What is a gainer for gaining muscle mass, which one is better, the difference from protein?

Gainer

Sergey Sidoruk 02/18/2019 no comments

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Can girls drink gainer?

5 (100%) 3 votes

The cult of a healthy, toned body among the fair sex is gradually becoming a trend. In the fight for beauty, all methods are good, however, the best results in building a beautiful body and maintaining health are obtained by regular visits to the gym. To improve training results, many biological nutritional supplements have been developed. Their use allows you to additionally obtain microelements necessary for building a proportional figure. One of these complexes containing the full range of required substances is a gainer. Exactly how this mixture works, in what cases a gainer for girls is used to gain weight, as well as the correct selection and use of gainers for thin girls will be discussed below.

What is a gainer and what does it give to girls?

Content

A gainer is essentially an addition to your usual daily diet, allowing you to gain additional body weight. It contains proteins and carbohydrates in high concentration. Some manufacturers add vitamin complexes, which makes nutrition more complete. Athletes often take gainers to gain weight; by using the supplement, you can gain both muscle fiber and fat.

Very often girls suffer from excessive thinness; the problem may lie in too fast a metabolism. Using a gainer allows you to bypass this phenomenon and significantly strengthen the muscle frame.

Gainer is one of the most powerful and effective assistants in weight gain.

Regular consumption of a protein-carbohydrate mixture allows in such cases to achieve the following results:

• increase the daily intake of calories into the human body without putting additional stress on the digestive system. The powder is quickly absorbed and does not require large amounts of enzymes for digestion;
• normalize the metabolic rate, reducing it slightly and returning it to the average;
• increase body weight both through muscles and connective tissue;
• increase the body's energy reserves;
• speed up recovery processes after training;
• increase strength and endurance;
• prevent the phenomena of catabolism in the body.

What does a gainer consist of?

As already mentioned, a gainer for gaining muscle mass is a protein-carbohydrate mixture. Therefore, its main components are protein (protein) and carbohydrates. On average, protein in 1 serving is about 50 g (from top manufacturers, at least). But carbohydrates can be from 50 to 250 g.

The protein used is mainly whey (although sometimes soy is also used), casein is often added to it, calling it a “long-acting matrix”, etc. Carbohydrates are also often called the beautiful word “matrix,” but the meaning comes down to ensuring that the flow of glucose into the blood is gradual and uniform over a long time. To do this, theoretically, a small amount of “fast” and a significant amount of “slow” carbohydrates with different glycemic indexes are used. But in practice, the lion's share of carbohydrates is often added to the gainer in the form of maltodextrin. It is believed that maltodextrin is absorbed slowly, but in fact it is not that slow. Maltodextrin (or, more simply, molasses) is a kind of glucose polymer (almost the same as starch) and the breakdown of one molecule of this substance produces at least 6 molecules of glucose. Its glycemic index is higher than that of glucose: 105-136.

Almost all major manufacturers add to the gainer, in addition to protein and carbohydrates, various other components: amino acids, creatine, vitamins, minerals, unsaturated fats, etc. In such cases, a muscle gainer becomes a universal supplement, combining the properties of a pre-workout and an energy drink.

Why does a girl need a gainer?

The product allows you to significantly increase body weight in a short time by increasing the volume of muscle tissue, as well as the accumulation of fatty tissue. This property of a gainer has recently been increasingly used by women of medium build who want to gain beautiful shapes.

Proper use of a gainer by a girl in combination with regular training in the gym will allow her to round her buttocks and give a beautiful shape to her arms and legs. It is for this purpose that representatives of the fair sex are increasingly resorting to the use of this trick.

But when switching to a gainer, be prepared to gain excess weight

The path to a beautiful body consists of two stages:

1. At the first stage, mass is gained, muscle volume increases at the site of exercise, and fatty tissue is deposited there, ensuring constant maintenance of nutrients in this area - this is what a gainer is used for.
2. In the second stage, you need to get rid of fat deposits through intense cardio training. The output is the desired volumes and shapes, which are the standard of female beauty throughout the world.

Gainer or protein, which is better?

Protein is pure protein, which is required for muscle gain, gainer is a combination of carbohydrates and proteins, its task is to stimulate weight gain and restore energy.

Each athlete chooses nutrition depending on their body type:

• Ectomorphs. Lean athletes with fast metabolisms who find it difficult to gain weight use gainers, since increasing the volume of muscle fiber requires an energy base and protein. For active muscle growth, it is recommended to choose a supplement with a percentage of carbohydrates and proteins in a ratio of 55/35, respectively.
• Endomorphs. People who are prone to obesity, in order not to gain excess fat when taking carbohydrates, use protein for training.

Be sure to read: Methane for muscles: side effects, how to take it correctly, dosage, how to combine it with training

For those who train intensively for more than 2 hours a day, using significant weights, it is difficult to cover the energy costs with regular food.

