Benefits, harms and side effects of weight gainers

Protein-carbohydrate mixtures, simply called gainers (Gain - from English “gain”) have long conquered a significant part of the sports nutrition market and their adherents. The main task of this type of sports supplement is to increase muscle mass, restore tissue and replenish strength. But that’s not all: a gainer can be used not to replenish, but to add strength before training, and also to reduce the effect of the catabolic hormone cortisol.

The vast majority of gainers are based on simple (fast) carbohydrates, although there are also those that are based on complex (slow) carbohydrates. In addition, leading manufacturers are trying to make their products original and attractive, so they often add creatine, amino acids, vitamins, minerals and other additives to them. Elite product lines also have special enzymes that help quickly absorb the entire volume of the product.

Among such mixtures, there are high-carbohydrate (85% carbohydrates, 10-12% proteins and 0.5-1% fats) and high-protein gainers (70/25-27/0.5-1, respectively). This does not take into account other components such as creatine, taste enhancers, smell enhancers and antifoam.

Taking gainers implies a large single dosage, which the manufacturers immediately took care of: measuring spoons are an order of magnitude larger than those of proteins, for example.

Effect on the body

It would be advisable to consider the influence of a gainer, its benefits and harm to the body from the point of view of analyzing the components of the carbohydrate-protein mixture without any other additives: proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

Proteins , when digested, break down into simpler compounds - amino acids, which are absorbed and distributed to the appropriate places according to their functions. Thus, the well-known isoleucine, valine and leucine (BCAA) are excellent building materials for muscle tissue, a restorer of damaged fibers and suppressors of catabolic processes. Even one serving of a high-carbohydrate product will provide enough of most important amino acids.

Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose and fructose, which form new ATP molecules. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the body's source of energy. Naturally, another portion of the energy is generated during the breakdown of complex compounds into simpler ones. Simply put, carbohydrates give you energy and strength to exercise even after a hard day. Depending on the time of administration (before or after training), the gainer either adds strength (reduces fatigue during training) or replenishes wasted resources in a short period of time. It is worth noting the restorative properties of carbohydrates: pain the next day is much less pronounced when using a gainer.

Fats . The total amount of animal fats in supplements of this type is very small, but they still contribute to the nutrition of the body with useful substances such as saturated fatty acids.

To summarize, carbohydrate-protein mixtures are a fairly effective way to gain weight and restore, which is confirmed by both scientific research and amateur and professional athletes.

Which gainer should you choose?

Buy gainers depending on your weight and degree of physical activity. The protein content in this type of sports nutrition ranges from 10 to 40%.

• For effective weight loss and fat burning, a low-carbohydrate gainer is suitable due to its low calorie content. They do not provoke excess weight gain.
• If you have muscle dystrophy and are underweight, on the contrary, buy high-carbohydrate gainers. A properly selected gainer can provide your body with the energy it needs for intense workouts.
• When looking at the composition of the gainer, pay attention to the glycemic index. The lower this parameter, the better the product. A low glycemic index means that the gainer contains complex carbohydrates, which lead to greater performance.

Gainer benefits

In addition to increasing the energy component of the body (more energy - you can exercise more) and recovery (the faster the muscles heal, the faster they grow), mass gainers are also useful because of:

• high calorie content per serving (500-1300 kcal);
• the presence of several necessary components;
• increase in strength endurance.

And all this without additional ingredients: creatine, vitamins and minerals, which also contribute to weight gain and strength.

The advantages of this supplement include its cost: one and a half times cheaper than high-quality protein, as a rule.

Regarding calorie content, an important aspect for gaining weight is an excess of calories so that the muscles do not need anything. A gainer is ideal for this. Although Denis Borisov’s opinion that such mixtures are useless has gained wide popularity: the same fast and slow carbohydrates can be obtained from food, and protein from protein or pure amino acids.

By the way, one “skup” (measuring spoon), mixed with milk, juice or plain water, allows you to replace one of the meals if it is not possible to eat fully at the moment.

One of the basic principles of male bodybuilding is excess calorie intake. Simply put, men need to literally flood their muscles with nutrients. A protein-carbohydrate cocktail provides this opportunity. In addition, this is a simple way to close the so-called protein-carbohydrate window.

Gainers at home

In order to save money, some athletes buy supplements of dubious quality. To save money without harming your health, you can prepare weight gainers at home. To do this, you just need to mix a cheap whey protein shake with carbohydrates, which also cost mere pennies!

Isotonics are carbohydrate meal supplements for runners and can be used in a mass gainer. There is an even cheaper source of carbohydrates - regular packaged juice. Two glasses of this drink contain the required 60-70 grams of quickly digestible carbohydrates!

But you should understand that in this case you are not getting maltodextrin, but simple fructose or sugar.

