GainingTactics is reader-supported. When you make a purchase using the links below, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn More.
Gaining muscle mass is a slow and difficult process – and the Best Mass Gainer on the market is the one that makes it easiest.
Today we’re going to dive into mass gainer supplements for weight gain. What are mass gainers? What do they do? How do you know which mass gainer is best for you – and what should you look for when buying?
What is a Mass Gainer? What is it For?
Mass Gainer is a supplement type that is rich in calories because of a combination of carbohydrate and protein powder.
It offers an easy dietary choice to improve calorie intake – the key driving factor in weight gain. It is a food supplement, and thus an alternative to simply eating more – or more often.
The majority of weight gainers are made from a protein powder source and an easy-digesting carbohydrate source – usually a starch.
Mass gainer supplements are high in protein, crucially, as well as calories. This makes them a great direct support choice for muscle mass, which relies on the combination of energy and protein as a way to signal for growth.
Today we’re listing the best examples on the market, which are rich in protein, calories, good carbohydrate choices, and even some performance-boosting ingredients.
Mass Gainer Review: Best Mass Gainer Supplements
- Best Tasting Mass Gainer
NAKED Mass Gainer
A minimalist mass gainer with clean and natural taste and high carb content.
- Best Overall Mass Gainer
Transparent Labs Mass Gainer
The best overall mass gainer that focuses on simple 1:2 ratio of protein is to carbs and provides about 730 calories per serving.
- Best Mixing Mass Gainer
BSN True Mass
A mass gainer with high calorie content but easy to mix, drink and digest.
Best Overall Mass Gainer: Transparent Labs Mass Gainer
Transparent Labs are a great supplement company whose main focus is providing a clear and honest account of what’s in their supplements.
This extends to their top-quality mass gainer supplement, which is 3rd party tested to confirm dosages of important ingredients – and make sure there are no unwanted ingredients or contaminants (1).
Mass Gainer with Most Servings
Apart from being the best overall mass gainer, Transparent Labs mass gainer also has the most servings per pack and lower price when compared to other mass gainers.
Aside from being dependable and honest, they’ve also put together an excellent premium weight gainer. It uses a simple 1:2 ratio of protein to carbs, offering around 730 clean calories per serving using high-quality carbohydrate powder and whey protein isolate.
It’s also gluten-free, making it suitable for anyone, with no GMO ingredients. This makes it one of the best mass gainers for value!
Transparent Labs Mass Gainer has no artificial sweeteners, and is made from sweet potato powder.
Who is Transparent Labs Mass Gainer For?
Transparent Labs Mass Gainer is for anyone who can consume dairy, which is why it can claim our top spot.
It’s a widely appealing and hypoallergenic product that is confirmed contaminant-free with great nutrients and a fantastic carb and protein (essential amino acids) profile. This can help stimulate muscle protein synthesis.
With the clean label and focus on purity, this product is widely available and offers excellent results without the heavy metals or low-quality carbs you might find in worse products.
Who is Transparent Labs Mass Gainer NOT For?
The only people who shouldn’t use Transparent Labs Mass Gainer supplement are vegans – it is an animal-derived protein source.
This makes it complete and very effective, but does make it inappropriate for those on a plant-based healthy diet.
Pros
- Great protein and carb ratio
- 3rd party tested with relevant certifications
- Free from heavy metals and contaminants
- Great ingredient profile with a balanced nutrient content
Cons
- Not appropriate for vegans
- More expensive than some low-quality mass gainers
Conclusion and Rating
It’s simple, effective, and produced at the highest possible quality.
Rating: 5/5
Transparent Labs Mass Gainer
The Transparent Labs Mass Gainer is our top pick because it does all the most important things a mass gainer should, without any unnecessary fluff. It’s from a great brand with a testing report you can read for yourself on their website.
Best Tasting: Naked Nutrition Naked Mass
Naked Mass is a minimalist mass gainer supplement that combines an effective protein (essential amino acids) and carb content with one of the best flavors on the market.
It has a clean and natural taste that relies on natural flavorings – especially in the chocolate flavor.
This is a great benefit for a product you’re going to drink so much of!
This weight gainer supplement has a huge carb content and provides a massive calorie load for skinny guys trying to get bigger and gain lean muscle mass. The best mass gainers list is incomplete without this supplement!
Who Is Naked Mass Gainer For?
Skinny guys who are struggling to gain weight and want to bulk up.
