The 10 best gym supplements for the ultimate workout

One of, if not the, most important supplements for training - creatine has been widely tested and is a highly successful gym supplement.

Boosting energy levels, increasing water retention to resist dehydration, and increasing lean muscle mass, creatine is among the most essential supplements in an athlete's arsenal.

Optimum Nutrition's micronised creatine powder is fast-acting, easy to dissolve, and perfect for a pre-workout (or post-workout boost). With over 180 servings in a single tub, simply take a scoop and add it to your pre-workout drink, it's that simple.

Looking for even more options? Here are the best creatine powders for the ultimate pre-workout pump.

The gold standard of whey protein, Optimum Nutrition's Double Chocolate whey protein powder is far and beyond one of the greatest gym supplements you'll ever get your hands on.

Loaded with protein and BCAAs for that extra muscle-repairing boost and packed with mind-blowing chocolate flavour that is basically indistinguishable from standard chocolate milk - this is the level that all protein powders should strive for.

Simply between 180-240ml of water (we prefer to use milk), shake vigorously for 30 seconds and enjoy a silky smooth post-workout drink.

For a little more guidance on protein powders and other excellent muscle builders, check out our favourite post-workout supplements of the year so far.

The vegan supplement market has dramatically expanded over recent years, with hundreds of companies offering fantastic alternatives to milk-based supplements, but none have quite captured the deliciousness of Wyldsson's plant-based protein powder.

Made of real fruits and botanicals, containing an impressive 20g of plant protein, and loaded with countless vitamins and nutrients - Wyldsson's vegan protein is simply excellent.

Our only gripe with this largely terrific protein powder is that there isn't more of it, with a 1kg bag providing around 28 servings.

There are few supplements that can provide an equal amount of energy while at the gym than caffeine - the great motivator.

With sufficient caffeine at the gym, most users experience a huge increase in mental alertness, efficiency and overall effort - making those intense workouts even more worthwhile.

Urban Fuel tablets contain 200mg of caffeine (around double the amount in a cup of coffee), the result? An enormous amount of bursting energy, giving you the ultimate edge when repping your maximum weight on the bench press, rocketing up with the squat bar, or going the distance on the treadmill.

All that brilliance aside, if you're particularly sensitive to caffeine, you may want to proceed with caution - as overconsumption can lead to some unpleasant feelings of anxiety and jitteriness, so be warned.

Nothing quite livens you up for the gym like a hit of caffeine - here are the best caffeine pills for an incredible boost.

There are few pre-workout supplements that can truly rival Applied Nutrition's spine-tinglingly strong ABE pre-workout, with enough caffeine, taurine and citrulline to keep you powering through the toughest workout of your life.

Head to the gym with enough passion, energy and strength to train for hours, annihilate your PBs in moments and above all - have an awesome time at the gym, it's seriously that good.

As the intimidating packaging warns, this pre-workout is absolutely potent - for some, it might become far too much to handle, so be warned.

Despite the infamous reputation carbs have as the diet-killer, carbs are absolutely essential for refuelling after a tough workout or for quickly topping up your energy before a devastating exercise regimen.

Applied Nutrition has been at the forefront of gym supplements for decades now, and their cyclic dextrin carb supplement is a testament to their excellence.

Fantastic punchy flavour and easy-to-digest carbohydrates provide an instant energy burst and with 48 servings - this effective, affordable supplement is unbeatable for the price.

USN's top-tier mass gainer is loaded with protein at 60g total - alongside 1,160 calories for major muscle growth. Mass gainers are one of the most efficient and surprisingly cost-effective methods of bulking up and drastically increasing muscle mass on the market - and USN's hyperbolic mass gainer is among the greatest of them. Fantastic flavours that are shockingly easy to mix, an insane amount of protein that is unrivalled by practically any supplement on the market, and at a great value - there's no beating that.

Unfortunately, as is the case for many mass gainers, there aren't a lot of servings per bag. With only 20 servings in a 6kg bag, it is shocking how few drinks there really are in the tub.

For greater gains advice - read up on our best mass gainers for huge muscle growth.

The ultimate vegan alternative, Protein Works' extreme mass gainer combines delicious flavour with over 50g of pure plant protein, which is near-unattainable with just diet alone.

Packed with 740 calories and 120g of carbs, Protein Works extreme mass gainer is perfect for post-workout repair and replenishing depleted energy stores, giving you the edge in the next day's intense workout.

Despite being pricey for a small number of servings, Protein Works has made quite possibly the best vegan mass gainer on the market - the results are more than worth the cost alone.

BCAAs are essential amino acids involved in the building of lean muscle, and they're essential for protein synthesis. BCAAs are found in protein-rich foods such as chicken and beef - but are tough to find in high amounts when it comes to vegetarian and vegan alternatives - making Optimum Nutrition's BCAA supplement an excellent choice for non-meat eaters alike.

Filled with electrolytes and vitamins for a great pre-workout kick, Optimum Nutrition's BCAA supplement is fantastic for giving yourself an extra hit of energy before you break into an intense workout whilst also aiding in rapid muscle repair, so you're not out for the count longer than you need to be.

Made of premium ingredients with an intense strawberry kiwi flavour, Optimum Nutrition's BCAA supplement is one of the best on the market and is absolutely worth your consideration.

For a tasty, filling and protein-rich snack after a tough workout, you cannot do much better than Grenade's chocolate chip salted caramel protein bar.

Packed with 20g of sheer protein, with only 1.4g of sugar and roughly 226 calories, Grenade protein bars are the best cure for the post-workout munchies, which won't leave you feeling overly guilty afterwards.

Despite being a little on the pricier side, you'll save yourself lots of cash by avoiding the quick trip to the shop after each workout, and with the sheer amount of protein it contains, it's pretty guilt-free as well.