Research
Adherence
Adjunct supplements (omega-3 fatty acids, citrulline, collagen) facilitate training tolerance, recovery, or connective-tissue adaptation but do not directly drive muscle hypertrophy.
These supplements can help you train better, recover faster, or keep your tendons healthy, but they won't build muscle directly. Focus on protein, creatine, and training first; these are optional extras for specific needs.
ModerateRefutesMEDIUM confidence
Adjuncts such as omega-3 fatty acids (1–2 g·day−1), citrulline (6–8 g pre-exercise), and collagen (10–15 g·day−1 plus vitamin C) primarily facilitated training tolerance, recovery, or connective-tissue adaptation, rather than driving hypertrophy directly.
Why this rating
Direct morphology-specific evidence is 'limited or context-dependent'.
Source
Nutritional Supplements for Muscle Hypertrophy: Mechanisms and Morphology—Focused Evidence
Andreea Maria Mănescu et al. · Nutrients · 2025
DOI 10.3390/nu17223603
narrative_review
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Protein and essential amino acid (EAA) supplementation promotes measurable muscle hypertrophy (via ultrasound/MRI) only when daily intake is below 1.6 g/kg/day or per-meal leucine is below 2–3 g; benefits plateau once these thresholds are met.Good
- Creatine monohydrate (3–5 g/day) increases muscle thickness and cross-sectional area in resistance training interventions lasting 8–12 weeks or more, primarily by enabling higher training volume and quality rather than direct anabolic signaling.Good
- β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB, 3 g/day) has conditional utility for muscle hypertrophy, showing benefits primarily during high training stress or caloric deficits, but is largely neutral in well-fed, resistance-trained individuals.Moderate
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