To achieve impressive results in building muscle and improve your athletic performance, training alone is not enough. Sports nutrition comes into play to help. Gainers are in greatest demand, so the article will be devoted to them.
What is a gainer?
Gainer is a dietary supplement that contains carbohydrates and proteins as a percentage (in most cases, 75% carbohydrates, 15% proteins). First of all, it was created for those who are not naturally predisposed to quickly building muscle mass on their own.
Gainers contain more carbohydrates with different glycemic indexes than proteins, because... Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the human body and also contribute to the deposition of glycogen in muscle tissue.
Gainer is also used by athletes who engage in and undergo heavy and grueling training. The supplement contains protein, which forms amino acids in the body. They help muscles get in shape after prolonged physical activity.
How to drink gainer correctly?
The benefits of a gainer lie not only in its basis, but also in the correctness of its use. To quickly achieve the desired results in full, you need to follow the instructions for using the supplement.
The two main methods of taking mass gainers depend on the person's goal:
- If he wants to increase the intensity of his workouts , then he needs to drink the drink right before playing sports.
- In the case when a person is very intense in training , and recovery is problematic, it is recommended to drink a gainer immediately after prolonged physical activity.
An alternative option for using gainer is in between meals. The drink contains a high level of carbohydrates, which, when ingested, dull hunger. This will help you avoid snacking and eating unhealthy foods.
Of course, no one canceled the instructions included with the jar of the mixture. Products are individual, so manufacturers give optimal recommendations for their use independently.
It should be remembered that a dietary supplement, even if it contains carbohydrates, is not a food substitute and only works fully with a normal diet.
How to drink a gainer to gain muscle mass?
As already written above, you can use a gainer both before and after training. It is prepared like a cocktail, i.e. the additive is mixed with a liquid base: milk, juice, kefir or plain water.
The gainer content is 150 grams per 2 cups of liquid, this is the daily intake rate, which is distributed over 2 or 3 times.
Most experts and famous athletes recommend carefully studying the percentage of protein in a gainer and preparing a mixture based on its amount. It should be no more than 30 grams per dose, otherwise the body will not be able to absorb protein, this is scientifically proven.
If you decide to take a gainer before your workouts to increase their intensity and build muscle, do this no later than 60 minutes before they start. Otherwise, during classes you will constantly feel a feeling of heaviness and fullness in the stomach.
It is recommended to take the gainer no later than half an hour after training. Then the mixture acts most actively in the body: it restores the level of glycogen in the blood.
Other useful tips for taking mass gainer to stimulate muscle growth:
- To achieve maximum effect during long and very intense workouts , combine a gainer with protein.
- The combination of creatine and gainer also brings positive results . The carbohydrates contained in the latter allow creatine to be absorbed much better by the body.
- The growth of muscle mass will be greatly affected by the addition of glutamine to the diet ; it is combined with a protein-carbohydrate mixture.
You cannot stop taking it even when there is no strong physical activity. Building muscle requires systematicity, and its absence will negate the results.
When there is no major physical activity, drink a protein-carbohydrate shake between breakfast, lunch and dinner. This approach is recommended for people with naturally low levels of physical strength. The rest take the drink once a day before or after lunch.
Gainer for recovery
It is a mistake to think that a gainer only helps to speed up muscle growth and turns a person into a bodybuilder.
Gainer not only performs the function of accumulating energy and stimulating training, but also helps the body recover after sports.
To do this, it is recommended to take one serving of the cocktail 30 minutes after vigorous physical activity or even earlier.
Many athletes drink it while preparing for competitions to keep their muscles toned and quickly get them into working condition before training.
Gainer also replenishes the level of glycogen in the blood , a complex carbohydrate that helps build muscle mass. Accordingly, the drink only benefits the body if you follow the correct instructions for its use.
Building muscles correctly: how to choose and take a gainer
Why and who needs the supplement?
Gainers (aka mass-gaining cocktails) help you gain weight, increase muscle mass, and increase strength.
| Types of gainer |
The additive also solves the following problems:
- strict adherence to the diet and taking into account the macronutrients entering the body - proteins, carbohydrates and fats;
- accelerating the recovery process of the body after sports;
- maintaining relatively lean muscle mass (protein copes better with this task);
- preventing muscle loss.