A combination of sports nutrition is recommended here: a gainer is consumed before exercise, a protein substrate the rest of the time.

How does a gainer work and how to choose it?

The principle of operation of this type of sports nutrition is quite simple - its components are carbohydrates, proteins and vitamin complexes. Saturating the body with energy and building material before training allows you to make it as effective and efficient as possible. As a result, muscle tissue grows, body weight and endurance increase.

Increasing your daily calorie intake allows you to achieve results that would not be possible with your usual diet. It is important to remember that a gainer is only an addition to your usual diet; it cannot replace regular meals with this product. The vitamin complexes included in some gainers are a nice addition that ensures faster growth and compensates for the increasing metabolic needs.

You don't always need to drink a gainer

Composition of gainers

Since a gainer is a carbohydrate-protein mixture , these are the main nutrients, which, in turn, can consist of one component or be complex.

This means that the protein matrix can be represented only by whey protein concentrate, or it can be complex and include, in addition to whey, casein, egg albumin and other protein sources.

In turn, the carbohydrate component can be represented only by maltodextrin, or it can be complex and also include cereals (oats, barley, corn), as well as amylopectin, various starches, and fiber.

Complex gainers are interesting because of their variety of nutrient sources, but monosyllabic gainers based on simple sugars are absorbed as quickly as possible, which is their main advantage.

In addition to the main ingredients, the gainer may include creatine, amino acid and vitamin-mineral complexes, and digestive enzymes.

An important characteristic is the ratio of carbohydrates and proteins . There are high-protein, high-carbohydrate and mass gainers with an optimal ratio of essential nutrients.

Is there a special gainer for thin people?

Having understood the mechanism of action of this remedy, we can say with confidence that any gainer, in its essence, helps thin people gain extra pounds. To date, there are no special weight gainers for weight loss. On the other hand, if you pay attention to the composition of various types of this supplement, you will find that some of them are more or less high in calories, while others contain a larger amount of mono- or polysaccharides.

From the point of view of weight gain, in the short term, the most suitable means for thin people are mixtures containing fast carbohydrates. So, if you just want to gain weight, use a gainer rich in monosaccharides.

Rating of sports supplements 2021

Based on reviews from athletes, we have prepared for you a list of the most popular and high-quality gainers of 2021.

1. Serious Mass from Optimum Nutrition. There are practically no cases of fat deposits. The product contains 75% carbohydrates, which invigorates you well before exercise, and the workout is a breeze. It also contains vitamins and minerals. Consumers noted the cloying taste as a disadvantage.
2. True-Mass. Contains casein and egg proteins, vitamins, minerals, creatine. Suitable for quickly gaining body weight. The downside is the same as the previous gainer - cloying, unpleasant taste.
3. Up Your Mass. A lot of proteins, carbohydrates, but also fats, which is fraught with fat deposition! The product is enriched with vitamins and minerals. Helps increase body temperature, which leads to faster fat burning. Cons: overpriced, high fat content.
4. MASS-TECH. The main advantage is the minimum sugar content! The composition contains amino acids, an increased percentage of minerals and vitamins. Cons: taste.
5. Super Mass Gainer. Helps regulate hormonal levels and quickly gain muscle mass. Increased content of amino acids. Cons: expensive.

Possible results from taking

The expected result from using a gainer over a long period of time is a significant increase in body weight due to muscle and fat fiber. In the process of parallel training, an increase in strength indicators will be observed, endurance will increase, and the muscle and ligament corset will be strengthened. Exercising in the gym while taking a gainer allows you to achieve good results both in bodybuilding and simply in the process of strengthening the body.

Don’t think that gainers are only necessary for those involved in bodybuilding.

When to drink a gainer: the ideal scheme

The supplement will be beneficial if used correctly; to achieve a positive result, it is important to use the gainer according to the instructions:

• Before training. The body receives an energy boost in the form of carbohydrates, which promote more intense and prolonged exercise. Concentrated amino acids will reduce catabolism from the start of exercise. The disadvantages are that there will be no loss of body fat.
• After training. Intense sports activities deplete energy reserves, opening the anabolic, or protein-carbohydrate, window. During this short period of time, the body intensively absorbs and processes nutrients. A gainer helps fill the energy deficit, which allows the athlete to prevent catabolism in the muscles and regenerate tissue.

When an athlete does not experience difficulties with increasing body weight, using a gainer once a day is sufficient; the rest of the time it is recommended to take protein.

Be sure to read: What you need to eat to gain muscle mass: rules, food list, menu for every day

Some athletes distribute the daily intake into 2 doses , consuming some during training, and the other between meals.

What to choose and how to take a gainer?

