Performance:

5/5

We couldnt complain on the muscle recovery or soreness, and the exhausting post workout disappeared.

Value:

4.7/5

This comes with 30 servings per container. 

Each scoop of 15g.

If you are someone like me who loves great workout and strong workout and wish to reduce muscle soreness and get lean muscle by burning body fat then this one is perfect for you.

Transparent Labs post muscle building and muscle recovery supplement is one of the best post-workout supplements that contains tart cherry juice extract. Moreover, this supplement comes in 3 different flavors, which you can choose according to your taste.

Ingredients and Benefits:

Major Ingredients: 2.5 g betapure, 5g L-Glutamine, 2g L-carnitine, L tartrate

Diet type: Vegan, gluten-free, major allergen-free


1. Glutamine: Its is an amino acid which plays a critical role in muscle repair after workout by speeding up the muscle recovery. A recommended quantity is anywhere from 3-5 g depending on your intensity of workout.  (5.1)

2. BetaPure™ Beta Anhydrous: is known to improve athletic performance by enhancing muscle and improving strengths. (5.3)

3. Tart Cherry Powder: Many studies have shown that tart cherry juice supplements have significant effects on the human body as it recovers muscle strength and helps remove inflammation from muscles quite fast compared to other supplements for muscle recovery. (5)

When your muscles go through too much inflammation, it can lead to sore muscles, but tart cherry juice supplements help stop that from happening by stopping the amount of inflammation from getting to that point. When your body is constantly sore and lethargic, energy stores can deplete and decrease your overall exercise performance.

4. L- Carnitine L- Tartrate: Its well know for turning the fat into energy, which helps in faster fat burn thus acting as an effective fat burner post workout. (5.4)

5. Beta Alanine: Your body builds up lactic acid when it works out. Beta Alanine helps in significantly reducing lactic acid build up post workout, making you feel less tired post workout. (5.2)

Therefore, one of the best ways to stop your body from going into tired state is to give your body all the necessary care. This is where Transparent Labs post muscle building and recovery formula comes in. It helps your muscle recover faster and relieves soreness. 

Pros:

Helps to keep you keep lean and build lean muscles

Maximizes muscle recovery

Also helps in burning fat, acts as fat burner

Tastes Great


Cons:

Beta Alanine can have harmless tingling sensation for few.

4.6/5
Jacked Factory Growth Surge

Growth Surge is perfect for body building athletes who are looking for building muscle mass with muscle recovery, especially with its 3g creatine monohydrate.  It comes in six different flavours including one unflavored one. 

Key features:

• 30% faster absorption compared to whey protein

• Boosts muscle recovery and size.

• Tastes Great

Ingredient Quality:

4.9/5

Recovery Performance:

4.5/5

Value:

4.9/5

Jacked Factory growth surge is one of the best and most well-known post-recovery supplements on the market. Moreover, it is also has 3g of creatine monohydrate. Creatine monohydrate is considered one of the safest muscle growth and recovery supplements.

Ingredients and Benefits: 

Main Ingredients: 3g Creatine Monohydrate, 2.5g Betaine Anhydrous, 2g L-Carnitine & L tartrate

Diet type: Vegan, gluten-free, major allergen-free

1. Creatine Monohydrate: It has 3g of it, which is more than sufficent for average weight lifters and gym goers. 

There is also some debate amongst people about whether they should take creatine monohydrate supplements before their workout or after their workout. Both are considered to be very beneficial for us. During the workout, your muscles are challenged as they are constantly being extorted, and your muscle fibers are broken down. This makes them susceptible to creatine intake.

2. Betaine Anhydrous: It has 2.5 g of Betaine Anydrous which helps  in improving athletic performance. 

3. L-Carnitine L- Tartrate: 2g of it derived from green tea extracts it helps in promoting rapid fat loss and reduct bloating and maintain health.

4. BioPerine: Its a patented ingredient of Jacked Factory derived from black pepper fruit which JF claims to increase the absorption and efficiency of other ingredients.