The last task is important for those who subject the body to prolonged aerobic exercise (running, cycling), including track and field athletes, football players, and basketball players. In this case, taking a gainer will provide a high level of energy during sports.
The individual characteristics of each person do not allow us to consider this sports supplement as universal and suitable for everyone. Before choosing a gainer, it is recommended to take into account your body type and metabolic rate
| Body types |
People who are prone to obesity and have a relatively slow metabolism (endomorph body type) should take mass-gaining cocktails with caution (monitor the body’s reaction, reduce portions) or exclude them from the diet altogether. In them, the carbohydrates included in the supplement are easily stored in the form of adipose tissue. As a result, instead of increasing muscles, fat folds on the abdomen grow.
A more appropriate tandem for endomorphs is proteins with slow carbohydrates from the main diet (buckwheat, brown rice, oatmeal, durum wheat pasta).
Protein-carbohydrate gainers with moderate calorie content are recommended for people with an average body type (mesomorphs). In such sports nutrition, the protein concentration is close to the carbohydrate content, up to a 50/50 ratio.
Gainers with high protein content Mutant Mass[6.8 kg] from 4,585 rub. Mutant Mass[2.27 kg] from 1,795 rub. BioTech Hyper Mass[2.27 kg] from RUR 1,873 XXI Power VitaMAX[1.6 kg] from 760 rub. XXI Power VitaMAX[4 kg] from 1,877 rub. BioTech Hyper Mass[6.8 kg] from RUR 5,249 Optimum Nutrition Pro Complex …[4.54 kg] from RUR 7,289 Maxler Oat Whey[1.5 kg] from RUR 1,799 XXI Power GlutaMAX creatine[4 kg] from 1,812 rub. MuscleTech Mass Tech Elite[3.18 kg] from 5,040 rub. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standar…[4.54 kg] from 6,440 rub. Optimum Nutrition Pro Complex …[2.27 kg] from RUR 3,930 XXI Power GlutaMAX creatine[1.6 kg] from 864 rub. RPS Nutrition Gainer[4.54 kg] from RUR 2,790 Scitec Nutrition Jumbo[2.86 kg] from RUR 2,797
The gainer is ideal for gaining weight for thin people (thin people and ectomorphs). Due to their fast metabolism, it is difficult for them to gain muscle and body weight in general. Including easily digestible, high-calorie supplements into your diet usually produces noticeable results.
Different types of gainers are suitable for thin people, including carbohydrate-protein ones (protein accounts for no more than 25-30%) and even pure carbohydrate ones.
| Who needs a gainer? |
What to consider when choosing?
Understanding the role of the individual characteristics of the body, you can begin to look for the best gainer for yourself. To do this, consider the following aspects:
1. Macronutrient ratio. The basis of most mass-gaining mixtures is carbohydrates. But you also need to look at the percentage of proteins if you do not plan to take protein separately. It is important to take into account your body type. So, if 15% of protein in a gainer is enough for thin people, then mesomorphs and especially endomorphs need 30% or more. The presence of fats should be moderate, and most of them should be unsaturated fatty acids.
2. Type of carbohydrates and proteins. Whey proteins are usually used as muscle building material in gainers, and, a little less often, complex proteins (with the addition of egg or other proteins). A typical carbohydrate in the supplement is maltodextrin (aka molasses). It is quickly absorbed and causes a sharp jump in blood glucose. That is why a large presence of sugar in the composition is definitely not recommended. But a good concentration of dietary fiber and slowly digestible carbohydrates, on the contrary, is welcome.
| Gainer in a jar |
3. Calorie content. The indicator itself is directly related to the serving size and the ratio of macronutrients. But calorie recommendations are determined by the individual characteristics of the body. High-calorie mixtures (more than 300 - 350 kcal) are recommended for thin people with fast metabolisms, and for everyone else - with moderate energy value. You can regulate the incoming kilocalories by choosing different gainers or adjusting the serving size.
4. Other criteria. These include the presence of additional additives (for example, creatine, which is also suitable for mass gain), type of packaging (bag, jar, bucket), taste, brand reputation.