The result of taking sports nutrition depends on many factors, including the composition and quality of the components of the mixture, as well as the selection of the correct mode of its use. We consulted with many specialists, including leading fitness trainers and sports doctors.

Based on the information received, we have developed general recommendations regarding the selection and use of the gainer that is “right for you”:

1. Be sure to pay attention to the protein content in the mixture; it should be between thirty and thirty-five percent.
2. Carefully study the concentration of simple carbohydrates; their amount should not exceed ten percent of the total mass, since they will turn into fat deposits in the shortest possible time after consuming the gainer in the absence of training.
3. Give preference to proven manufacturers in America or Germany.

When it comes to taking sports nutrition, it is very important to know your own metabolic rate and also take into account the goals you are pursuing. Consult a nutritionist or nutritional supplement expert to determine the most appropriate amount of dry formula and frequency of use.

How to take the supplement?

When an athlete does not experience difficulties with increasing body weight, using a gainer once a day is enough.
A cocktail is prepared from the gainer, which is taken as follows:

• to increase the intensity of training - an hour before classes;
• to close the anabolic window - no later than 40 minutes after training.

For rapid muscle growth, it is recommended to take carbohydrates with protein, creatine, and for speedy recovery - with glutamine.

Attention! You should not stop taking the gainer on days when you are not training. For active growth of muscle fibers, it is important to use the supplement systematically.

How to breed gainer

When used, the supplement should not cause any discomfort. If they appear, this is evidence of an incorrect breeding method.

Gainer is a powder that must be diluted in liquid until smooth before use.

When used, the supplement should not cause any discomfort.

The basis is:

• Water. It should not be hot: the protein denatures and loses its properties. It is also undesirable to use cold water: it makes it more difficult to dissolve the powder.
• Juices. Better suited without pulp - apple, grapefruit or grape.
• Milk. Milk protein in the composition makes it possible to increase the volume of proteins. A product with a reduced fat content is more suitable: this way the cocktail will be better absorbed by the body. If you are intolerant to milk, you can dilute the powder with fermented milk products, but it is more difficult to dilute the powder in a thick drink.

The manufacturer always indicates the recommended dosage. Usually you need twice as much liquid as powder. If the concentrated solution is difficult to drink, the volume can be increased.

Attention! Do not exceed the dose indicated on the package: the excess amount of substances will not be absorbed by the body, which can lead to digestive upset.

Combination with other sports nutrition and products

Do not exceed the dose indicated on the package.
Sometimes consuming a carbohydrate cocktail in its pure form is not enough for productive muscle growth, improving the quality of training and recovery.

To improve results and enrich the composition, the gainer is combined with additional components.

With creatine

Using creatine before and after exercise increases strength and helps withstand increased loads, especially during anaerobic exercise.

The optimal dosage of carboxylic acid is 5 grams with a portion of the gainer. The combination with carbohydrates will allow creatine to be better absorbed and increase the effectiveness of exercise.

With proteins

Proteins and carbohydrates have different effects. The combined use of gainer and proteins provides all the necessary substances for muscle growth and muscle recovery during and after exercise.

With vitamins

Vitamins promote tissue restoration after high-intensity training and are needed for protein metabolism and amino acid transport.

Vitamins promote tissue repair after high-intensity training

There are brands of supplements that already contain the necessary vitamin complexes. To save money, you can take organic compounds separately. The daily dose is taken with a cocktail in the morning or immediately after training.

With amino acids

Amino acids cover the deficiency of substances and protect muscles from catabolic processes.

Cumulative consumption ensures an increase in high-quality muscle mass, since carbohydrate supplements provide an energy resource to the entire body, and BCAAs provide performance and muscle growth.

With other products

If desired, gainers can be consumed with nuts, grains or fruits, although all the necessary elements are already included in the supplement.

It is better to enrich the basic diet with products: they contain fiber, minerals and other valuable substances that are missing in mixtures.

Banana or strawberries can improve the taste of the cocktail; this method is suitable for those who refuse to use artificial flavors.

When it is not possible to eat normally, a good food option is a handful of rolled oats in a drink.

Can I drink it at night?

Some athletes consume high-calorie meals at night, but this intake is only allowed if the athlete has problems with weight gain and insufficient energy value of the diet.

Be sure to read: What to eat before training: top best foods for gaining weight

In other cases, carbohydrate supplements are not recommended to avoid the formation of a fat layer. To prevent catabolic reactions during sleep, it is preferable to take casein.

Is it possible to drink without training?

Consumption of the dietary supplement without training is permitted. The diet is suitable for people who suffer from excessive thinness and lack of muscle mass, which can affect the immune system.

Men and women have an ectomorphic build and need to increase their caloric intake.

To make up for the deficiency, it is allowed to use a gainer, but subject to the following conditions:

• consult your doctor before taking it;
• sports nutrition should contain slow carbohydrates;
• You should take half the dose indicated on the package, dividing it into 2 doses.

