Build Strength & Fitness

Build Muscle Mass

Building muscle mass (hypertrophy) means making your muscles bigger, which mainly takes progressive resistance training, enough protein and enough food over several months. Supplements add little compared with training, and drugs sold for muscle gain carry serious risks.

General information, not medical advice. Last updated October 31, 2026. Written by the AlternativeMed editorial team. Not medically reviewed.

Start here

Train each major muscle group at least twice a week with resistance exercise (weights, bands or bodyweight), working hard enough that the last repetitions of a set feel difficult, and add load or repetitions gradually over time.
Eat enough protein spread through the day and enough total food. Trials and position stands point to roughly 1.4 to 2.0 g of protein per kg of body weight per day for most people who exercise, with little extra benefit from much higher intakes.
Be patient and consistent: visible muscle gain takes months. Sleep, recovery days and a plan you can keep matter more than any supplement.

Be careful with

Anabolic steroids, SARMs, prohormones and similar products are risky or banned, and we do not give any instructions for them. Reviews link them to heart, liver, hormone and mental health harms.
Add weight and volume gradually. Doing too much too soon raises the risk of injury and, rarely, of a serious muscle breakdown called rhabdomyolysis.
If you have heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, joint problems, are pregnant, or have been inactive for a long time, speak to a doctor before starting hard training. If food, weight or training feels compulsive or frightening, seek professional support.

Get help when

Stop exercising and get urgent care for chest pain or pressure, fainting, severe breathlessness or new palpitations.
Very dark (tea- or cola-coloured) urine, much less urine, or severe muscle pain, swelling and weakness after hard exercise can be signs of rhabdomyolysis: get medical care promptly.
A sharp pain with a pop or sudden loss of strength, a joint that locks or gives way, or pain that does not settle should be checked by a clinician.
Strength that keeps falling, tiredness and low mood despite training, or muscle loss you cannot explain, may reflect overtraining, under-eating or a medical cause: see a doctor.
If you are using, or tempted to use, steroids or similar drugs and notice mood changes, chest symptoms, yellow skin or eyes, or testicular or hormonal changes, speak to a doctor. Doctors can help without judgement.

About Build Muscle Mass

What this goal means

Building muscle mass means increasing the size of your muscles. It is called hypertrophy. This page is about size. Building strength, keeping the muscle you have, endurance and sports performance are separate goals, and we link to them rather than repeating them.

Muscle gain depends on three things working together: a training stimulus that is hard enough and progressively harder, enough protein and energy to build new tissue, and recovery between sessions. Meta-analyses of training studies are the main source for the training advice on this page.

^1,2,3

What it can look and feel like

Early on, most of the gain in lifting ability comes from your nervous system learning the movements, with size changes following over weeks to months. Muscles may feel sore for a day or two after new or harder sessions. Some soreness is normal; sharp pain, joint pain or severe swelling is not.

Progress is uneven. Beginners usually gain faster than people who have trained for years, and the Morton meta-analysis found protein supplements helped more in people who were already resistance-trained.

What can contribute to slow progress

Common reasons for slow progress include training that is too easy or never progresses, too few weekly sets for a muscle group, training a muscle only once a week, too little protein or too little food overall, short or poor sleep, and stopping and restarting often. A systematic review of 17 studies found that insufficient sleep can reduce maximal strength in multi-joint exercises, which can limit how hard you can train.

Age, health conditions, some medicines and low energy intake can also limit gains. Persistent unexplained muscle loss or weakness needs a medical check, not just more training.

^1,4,5

Related conditions

Age-related muscle loss is covered on our sarcopenia page. Body composition measures are explained on our BMI and body composition page. This page does not diagnose any condition.

Realistic expectations

Gains take months, and no study here promises a specific amount. For people building muscle in a gaining phase, one narrative review suggests aiming for slow weight gain of about 0.25 to 0.5 percent of body weight per week for novice and intermediate lifters, to limit fat gain. Advanced lifters gain more slowly and are advised to be more conservative.

Genetics, age, sex, training history and consistency all change the result. Compare yourself with your own starting point, not with photos online.