Gainers with creatine
Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass[5.44 kg] from 5,410 rub. Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass[2.72 kg] from 2,830 rub. BioTech Hyper Mass[2.27 kg] from RUR 1,873 VpLab Mass Builder from RUR 3,599 R-Line Mass/Creatine[Mass/Creatine 4 kg] from 2,850 rub. BioTech Hyper Mass[6.8 kg] from RUR 5,249 BioTech Hyper Mass 5000 from RUR 2,680 2SN Gainer plus Creatine[1 kg] from 699 rub. R-Line Titan Creatine from RUR 2,510 XXI Power GlutaMAX creatine[4 kg] from 1,812 rub. SAN Mass Effect Revolution[5.9 kg] from 5,840 rub. MuscleTech Mass Tech Elite[3.18 kg] from 5,040 rub. VpLab Mass Builder from 910 rub. Olimp Gain Bolic 6000 from 799 rub. SAN Mass Effect Revolution[2.99 kg] from 2,990 rub.
In general, you should first buy a small package, make sure that there are results (increase in weight and muscle volume), the taste is suitable, and then take a gainer weighing 5+ kg.
| Gainer in a package |
Let's figure out how to take gainer
The best time to take the supplement from a bodybuilding point of view is the first minutes after finishing a workout. During this period, it can be used to close the protein-carbohydrate window, thereby speeding up recovery, suppressing the processes of muscle destruction, replenishing the body's energy reserves and laying the foundation for muscle growth.
During high and prolonged physical activity, you can take the mass-gaining mixture before playing sports. But keep in mind that the supplement should be based on quickly digestible proteins and carbohydrates, and during the training process you will not lose fat.
People who are not prone to obesity can drink gainer cocktails at other times: instead of individual meals or in between them.
| How much gainer to drink |
The second important question of intake is how much gainer to use. A number of manufacturers overestimate the size of one serving, including more than 30 g of protein and 100 - 200 g of carbohydrates. In this case, there is a high probability that some of the macronutrients simply will not be absorbed by the body.
Ideally, you should limit a single dose to approximately 100 grams of the supplement (30 g of protein and 70 g of carbohydrates), or, if the manufacturer specifies smaller doses, strictly adhere to its recommendations. As a rule, 1–2 doses of the supplement per day are sufficient.
To prepare a gainer, mix a portion of the powder with water or milk. You can combine a mass-gaining mixture with creatine, consuming them in one cocktail. The product also combines well with pre-workout complexes, protein, vitamins and minerals.
When should you drink a gainer?
Drinking a gainer daily is a must. Its intake does not depend on the presence of training and physical activity during the day.
On training days, you can drink the gainer in two ways:
- At least an hour before training. This helps to increase the body's performance and endurance, and activates faster muscle growth.
- A cocktail drunk immediately after training or half an hour after it will help restore strength and the body as a whole, replenish the energy lost during exercise and speed up the process of gaining muscle mass.
On days of rest from main physical activity:
- It is recommended to drink between main meals to satisfy the feeling of hunger and constantly maintain normal energy balance in the body.
- You can also replace breakfast or dinner , or both, by taking a protein-carbohydrate cocktail, but it is better to do this rarely and only if absolutely necessary or on the recommendation of specialists.
It should be remembered that a gainer is, first of all, a dietary supplement, the effect of which is best noticeable with a balanced and healthy diet. It can replace several meals in rare cases, but is not a meal, so there is no need to abuse this system of administration.
Be sure to check the expiration date of the supplement! Under no circumstances should you take expired gainer; it will have a bad effect on the digestive system.
In addition, be careful about the portions of your daily cocktail intake and listen to the sensations in your body. First he must get used to the innovations, and only then positive changes in the physical plane will be noticeable.
Is it possible to drink a gainer at night?
Taking a gainer at night is recommended for those athletes who suffer from excessive thinness and accelerated metabolism. Late intake will promote muscle mass gain while the body rests.
People are faced with a problem: when drinking a cocktail too often at night, the carbohydrates in which the drink is rich can contribute not to the growth of muscles on the body, but to the growth of fat deposits. Therefore, the composition should not contain sugars, only proteins and complex carbohydrates.
Is it possible to drink gainer without training?
This question arises among people who are tired of being too low and want to correct the situation as soon as possible. Their desire is not to increase muscle mass and tighten the body, but simply to increase weight in general.
