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Which supplements help you build muscle
The short answer. What holds up with sources is short: creatine and whey protein (concentrate), about €17.70 a month at the dose used in the studies. This page lists 7 supplements with evidence for this goal, and 3 sold for it that you do not need.
None of these builds muscle on its own. What they do is plug the two holes through which gym work gets lost: not reaching the day’s protein, and not being able to train as hard as you could.
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The basics, and what they cost
Creatine
€0.80a month
3 to 5 g a day, every day, whether you train or not.
Cheapest at that dose: Firm Foods Creatina 2 kg (2x 1 kg) from Zumub, €8.95/kg.
Whey protein (concentrate)
€16.90a month
20 to 40 g per serving. What counts is the daily total: 1.4 to 2.0 g per kilo of body weight.
Cheapest at that dose: HSN Sport Series Evobasic whey 2Kg from HSN, €20.00/kg.
€17.70 a month in total, adding up creatine and whey protein (concentrate) at one effective dose a day with the cheapest product that reaches that dose. It is not a medical recommendation or a plan: it is what the evidence-backed options cost today, in the stores this site compares.
The 7 with something behind them
By evidence level and monthly cost
| Supplement | Evidence | What has been measured | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creatine3 to 5 g a day, every day, whether you train or not. | Strong evidence223 products compared · best score: Firm Foods Creatina 2 kg (2x 1 kg) from Zumub | Maximal strength and power: +5 to 15 %Kreider RB et al. ISSN position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:18. | €0.80 |
| Vegan protein25 to 40 g per serving. The daily target is still 1.4 to 2.0 g per kilo of body weight. | Strong evidence141 products compared · best score: HSN Essential Series Proteína de soja aislada 2.0 2Kg from HSN | Leucine needed per serving: 700 to 3000 mgJager R et al. ISSN position stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20. Dosis de 20-40 g por toma y 700-3000 mg de leucina para maximizar la sintesis proteica. | €5.54 |
| Whey protein (concentrate)20 to 40 g per serving. What counts is the daily total: 1.4 to 2.0 g per kilo of body weight. | Strong evidence251 products compared · best score: HSN Raw Series 100% Whey protein concentrate 2Kg from HSN | Strength (1RM): +2.49 kgMorton RW et al. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(6):376-384. 49 estudios, 1863 participantes. | €16.90 |
| Whey protein isolate20 to 40 g per serving; the daily total is still 1.4 to 2.0 g per kilo. | Strong evidence182 products compared · best score: Bulk Whey Protein Isolate, Sin sabores añadidos, 1 kg from Amazon | Lactose: almost nonede Wit JN. Nutritional and functional characteristics of whey proteins in food products. J Dairy Sci. 1998;81(3):597-608. Los aislados parten del 90 % de proteina y los concentrados comerciales van del 35 % al 80 %. | €18.40 |
| Carbohydrates30 to 60 g per hour of long continuous effort. Outside that, the day’s food. | Strong evidence113 products compared · best score: Zumub Dextrosa 4kg (2x 2kg) from Zumub | Efforts of 1 to 2.5 hours: 30 to 60 g per hourThomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48(3):543-568. 30-60 g/h en esfuerzos de 1-2,5 h y hasta 90 g/h con fuentes multiples por encima de 2,5 h. | no published dose |
| Casein30 to 40 g in the evening serving. The daily total is still 1.4 to 2.0 g per kilo. | Moderate evidence84 products compared · best score: HSN Sport Series Evocasein 2.0 (caseína micelar + DigeZyme®) 2Kg from HSN | Serving before bed: 30 to 40 gJager R et al. ISSN position stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20. Dosis de 20-40 g de proteina por toma. | €11.03 |
| Weight gainersWhatever is missing to close your daily surplus. There is no reference dose. | Moderate evidence96 products compared · best score: Zumub Heavy Gainer 4Kg (2x 2Kg) from Zumub | Gaining weight: requires a surplusKerksick CM et al. ISSN exercise & sports nutrition review update: research & recommendations. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018;15:38. El balance energetico es lo que determina el cambio de peso; los suplementos calorico-proteicos son una via comoda de alcanzarlo. | no published dose |
The 3 they will try to sell you for this
Weak evidence, supplement price
Reviews find no consistent effect. It is listed because it sells, not because it works.
| Supplement | What has been measured | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| BCAABCAAs are three amino acids: leucine, isoleucine and valine. | Muscle protein synthesis: not sustained aloneWolfe RR. Branched-chain amino acids and muscle protein synthesis in humans: myth or reality? J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:30. | €2.62 |
| GlutamineGlutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body and it is used by muscle and gut. | Sports performance: no demonstrated effectKerksick CM et al. ISSN exercise & sports nutrition review update: research & recommendations. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018;15:38. La glutamina aparece entre los suplementos con evidencia limitada o nula. | €2.47 |
| Essential amino acids (EAA)EAAs are the nine amino acids the body cannot make, and they are the ones that trigger muscle protein synthesis. | Leucine the serving needs: 700 to 3000 mgJager R et al. ISSN position stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20. La toma debe aportar 700-3000 mg de leucina dentro de un aporte suficiente de aminoacidos esenciales; los BCAA aislados no superan a una proteina completa. | €9.29 |
Weak evidence is not fraud. It means the effect does not show up when diet already fills the gap, or that the studies behind it are small, short or paid for by the seller. Each guide says in which specific case it does make sense, which almost always exists and is almost never the case of the person buying it.
Questions about supplements for: build muscle
Answered with the data on this page
- Which supplements should you take to build muscle?
- The minimum you can defend with sources is creatine and whey protein (concentrate), which at the dose used in the studies comes to €17.70 a month buying the cheapest that reaches that dose. Beyond that, this page lists another 5 with evidence behind them, each for a specific case.
- And bcaa, glutamine, essential amino acids (eaa)?
- BCAA, Glutamine, Essential amino acids (EAA) have weak evidence for this: Reviews find no consistent effect. It is listed because it sells, not because it works. They are sold a lot for this goal and each has its own guide with the sources, so the decision does not depend on what a label says.
- Where do these prices come from?
- From the 4065 products this site collects across 19 Spanish stores, with prices from October 15, 2026. The monthly cost is one effective dose a day for 30 days, with the cheapest product that reaches that dose. The evidence was reviewed on September 4, 2026.
Other goals
The same list, another question