The calorie content is huge and can be taken in full or half servings. It’s super-rich in carbs for a massive serving that tastes great and helps you add anywhere from 650 to 1300 calories per half-serving or serving.
Who Is Naked Gainer NOT For?
This gainer might not be for you if you’re looking for a higher ratio of protein to carbs. It’s a lower protein product than many on the market and is all about carbs and extra calories.
The result is a great taste and tons of calories per serving with less protein than many on today’s list.
Pros
- High calorie for hardgainers who need to eat more
- One of the highest calorie mass gainers on the market per serving
- Tastes great compared to others
- Super simple ingredients with natural flavorings
- Carb rich for ridiculous extra energy – and an easy boost during the day or after a workout
Cons
- Protein content is not as high as others on the market
- Calories per serving are very high – which might not suit everyone’s diet
Conclusion and Rating
Naked Mass a bit niche and appeals to the hardgainer in particular, making it one of our specialist mass gainers for skinny people trying to gain weight quickly!
Rating: 4.25/5
NAKED Mass Gainer
Naked Mass is a great mass gainer if you’re ready to commit to a large serving and a good taste. It doesn’t offer anything complicated, but does help with weight gain very well.
Best Mixing: True-Mass 1200
BSN has a tendency to make well-mixing products that are digestible and easy to use. The True-Mass 1200 is one of the best weight gainer supplement, with a large calorie content per serving but a surprisingly mixable and digestible product in the final result.
There are tons of carbs and plenty of protein in a serving of True-Mass 1200.
As the name implies, you’ll get 1200 calories per serving which is less than Naked Mass but still more than most products on the market – even more than Mutant Mass.
Comparison: In between True Mass vs Pro Gainer, Pro Gainer is a better mass gainer due to low calories and more protein per serving, which can help with recovery and help build lean muscle.
Who is True-Mass 1200 for?
This is a product for those who want a smoother, creamier choice than the powdery texture of low-quality mass gainer supplements.
This product is built around a more moderated balance than the Naked Mass Gainer, but is still a heavy hitter.
Who is True-Mass 1200 NOT for?
This product is both based on whey protein – making it unsuitable for vegans – and has very high calorie content per serving.
This means it might not be for those looking for a modest calorie boost. Many skinny people will still want to use a half-serving to keep space in the diet for variety and more protein.
Pros
- Huge calorie content
- Good mixing with a creamy texture
- Better carb and protein ratio than Naked Mass
Cons
- Will still be thick and heavy – it’s still a mass gainer supplement!
- Not suitable for vegans
- May be best in half-servings for most people
Conclusion and Rating
BSN True Mass is a great choice for extra calories per serving and a smoother experience than most.
Rating: 4.5/5
BSN True Mass
The BSN True-Mass 1200 Mass Gainer is a good product for a solid, high-calorie choice. It mixes well and has a pleasant texture, with fewer calories than Naked Mass and a better protein and carb ratio for most people.
Best Digesting: Dymatize Super Mass Gainer
Dymatize Super Mass Gainer is another super-high calorie mass gainer with around 1300 calories per serving, as well as 52g of protein and 254g of carbs. This makes it a great choice for fast lean muscle gains, providing all the important choices.
It also digests well and includes added creatine monohydrate to support better overall muscle energetics. This is great when combined with the carb content to shuttle carbs to the muscles and improve your recovery after workouts.
Who Is Dymatize Super Mass Gainer For?
Dymatize’s mass gainer is one of the best mass gainers for those who want to combine protein, carbs, and creatine to gain mass.
It makes a great combination and the serving size is enormous, which can be useful if you want to gain weight quickly.
Comparison: In between Dymatize Super Mass Gainer vs Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass, Serious Mass is a better and more effective mass gainer as it is high in calories and cheaper than Super Mass Gainer. If you are looking to just gain weight, Serious Mass is a better option.
Who Is Dymatize Super Mass Gainer NOT For?
Dymatize isn’t going to be a good choice for vegans as a whey protein isolate based weight gainer. It will also be a poor choice if you’re looking for a small, light calorie mass gainer supplement.
The high calorie content per serving is a challenge for some people, and ¼ to ½ servings may be better.
Pros
- Great calorie content at nearly 1300 per serving
- Good protein and carb ratios
- Extra creatine monohydrate to support the uptake of carbs into muscles
- Digests well on a per-calorie basis
Cons
- High calorie content may not be the best for all users
- Not suitable for plant-based diets
Conclusion and Rating
We recommend taking half-servings – even if that means using two shakes a day – to get the best results.
