Hypertrophy: diet and supplements for better results

Many people seek to increase size and muscle strength, and start looking for activities that contribute to this goal. Whether for bodybuilding, to improve performance in sports or even for aesthetics, several workouts can cause this desired increase.

In addition to weight training , however, there are other fundamental issues when looking for muscle growth and definition, such as an adequate diet, an appropriate training routine, adequate sleep, among other factors.

This process that muscles go through to grow is called hypertrophy. In this text, we will better understand how it happens, what factors influence muscle growth and what diet and supplements can contribute. Come on?

Contents

What is muscle hypertrophy?

Muscle hypertrophy is the name given to the growth of muscle size. This is a consequence of the increase in the volume of muscle cells, caused by an adaptation of them in the face of a greater demand for work.

This means that in order to achieve hypertrophy it is necessary to exercise the muscles beyond normal in intense training, so that they adapt to support the effort.

In addition to the need for intense physical exercise (usually weight training), there are two essential factors: an adequate diet and rest.

Rest is essential for the muscles to recover from the micro injuries caused in training. It is precisely during this recovery that they increase in size

It is also important to make a selection of exercises that allow different muscles to intercalate, giving everyone time to go through the process of hypertrophy.

It is good to know that the first apparent results of hypertrophy are not so fast. Depending on the person’s metabolism, it can take anywhere from 6 months to 1 year.

Muscle hypertrophy is a reversible process. This means that if the continuous effort of the muscles is interrupted (the person stops exercising), the muscle will return to its natural aspect.

Training for muscle hypertrophy

The most common training to achieve muscle hypertrophy is weight training with the use of equipment in gyms. However, it can also be achieved through functional exercises (which use only the body itself).

The series of exercises, the number of repetitions, the number of times a week and the weights will be indicated appropriately by a physical education professional.

This is because several factors that change from person to person must be taken into account, such as the percentage of body fat, biotype, objective and metabolism.

In the beginning, it is generally recommended that you train 3 to 5 times a week. This allows the necessary time for muscle recovery, alternating between groups (back, chest, legs, arms, etc.)

It is also interesting to select multiarticular exercises, that is, that work more than one musculature simultaneously.

In addition, training should vary in the type of movement that is performed (lifting, flexing, pulling, pushing, squatting, etc.)

The most recommended way to alternate between one workout and another is to work your upper limbs in the first and your lower limbs in the second, giving your muscles time to rest.

The movements made during weight training should be slow, allowing all fibers to be activated. It is also important to measure the amount of aerobic exercise to be performed, so that it does not affect the gain of lean mass .

Diet for hypertrophy

There is no point in carrying out an intense workout if your muscles do not have enough nutrients to hypertrophy. Therefore, it is essential to have a proper diet to achieve this goal.

It is important to consult a nutrition professional to balance your diet with your exercises, indicating the correct amount of calories and proteins that should be ingested.

We have separated some of the main characteristics of a hypertrophy diet:

High in protein

A diet for hypertrophy should be rich mainly in protein. They are necessary for muscle growth because they participate in the process of rebuilding muscle fibers.

The main protein-rich foods are lean meats, such as chicken and fish, and other animal-based foods, such as eggs, milk and red meat. Proteins can also be found in vegetables such as beans , lentils and soy.

More caloric

One of the essential characteristics of an efficient diet for muscle hypertrophy is having an adequate amount of calories.

This is necessary because, in addition to having energy to spend during the day, your body needs a reserve of energy for intense training.

At the same time, if the excess is too large, these calories can turn into body fat. Therefore, it is essential to consult a nutritionist to set up your diet.

These calories must come from foods that are healthy sources of carbohydrates , such as oats, avocados, peanuts, brown rice and brown bread.

Fractional meals

To keep the hypertrophy process going, it is also important that the diet be broken into several meals a day.

If there is a long period of fasting, there may be burning of lean mass – just the opposite of the objective of hypertrophy.

The recommended is to have 5 to 6 meals a day, dividing the amount of daily calories between them. Breakfast, pre-workout meal and post-workout meal should receive special attention.

What are the supplements for hypertrophy?

Those who are starting in the world of bodybuilding and looking for hypertrophy usually have many doubts about the different forms of supplementation.

As the name says, supplements exist to “supply”, in this case, the body’s needs for hypertrophy. It can often be difficult to have a diet perfectly suited to the amount of training, and supplementation becomes a valid option for many people.

The main types of supplements for hypertrophy are:

Protein supplements

There are many supplements available that contain protein to supplement the diet. There are different types of proteins and amino acids (the parts that make up proteins), and each one will have different benefits, uses and side effects.

The most well-known protein supplements are:

Whey Protein

Whey Protein is probably the best known product for hypertrophy. It is a protein supplement that contains the protein taken from whey, of high biological value.

It can be found in concentrated forms (with slower absorption, with lactose and fat); isolated (almost pure protein, with faster absorption) and hydrolysates (isolated and broken proteins, with absorption also fast).

You can find different brands, sizes and flavors of whey on the website of Consulta Remédios. Some examples are:

  • Pure Whey (900g) – Health Labs (preço: R$ 83,48)*;
  • Pro Whey Protein (500g) – Probiotic (price: R $ 29.90) *;
  • Super Whey 100% Pure (907g) – Integralmedica (price: R $ 79.19) *;
  • Pre Whey Protein (1Kg) – Midway (price: R $ 92.20) *;

Albumin

Albumin is one of the oldest supplements in existence. It is the extraction of protein from egg white and also has a high biological value.

Read more: Does the egg diet work? how to make?

Some of the advantages of albumin are that it can usually be found at lower values ​​than other proteins, such as whey. In addition, it has no milk and, therefore, can be used by people with lactose intolerance.

Some examples of products that contain albumin are:

  • Natural Albumin (500g) – Naturovos (price: R $ 48.99) *;
  • Albumin (500g) – Sports Nutrition (price: R $ 24.90) *;
  • Albumin (500g) – Health Labs (price: R $ 36.95) *:

Hypercaloric

There are also hypercaloric supplements, made to supplement the energy supply of the diet.

These supplements also contribute to hypertrophy, but should only be consumed by those who have a very intense training routine and will burn excess calories, or who are looking to gain weight.

Hypercaloric supplements are products such as:

  • Hiper Mass Gainer (3kg) – Athletica Pro Series (preço: R$ 70,00)*;
  • SuperMass (3kg) – Integralmedica (price: R $ 68.04) *;
  • Mass Gainer (3kg) – Black Skull (preço: 79,56)*;

* Prices consulted at Consulta Remédios in September 2019. Prices may change.


Hypertrophy is the main goal of many people when exercising.

For it to happen successfully, it is important that the training is carried out intensively, with an adequate diet and rest.

Some supplements can also help achieve muscle hypertrophy. In this text, we saw some of the main options used for this purpose.

Tell us what you think of the content and keep following the Healthy Minute for more information about the fitness world!

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