⁶

Who it applies to

Anyone who wants bigger muscles: beginners, returning lifters, women and men, and older adults who want to gain muscle and strength. Older adults, people with long-term conditions, and pregnant or postpartum women should tailor training with their care team. The WHO and NHS guidelines advise muscle-strengthening on at least 2 days a week for adults, so this goal builds on that baseline.

^7,8

Related conditions and symptoms

Sarcopenia and muscle loss with age → Eating disorders and disordered eating → BMI, body composition and muscle →

A manageable starting plan

An educational starting point, not a personal prescription. Adjust it to your own situation and any advice from your clinician.

Your first actions

Weeks 1 to 4: learn 5 to 6 basic movements with light loads, train 2 to 3 days a week, and write down what you do.
Weeks 5 to 12: train each major muscle group at least twice a week, add reps or load gradually, and eat protein at each meal.
Keep going for at least 3 to 6 months, review progress monthly, and adjust food, sets and rest.

Optional additions

Consider a coach for a technique session or programme.
Try creatine monohydrate if you have no kidney problem, after reading the cautions above.
Take progress photos or measurements monthly if that helps you and does not distress you.

What to track

Weights, reps and sets for key lifts.
Weekly average body weight and a monthly waist or limb measure.
Sleep, soreness and mood.

When to reassess

After 8 to 12 weeks, check whether your lifts are rising. If not, review training hardness, weekly sets per muscle, protein, food and sleep. If strength drops, you feel unwell, or pain persists, speak to a clinician.

When to seek professional support

Speak to a GP before starting if you are inactive, older, pregnant or have a health condition.
Ask a qualified coach for a programme and technique checks.
Seek help promptly for chest pain, dark urine or concerning symptoms.

What helps

Ordered by how well the research supports each step. Evidence strength is shown on every card; precautions sit next to the advice.

Start here

Resistance training with progressive overload

High certainty

Addresses: Bigger muscles over months

Why it may help: The ACSM position stand recommends resistance training for each major muscle group on 2 or 3 days a week. Muscle growth responds to doing more over time. A meta-analysis of 15 studies found a graded relationship in which more weekly sets were linked to more muscle growth.

How to apply it: Choose exercises for all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, chest, shoulders, arms, core). Work close to hard effort, and add repetitions or load when a weight starts to feel easy. Keep a simple log.

Who it may suit: Beginners to experienced lifters.

Precautions: Learn technique first, ideally from a qualified instructor. Increase gradually to limit injury risk.

^3,1,8

Build Muscle Strength →

Train each muscle at least twice a week

Moderate certainty

Addresses: Better growth than once-a-week training when total sets are equal

Why it may help: A meta-analysis of studies that compared weekly training frequencies concluded that, on a volume-equated basis, training a muscle group twice a week gave better growth than once a week. Whether three times a week beats twice remains uncertain.

How to apply it: Split your weekly sets across at least two sessions per muscle group, with full-body or upper/lower sessions if time is short.

Who it may suit: People with a regular schedule.

Precautions: Do not train a very sore or injured area hard. Keep rest days.

⁴

Do enough weekly sets, then add more only if needed

Moderate certainty

Addresses: More muscle growth, with a graded dose-response

Why it may help: In the volume meta-analysis, each added weekly set was linked to a small extra gain in size (about 0.37 percent), and higher volumes outperformed lower volumes by about 3.9 percent. The evidence is a trend, and more is not always better for every person.

How to apply it: Start with a modest number of hard sets per muscle per week, then add sets slowly while sleep and recovery stay good.

Who it may suit: Lifters whose progress has levelled off.

Precautions: More volume raises soreness and injury risk. Cut back if strength or mood drops over weeks.

^1,9

Lighter or heavier loads can both work

Moderate certainty

Addresses: Similar muscle size gains across a range of loads

Why it may help: A meta-analysis of 21 studies found heavier loads gave greater maximal strength gains, but muscle size gains were similar across low and high loads when sets were taken close to failure. This gives flexibility if heavy lifting bothers your joints.

How to apply it: Use a mix of moderate and lighter loads taken close to hard effort, with controlled technique, and include some heavier work if you also want maximal strength.

Who it may suit: People with joint limits or limited equipment.