Rating: 4.5/5
Dymatize Mass Gainer
The Dymatize mass gainer is a good choice for all-purpose weight gain with some smart synergies and a surprisingly digestible profile per calorie.
Best Vegan: Vegan Naked Mass
If you’re looking for a lean mass gainer that suits a plant-based healthy diet, the Naked Nutrition’s Naked Vegan alternative takes up all the best benefits of the normal version – without the animal products.
Vegan Naked Weight Gainer is a great alternative (and a great vegan mass gainer) that uses a blend of plant proteins and carbohydrates to get the same great taste and high calorie content.
It has a slightly lower calorie content (just under 1300, rather than just over) and the same 50g of protein per serving.
It’s still one of the best tasting products on the market and offers a great choice to gain mass for vegans. (making it a great vegan mass gainer)
Who Is Naked Nutrition Vegan Naked Mass Gainer For?
Vegans and plant-based dieters first and foremost. It also works well for anyone – especially those looking to reduce animal protein intake for any reason, or just looking to change up their protein source.
If you are looking for a vegan mass gainer, Naked Vegan Mass is your best bet!
Who Is Vegan Naked Mass Gainer NOT For?
This product is suitable for anyone, but the super-high calorie content may be off-putting. You can use half-servings to get a 600-ish calorie content, which is more suitable for more users.
Pros
- Plant-based mass gainer with the same protein and carb ratios
- Slightly higher protein content per calorie than normal naked mass
- Simple ingredient profile
- Suitable for vegans and omnivores alike with a strong nutrient profile
- Tastes excellent – just like the original Naked Mass Gainer
Cons
- More expensive mass gainer supplement than Naked Mass
- Still quite calorie-intensive and may suit half-servings better
Conclusion and Rating
This is one of the best mass gainers on the market with the added benefits of being free from animal derived products, making it a clear winner in the niche – and with great taste!
Rating: 4.75/5
NAKED Vegan Mass Gainer
The Vegan Naked Mass Gainer is a simple and effective choice that caters to Plant-based diets in a way very few supplements do.
Highest Carb: Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass
Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass is an excellent choice for super high carb content, competing directly with Naked Mass and Dymatize for the highest carb content.
It has one of the best carb choices on the market with a good starch to sugar ratio for better recovery and a fast-acting but sustainable energy release.
Serious Mass packs 252g of carbs per full serving, providing all the carbs you could ever need for better energy and body mass stimulus.
This makes Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass a great choice if you’re going high-carb to stimulate more weight gain and lean muscle building.
Who Is Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass Gainer For?
This is a perfect choice for skinny guys and hardgainers who need more calories per serving.
The huge carb content makes it a great choice for post-workout recovery drinks, with the medium protein content and large carb content.
Who Is Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass Gainer NOT For?
This isn’t the right choice if you’re looking for a super high protein mass gainer supplement or something more modest in the calorie department.
With a huge calorie and carb content, it’s got a very specialized role and is better for those who really want tons of carbs.
Pros
- High carb for energy and recovery
- Supports better muscle growth (lean muscle mass) well as a post-workout drink
Cons
- Can be too high calorie for some uses
- Protein content is good – but not as high as other mass gainers (especially per calorie)
Conclusion and Rating
Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass makes a perfect post-workout weight gainer shake to really accelerate recovery and growth.
It’s probably comparable to True-Mass and Naked Mass, and doesn’t stand out unless you’re looking for high calories and a brand that is well-known.
Rating: 4.25/5
ON Serious Mass
Serious Mass is a good product with a huge carb content and a standard 50g of protein. It is pretty well-rounded and offers a similar experience to some others.
Highest Protein: Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer
Optimum Nutrition’s Pro Gainer is a high-protein weight gainer with a huge 60g of protein per 650-calorie serving. This puts it around a 1:1.4 ratio of protein to carbs – among the best on the market for high protein mass gainer supplements, and a ridiculous per-calorie ratio.
It means you can use smaller servings than other mass gainers to get more protein for fewer calories per serving.
This makes it more versatile and suits more people, especially if you’re not looking to add 1000+ calories to your balanced diet.
Pro Gainer is one of the leanest mass gainer supplements on the market and the huge protein content promises all the same muscle-building benefits with a smoother, thinner, and more manageable weight gainer.