Gainer harm

A very large single dose of carbonates (carbohydrates) can cause pancreas spasm even in a healthy person who is not accustomed to such an abundance of organic compounds of the same type. But, as practice shows, these are isolated cases out of thousands. In addition, some athletes, with long-term use of such cocktails, note pathological changes in their liver. There is no scientific evidence for such phenomena: it is unknown what else these guys used. It is possible that excessive amounts of protein in their diet over a long period of time led to liver problems.

By the way, this supplement will not cause any serious disruption of organ function or harm, since all components are of natural origin. The only thing that can cause stomach upset and poisoning is the expiration date of the product and inappropriate storage (open packaging in a humid place).

For men

The main harm that this type of mixture can cause for men is problems with excess weight and appearance. And this similar phenomenon is relevant partially for the mesomorphic body type and completely for the endomorphic one. The total body weight can increase (due to adipose tissue), and to the average user it will seem that it is the muscles that are growing. Therefore, the main danger for unskilled athletes will be the thoughtless and excessive use of such mixtures.

Example: due to excessive body fat (more than 20% of the total body weight) in men, a sex hormone such as testosterone begins to aromatize into female estrogens. This results in a drop in libido and a decrease in the growth of muscle tissue.

For ectomorphs with their accelerated metabolism and lack of lipid formation in the body, gainers do not cause any harm. With the right approach, there is only benefit.

For women

The female body of any body type tends to increase the volume of subcutaneous fat with sufficient or even excess nutrition, especially if the girl’s diet is rich in carbohydrates. This is true to a greater extent for the same endomorph and mesomorph and to a slightly lesser extent for the ectomorph: this is how female physiology works. Therefore, the main danger for women is the same excess weight caused by the lack of dosage of carbohydrate-protein cocktails.

For teenagers

For a developing organism, a gainer is harmful only if the teenager is allergic to specific components of the product - lactose intolerance, for example. A child's body is more susceptible to allergic reactions than an adult.

Again, a teenager’s hormonal system undergoes changes, and with excessive consumption of fast carbohydrates, there is a possibility of obesity and, as a consequence, the development of a boy’s body according to the female type (pear shape). Otherwise, a gainer in moderate quantities, especially on training days, will only bring benefits in the development of a teenager’s body: it will have an effect on the muscular system, the skeletal system, and the ligamentous system. In addition, half of the fast carbohydrates in a gainer are sugars, and sugar is glucose, which is so necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous system and brain of a teenager, especially during school. The benefit in this case is obvious.

Is it harmful in large doses?

The unequivocal answer is harmful. Primarily due to an excess of carbohydrates of varying complexity. And, if slow carbohydrates (complex) in certain quantities are beneficial, then fast (simple) ones can cause obesity.

The mechanism for gaining excess weight is as follows: excess simple carbohydrates are converted by the body into subcutaneous fat and deposited in areas with large concentrations of alpha receptors. For men it is the stomach, sides and lower back, and for women it is also the hips and buttocks. Excess weight in places where alpha receptors accumulate is burned very slowly, while in other parts of the body (arms, upper back, chest) it can be lost much faster (beta receptors predominate there).

Is it harmful at night?

There is no danger to health, but from another point of view, taking carbohydrates at night is still undesirable, and here’s why:

• may have bad dreams;
• waking up at night due to the work of the digestive system;
• absence or short duration of the deep sleep phase.

All of the above is connected into a single chain of events. Carbonates can cause bad dreams: this has been confirmed by scientists. Because of this and because of the work of the gastrointestinal tract, a person often wakes up at night, especially when turning over. As a result, deep sleep is reduced, and because of this, the body's recovery reactions do not work at full strength. The result is a bad mood in the morning, unrecovered muscle damage, lethargy.

Beneficial and harmful properties of food additives

To ensure that the gainer does not cause harm to the body, it must be chosen correctly. And to do this, pay attention to how you feel 2-3 weeks after starting to take the supplement.

Sports nutrition is not suitable if:

1. Weight began to gain, but at the same time not only muscle mass is growing, but also the fat layer is increasing. It’s worse if you only gain fat. In this case, you need to consider another type of gainer and choose one that contains a lower amount of carbohydrates.
2. Weight gain does not occur evenly. In this case, talk to your trainer about changing your supplement.
3. If, after 3 weeks after starting stable use of the gainer, the weight does not increase, you need to choose a product that contains a higher amount of carbohydrates.

Is it beneficial to take a gainer?

Let's consider its positive effect on the body:

1. A person with nutrition receives more nutrients than without a nutritional supplement. There are a lot of healthy proteins here, carbohydrates are not heavy, but quickly digestible, which has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract. If you choose a gainer with a richer composition, then you get an additional complex of minerals and vitamins.
2. Training with gainers is more effective due to the large amount of energy released. Energy is the carbohydrates consumed. An athlete who takes nutritional supplements can exercise longer, with minimal fatigue, and strength is restored faster after training.
3. People who are naturally thin can quickly gain weight with gainers. On average, in the first month your weight can increase by 4-7 kilos!
4. Muscles recover faster, so even a beginner in the gym will be able to train longer, and therefore more productively.