Precautions: Training very close to failure with light loads is tiring. Use a spotter or safe equipment with heavy weights.

¹⁰

Eat enough protein, spread through the day

High certainty

Addresses: Greater gains in muscle size and strength than training alone

Why it may help: A meta-analysis of 49 trials with 1,863 people found protein supplements added small but significant gains in muscle size and strength during resistance training. Benefits levelled off beyond about 1.6 g per kg of body weight per day. The ISSN position stand gives a range of 1.4 to 2.0 g per kg per day as sufficient for most exercising people.

How to apply it: Include a protein food in each meal. Whole foods can supply it; a powder is a convenience, not a requirement.

Who it may suit: Most people training for size; the supplement effect was smaller with age.

Precautions: People with kidney disease, and those on advice to limit protein, should ask their care team first. Healthy-adult trials found no kidney harm from higher intakes.

^2,11,12

Protein powder → Whey protein →

Additional options

Eat a modest calorie surplus

Low certainty

Addresses: More muscle with limited fat gain

Why it may help: A narrative review for natural bodybuilders suggests a modest surplus of roughly 10 to 20 percent above maintenance energy, adding weight slowly. This is expert guidance from a review, not a trial-proven rule, so the certainty is limited.

How to apply it: Add food gradually and track weekly body weight and training performance. Reduce the surplus if you gain fat quickly.

Who it may suit: Lean people trying to add size.

Precautions: Not for people with a history of disordered eating or those advised to limit weight gain. Underweight people should read our page on gaining weight safely.

⁶

Gain Weight Safely →

Sleep enough and plan rest days

Low certainty

Addresses: Better training quality and recovery

Why it may help: The review of sleep restriction and resistance exercise found that several nights of short sleep could reduce force in multi-joint lifts. The studies were rated moderate or weak quality. Consensus guidance on overtraining stresses balancing training load with recovery.

How to apply it: Aim for regular sleep, build in rest days, and consider an easier week if performance keeps falling.

Who it may suit: Anyone training hard, shift workers.

Precautions: Persistent fatigue with falling performance needs a medical check.

^5,9

Recover Better After Exercise → Improve Your Sleep Quality →

Work with a qualified coach or instructor

Moderate certainty

Addresses: Safer technique and better adherence

Why it may help: The ACSM position stand says supervision by an experienced fitness instructor can improve adoption and adherence to exercise programmes.

How to apply it: Ask for a technique session, a written programme and a progression plan.

Who it may suit: Beginners and anyone returning from injury.

Precautions: Check qualifications. A coach does not replace a doctor's advice for health conditions.

Still being studied

Whole-food and higher-protein patterns for older adults

Low certainty

Addresses: Possible preservation and gain of muscle with age

Why it may help: Muscle protein supplements helped less as age rose in the Morton meta-analysis, so older adults may need good training, food and clinician guidance rather than powders alone.

How to apply it: See our older-adult strength page for the evidence in this group.

Who it may suit: Older adults.

Precautions: Check kidney function and medicines with a clinician.

Strength training and protein for older adults → Sarcopenia and muscle loss →

Food & nutrition

Protein

Trials show protein supplements add a small gain on top of resistance training. The Morton meta-analysis found no extra gain in lean mass beyond about 1.6 g per kg of body weight per day, and the ISSN position stand gives 1.4 to 2.0 g per kg per day as enough for most exercising adults. The ISSN also notes that muscle protein synthesis is stimulated by protein before or after resistance exercise.

The ISSN suggests an even spread of protein across the day. A narrative review for bodybuilders suggests about 0.40 to 0.55 g per kg per meal over 3 to 6 meals. These are expert reviews, not exact rules.

Eggs, dairy, fish, poultry, lean meat
Beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, soy
Nuts, seeds and whole grains add some protein

^2,11,6

Total energy and carbohydrate

A modest surplus of about 10 to 20 percent is suggested by one narrative review, and it also suggests enough carbohydrate to fuel hard sessions. Fat in moderate amounts is part of a balanced diet. The review is expert opinion with limited direct trial evidence.

⁶

Kidneys and high protein

A meta-analysis of 28 trials in healthy adults found that higher-protein diets did not worsen kidney filtration. The finding does not apply to people with kidney disease, who should ask their care team before raising protein.