Who Is ON Pro Gainer For?
Anyone that wants a better quality of lean muscle mass gains without taking up 1000+ calories in their daily intake.
The 650 calorie content is a much more manageable choice while the extra protein ensures that you’re not compromising on results.
Who Is ON Pro Gainer NOT For?
Anyone who needs a huge boost of calories per serving should not be taking mass gainer supplements like these. This product has around half the calorie content per serving of many on today’s list.
Of course, you can just use 2 servings, if you really want to.
Pros
- Lean mass gainer with huge protein content for muscle repair and stimulating growth
- Good calorie-to-protein ratio for daytime use, but also works well as a post-workout recovery drink
- Low Fat Content for better muscle-building focus
- Easier to use, mix, and drink than higher-calorie mass gainers
- Offers more control over the experience and your diet with smaller servings
Cons
- Lower overall calorie content
- May end up being more expensive mass gainer supplement per calorie due to higher protein content (and lower calorie content/smaller servings)
Conclusion and Rating
It can be quite costly if you want to add huge amounts of calories, but is an excellent choice and one of the absolute best mass gainer supplements on the market.
Rating: 5/5
ON Pro Gainer
ON Pro Gainer is one of the best mass gainers on the market due to the sheer protein power it offers, helping support the best quality weight gain on our list.
Highest Calorie: MassTech Extreme2000
MassTech Extreme 2000 is the most high-calorie mass gainer supplement on today’s list with an absurd 2000-calorie serving using an enormous mega-shake. This makes it one of the best weight gainer for men looking to gain weight.
Containing the daily recommended intake for some people’s whole diet, Extreme2000 is a weight gainer with 80g protein and 480g of carbs for an absurd 1:6 protein-to-carb ratio and the highest carb content of anything on the market (but not per-calorie or per-scoop, of course).
The MassTech Extreme2000 mass gaining supplement is the ultimate commitment to gain mass with a ridiculous content on all the basics.
Who is MassTech Extreme2000 for?
MassTech Extreme2000 is for anyone who really needs to add calories. Personally, I think it’s a bit extreme and the ¼ to ½ servings were far more manageable. You also need a huge 16oz shaker cup to make it work, which could be a lot for most people.
I would recommend this if you’re working 12-hour shifts with no break and need to boost your calorie content by 2000 calories per serving!
Comparison: In between Muscletech Mass Tech vs Dymatize Super Mass Gainer, Mass tech is a better mass gainer as it helps build lean muscle and provides better macro-nutrient ratio than Dymatize super mass gainer.
Who is MassTech Extreme2000 NOT for?
This product isn’t for anyone looking for a clean bulk. It contains all the calories in the world while the protein content is relatively low, so it’s not the leanest weight gainer.
Of course, you don’t buy a 2000-calorie weight gainer if you’re looking for leaner choices or a small calorie surplus.
Pros
- Makes mass gain ridiculously easy
- Works really well when split into half or even quarter servings
- Some of the flavors are actually really good (chocolate fudge brownie especially)
- Super convenient saving money over time, despite upfront costs
- Ridiculous potential to gain muscle mass
Cons
- Upfront investment in a huge tub of weight gainer (what if you don’t like it?)
- Extreme calorie content doesn’t offer the best protein and carb ratio / content
- May be a little over the top for just about anyone’s diet
Conclusion and Rating
If you really need this much mass gainer, Extreme2000 is going to hit the spot.
I’d definitely not use this gainer again myself, but it is perfect for the niche of hyper mass gainer supplements!
Rating: 4/5
Muscletech Masstech
Masstech has more calories than we can imagine you’d ever need, but also offers some surprising flavor and a long-term saving when you’re using such huge tubs with ½ or even ¼ servings.
Best Mass Gainer For Women: Musclefeast Ultimate Weight Gainer
The Best Mass Gainer for Women is MuscleFeast – because it is a great mass gainer supplement in its own right, but also packs additional calcium supplementation at around 65% of your daily needs. This makes it a great choice for specializing towards women’s health.
Calcium is one of the most important nutrients for women’s health all-round, while the carb content and protein support quantity of weight gain.
This is a 600 calorie per serving weight gainer, too, which is more in-line with women’s calorie needs compared to men, as well as offering excellent protein content per calorie.
This leaves MuscleFeast Ultimate Weight Gainer in a strong position to provide some of the best quality muscle gain on the market.
