Top 6 Thorne Products for Building Muscle

When it comes to building muscle, there are two important puzzle pieces – resistance exercise and increased amino acid availability.¹ You might be thinking, "Okay, great. What does that mean, and how can I do that?" 

Resistance exercise is any form of physical activity that pushes your muscles to work harder than they would during the typical activities of daily living. Examples include bodyweight exercises like push-ups and squats, weightlifting using barbells and dumbbells, and reformer Pilates classes. 

Amino acids, on the other hand, are the building blocks of protein, and therefore your muscles. Increasing the availability of these will mean that your body has more amino acids to build muscle. You can get amino acids in your diet from meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, seeds, beans, and some grain products. Essentially, any food that contains protein will provide some number of amino acids. However, when you’re trying to build muscle, it can be hard to get the amino acids your body needs with food alone. That’s where supplements can come into play. 

Another aspect of building muscle is being in a calorie surplus, meaning you need to take in more calories and energy from food than you are expending through exercise and activities of daily living. If you think about it, you can’t build from what you don’t have; you need extra energy to build muscle and increase your muscle tissue. 

Thorne offers many products that can support your muscle-building journey, but where should you start? Here’s a hint: most of these six supplements are comprised of one or more amino acids!

1. Beta Alanine-SR

Beta-alanine is an amino acid that helps to produce carnosine within working muscles. Carnosine helps buffer the pH of muscle tissue so the body can produce energy more efficiently without excessive lactic acid buildup, which can cause fatigue and soreness. Have you ever heard the term “going lactic” in a workout? This is where beta-alanine can help – by helping produce carnosine to buffer that lactic acid so that you can work out harder for longer.* Research shows that consistent beta-alanine supplementation of 3-6 g per day significantly increases muscle carnosine and allows athletes to increase their high-intensity exercise performance.²   

Beta alanine works best when taken daily, and it can take up to four weeks to start seeing its positive effects. Choose Thorne’s Beta Alanine-SR, formulated with sustained-release technology for long-lasting benefit without the tingle. 

2. Creatine

Found in the muscles and brain, creatine is an amino acid that the body naturally produces. Its purpose is to help create the body’s main energy source, ATP. When supplementing creatine, you are allowing your body to produce energy more efficiently, benefiting your exercise capacity.* 

Where creatine really comes into play is in high-intensity, short-duration activities, such as low-rep weightlifting, sprinting, and jumping, because creatine is used as an energy source first in these quick movements. In other sports, such as distance running, cycling, and team sports, creatine can have other benefits including helping to maintain hydration and enhancing power output.* When you don’t have enough creatine in your body, you may fatigue more quickly or feel like you can’t complete the workout. 

Creatine has been shown to increase strength, power, time to exhaustion, and lactate thresholds in athletes. It acts like an antioxidant to support recovery from intense exercise.*^3-5 Typically, athletes and individuals who exercise above an average level have a higher need for creatine beyond what most can get in their daily diet. 

Consider supplementing with Thorne’s Creatine, an easy-to-mix, well-researched, micronized form of pure creatine monohydrate – now available in both jars and single-serving packets, easy for travel. 

3. Collagen Fit 

Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in the human body and is a major structural component of connective tissue that supports and protects muscles and organs.⁶ A collagen supplement is rich in the amino acids that are the building blocks for the body’s bones, ligaments, tendons, skin, joints, and in muscle tissue (although in lower concentrations than in other tissues like tendons). This supplement is great for anyone who wants to build muscle because it helps support lean muscle mass. It also targets the strength of joints, tendons, and ligaments while improving exercise-related joint soreness.* 

Collagen is best taken before a workout, because when you move your body, and your joints, ligaments, and tendons with it, the collagen has an easier time getting where it needs to go. For an extra boost, mix your collagen with orange juice, since vitamin C is a key component for collagen synthesis within the body. 

Try Thorne’s Collagen Fit, containing 15 g of types I and III collagen peptides per serving – unflavored so you can do it your way.

4. Amino Complex 

Essential amino acids (EAAs), including branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), are used by muscle tissue and can give your body the signal to build muscle because there are more amino acids available. Just as your body won’t build muscle in a calorie deficit, it also won’t build muscle if there are not enough building blocks available. Research shows that supplementing with amino acids daily during eight weeks of high-intensity exercise sessions supports an increase in lean mass over time by promoting whole-body protein turnover.⁷ 

In addition to its muscle-building benefits, amino acid supplementation can also optimize body composition, performance, and recovery by attenuating muscle soreness.* Research has also shown that amino acid supplementation can improve lean body mass and muscle protein synthesis in older individuals. It can even help offset the effects of age-related muscle loss, by improving lean body mass.⁸ 

Amino acids can be taken before, during, or after a workout, but they will serve a slightly different purpose depending on when you take them. Before exercise, amino acid supplementation can benefit muscle strength and increase cellular energy production.* Taking amino acids during a workout can reduce perceived exertion and mental fatigue during exercise.⁹ Finally, supplementing post-workout can jump-start your recovery process by getting amino acids to your muscles quickly, to start the repair and recovery process.* 

Thorne’s Amino Complex is a comprehensive blend of EAAs and BCAAs that promotes the growth of lean muscle mass and enhances strength.* It is available in two flavors – lemon and berry – and in jars or single-serve stick packs for easy, on-the-go access.