JF's Growth Surge helps replenish all the nutrients lost during workouts and recover all the damage taken by your muscles while speeding up the recovery process of your damaged muscle fibers. You should consume Jacked Factory Growth Surge soon after your workout as it is the most effective and beneficial at that time (7)

Pros:

Formulation and dosage scientifically done 

Perfect Blend of Monohydrate Creatine 3g

Also supports fat loss with L- Carnitine 

Also tastes good


Cons:

Doesn't contain Glutamine important for reducing muscle soreness 

4.2/5
Xwerks Lift

Someone looking to add muscles and help with muscle recovery without any other ingredients can look at it.

Key features:

• 5g Micronized Creatine Monohydrate

• No artificial ingredients

• No other fillers

Ingredient Quality:  4.0/5

Performance: 4.0/5

Value:
4.5/5

People with a daily workout routine might be aware of creatine and use it to maintain their energy level throughout their daily workout routine. It is found in many brand supplements, but one of the most notable ones is XWERKS Lift. Creatine is a type of amino acid that, through much research involving trial and error, shows results of increasing workout performance. It can also help recover sore muscles and delayed onset muscle soreness and fatigue that your body faces through extensively working out.

Though are many pre workout with creatine, but there are some which don't and it can always be taken as post workout supplement. 

Creatine monohydrate is also known to increase heat tolerance when working out in hotter weather and help aid the recovery of injuries, making it a great post-workout supplement. (6)

XWERKS Lift is among the most used post-recovery supplements due to its high creatine content. A considerable amount of scientific research backs the effectiveness of creatine, which has little to no side effects.

Due to its widespread popularity, it is also one of the easiest types of workout supplements that you can find on the market. Many post-workout supplements we find on the market are often quite expensive. One of the good things about XWERKS is that it is relatively cheap compared to the other available supplements on the market.

All in all, XWERKS Lift is one of the most effective supplements available on the market. It provides recovery from muscle fatigue and muscle soreness while increasing productivity during workouts. 

Pros:

Safest supplement to consume.
No frills creatine, if you looking to build muscles

Suitable for long-term use.

Minimal side effects.


Cons:

Taking too much creatine may cause bloating in some individuals

No flavor

4.4/5
Performance Labs Omega 3

This are Omega 3 capsules which are important in reducing overall inflammation and heart performance.


Number of capsules: 60

How to use: 1 tablets a day

Diet type: Vegan, gluten-free, major allergen-free


Ingredient Quality

Recovery Performance

Cost

As mentioned above, many people who start a new workout routine for body weight reduction or to build new muscle mass are often faced with pains and aches in their muscles. Omega 3 fatty acids are primarily associated with reducing inflammation and improving the overall health of your heart.

Performance Labs Omega 3 supplements are one of the best recovery supplements as it helps promote your cardiovascular health, support muscle, and soothes joints after a long workout to provide your body with as much recovery as possible.

However, it can also be beneficial for muscle pain relief and sore muscles. This Omega 3 fatty acid supplement is good for improving blood flow and oxygen flow towards the muscles, which helps with muscle and joint soreness. Moreover, Omega 3 fatty acids are perfect for bone damage repair. Hence, this supplement can help you with other workout-related injuries which you may face in the future. It helps improve the healing process and aids in faster recovery.

It is recommended that you make sure not to overdo it and take an excessive amount of omega-3 fatty acids as it can harm your muscles instead of the positive impact you aim to get from your workouts. Therefore, limiting the amount you take is recommended as it can reduce your body's ability to regain muscle mass once you return to your workouts again.

Pros:

Plant-based formula and vegan-friendly.

Easy to swallow.

Eco-friendly ingredients.

Suitable for daily use.


Cons:

Unpleasant taste

High price


5. Pedialyte - For Immediate Fluids Recovery

Pedialyte

Specifications:

Form: Liquid

Diet type: Vegan, gluten-free, major allergen-free

Pedialyte is a post-workout drink that contains electrolytes, which can be categorized as some of the most essential nutrients in your body. These include magnesium, potassium, calcium, and sodium. When you exert your body a lot during workouts, your body sweats, and these electrolytes are lost through your sweat.

Many of us feel completely drowned in sweat after a high-intensity exercise session. In these moments after your workouts, a great option is to take electrolyte supplements as they help us regain all the electrolytes we have lost.