To maintain the functionality of muscle tissue without training, the daily protein content is 1 or 1.5 g/kg of a person’s weight, taking into account the intake of gainers and regular foods.

Important! The basic norm of calories and essential nutrients should come with the main meal.

Rules for taking gainer

To gain body weight as quickly as possible, you need to use a gainer two or three times throughout the day.

Increases calorie intake

On training days:

• first dose – immediately before training;
• the second - immediately after it;
• another appointment should be in the morning.

In this way, minimal fat deposits can be accumulated and muscle volume can be maximized while maintaining the required amount of nutrients in the bloodstream. On rest days, you can limit yourself to two doses of the mixture, two hours after breakfast and one and a half hours after lunch.

You can dissolve the gainer in various ways; athletes use water, juices or milk for this. It is very important to increase the amount of clean water entering the body, as it is necessary for the normal digestion of all components of this nutritional mixture.

When to take a gainer?

Gainers almost always contain fast carbohydrates, so they should be taken at times when quick support for the body is needed - for example, before a workout, or, better yet, immediately after. It can also be used in the middle of a long break between two meals. But it is better not to use a gainer at those moments when the calories entering the body cannot be processed (for example, before bed), since in this case they will be deposited in fatty tissue. And it turns out that the weight gainer worked, but the weight was gained from fat, not muscle.

Contraindications and side effects

To identify contraindications to the use of this type of sports nutrition, be sure to consult a specialist.

The most common conditions in which its use is prohibited are:

• presence of an allergy to the components of the gainer;
• hereditary enzymopathies;
• insufficiency of hepatic and renal filtration;
• nutritional obesity.

As for the side effects of taking a gainer, they are associated with the individual characteristics of the body.

May occur if you take a low-quality product. Undesirable manifestations include:

• significant fat deposits;
• the appearance of various rashes on the skin;
• digestive tract disorders;
• increased load on the liver and kidney filter.

The best mass gainers

Pay attention to the list of the best weight gainers for increasing body weight. Below are 7 nutritional supplements that users and experts say are most effective.

Serious Mass

Serious Mass gainers are produced by OptimumNutrition. One serving contains 50 g of protein, 250 g of carbohydrates, microelements, vitamins (25 types). Calorie content per serving – 1,250 kcal. You can buy products in cans of 1.3 and 2.7 kg and bags of 5.4 kg. The supplement is not suitable for people prone to rapid weight gain.

UpYourMass

A serving of UpYourMass gainer from MHP contains 58 g of carbohydrates, 46 g of proteins, 99 calories, fiber, vitamins (15 types), arginine, glutamine. Calorie content is 510 kcal. The product can be purchased in 4.5 kg bags, 0.9 and 2.2 kg cans. Great for increasing muscle volume and accelerating recovery after workouts.

True-Mass

True-Mass gainers from the sports nutrition manufacturer BSN. A serving includes 50 g of protein, 58 g of carbohydrates, minerals, fats, fiber, glutamine, vitamins. Calorie content –710 kcal. You can buy it in a 2.6 kg jar, or in 4.6 kg bags. Optimal for gaining muscle mass, useful in the absence of proteins in the menu.

MuscleJuiceRevolution 2600

MuscleJuiceRevolution 2600 from UltimateNutrition. 1 serving contains 56 g of proteins, 170 g of carbohydrates, fiber, fats (80 cal), amino acids (18 types, including Omega-3). Available in 2.1kg cans, 5.4kg containers. The absence of vitamins made the product more economical. Promotes muscle growth and has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system.

ProComplexGainer

ProComplexGainer is another gainer from OptimumNutrition. Compared to SeriousMass, ProComplexGainer contains more proteins. Contains 55 g of proteins, 85 g of carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins (20 types), fats (70 cal), amino acids, minerals. Calorie content per serving – 650 kcal. Sold in the form of cans of 2.3 kg, packages of 4.6 kg. The supplement is considered dietary - it contains less carbohydrates and fats.

SuperMASSGainer

SuperMASSGainer by Dymatize. A serving consists of 52 g of protein, more than 250 g of carbohydrates, some fat (70 cal), minerals, creatinine, amino acids and vitamins (25 types), substances that improve digestion. Sold in boxes of 2.7 and 5.4 kg and a can of 2.7 kg. Mass Gene is ideal for thin people to gain weight.

WeiderMegaMASS

1 serving of WeiderMegaMASS gainer contains 20 g of proteins, 70 g of carbohydrates, fats (60 cal), minerals, amino acids, vitamins (15 types). Available in 1.5 and 3 kg boxes and 2.7 and 7 kg cans. Suitable for thin people who have difficulty gaining weight, used by vegetarians.