ReviewSports (Basel, Switzerland)2019
Nutrition Recommendations for Bodybuilders in the Off-Season: A Narrative Review.
Review in Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 36 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
36 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Acute effects of resistance exercise on skeletal muscle glycogen depletion: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Physiological reports · 2025Pooled it
- Effects of the Ketogenic Diet on Muscle Hypertrophy in Resistance-Trained Men and Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- Effects of Multi-Ingredient Pre-Workout Supplement and Caffeine on Bench Press Performance: A Single-Blind Cross-Over Study.Nutrients · 2022Trial
- Trial
- Review
- Comparison of two nutritional protocols in body re-composition of resistance-trained participants.European journal of applied physiology · 2026Article
- Between Aesthetics and Health: Disordered Eating, Exercise Addiction, and Body Image in Competitive Bodybuilders.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2026Article
- Nutritional Supplements for Muscle Hypertrophy: Mechanisms and Morphology-Focused Evidence.Nutrients · 2025Review
- High Protein Diets and Glomerular Hyperfiltration in Athletes and Bodybuilders: Is Chronic Kidney Disease the Real Finish Line?Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2024Review
- Knowledge, Prevalence, and Consequences of Dietary Supplements Intake among Iranian Bodybuilders.Current developments in nutrition · 2024Article
- Article
- Article
- Not Only Protein: Dietary Supplements to Optimize the Skeletal Muscle Growth Response to Resistance Training: The Current State of Knowledge.Journal of human kinetics · 2024Review
- Impact of the ketogenic diet on body fat, muscle mass, and exercise performance: a review.Physical activity and nutrition · 2023Article
- Effect of Small and Large Energy Surpluses on Strength, Muscle, and Skinfold Thickness in Resistance-Trained Individuals: A Parallel Groups Design.Sports medicine - open · 2023Article
- Dietary Intake and Supplement Use in Competitive Women Bodybuilders.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Bodybuilding Coaching Strategies Meet Evidence-Based Recommendations: A Qualitative Approach.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2023Article
- Alterations in Measures of Body Composition, Neuromuscular Performance, Hormonal Levels, Physiological Adaptations, and Psychometric Outcomes during Preparation for Physique Competition: A Systematic Review of Case Studies.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2023Review
- Soda intake influences phenotype, antioxidants and inflammatory status in high protein-fed wistar rats.Heliyon · 2023Article
- Going Vegan for the Gain: A Cross-Sectional Study of Vegan Diets in Bodybuilders during Different Preparation Phases.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Observational
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Many nutrition practices often used by bodybuilders lack scientific support and can be detrimental to health. Recommendations during the dieting phase are provided in the scientific literature, but little attention has been devoted to bodybuilders during the off-season phase. During the off-season phase, the goal is to increase muscle mass without adding unnecessary body fat. This review evaluated the scientific literature and provides nutrition and dietary supplement recommendations for natural bodybuilders during the off-season phase. A hyper-energetic diet (~10-20%) should be consumed with a target weight gain of ~0.25-0.5% of bodyweight/week for novice/intermediate bodybuilders. Advanced bodybuilders should be more conservative with the caloric surplus and weekly weight gain. Sufficient protein (1.6-2.2 g/kg/day) should be consumed with optimal amounts 0.40-0.55 g/kg per meal and distributed evenly throughout the day (3-6 meals) including within 1-2 hours pre- and post-training. Fat should be consumed in moderate amounts (0.5-1.5 g/kg/day). Remaining calories should come from carbohydrates with focus on consuming sufficient amounts (≥3-5 g/kg/day) to support energy demands from resistance exercise. Creatine monohydrate (3-5 g/day), caffeine (5-6 mg/kg), beta-alanine (3-5 g/day) and citrulline malate (8 g/day) might yield ergogenic effects that can be beneficial for bodybuilders.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.