It is worth noting that sports nutrition is high in calories and contains a lot of carbohydrates, which help support the body during very intense workouts, giving it energy, or restore lost reserves after exercise.
For this reason, taking gainers only benefits the body, but using them without training at all will contribute to the accumulation of large amounts of carbohydrates in the body, without wasting them.
Insulin in the blood reaches maximum values, and fat mass begins to be deposited. Taking a gainer without training will turn a person from thin to plump with a sagging belly.
When is the best time to take a gainer?
To achieve the desired results, you need to know how to drink a gainer and when to do it. It is important to draw up an intake plan - this will help track effectiveness. Let's look at the best time to take the supplement.
Before training
Eating carbohydrates before training helps prepare the body for active exercise.
If an athlete drinks a gainer half an hour before class, he will receive enough energy for intense exercise, improve endurance and be able to do more. The exercises will be performed better and with better results.
When cutting, which is aimed at burning fat, it is not recommended to use a gainer before training - it is better for the body to draw energy from adipose tissue.
After training
After intense exercise, the muscles are exhausted, and they need carbohydrate and protein nutrition to recover and grow.
Gainer consumed after training helps muscles recover faster and protects against catabolism. Complex carbohydrates and high-quality protein in the composition allow you to accelerate the growth of muscle mass several times. It is recommended to drink it no earlier than half an hour after exercise to allow the body to cool down. Immediately after training, it is better to drink water, this will allow the stomach to prepare for the consumption of carbohydrates.
But specifically during training, experts do not recommend taking a gainer - this can interfere with the training process. It's better to do this before or after class.
On non-training days
If a person’s goal is to gain weight, you can also take a gainer on rest days. But you shouldn’t replace full meals with it - take it between them at least twice a day.
Another pressing question is whether you can drink a gainer at night. If you don't want to gain weight, then you definitely shouldn't. Otherwise, it is worth considering the composition of the supplement.
If the gainer contains simple sugars, then you do not need to use it at night - this will lead to a gain of fat, not muscle mass. Complex carbohydrates are broken down slowly and do not provoke a surge in insulin, and if a person is naturally thin and has a fast metabolism, this can only benefit him.
Therefore, in some cases, drinking a gainer at night is advisable. Muscles also need regeneration and nutrition at night. To do this, they drink slow casein protein, the absorption of which requires energy, precisely in the form of complex carbohydrates. If the gainer is high-protein and contains slow carbohydrates and calcium caseinate, then when consumed at night it can be beneficial for muscle recovery and prevent their destruction. But it is still recommended to first consult with a specialist so as not to exceed the calorie intake excessively.
How to breed gainer?
Taking a gainer should not cause discomfort or unpleasant sensations, and their sudden appearance indicates an incorrect technology for diluting the supplement. Not every person knows how to do it correctly, so manufacturers write detailed instructions on the packages, and experts share proven opinions.
So, what do you need to know before making this protein-carbohydrate shake:
- Gainer is a dry mixture in a package, a certain amount of which must be diluted in liquid. The jar or bag will indicate how many grams of powder should be used, usually this value ranges from 150 to 300 grams. You must not exceed the values indicated on the packaging, otherwise the body will feel uncomfortable assimilating the drink, and digestive problems will not lead to anything good.
- There should be two or more times more liquid than the dry mixture, i.e. approximately 300-600 milliliters. The more liquid in the cocktail, the lower its concentration. Can be diluted with: Water.
- Milk (pay attention to the fat content, the less, the better the drink is absorbed by the body).
- Fruit juice without pulp, apple or grape.
It is most convenient to mix the gainer in a shaker or blender. The main thing is that there are no lumps of dry mass in the resulting cocktail; the mixture should be very well mixed and homogeneous. Only such a gainer will be well absorbed by the body and will have a balanced taste.
You cannot use a spoon for stirring; in this way you cannot achieve a homogeneous mass of the drink.
There are many types of gainer, so read the instructions in each individual case. It should indicate the proportions, the best solvents, reception conditions and useful tips.
How much gainer should you drink per day?
Taking any dietary supplement should be systematic and structured, because this affects human health and digestion.
The number of times you take a gainer per day depends on whether it is a training day or not:
- If there is physical activity on the day you drink the cocktail, you should take the drink immediately after training or before it, once a day.