The serving size is also just great for adding more control over your balanced diet without the absurd calorie content of something like Extreme2000.
Who Is MuscleFeast Ultimate Weight Gainer For?
MuscleFeast Ultimate Weight Gainer is great healthy weight gainer for anyone looking for a high-protein weight gainer with additional calcium.
It’s specifically useful for women, where that calcium content is even more important and useful.
Who Is MuscleFeast Ultimate Weight Gainer NOT For?
This isn’t a super high calorie mass gainer supplement so it may not be appropriate if you’re trying to add 1000+ calories to your diet with a gainer shake.
It also has a high ratio of protein to carbs, so it won’t have the same complete post-workout meal effect that you’d get from something like Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass.
Pros
- Added calcium content is perfect for women’s health
- Great protein and carb ratio for growth and overall health
- Lower calorie than many – but incredibly lean with great protein
- Good calorie content and mixes well
Cons
- Not as powerful as others for carb or protein content
- Not suitable for vegans
Conclusion and Rating
It can help with healthy muscle gain while also providing a huge dose of one of women’s most important nutrients, adding extra protection and support while you gain weight.
Rating: 4.5/5
Musclefeast Ultimate Weight Gainer
Adding extra calcium with your weight gainer is one of the best ways to get more from a mass gainer for women.
For those looking for my personal preference between Serious Mass and other weight gainer supplements, here’s a list:
ProteinSeries Mass Gainer vs Serious Mass – My Choice: ProteinSeries
Serious Mass vs Pro Gainer – My Choice: Pro Gainer
Russian Bear 5000 vs Serious Mass – My Choice: Serious Mass
Muscle Juice vs Serious Mass – My Choice: Serious Mass
Universal Gain Fast vs Serious Mass – My Choice: Serious Mass
Serious Mass vs Mass Tech – My Choice: Mass Tech
Combat XL mass gainer vs Serious Mass – My Choice: Serious Mass
Rivalus Clean Gainer vs Serious Mass – My Choice: Serious Mass
Rule 1 Mass Gainer vs Serious Mass – My Choice: Serious Mass
Mutant Mass Gainer vs Serious Mass – My Choice: Serious Mass
How Did We Review These Healthy Mass Gainer Supplements?
We’ve reviewed 100s of supplements – if not 1000s.
Our Mass Gainer supplement reviews are the result of a lot of personal testing. I’ve personally used these mass gainer supplements and – as a skinny guy – can speak to how useful they can be for hardgainers.
We’ve compared them with each other and come up with the best choices on the market. These are based on a simple judging criteria that you should also adopt:
1. Ingredients
The ingredients in a healthy mass gainer supplement are the main determining factor for how effective it is going to be. Ingredient choices in a weight gainer should obviously prioritize the carb and protein sources – after which, it’s about vitamins and minerals, and performance-enhancing additions.
The best combinations of ingredients that work better together – synergies – are even more important.
Creatine is the most obvious example, as a compound that helps carbs be more effective, while boosting muscle-growth potential overall (2).
2. Quality And Rep
The quality and reputation of a product and brand are major factors in getting the right choice.
Well-established and reputable brands like Transparent Labs, Optimum Nutrition, and others are a great place to look for great standards and effective manufacturing practices.
A good product always comes first, but a good brand provides peace of mind.
3. 3rd Party Testing And Certifications
3rd party testing and good manufacturing practice certification (cGMP) are great.
These ensure that a product contains what it says, that it’s not at risk of cross-contamination, and that it will provide a regulation-compliant supplement.
If you’re concerned about getting the best from your weight gain supplements and want to avoid unnecessary additions or unwanted contaminants, this is a huge bonus.
4. Price and Value
The price and value for money of a supplement are an important consideration.
They determine how much you’re paying for a given product, which is important both as a way of saving money for other things in life, but also for saving for other food, supplements, and other recovery aids.
Price is obvious – less cost is better. However, value represents what you get from the supplement for the price you’re paying.
Other Mass Gainers Lists:
Mass Gainer Buying Guide
Mass Gainers should be chosen on the basis of their nutrient content, total calories, and the extra ingredients they use to support health.
Primarily, they’re a source of carbs and protein, which make muscle-building easier (3).
When selecting a mass gainer supplement, there are a few things that you should aim at, and they’re how we’ve ranked the top choices on our reviews, so you know what to look for.
