When it comes to building lean muscle mass, diet must be perfect in order to ensure fat storage is kept to a minimum.  There are many theories on what the best diet for muscle gain is.   Depending on whom you ask, the best diet for muscle gain can vary drastically.

Unfortunately, this adds confusion to an already fairly confusing topic.  However, we believe we have found the absolute best diet that not only builds muscle, but also promotes longevity.  We have found that following a traditional diet, such as that recommended by Weston A. Price, is the absolute fastest way for effortless muscle gain and great overall health.

The Best Diet for Muscle Gain

For those unsure what foods Weston A. Price promoted, be sure to check of the Weston A. Price Foundation for valuable information on what diet we should all be eating.

To sum it up, diet should center on whole food animal products.  This means the whole animal and not just lean cuts.  Interestingly, when Price was examining the robust health of many of these natives, he noticed that the lean cuts of meats were often fed to the dogs while the fatty parts were prized.

Also, a big emphasis should be put on organ meats and preferably eaten raw!  Grains should be excluded unless making your own ancient grain sourdough and fermented foods should be consumed generously.  Tubers can be consumed in moderation and small amounts of raw fruit should be consumed each day.

Dr. Price observed that these native people who followed a traditional diet such as the one outlined above exhibited robust health, lean muscle mass, vigor, strength and protection from degenerative disease (1).  In fact, he outlined in detail what these people were consuming on a daily basis in order to promote such health in his book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. This book is a great read for anyone looking to properly build and maintain lean muscle mass even as they age.

You can also grab this FREE weight loss/muscle building guide that incorporates many of the foods and practices in which Weston A. Price recommended.

Using Whole Food Supplements for Muscle Gain

When proper diet is correctly dialed in, there are various whole food supplements which aid in building lean muscle, as well as promote good health.  We highly recommended you stay away from synthetic supplements when trying to build lean muscle mass. Muscle building supplements such as whey protein is a synthetic product and we highly recommend against it.

Below are the top 5 natural muscle building supplements to maximize your muscle gain!

Colostrum

Believe it or not, colostrum was once a common supplement used amongst bodybuilders.  Its many growth factors make it the perfect food for building lean muscle.  For those unaware, colostrum is the first milk produced by all mammals.

Numerous studies show that supplementation of bovine colostrum increases insulin like growth factor (IGF-1) in athletes (2)(3).

IGF-1 has been shown to play an important role in muscle development and maintenance.  It also enhances the effects of training and can increase lean body mass (4).

Colostrum is literally a gift from god for those looking for a potent muscle builder.  There are so many proven health benefits of taking colostrum daily it’s almost unreal.  Everything from muscle mass, strength, immune function, gut health and mood can be improved drastically by supplementing with colostrum.

Cod Liver Oil

Extra virgin cod liver oil has been used for centuries for its many healing properties.  As mentioned before, if you’re trying  to gain muscle, you really need to be consuming some type of organ meat.  The organs, especially the liver, contain an extremely important vitamins and minerals in a highly bioavailable form.

In particular, cod liver oil contains a vitamin called K2.  Vitamin K2 helps drive calcium into the bones and keeps the body strong.  Without K2, excess calcium will begin to form in the body causing calcification and bones will become weak.

In fact, the vitamin D found abundantly in cod liver oil is necessary for healthy hormone production and significantly improves the strength of the bones (5)(6).

It has also been shown that vitamin d helps build larger muscle size and increases overall strength (7).

Collagen

We highly recommend that if you’re still taking a whey protein supplement that you switch it out with a quality collagen supplement.  Collagen contains 20 essential amino acids that serve as important building blocks for muscle growth.  It also improves the integrity of the gut which will allow for better nutrient uptake.

A study published in The British Journal of Nutrition found that collagen supplementation in combination with resistance training improves body composition and increases muscle strength (8).

It also helps with gut conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease due to its ability to seal the lining of the gut (9).

Maca

Maca root has been used for centuries by native Peruvian Indians in order to increase strength, vigor and vitality.  They accredit maca for giving them strength into old age and keeping them free of disease and sickness.

Research has shown that maca positively affects hormones in the body by correcting the HPA-axis and reducing the effects of stress (10). It essentially primes the hormones so that the body is able to build lean muscle mass much easier.

It’s also an anti-estrogen due to the high amount of Diindolylmethane (DIM) contained within it (11).  In fact, those using a DIM supplement to reduce estrogen levels in the body should consider switching over to a more natural option such as maca.

Goji Berry

In Traditional Chinese Medicine goji berries are considered an extremely “jing” building food.  This simply means that goji berries have a unique ability at restoring and building the physical body like no other food.  It’s said to work on the kidneys and is often prescribed to those with low energy and overall weakness.

A Double blind and placebo-controlled study found that patients who consumed goji juice for 14 days showed increases in wellbeing, enhanced cognitive performance, better sleep, increased athletic performance, increased energy and better digestive function (12).

Goji berry is hands down one of the best foods for muscle gain.  Chinese Martial artists have been utilizing goji berries for centuries in order to increase strength and improve athletic performance.

1.Price WA. Nutrition and physical degeneration: a comparision of primitive and modern diets and their effects. Oxford: Benediction Classics; 2010.