¹²

Where to read more

Healthy fats, hydration and energy are covered on their own pages.

Support Energy Through Nutrition
Stay Hydrated for Daily Wellbeing
Gain Weight Safely

Remedies & supplements

Traditional use, laboratory findings and human trials are kept apart. "Natural" does not mean safe.

Creatine monohydrate

Moderate certainty

Studied form and route: Powder or capsules

Intended outcome: Small extra gains in muscle size and strength when combined with resistance training

Human evidence: A meta-analysis of 10 trials with imaging measures found a small additional gain in muscle thickness with creatine plus training. A meta-analysis of 8 trials in older adults reported greater lower-limb strength and lean mass with creatine plus training. The ISSN position stand reports that short- and long-term use appears safe and well tolerated in healthy people.

Traditional use: Not used as a traditional remedy.

Laboratory findings: Not assessed here.

Limits: Effects are small on average and the evidence in older adults came from few trials. Some authors of these reviews have disclosed links to creatine companies. We do not give a dose.

Interactions and precautions: People with kidney disease or reduced kidney function should ask a clinician first. Ask about pregnancy and breastfeeding. Water retention can raise body weight. Choose products tested by a third party.

^13,14,15

Creatine → Creatine and kidney disease →

Protein powders (whey and others)

Moderate certainty

Studied form and route: Powders and shakes

Intended outcome: A convenient way to reach protein intake

Human evidence: The Morton meta-analysis of 49 trials found protein supplements gave small gains in muscle size and strength during training; the effect was smaller with age.

Traditional use: Foods such as eggs, dairy, meat and legumes have always supplied protein.

Laboratory findings: Not assessed here.

Limits: Powder is not required if food covers your protein.

Interactions and precautions: Check labels for allergens (milk, soy). People with kidney disease should ask a clinician. Check for added sugars and for third-party testing.

^2,11,12

Protein powder → Whey protein →

Caffeine

Moderate certainty

Studied form and route: Coffee, tea or caffeine products before training

Intended outcome: Small improvement in exercise performance

Human evidence: An umbrella review of 21 meta-analyses found caffeine improved muscle strength, muscle endurance, power and aerobic endurance, with mostly moderate-quality evidence. Studies were mostly in young men. It measured performance, not muscle growth.

Traditional use: Coffee and tea are widely used before activity.

Laboratory findings: Not assessed here.

Limits: The evidence is for performance in tests, not for building muscle.

Interactions and precautions: Caffeine can disturb sleep, raise heart rate and increase jitters; people with heart rhythm problems, anxiety, high blood pressure, pregnancy or breastfeeding should ask a clinician. Avoid late-day use if it affects sleep.

¹⁶

Caffeine and energy drinks →

HMB (beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate)

Low certainty

Studied form and route: Capsules or powder

Intended outcome: Possible help with recovery and muscle gain

Human evidence: The ISSN position stand from 2013 concluded HMB can reduce exercise-induced muscle damage and may enhance size and strength. It is an older society paper and later evidence is not summarised here.

Traditional use: No traditional use identified in the sources reviewed.

Laboratory findings: Not assessed here.

Limits: The position stand is dated and written by a society that includes supplement researchers. We rate it cautiously.

Interactions and precautions: Ask a clinician if pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking regular medicines.

¹⁷

Collagen peptides

Low certainty

Studied form and route: Powder

Intended outcome: Possible small gains in lean mass in one trial

Human evidence: A randomised trial of 97 middle-aged untrained men found fat-free mass rose more with specific collagen peptides than with placebo during 12 weeks of training. A whey protein group was in the study but compared exploratorily. It is one trial in a limited group, and authors included supplement-company researchers.

Traditional use: Collagen is not a traditional muscle remedy.

Laboratory findings: Not assessed here.

Limits: One trial, men only. Collagen is not a complete protein on its own.

Interactions and precautions: Allergy to source animal products (bovine, marine). Ask a clinician about medicines or pregnancy.