- On regular non-training days, it is also necessary to take a gainer, in the intervals between meals. It is recommended to eat five to six times a day, so you also need to drink the drink 4-5 times a day.
By following the diet and taking the mixture daily for at least one month, you can achieve high-quality muscle mass growth in a shorter time, improve your athletic performance and make your workouts more intense.
How to use?
The gastrointestinal tract must be prepared for any sports nutrition. Therefore, calculate your daily intake and introduce gainer into your diet gradually. There are many debates and opinions about how, when and how much to take the supplement. The best option is once a day. A two-time regimen is allowed for thin athletes who want to increase body weight.
That's all - now you know when to drink a gainer.
But how to cook it? As a rule, the protein-carbohydrate mixture is stirred with liquid (this can be water, milk or juice). Do not use boiling water for these purposes, otherwise you will get a useless composition and the protein will simply coagulate.
How much can you gain from a gainer in a month?
Gaining muscle mass is the main goal of those who start training hard and include sports nutrition in their diet. It allows you to accelerate muscle growth, promotes strengthening, and replenishes energy during and after training.
How many kilograms of muscle mass can you gain by using a gainer? All organisms are individual, so the approximate calculation period is taken to be a month from the date of start of treatment. The minimum gain during this time is 6 kilograms.
What determines the amount of muscle mass gained:
- Balanced diet.
- Number and duration of training per week.
- Mode of active activity and rest.
It is believed that 2-3 kilograms of muscle mass gain per month is a normative indicator.
Do not rush to rejoice at rapid weight gain; the quality of the muscles gained decreases. A high rate of weight gain may indicate that the sugar content in the gainer is too high, then the product should be replaced before fat deposits begin to appear.
The gainer promotes muscle mass gain according to the following algorithm:
- Proteins form the building material for muscle tissue.
- Carbohydrates replenish energy reserves in the body and help increase the intensity of training.
- Proteins will help the body recover after physical activity.
By maintaining a balance between proper diet and exercise, you can achieve high-quality muscle growth every month.
How to know if a supplement is right for a person
When purchasing a supplement, you must first familiarize yourself with its composition. The choice of product is influenced by the individual characteristics of a person.
The use of amino acids is recommended only in the morning, after training and before bedtime
If there is a sufficiently large amount of fat, you need to use a product with more protein and less carbohydrates.
If your workouts are not intense enough, you need to use supplements with a small amount of carbohydrates, as they lead to weight gain.
If a person has a thin physique and a fast metabolism, then the use of classic gainers, which are based on carbohydrates, is recommended. A person's diet should be high in calories, which will ensure muscle mass gain.
The effect of a gainer for thin men
For young men with a thin physique and a fast metabolism, taking the supplement will provide weight gain. At the same time, training should be daily to ensure beautiful relief.
The effect of the gainer for thin girls and women
Thin girls are recommended to combine gainer intake with intense training. In this case, they will acquire an athletic body.
If you give up physical activity and just take the supplement, fat will begin to be deposited and your figure will simply “blur.”
Be sure to read: Creatine: how to take it correctly, how much per day, dosage regimen for weight gain and dosage
Can girls drink gainer?
Basically, the marketing campaign of the gainer is built around men, but the question arises - can women and girls use the gainer?
The gender difference does not depend on energy consumption, which means sports nutrition can help very thin representatives of the fair sex build muscle mass and achieve the desired relief on the body.
The main components of the drink are proteins and carbohydrates, which are supplied to the body from food; this does not affect the health and well-being of women.
The sugar content in the composition is an item that requires attention. Often, women after taking a gainer complain of severe swelling and a gain of not muscle, but fat mass. This is due to the fact that the sugar level in the cocktail you are taking is too high and needs to be changed. The advice applies to everyone: both men and women.
Combination with other types of sports nutrition
Sometimes taking just one gainer is not enough to effectively gain muscle mass, improve training and restore the body. Therefore, additional additives are included in the sports nutrition diet, but only those that combine well with the gainer so that there is no discomfort in the digestive system.
The gainer is best combined with:
- With protein - although the effects of these two supplements are different, they both lead to the ultimate goal - qualitative growth of muscle mass. To optimize the effect, it is better to mix the dry matter of the gainer and protein in a blender or shaker and drink as one cocktail.
