How many extra calories do you need? Make sure to talk with a registered dietitian or another healthcare professional to determine how many additional calories you need per day to reach your weight goals. The mass gainer’s nutrition content allows you to have your chocolate peanut butter shake and drink it, too. It’s one of the few mass gainers on this list with a long and varied list of vitamins and minerals, many of which are more than the daily required amounts. The protein-to-carb ratio is 1:5, which is great for those looking to fuel up or replenish their glycogen stores 9. * Underweight people who have a hard time catching up with their high metabolic rate are another will also benefit from using a mass gainer. You can either increase your food intake or decrease the amount of exercise you are doing (or a mix of the two) to achieve a calorie surplus. Mass gainers contribute a large number of calories on their own. However, it can be helpful to mix the powder with milk or blend it into a smoothie with ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, or nut butter for extra calories and nutrients.

The excess calories and macronutrients in mass gainers may cause issues for people with certain health issues, registered dietitian Laila Ouldibbat says, including those with organ dysfunction or gastrointestinal problems. What to Consider Before Buying a Mass Gainer Mass gainers are typically used by bodybuilders, powerlifters, or other competitive athletes who need to increase their weight or size. These athletes may do this to reach a certain weight class, or increase their frame for aesthetic reasons, and is typically used by people who are known as “hard gainers,” or those who struggle with putting on weight. Nutrivo, Rival Nutrition’s parent company, has decades of experience in the sports nutrition industry, so it’s no surprise that Rival Nutrition’s Clean Gainer is our go-to choice for competitive bodybuilders.“Its claim to fame is the ‘clean’ sources for a more ideal muscle mass,” registered dietitian Laila Ouldibbat says. In other words, this mass gainer is geared toward those looking to create a sizable, yet aesthetically pleasing physique.

How to Use Protein Powder to Gain Weight

Not everyone has the money to go for the most expensive products, but don’t race to get the cheapest product on the market. This will only mean worse taste and worse nutritional value.

This weight-gainer protein powder offers around 500 calories per serving. Comparing this product to other weight gainers on this list and you’ll notice that the calorie count is certainly on the lower side. Not everyone should be reaching for the mass gainer tub during their next supplement store trip. Here’s who should consider taking one, and who shouldn’t. If you’re still not sure whether a mass gainer is right for you, ask a physician or nutritionist. Who Should Take a Mass Gainer How is it sweetened? If having a natural product is important to you, you may want to opt for one that is sweetened with stevia or regular sugar rather than artificial sweeteners such as sucralose and acesulfame potassium. When added to a mass gainer, creatine can help users ensure the muscle mass they’re putting on is what’s known as “quality size,” meaning it’s not just extra fat. You get 5 grams of it in this mass gainer, which is at the higher end of the clinically-recommended dose. The formulation gets a 5 out of 5 from our team of certified nutrition coaches. If a high-carb diet is what your coach recommends, there’s no better choice than MuscleTech Mass Tech Extreme 2000.You can also use water to reduce the lactose content of your shake – especially important if you’re not familiar with high-dairy products or you have digestive problems with them. Does a mass gainer work for skinny guys?

Destini Moody, a registered dietitian nutritionist who specializes in sports dietetics, gave Crazy Nutrition extra points for using clean carbs such as oat flour.

Support your workout regime and get ripped with a supplement to help you pack on muscle mass

Alternatively, you can simply drink your weight gainer between meals or when you don’t have the appetite to eat real food. The versatility is one of the biggest selling points. Can skinny guys have a mass gainer for breakfast? Rival Nutrition Clean Gainer is an affordable mass-building supplement made from clean macronutrient sources with a lower calorie count than most weight gainers. The shake also contains a range of vitamins and minerals to provide some of what you’d get from eating a regular meal, but do note that the shake shouldn’t be used to replace all your meals. You’d start to get tired of it anyway, since it only comes in three flavours – the classic trio of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla.