Many people get frustrated when they're trying to build muscle and then turn to supplements to help speed the process up.  While this isn't inherently bad, it's important to not get into that sort of mindset.  Supplements are useful as supplements, but they shouldn't make up the core of your bodybuilding died.  If you want to gain serious mass, you should get most of your nutrients from normal food and not supplements.

With that in mind, I'll detail some of the most common bodybuilding supplements and how they help and don't help you.

1. Whey Protein: This is actually the best supplement you can get, but also one of the most poorly used.  Many people take whey protein when they don't really need to and are just wasting their time.  Whey is important for muscle building if taken after a workout because its already pre-digested and can reach and replenish your muscles more quickly than normal food.  With that in mind, you should use water for maximum efficiency if you're taking it after a workout.  I sometimes take whey before a workout if I need to whip something together quick, but I generally prefer tuna sandwiches or similar.

2. Creatine: This is an okay supplement that does have some benefits, but also some dangers.  Many bodybuilders will tell you that creatine is safe and it generally is, but you have to realize that it likes to focus a lot of the water in your muscles.  With that in mind, you'll want to drink plenty of water or you could end up dehydrating yourself.  While the odds of this having any real negative effects on you are low, it could lead to kidney stones or some other issues which are not fun.  Creatine works by allowing the body to get an extra tick out of its ATP, meaning you get more energy for your workout.  The gain is minimal, but it can help you get that extra rep in at the end of your sets.  I only recommend creatine to intermediate lifters because it's not that helpful otherwise.

3. Nitric oxide: A lot of nitric oxide products contain a lot of caffiene and are generally not that good for you.  The nitric oxide will make you look more pumped, but won't give much of a tangible effect.  While they are great fun, they can also be dangerous if you don't drink enough water before hand.  I've seen people get very sick and dizzy while using nitric oxide products due to the high amount of caffeine in them.  I do not recommend these for anyone.