- With creatine - these two supplements can also find a common language if the content of each of them in the drink is dosed correctly. Their combination brings more visible, high-quality and faster results than in cases where the supplements are taken separately.
- With BCAA - they act like a gainer, aimed at restoring strength after heavy physical training. They quickly penetrate muscle cells, but their action is not enough. Therefore, ideally, you need a combination of gainer and bcaa, which together will contribute to the fastest recovery of the body, accelerated metabolic processes and increased training efficiency.
Before you start taking any product in combination with a gainer, it is better to consult a specialist, because All organisms react individually to sports nutrition.
Which gainer is better?
The problem of choosing the right gainer for the characteristics of your body can confront any athlete, especially a beginner.
Every year, sports publications compile ratings of the best sports nutrition products, and gainer is no exception.
This is the list of the best and most popular cocktails:
- True-Mass from BNC - 430 calories, 30 protein, 55 carbohydrates, 9 sugars per 100 grams.
- Serious Mass brand ON - 380 calories, 15 proteins, 75 carbohydrates, 8 sugars per 100 grams;
- Mass-tech from the manufacturer Muscletech - 365 calories, 27 proteins, 57 carbohydrates, 4 sugars per 100 grams.
- Super dass gainer from DN – 382 calories, 15 proteins, 74 carbohydrates, 7 sugars per 100 grams;
- Impact weight gainer from MP - 380 calories, 28 proteins, 54 carbohydrates, 3 sugars per 100 grams.
True Mass
Serious Mass
Mass-tech
Super dass gainer
Impact weight gainer
Gainers also contain other useful substances: minerals, vitamins, creatine, etc. The best samples have higher utility than other gainers.
These are completely different gainers with different protein and carbohydrate content per 100 grams, as well as different prices.
The indicators that the athlete considers most important for himself will help you make a choice among them:
- If a lot depends on the price of the product , then the cheapest representative of the top five is the Super dass gainer, which costs approximately 48 rubles per 100 grams (for comparison, the most expensive of the gainers presented above, True-Mass, costs almost 89 rubles per 100 grams).
- If the key role is in the caloric content of the product and the energy that it can give to the body during training, then the absolute leader here is True-Mass.
- One of the main indicators of the effectiveness of a gainer is its high carbohydrate content. At this point, True-Mass from BNC is again in the lead.
Thus, for two out of three indicators, the best result is shown by the first sample from the rating.
Side effects
In most cases, taking a gainer does not cause any harm to the body, however, there are special cases of the body’s individual reaction to the product, or the consequences of choosing the wrong cocktail can be unpleasant.
What side effects can the gainer cause:
- The increase in fat rather than muscle mass is due to the high sugar content in the drink, which contributes to the formation of fat deposits. It is impossible to exclude glucose from a drink, but when choosing, you need to pay attention to the percentage of its content in the composition - the lower it is, the more benefits for the body.
- Pimples, itching, redness on the body are a natural reaction of the body to intolerance to the components of the gainer. To get rid of this side effect, it is better to buy a cocktail from another company, which contains a different set of ingredients.
- Problems with the digestive system - this can occur if the gainer is taken incorrectly or the body is intolerant to the components of the drink. It is also strictly forbidden to drink expired gainer. It is better to replace the manufacturer or completely refuse to take this dietary supplement.
The main thing is to observe a sense of proportion, carefully read the instructions on the packaging and strictly follow them. Then there will be no problems with using the gainer, and it will only bring maximum effect and a beautiful healthy body!
Why take gainer?
A gainer is a protein-carbohydrate cocktail. It usually contains 70 percent or more carbohydrates. High-quality products use healthy complex carbohydrates, while cheap ones use simple ones, which lead to a gain of fat deposits.
The high-calorie composition allows the athlete to gain the required amount of calories without overeating. Why is this necessary? Athletes take gainer for the following purposes:
- To increase body weight and muscle mass.
- To restore the body after active exercise.
- As a substitute for a full meal, if for certain reasons it is impossible.
Use a high-quality gainer from a trusted manufacturer.
In addition, you should not drink expired gainer. This will not only not give the desired results, but can also provoke serious disorders of the body. The question of whether to take a gainer is decided individually by everyone. It is not particularly necessary for those who want to lose weight, but for those who want to gain weight, it can be very useful.