¹⁸

Collagen →

Ashwagandha

Low certainty

Studied form and route: Root extract capsules

Intended outcome: Possible small strength gains in one trial

Human evidence: An 8-week randomised trial in 57 young men with little training experience reported larger gains in strength and arm and chest size with ashwagandha than with placebo. It is a small trial in healthy young men, and we did not find a larger set of confirming trials in what we reviewed.

Traditional use: Ashwagandha is a traditional Ayurvedic herb.

Laboratory findings: Not assessed here.

Limits: Small, short and single trial.

Interactions and precautions: May interact with thyroid, sedative, diabetes and blood-pressure medicines; avoid in pregnancy unless advised; ask a clinician if you have thyroid or liver problems or an autoimmune condition.

¹⁹

Ashwagandha →

BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids)

Not enough evidence

Studied form and route: Powder or capsules

Intended outcome: Not established beyond complete protein intake

Human evidence: We did not find a review we could verify for this page, so we do not claim a benefit. If you already eat enough protein, extra amino acid supplements are unlikely to be needed.

Traditional use: No traditional use identified in the sources reviewed.

Laboratory findings: Not assessed here.

Limits: Evidence not assessed here.

Interactions and precautions: Ask a clinician if you have liver, kidney or metabolic conditions.

¹¹

Anabolic steroids, SARMs and prohormones

Evidence against

Studied form and route: Injectables, tablets, powders sold online

Intended outcome: Rated against: harms outweigh any benefit

Human evidence: The Endocrine Society statement and a systematic review of SARMs describe harms and contamination. We provide no instructions.

Traditional use: No traditional use identified in the sources reviewed.

Laboratory findings: Not assessed here.

Limits: Banned in most sports; legal status varies by country and product.

Interactions and precautions: Speak to a doctor if you already use them and notice chest symptoms, mood changes, yellow skin or eyes, or hormonal changes.

^20,21

Therapies & care

Established care for muscle building is mostly training guidance and, where needed, medical checks. This page describes care in general terms and does not recommend medicines. Never stop a prescribed medicine because of a training plan.

A qualified coach, personal trainer or exercise professional

Moderate certainty

Supervised exercise The ACSM says supervision by an experienced fitness instructor can improve adoption and adherence to exercise programmes. A coach can teach technique, set a progression and reduce injury risk.

Who it may suit: Beginners, returners and anyone with technique concerns.

Precautions: Check qualifications. Tell the coach about health conditions and injuries.

Start Exercising With Confidence →

A health check before starting

Moderate certainty

Clinical assessment The NHS advises speaking to a GP first if you have not exercised for some time or have medical conditions or concerns. People with heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, joint problems, pregnancy or kidney disease should have tailored advice.

Who it may suit: Inactive people, older adults, and anyone with a long-term condition.

Precautions: Bring a list of your medicines and symptoms.

^8,3

Physiotherapy for injuries or limits

Not enough evidence

Rehabilitation A physiotherapist can assess pain or joint limits and adapt exercises so training can continue safely. We did not review trial evidence for this in the context of muscle building.

Who it may suit: People with joint pain or past injuries.

Precautions: Seek assessment for pain that does not settle.

Return to Exercise After a Break →

Support for food, weight or exercise worries

Not enough evidence

Mental health and nutrition care If eating, weight, body image or training feel compulsive or frightening, a doctor, dietitian or therapist can help. See our eating disorders page.

Who it may suit: Anyone distressed by size, food or exercise.

Precautions: Do not wait for it to get worse.

Eating disorders and disordered eating →

What to avoid

Habits, products and claims that can get in the way. Never stop a prescribed medicine without talking to the professional who prescribed it.

Risks that apply to most people

Training the same way with the same weights forever

Moderate certainty

Why: Muscle needs a growing challenge. Meta-analyses link greater training volume to greater gains, and sets that stay easy give little reason to grow.

Who it applies to: Anyone whose progress has stalled.

Try instead: Add repetitions, load or sets gradually and track them.

^1,3

Training a muscle only once a week

Moderate certainty

Why: On a volume-equated basis, twice-weekly training gave better growth than once a week in a meta-analysis.

Who it applies to: People on a one-day-per-muscle split.

Try instead: Spread the same sets over at least two sessions.

