Have any supplements been studied for muscle strength?

    Written by:
    Kamal Patel
    Last Updated: May 16, 2025

    Supplements aimed at enhancing muscle strength often work by improving muscle efficiency, delaying fatigue, increasing fuel availability, or stimulating protein synthesis. The most effective supplements identified include creatine, protein, and caffeine. Other supplements that have been studied include nitrate, citrulline malate, and ashwagandha.

    Supplements marketed to enhance muscle strength typically claim to do so through one of the following mechanisms or a combination of them: increasing muscle contractile efficiency (e.g., by improving calcium handling in the sarcoplasmic reticulum), delaying muscular fatigue, increasing the availability of fuel sources (e.g., carbohydrate), and/or stimulating muscle protein synthesis.[1]

    The most effective supplements for increasing muscle strength appear to be creatine,[2] protein,[3] and caffeine.[4] Other supplements that have been studied for muscle strength include nitrate, citrulline malate, HMB, alpha-GPC, taurine, ashwagandha, and omega-3 fatty acids.