5. Whey Protein Isolate 

Protein is essential for muscle repair, maintenance, and you guessed it, muscle growth. Although food is the primary source of protein, if you’re trying to build muscle you might not get enough protein through food alone. This can happen if you get full quickly during meals, if you are not eating enough high-protein foods, or if you are trying to build and maintain muscle while supporting weight management at the same time. 

Whey protein includes branched-chain amino acids – those building blocks of protein to help you not only reach your protein goals easier but also help you build muscle. Consider mixing this milk-based protein with water or milk, or incorporating it into your everyday favorites like oatmeal, yogurt, and even baked goods. 

Try Thorne’s Whey Protein Isolate, a protein powder containing 21 g of bioavailable protein, with added bromelain and papain to aid digestion.* Whey Protein Isolate is available in either chocolate or vanilla flavors and in jars or single-serve packets.

6. RecoveryPro®

Now that you know why protein and amino acids are good for overall muscle maintenance and growth, what about a formula that combines protein with other nutrients? Enter RecoveryPro – more than just a whey protein supplement.

Let’s take a look at the ingredients. Magnesium bisglycinate helps relax both smooth and skeletal muscles, aiding in the recovery process.* In addition to magnesium, the amino acid tryptophan and PharmaGABA (a natural source of GABA) are included to support restful sleep.* These nutrients are essential because most repair and rebuilding of muscles occurs during sleep when the body has the most time and focus to prioritize recovery.

Clinical evaluation of PharmaGABA showed 100 mg taken by a group of poor sleepers 30 minutes prior to bedtime significantly decreased the time taken to fall asleep compared to when the same group took a placebo.¹⁰

In addition to supporting restful sleep, PharmaGABA has even been shown to benefit body composition.* A study comparing 10 grams of whey protein with 10 grams of whey protein plus 100 mg of PharmaGABA for 12 weeks found a more significant increase in lean body mass in the whey plus PharmaGABA group compared to the whey-only group.¹¹ You can read more about PharmaGABA and its interaction with whey protein in this article on Take 5 Daily.

Thorne’s RecoveryPro is a great tasting chocolate flavor and is meant to be taken before bedtime to help support muscle recovery and restful sleep.* Consider mixing it with water, milk, or Greek yogurt for an extra protein boost before bedtime. Drink it warm for a soothing “hot chocolate.” 

The takeaway 

There is no secret to building muscle, but it does take a combination of resistance exercise, eating more calories than you burn, and increasing your body’s availability of amino acids. Thankfully, these six Thorne supplements can help you achieve your goals.

References

1. Tipton KD, Wolfe RR. Exercise, protein metabolism, and muscle Growth. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2001;11(1):109-132. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.11.1.109
2. Stellingwerff T, Anwander H, Egger A, et al. Effect of two β-alanine dosing protocols on muscle carnosine synthesis and washout. Amino Acids. 2012;42(6):2461-2472. doi:10.1007/s00726-011-1054-4
3. Arazi H, Eghbali E, Suzuki K. Creatine supplementation, physical exercise and oxidative stress markers: A review of the mechanisms and effectiveness. Nutrients. 2021;13(3):869. doi:10.3390/nu13030869
4. Bemben MG, Bemben DA, Loftiss DD, Knehans AW. Creatine supplementation during resistance training in college football athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001;33(10):1667-1673. doi:10.1097/00005768-200110000-00009
5. Wax B, Kerksick CM, Jagim AR, et al. Creatine for exercise and sports performance, with recovery considerations for healthy populations. Nutrients. 2021;13(6):1915. doi:10.3390/nu13061915
6. Kviatkovsky SA, Hickner RC, Cabre HE, et al. Collagen peptides supplementation improves function, pain, and physical and mental outcomes in active adults. J Int Soc Sports Nutri 2023;20(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/15502783.2023.2243252
7. Hirsch KR, Greenwalt CE, Saylor HE, et al. High-intensity interval training and essential amino acid supplementation: Effects on muscle characteristics and whole-body protein turnover. Physiol Rep. 2021;9(1):e14655. doi:10.14814/phy2.14655
8. Dillon EL, Sheffield-Moore M, Paddon-Jones D, et al. Amino acid supplementation increases lean body mass, basal muscle protein synthesis, and insulin-like growth factor-I expression in older women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009;94(5):1630-1637. doi:10.1210/jc.2008-1564
9. Greer BK, White JP, Arguello EM, Haymes EM. Branched-chain amino acid supplementation lowers perceived exertion but does not affect performance in untrained males. J Strength Cond Res. 2011;25(2):539-544. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181bf443a
10. Yamatsu A, Yamashita Y, Pandharipande T, et al. Effect of oral γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) adminis­tration on sleep and its absorption in humans. Food Sci Biotechnol 2016;25:547-551.
11. Sakashita M, Nakamura U, Horie N, et al. Oral supplementation using gamma-aminobutyric acid and whey protein improves whole body fat-free mass in men after resistance training. J Clin Med Res 2019;11(6):428-434. doi: 10.14740/jocmr3817.