⁴

Doing too much too soon

Moderate certainty

Why: Sharp jumps in volume or intensity raise injury risk and, in extreme cases, muscle breakdown. The ACSM lists gradual progression as a way to reduce exercise risks.

Who it applies to: Beginners, returners and people starting a new programme.

Try instead: Build up over weeks and repeat a week if it felt too hard.

^3,22

Ignoring sleep and recovery

Low certainty

Why: Short sleep can lower force in multi-joint lifts, and overtraining consensus guidance describes prolonged under-recovery as harmful.

Who it applies to: People who train daily or sleep little.

Try instead: Plan rest days and protect sleep.

^5,9

Personal triggers to check

Training through sharp pain

Low certainty

Why: Pain that is sharp, joint-based or worsening is a warning, not a sign of progress.

Who it applies to: Anyone with an injury or joint problem.

Try instead: Stop, rest, and get it checked if it does not settle.

Exercising hard in very hot conditions without fluids

Low certainty

Why: Severe exertion and dehydration are listed among causes of rhabdomyolysis by MedlinePlus.

Who it applies to: People training outdoors, in heat or when unwell.

Try instead: Reduce intensity in heat, drink to thirst, and stop if unwell.

²²

Products that need caution

Anabolic steroids, prohormones and SARMs

Evidence against

Why: The Endocrine Society statement links performance-enhancing drugs to higher risk of death and to cardiovascular, psychiatric, metabolic, endocrine, hepatic, renal and musculoskeletal harms. A systematic review of SARMs reports no approved medical use, contamination of online products, and reports of liver injury, myocarditis and tendon rupture. Many are banned in sport. We give no instructions.

Who it applies to: Anyone tempted by quick results or social media claims.

Try instead: Use training, food and time. If you already use these products, talk to a doctor.

^20,21

Stimulant-heavy pre-workout blends

Not enough evidence

Why: Caffeine has evidence for exercise performance, but blends with unknown or high stimulant content can cause jitters, raised heart rate and poor sleep. We did not find a review of stimulant blends as a whole.

Who it applies to: People with heart rhythm problems, anxiety, high blood pressure or pregnancy.

Try instead: Know what each ingredient is. See caffeine guidance.

¹⁶

Caffeine and energy drinks →

Testosterone-booster and 'muscle-growth' supplement claims

Not enough evidence

Why: We did not find reliable human evidence for these products in the sources we reviewed. Claims of steroid-like effects are unproven.

Who it applies to: Anyone buying supplements marketed for size.

Try instead: Spend effort on training, food and sleep instead.

²⁰

Unsupported claims

'Gain muscle fast without training'

Evidence against

Why: Muscle growth requires a training stimulus. Protein and supplements add modestly to training, and the Morton meta-analysis found small average gains.

Who it applies to: Anyone seeing quick-fix adverts.

Try instead: Choose consistent training.

'More protein is always better'

Moderate certainty

Why: The Morton meta-analysis found no extra gain in lean mass from protein supplementation beyond about 1.6 g per kg per day.

Who it applies to: People eating very large amounts.

Try instead: Aim for a sufficient intake rather than the highest possible.

^2,11

Common mistakes

Eating very little to stay lean while trying to gain

Low certainty

Why: Too little energy limits the building process and can slow progress. The overtraining consensus names low calorie, carbohydrate or protein intake as factors to exclude.

Who it applies to: People who cut calories heavily and train hard.

Try instead: Eat enough for training and see a clinician if food feels hard.

⁹

Eating disorders and disordered eating →

Chasing the scale or mirror

Low certainty

Why: Obsessive checking, compulsive training or fear of losing size can signal a problem and deserves support.

Who it applies to: People who feel distressed about size.

Try instead: Track strength and measurements gently, and talk to a professional if it feels compulsive.

⁹

Eating disorders and disordered eating →

Evidence & safety

What the research shows

Training advice is well supported: meta-analyses show that resistance training with progression builds muscle, that more weekly sets and twice-weekly training per muscle tend to give more growth, and that muscle size can be gained with a range of loads. Protein supplements and creatine add small average gains on top of training. Evidence for HMB, collagen and ashwagandha is limited, and steroids and SARMs are rated against because of their harms.