Furthermore, your muscles might feel sore, shaky, and exhausted if electrolytes are not replenished after or during a workout. Electrolytes help your body regain from muscle cramps and help relax your muscles after they are over exhausted from a long workout.

Since your body flushes out many of these electrolytes through sweat while working out, the human body, without sufficient water, becomes dehydrated. The effects of dehydration can be tough to deal with as they can destroy your productivity. When your body feels dehydrated, it can result in lethargicness and end up causing headaches.

Therefore, it is vital to supply your body with a sufficient amount of electrolytes to prevent dehydration and help your body recover. Pedialyte is exactly what you need to compensate for these deficiencies. 

Pros:

Helps counter dehydration.

Suitable for all ages.

Supports the immune system with zinc.


Cons:

It has an unpleasant flavor.

It contains artificial sweeteners which can raise blood sugar.


Importance Of BCAA

Even though the body has the ability to create amino acids on its own, there are a few essential amino acids that our bodies cannot make on their own. That is why we must seek branched-chain amino acids inside supplements. (8)

When it comes to amino acids, there are nine in total, but there are three amino acids that are considered to be essential amino acids, which are crucial when it comes to maintaining your muscles. These three essential amino acids are; valine, isoleucine, and leucine.

Many branched-chain amino acids provide us with the amino acids our body requires to promote muscle growth. They also aid our bodies in recovery from muscle fatigue and muscle soreness. Moreover, these branched-chain amino acids our body gains help us repair the routine damage that our muscles gain from our everyday exercise and workout. Lastly, they help replenish the body with all the amino acids lost during working out.

These supplements help deliver us with the required amino acids after a workout so that our bodies can be on their way to muscle recovery at a fast pace. This way, we can continue to work out efficiently without any problems while enhancing muscle protein synthesis.

Homemade Muscle Recovery Supplements

Store-bought supplements for muscle recovery and post-workout supplements can often be pricey, but that is nothing to worry about because you can help your body recover through homemade recovery supplements.

Homemade recovery supplements are not that hard to make. We need to consider our goals and what we seek to gain from the post-workout supplement when it comes to homemade supplements.

You can make many different supplements with different ingredients depending on what you want, whether you want to boost recovery, boost muscle gains or help fight fatigue. Before making a homemade post-workout drink, you should know what ingredient has what type of vitamin or nutrient. 

For example, yogurt can be used in post-workout drinks because it is high in protein and can help improve the process of protein synthesis in the human body. This further aids your body with muscle recovery and building muscle mass after a long workout.

In conclusion, if you want a more natural post-workout recovery supplement without spending large sums of money, you can always choose to make your own homemade post-workout recovery supplements.

Endnote

In conclusion, the human body needs to recover from the amount of exertion it faces through workouts. If it is unable to do so, you can face issues such as sore muscles for prolonged periods or even issues such as muscle fatigue. These issues can easily be combatted through a proper and ethical intake of post-workout muscle recovery supplements. (9)

Furthermore, if these supplements for muscle recovery are not taken, then it can delay the recovery process when it comes to many issues, such as injuries that you may sustain during workouts. All of the supplements mentioned above provide your body with the necessary things it requires to prevent muscle wasting and aid muscle repair. Some supplements also possess the ability to increase your overall performance and replenish your energy stores.

As the fitness industry continues to grow, many post-workout recovery supplements are becoming available around almost any protein store around you. As more people gain awareness of how vital muscle recovery is and how working out is beyond just exercising intensely, post-workout supplements are becoming more and more popular.

Lastly, It is essential to consider that you should take these supplements in moderation, as too many of these supplements can end up negating all the positive effects of your workout and reduce the amount of muscle you gain once you get back into your workout the next day. Overall, post-workout recovery is a crucial part of your routine as it can be just as important as working out.


William Toro

William Toro ‧ CPT & Nutritionist


William is a certified personal trainer from NASM, he has also been a rehab physiologist in sports. He has more than 15 years of experience training people. And has featured in multiple publications like FoxNews, CNBC, Bustle, and other. 


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