Think about the last time you went to the gym. You’re pushing yourself, getting an extra rep in or trying a higher weight to set a personal best. Your muscles are pushed to their limit, leaving you feeling fatigued, but satisfied with your physical performance. You know the feeling.

Fast forward a day or two, and you might be feeling a tinge of regret for adding on that extra plate. Whether you’re a long-time athlete or are just getting back into a routine – stiff and sore muscles and joints can make for an uncomfortable day due to delayed-onset muscle soreness or DOMS.

Although DOMS is a common occurrence for long-time athletes or individuals just getting back into a physical activity routine as part of a New Year’s resolution, that doesn’t make the muscle tenderness any easier!

What exactly causes DOMS? Micro-tears in muscle fibers occur when your body is pushed to new heights – maybe by going up in weights, adding extra reps to each set, increasing your range of motion, or just the additional strain your muscles aren’t yet conditioned to.

These tiny tears in muscles lead to an inflammatory response, as your body works to repair those muscle fibers. The body’s natural inflammatory process sends immune cells to the muscle site, helping to remove damaged and dying cells, and then relies on satellite cells that repair and rebuild muscle fibers. Cellular level self-care!

Along the way, free radical-scavenging antioxidants like glutathione can eliminate the damaging chemical compounds that result from high-intensity exercise and muscle strain.* Inflammation and oxidative damage in muscles tend to bring fluid and swelling to the area (your post-workout pump, so to speak).

But no pain, no gain, right? Bounce back stronger with our five best supplements for muscle recovery.

1. Curcumin Phytosome: For muscle/joint support*

Mitigate joint stiffness and muscle soreness with support for a balanced inflammatory response with Thorne’s Curcumin Phytosome.* As an antioxidant, Curcumin Phytosome promotes healthy cell activity throughout your muscles and joints, securing its number one spot on our list of best supplements for muscle recovery.*

Want to take your recovery a step further? Then consider Thorne’s Glutathione-SR. As mentioned above, glutathione excels at supporting the body during physically stressing events like exercise because of its extensive antioxidant activity.*

2. RecoveryPro®: For a tired body*

What else can you do to support healing processes and get you back into your workout routine? Rest!

As your body works hard to recover and mend your muscles, it needs additional rest to do so. And we’re not just talking about resting while waiting for the next exercise machine or weight rack to become available. Giving yourself time in between workouts and designating “off” days helps your body recover from the physical stress to prevent burnout. Alternating days of strength workouts with days of rest and active recovery makes for a balanced exercise plan that protects your muscles and joints, keeping you from overtraining and experiencing unintentional injuries.

Sleep is a time of full-body repair and rejuvenation, so making sure you are focused on adequate quantity and quality of sleep is essential for your physical performance. Are you getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night? Are you feeling refreshed and energized when waking up? If not, then Thorne can help. Try RecoveryPro, a delicious way to wind down the evening and support restful sleep and muscle recovery.* 

RecoveryPro’s combination of whey protein, tryptophan, magnesium bisglycinate, and the neurotransmitter GABA promotes muscle and mental relaxation throughout the night to maximize your rest and provide you with some nutrients for muscle recovery.*  

3. Super EPA: For cardiovascular and brain health*

As we’ve said, sleep is a key time for restoration throughout the body. Even in the brain, repair and rebuilding processes are going on during sleep to strengthen neurological connections, encode memories, and support cognitive functioning to promote hand-eye coordination, balance, and the mind-to-muscle connection.

We’ve covered sleep, but what about when you’re awake? That’s the time to prioritize your active recovery. This incorporates more between-session movements like dynamic stretching, light aerobic exercise, or mobility-focused moves. Dynamic stretching is made up of slow movements with extended holds in stretched positions. This gives muscles time to lengthen and loosen, increasing your flexibility and the muscle’s capacity for movement. Light aerobic exercises could be a 30-minute casual walk, bike ride, or relaxed laps in the pool. Mobility-focused exercises work on flexibility and strengthening small muscles around your joints that aid in balance and supporting the larger muscles that do the heavy lifting.

Get the best of both worlds with Thorne’s Super EPA, made with two omega-3 fatty acids that support a healthy cardiovascular system and brain function.*

4. Amino Complex/Creatine: For cellular energy*

As always, muscle repair and recovery begin with adequate nutritional support. Getting enough total calories, carbohydrates for energy, and protein for structural and functional support throughout the body supports your physical performance goals.

Pairing healthy nutritious foods with muscle repair supplements like Thorne’s Amino Complex can kickstart the recovery process, providing the body with the necessary amino acids to repair the muscle micro-tears caused by intense exercise.*

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein that make up muscles, tendons, hormones, and enzymes to keep your body’s systems running. Thorne’s Amino Complex contains all the essential amino acids – essential because your body can’t make them, so they must be consumed in the diet or via supplementation. Of the essential amino acids, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in particular promote the growth of muscle mass and overall muscle strength.

The lemon or berry flavor options of Amino Complex pair perfectly with a scoop of Thorne’s unflavored Creatine too, another “best supplement for muscle recovery,” that promotes cellular energy and muscle performance.* Taken around the time of your exercise, these powerhouse products are mainstays for both strength and endurance athletes.

5. Catalyte®: Electrolytes and vitamins for muscle recovery

And whether you’re in the gym, moving your workout outside, or simply getting your sweat on in the sauna, replenish your electrolyte stores with Catalyte, Thorne’s electrolyte restoration complex.* Catalyte also includes important water-soluble vitamins that are lost in sweat – B vitamins and vitamin C. The refreshing lemon-lime flavor is a great addition to your muscle recovery supplement plan, fighting fatigue and minimizing muscle cramps.*

The takeaway

Exercise in all forms puts some level of strain on the body. Taking care of your body now and prioritizing muscle recovery after exercise sets you up for a healthy future, allowing you to keep setting those personal bests as you age!  Remember, performance relies on recovery!

Not sure which Thorne supplement is right for you? Check out Thorne’s entire sports performance suite and get inspired by the training stacks our partnered pro athletes use to reach their full potential. And note – all Thorne products mentioned in this article are NSF Certified for Sport®, meaning they have been tested by NSF International to ensure the absence of 300 banned substances.