What Do Mass Gainer Supplements Do?
The goal of mass gainers is to top up your diet with the additional carbohydrates and protein you need to support lean muscle mass.
These are the 2 most important areas of the diet where lean muscle mass can be promoted.
The first is to establish a calorie surplus – eating more than your body is using in a typical day. This is an important way to gain weight, spurring on body mass maximally, as energy availability is used to improve the limit to the muscle mass you can gain in a given period of time (4).
Protein is an essential part of letting your body know that you have the energy and protein required to improve lean muscle mass (5).
When you have protein in the body from diet, it provides the building block for muscle – which is directly used to build muscles themselves.
How Mass Gainers Work?
Mass gainers work by providing a convenient and low-satiety option for increasing your calorie and protein intake through the day.
It works better if you’re adding it to an otherwise-good diet, and can add 400-1000 calories per shake.
This is enough to cause mass gain even when added to the most normal diet. This is around a small meal’s worth of calories in an easy-to-drink shake.
Mass gainer supplement makes it easier to just drink an additional shake per day and break muscle gain plateaus.
Recommended: Checkout the article on whether or not mass gainers make you constipated.
Is Mass Gainer Healthy For Weight Gain?
Mass gainers can be a healthy addition to your diet – if you use it properly. It shouldn’t be a crutch for poor dietary habits and bad food choices.
The main determining factor If you’re gaining healthy weight or not is what the rest of your diet looks like.
If you’re eating a healthy diet with good protein sources and plenty of whole plant foods, adding a mass gainer shake can be a healthy choice.
Remember that certain foods – like mass gaining supplement – are not healthy or unhealthy by themselves.
Recommended: Checkout this article if you are wondering whether it is safe to take mass gainer or not.
Mass Gainer For Building Muscle? (Function And Best Practice)
Mass gainers are primarily useful for building muscle on a muscle gain diet. It doesn’t suit a low-calorie diet as it will not be as filling as full meals, which is perfect for muscle gain.
The use of mass gainer supplements also represents these priorities. It is typically used throughout the day as a way to top up carbohydrate and protein intake, or as a post-workout shake due to the large energy and protein replenishment role.
These make it a perfect tool for muscle gain. It can be used for many purposes, but there’s no doubt that muscle gain – and high quality muscle mass – are the top uses for a weight gainer.
Recommended: Checkout whether or not mass gainer causes acne and how to control it.
Things To Consider Before Buying
There are a few things to consider when shopping for a mass gainer supplement:
These are the main things to keep in mind when you’re in the market for high-quality mass gainers.
These are some of the main categories we’ve used to rank today’s mass gainers, because they help define what a gainer does and how well it suits certain goals and timings.
1. Calorie Content
The calorie content of a gainer is an important place to start. It’s the main point of the product so you want to make sure it is effective in the thing you bought it for.
Low-calorie powders are not going to support your weight gain, and can leave you without enough extra calories and protein to gain muscle mass.
The calorie content is typically better when it’s higher – to a point. Anything that has more than 400 calories per 100 grams will have to increase fat content and lower the content of carbs and protein. The balance between these two pressures is what makes great a mass gainer.
Some products do this well, trading a little carbohydrate for fat to get extra calories by weight. Others simply get the pure protein-and-carb mixture, which has the best macronutrient profile for building muscle mass.
2. Protein Content
Higher protein content is always better. It’s the single main factor in the specific support of muscle gain. This is a major factor for the quality of weight gained, and not just gaining weight.
Higher whey protein powder content and the source for that protein are major factors in the development of muscle mass, as well as another factor in how a mass gainer fits your schedule. Whey digests faster than plant proteins, which digest faster than casein – for example (6).
Some people also do not prefer their mass gainers with artificial sweeteners. Even though there’s no significant study that says that it’s bad for your health, you may choose to look at whether or not the mass gainer you are choosing has artificial sweeteners.
3. Carb Content and Type
Carbohydrates make up the majority of the calorie content in any good mass gainer – and they’re also the main signaler for energy availability in the diet.
This makes a high-carb mass gainer supplement more effective at both of its main jobs: carb boosting and muscle support.
Carbs also come in a variety of formats, based on their complexity and structure. There are simpler carbs which absorb faster, like sugars, while slower-digesting complex carbs carbohydrates like starches are slower to digest and absorb.