Some athletes do not experience side effects at all from taking dietary supplements, but this does not mean that they are completely absent.

Gainers can cause harm to the body:

1. Problems with the gastrointestinal tract rarely occur among supplement users, and most often the cause is an expired gainer or a product of the lowest quality. Do you want to gain weight without harming your stomach and intestines? Don't skimp on sports nutrition, choose only high-quality products.
2. Allergy due to the body's intolerance to certain components of the supplement. Each body is individual, and even regular nutrition, and even more so sports nutrition, must be selected individually. The best way to find out if a particular gainer is right for you is to consult with a nutritionist and trainer, and not be guided by personal feelings. The most common manifestation of an allergy to the composition of the gainer is skin rashes.
3. Intoxication of the body may occur. This is due to the penetration of pathogenic bacteria into the product, which take advantage of the violation of the integrity of the packaging. Not only proper storage of the product is required, but also careful inspection of the container during purchase.
4. Obesity. If you notice an increase in body fat rather than muscle, then pay attention to the amount of calories, fats, sugars and carbohydrates in the supplement. If everything is normal, and there is no way to reduce it, then you will have to work out more, working off every carbohydrate you take!

Many men are interested in the question of possible problems with potency when consuming sports nutrition. I would like to say that the gainer is completely safe for men's health, moreover, it is useful , because it contains protein (protein), and it helps to increase potency.

Side effects

The main side effect of this type of supplement is the suppression of fat burning. Carbohydrates obtained from gainers are much easier to break down by the body than subcutaneous fat, and there are a lot of them. To break down complex substances into simple ones, energy is also needed: carbohydrates are the leaders, then fats come, and proteins are the worst to break down. So why should the body strain and spend more than necessary? He always follows the path of least resistance.

Therefore, this supplement is not suitable for weight loss and muscle definition (“cutting”). But this is true for taking a cocktail before the start of classes. What if you drink after it?

Using a gainer after finishing a workout aimed at body shaping (fat burning) can erase all the results gained during this session. After all, the main principle of fitness and bodybuilding when losing weight is to receive fewer calories than were burned. For example, 1500 kcal were spent, but only 1200 were replenished with food. The body will take the difference from its own reserves - the fat layer. It is very difficult to calculate calories burned during training, and the carbohydrate-protein mixture is quite high in calories.

How to avoid them

Gainers taken before or after training in clearly defined doses will be used strictly to replenish lost energy and restore (gain) muscle mass. Therefore, when losing weight, gainer should be taken two to three times less than the dose recommended by the manufacturers. On average it is 60-65 grams. This means that when burning fat you can only use 20-30 g, and even then, there is a high risk of overdoing the dose.

On rest days (inter-training days), it is advisable to take protein and carbohydrate cocktails in the morning, since the absorption of all nutrients in the morning is increased, and the nutrients themselves go to provide the body with everything it needs after an overnight fast. This is useful in terms of muscle growth and is safe when cutting.

What is a weight gainer?

This is a sports nutritional supplement that allows you to gain weight. The word “gainer” itself comes from the English “To gain” - “weight gain”. Conventional gainers consist of proteins and quickly digestible carbohydrates. But there are also supplements that contain creatine, additional minerals and vitamins.

Gainers are designed to gain weight for naturally thin people, those who really have problems with being underweight. The supplement allows you not only to increase the calorie content of the diet, but also to deliver nutrients to the muscles faster, and this occurs due to a strong increase in the amount of insulin released into the blood.

Training with gainers is more productive, because their effectiveness depends on the amount of carbohydrates in muscle tissue. And since sports nutrition is based on quickly digestible carbohydrates and proteins, the muscles contain more and more of these substances every day.

Myths about using mass gainer

Over the years of its existence, this type of sports nutrition has acquired several firmly rooted myths, namely:

• has a negative effect on potency;
• should not be taken by people with pancreatic disorders;
• endomorphs should not take gainer at all;
• promotes the development of heart disease;
• thin guys and girls need to take it 3-4 times a day.

All of this is fiction, especially regarding the development of illnesses and diseases. Any regular or sports doctor will confirm this: people eat carbohydrates along with proteins every day (as a regular meal), and everything is fine.

In case of disorders of the pancreas, you only need to reduce the recommended dose by one and a half times, and for obese people by 2-2.5 times, but you can take it.