Limits of the evidence

Many training studies are short and use young, healthy participants, so results may differ for older adults and people with conditions.
Training meta-analyses combine studies that differ in method; the volume finding showed a trend for categories (P = 0.074).
Creatine and protein effects are small on average; some reviewers have disclosed supplement-industry links.
Most of the ashwagandha and collagen evidence is a single trial each, in men.
We did not review exercise compulsion or muscle dysmorphia studies in detail.

Precautions and interactions

Increase training gradually.
Do not use steroids, SARMs or prohormones.
Ask a clinician before supplements if you have kidney, liver or heart conditions, take medicines, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Do not stop or change a prescribed medicine because of a training or supplement plan.

Life-stage considerations

Pregnancy and postpartum: guidance is specific; ask a doctor or midwife before heavy lifting or supplements.
Older adults: gains are possible with training but protein supplements helped less with age in one meta-analysis; get clinician guidance.
Under 18: seek a qualified youth coach; do not use supplements marketed for size without medical advice.

Warning signs

Chest pain, fainting, severe breathlessness or new palpitations.
Dark urine, markedly reduced urine, severe muscle pain or swelling after exertion.
Sharp pain with sudden loss of strength, or joint locking.
Mood changes, jaundice or hormonal symptoms in someone using performance drugs.

Claim checks

You must eat protein within 30 minutes of training or lose your gains

Not supported as a strict rule

¹¹

Eating more protein always builds more muscle

Not supported

Creatine damages healthy kidneys

Not supported in the healthy people studied; ask first if you have kidney disease

¹³

High-protein diets harm healthy kidneys

Not supported in healthy adults in trials

¹²

You need heavy weights to build muscle

Partly true for strength, not for size

¹⁰

SARMs are a safe alternative to steroids

Against

²¹

Questions people ask

How long does it take to build muscle?

Visible gains usually take months of consistent training. Early gains in lifting ability often come from learning the movements. Beginners usually gain faster than experienced lifters.

How often should I train each muscle?

A meta-analysis found that training a muscle twice a week produced better growth than once a week when total volume was matched. Whether three times a week is better is uncertain.

Do I have to lift heavy?

Not for size. A meta-analysis found muscle size gains were similar across lighter and heavier loads when sets were taken close to failure, while heavier loads gave more maximal strength.

How much protein do I need?

The ISSN position stand gives 1.4 to 2.0 g per kg of body weight per day as sufficient for most exercising people, and the Morton meta-analysis found no extra lean-mass gain beyond about 1.6 g per kg per day with supplements. People with kidney disease should ask their care team.

Does a high-protein diet harm the kidneys?

A meta-analysis of 28 trials in healthy adults found no adverse effect on kidney filtration. It does not apply to people with kidney disease.

Does creatine work?

Reviews find a small extra gain in muscle size and strength when creatine is combined with resistance training. People with kidney disease should ask a clinician first.

Do I need protein powder?

No. Food can supply the protein. Powder is a convenient option, and trials show a small extra gain on average.

Are steroids or SARMs worth it?

We rate them against. The Endocrine Society statement links performance-enhancing drugs to serious harms, and a SARMs review reports no approved use, contamination and reports of liver injury. Speak to a doctor if you already use them.

Can women and older adults build muscle?

Yes, resistance training is recommended for adults generally. Evidence in these groups is smaller, and protein supplements helped less with age in one meta-analysis. See our older-adult strength page.

When should I see a doctor?

See one before starting if you have a heart, kidney, joint or other health condition or have been inactive. Get urgent help for chest pain, fainting, dark urine or severe muscle pain.

References

Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sports Sci. 2017. PMID 27433992. source
Morton 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. PMID 28698222. source
Garber CE, et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011. PMID 21694556. source
Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of resistance training frequency on measures of muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2016. PMID 27102172. source
Knowles OE, et al. Inadequate sleep and muscle strength: implications for resistance training. J Sci Med Sport. 2018. PMID 29422383. source
Iraki J, Fitschen P, Espinar S, Helms E. Nutrition recommendations for bodybuilders in the off-season: a narrative review. Sports (Basel). 2019. PMID 31247944. source
Bull FC, et al. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. 2020. PMID 33239350. source
NHS. Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64. source
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