4. Performance Enhancing Additions
Some popular mass gainer ingredients can improve recovery, performance, or growth potential. These are rare but offer another dimension on which a supplement can support your weight gain and body mass growth goals.
For example, creatine monohydrate is a great and popular addition to support energy levels and recovery (7). Alternatively, magnesium is a popular muscle chemistry regulator and mass gainer ingredient.
Look out for what a supplement contains other than carbs and protein powders.
5. Vitamin/Mineral Additions
The addition of vitamins and minerals can take up a small amount of space but offer excellent results. We’ve already mentioned magnesium, which is one of the best and most-effective ways to support better muscle chemistry, recovery, and growth.
As major co-factors in your most important health processes, vitamins and minerals are essential.
6. Mixability
The mixability of a gainer can be make-or-break for what is the best or worst choice.
The mutant mass gainer is an excellent shake in every area, but it mixes poorly and is too thick when mixed at the suggested servings. It goes to show just how important mixability can be.
This kind of texture problem can turn a shake into the consistency of oatmeal. Otherwise, poor mixability might mean a shake that leaves most of its nutrients clumped up at the bottom.
Or, even worse, it might be clumped up in the shake and incredibly unpleasant to drink.
7. Taste
If you’re going to be drinking a mass gainer daily, the taste is an important part of the overall experience.
This is another area that can easily be make or break, where particularly unpleasant tastes make a great weight gainer supplements impossible to use.
The experience of drinking weight gainer supplements is an important choice when they’re so thick. If you can look forward to it, or at least avoid putting it off, you can make weight gain much easier and more pleasant.
Recommended: Here’s a list of some of the best tasting mass gainers I’ve reviewed.
Protein And Carb Ratios: When Should You Use A Mass Gainer?
The time of day when you take a mass gainer changes what to look for – especially the contrast between standard daily use vs post-workout mass gainer shakes.
A higher carbohydrate content is better after workouts to replenish energy levels, and a higher protein content is always useful – but more healthy fats are great for during the day.
Recommended: Checkout the difference between a mass gainer and whey protein in this article.
Pros and Cons of Using Mass Gainer
Pros
- Easier weight gain
- Extra carbs for more energy – and easy extra calories
- Protein content supports growth of muscles, recovery, and workout performance
- Super convenient and can be used at any time of the day with minimal prep
- Smart design products from high-quality brands contain supplementary nutrients
- May contain performance-boosting additions like BCAAs and others
Cons
- Can be an expensive choice if you get super-premium products
- Some shakes are quite thick if you’re not diligent with the powder-to-water ratios
- Low-quality weight gainer supplements are high in sugar
- Some low-quality products contain too many heavy metals for healthy use
Non-Mass Gainer Weight Gain: What Is Most Important?
Weight Gainer supplements can only do so much for you, it still relies on a smart approach to training, recovery, and diet in other areas.
Using a gainer shouldn’t be a crutch, but the cherry on top of a high-calorie, high-protein diet and 8-10 hours of high-quality sleep per night.
Training and rest should be properly balanced for your workout intensity and training experience level. You should ensure proper rest between workouts, as this is when muscle grows and is able to repair itself.
Equally, your diet overall should be rich in protein and high in calories. It should provide all the fats you need for healthy function, as well as plenty of vitamins and minerals from wholefoods – especially vegetables, cultured dairy, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes, and other nutrient-rich sources.
Recommended: Checkout whether mass gainers expire or not, and whether to use expired mass gainer or not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion: Our Final Thoughts
The best mass gainer supplement on the market is Transparent Labs Mass Gainer. It’s simple and 3rd party certified which make it one of the best choices for an effective but no-frills gainer. It provides the best peace of mind and a great combination of protein and carbs – giving you a strong serving of calories.
What matters is figuring out what weight gainer supplements are for, and getting the right product to suit your needs. That’s why we’ve broken these reviews down – so you can get the best mass gainer supplements for your needs!
You Might Like:
- Is Mass Gainer Good For Bulking?
- Does Mass Gainer Make You Hungry?
- Will Mass Gainer Make You Fat?
- BodyTech Prime Mass High-Protein Weight Gainer Review
- Is Mass Gainer Good for Skinny Guys?
Rohan Arora is a Certified Personal Trainer and Sports Nutritionist and has been actively involved in sports and fitness for over 8 years. He now leads the team of fitness specialists and personal trainers who help people around the world with personalized workout and nutrition plans, along with providing the right information on sports supplements.