Thin people do not need to drink gainer so often: although metabolism is accelerated, the body only takes in a limited amount of nutrients at a time: the excess is either excreted or deposited under the skin. This myth was invented by the manufacturers themselves to increase product consumption and increase sales: a kilogram of sports drink with a recommended dose of 65 grams is only 15 servings. Therefore, if you eat three servings a day, then a kilogram will last less than a week.

How to take and how much to take

We talked about how to take the gainers described in the top. The same system is used when consuming another similar product if you want to quickly build muscle.

Buy a shaker for high-quality mixing, this will allow you to dilute the gainer without lumps. You should drink the prepared mixture immediately after preparation.

Taking gainers three times a day is enough, and during the day only people with a significant lack of calories from natural food, for example, ectomorphic teenagers with extreme thinness, can take it additionally. All other athletes should eat simple food in addition to gainers or take whey protein shakes without additional carbohydrates.

If you do not follow the recommended portions and daily intake, or take more gainers than recommended, this can lead to obesity!

Who should not drink gainer?

The benefits and harms of Gainer sports nutrition lie in its calorie content and composition. As mentioned above, all somatotypes (body types) can take such supplements, but in different doses. In case of violations of some functions of internal organs, it is also impossible to talk about completely abandoning this supplement, only about taking it in doses.

If someone suffers from lactose intolerance, then there are already similar products on the market without it. For example, the product line of Boris Tsatsouline, who, by the way, is lactose intolerant.

In general, endomorphs can safely take carbohydrate-protein mixtures, the basis of which will be not simple, but complex carbohydrates.

What types of gainer are there?

In the sports nutrition market, gainers are divided into 2 types:

• High protein;
• High carb

The name of the species speaks for itself. The “high protein” option will have a high protein content relative to other gainers. “High-carbohydrate” - almost all gainers that do not fall into the first category.

These same two types can be divided according to the type of carbohydrates found directly in the gainer itself:

• Fast;
• Slow

Manufacturers of gainers most often use maltodextrin as a raw material, which is a complex but fast carbohydrate. The combination of several types of carbohydrates (for example, with palatinose - a slow carbohydrate) allows you to create balanced and high-quality products.

The difference is how quickly the body will receive a portion of carbohydrates and calories, and how long it will take for them to be absorbed and supply the athlete with strength. Simple carbohydrates are an analogue of flour and sweet foods. Complex carbohydrates are an analogue of rice, buckwheat, and durum wheat.

Choosing a useful and correct gainer

Such a choice depends on goals and material resources. Cheap supplements do not contain anything other than BJU, and the main ingredient of low-priced products is maltodextrin. Those who already have creatine, protein or amino acids, vitamin and mineral complexes can also choose a similar sports nutrition.

If we are talking about buying one product, but combining many ingredients, then finding such a gainer will not be difficult. An example is BioTech's Hyper Mass 5000. Per 100 grams of product there are:

• 65 g carbohydrates;
• 26 g proteins;
• 2 g fat;
• 7.2 g of creatine in various forms (monohydrate, pyruvate, citrate);
• wide amino acid profile (BCAA - 4.75 g, histidine, lysine, methionine, glutamine, tryptophan, glycine, alanine, aspartic acid and others).

Even more expensive, but with an expanded composition, Serious Mass from Optimum Nutrition, which in addition to the above also contains a large number of various vitamins and minerals.

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When to take Gainer?

The following options for administration are possible:
1. Directly immediately after an intense workout to restore energy balance and muscle tone. This option is relevant if the muscle mass is already generally formed and systematic work is being carried out to maintain it. In this case, the body recovers much faster, and the frequency of training can be increased.

2. Approximately one hour before training. This approach stimulates mass gain, and very intensively, which is required when working on muscles.

3. Before and after training. Some particularly zealous people take it additionally every morning and evening. But this approach has serious consequences. Gainer is high in calories, the excess will be deposited in adipose tissue. Therefore, if there is even the slightest predisposition to obesity, do not even think about it. And most importantly, clearly control physical activity, correlate it with the calories consumed. For example, for strength training, the dosage should be about 1 kcal, and for cardio training, 600 kcal will be enough.

4. Between meals. Do you feel like lunch will be postponed by 1-2 hours? Feel free to pick up a shaker! Also on non-training days.

5. Morning. The athlete’s body did not receive nutrients all night, which is the ideal time for a carbohydrate cocktail with a good breakfast. If you have a hearty breakfast and it is possible to do without the use of additional additives, do so; otherwise, combine, but do not replace a regular meal with sports nutrition.

If you are a classic representative of a lean body constitution, then your main task is to stick to the regime every day and get more energy and nutritional resources than you expend.

There are people who take gainer 3-4 or more times a day. Yes, no one forbids you to take the supplement as you want. But this is advisable if there are no problems with the gastrointestinal tract, the athlete is not prone to obesity, and the amount of carbohydrates does not reach the daily limit.