Diet Guides, Nutrition Guide, Supplement Guides
Mass Gainer Vs. Weight Gainer
Feb
Keeping muscles healthy and optimizing their repair post-training is extremely important to maximize athletic performance. In addition, it is desirable to increase muscle mass for many sports, reduce body fat, and gain strength. Gainers are one of the popular supplements to build muscle among fitness lovers.
Every individual has different nutritional requirements depending upon several factors like age, height, gender and intensity of physical activity.
Body type also plays a substantial role in determining calorie needs. Body type is broadly categorized under three types based on body composition – ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph. People with mesomorph body types have athletic musculature and can gain or lose mass quickly, while endomorphs have a slow metabolism naturally. They can gain fat easily but struggle a lot to lose.
Gainers are specifically beneficial for people with ectomorph body types who are hard gainers because of their fast metabolism. Gaining weight and building muscle mass is quite challenging for them.
Gainers are of two types – mass gainer and weight gainer. Both work for different body types, yield different results and differ in their nutritional composition. Although they look relatively similar, there is a lot of difference.
Mass Gainer
A mass gainer protein supplement is rich in calories, proteins, carbs and fats. It also provides dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals and is typically used to gain muscle mass. Usually, mass gainers contain carbs and protein in the ratio of 3:1 and 2:1. They combine high-quality protein sources with complex carbs for muscle building and workout recovery.
Weight Gainer
Weight gainers are recommended for people that aim to increase their body weight through high-calorie consumption. The high amount of carbs and proteins present in weight gainer shakes help increase both muscle and fat. The number of calories per serve is high in weight gainers compared to mass gainers and usually ranges between 700-1300 kcal in a weight gainer.
Difference between Mass Gainer and Weight Gainer
| PARAMETER | MASS GAINER | WEIGHT GAINER |
| Purpose | To gain muscle mass. | To gain weight. |
| Suitable for | Prospective body- builders, gym-goers. | Hard-gainers. |
| Protein Quantity | High in protein to support lean muscle mass gain. | Protein is present in fewer amounts as compared to carbs. |
| Dietary Fibre | Good source of dietary fibre and support better digestion of nutrients. | Contain less or no dietary fibre as compared to mass gainers. |
| Calories | The calorie content is less as compared to a weight gainer. | Very high in calories usually between 700-1300 kcal per serve. |
| Exercise Recommen- dation | Heavy workout is crucial to build lean mass and minimize fat accumulation. | Light exercise is advisable as they are suitable for hard gainers. |
Which are the top gainers?
Let us review some of India’s best-selling mass gainers and weight gainers.
- Nutrabay Gold Mega Mass Gainer
- Labrada Mass Gainer
- ON Serious Mass Gainer
- Dymatize Super Mass Gainer
- GNC Weight Gainer
- MuscleBlaze Mass Gainer XXL
Nutrabay Gold Mega Mass Gainer
It is the best mass gainer in India formulated explicitly for bodybuilders and athletes who aspire to grow lean and strong muscle mass. Each serve provides 40 grams of proteins sourced from a high-quality protein blend of whey and casein. With its 3:1 carbohydrates to proteins ratio, and healthy Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) fats supplying quick-burning fuel, this mass gainer protein is perfect for enriching your muscles and helping reach your target weight.
Nutrition per serve (182 g)
Calories: 711 kcal
Carbs: 123 g
Proteins: 40 g
Fats: 6.2 g
This lean mass gainer is especially beneficial for increasing their muscle mass significantly. In addition to providing high calories, it provides 1 g of creatine monohydrate and 500 mg L-glutamine amino acid to support lean muscle growth, strength and better recovery.
Nutrition per serve (333 g)
Calories: 1244 kcal
Carbs: 250 g
Proteins: 52 g
Fats: 4 g
Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass High Protein Weight Gain powder is the ultimate weight-gain formula. Along with macronutrients in a balanced ratio, it provides 1 g creatine monohydrate, vitamins and minerals. The product contains three high-quality protein sources – whey, casein and egg white. It is Certified for Sport by NSF International and carries the Informed-Choice seal.
Nutrition per serve (334 g)
Calories: 1243 kcal
Carbs: 254 g
Proteins: 50 g
Fats: 3 g
It has a solid scientific backing and is crafted to give your body the right energy boost for those intense workout sessions. Its superior blend of nutrients is free from added sugar, but additional creatine presence promotes faster and healthier results in body weight.
Nutrition per serve (336 g)
Calories: 1280 kcal
Carbs: 242 g
Proteins: 52 g
Fats: 10 g
Go for this best weight gainer for skinny guys if you want to gain weight. With more than 700 calories per serve, it promotes a healthy weight gain, and the presence of digestive enzymes blend supports good breakdown and absorption of proteins and carbohydrates.
Nutrition per serve (485 g)
Calories: 1860 kcal
Carbs: 405 g
Proteins: 50 g
Fats: 4.5 g
This muscle gainer is ideal for improving muscle size and strength and optimizing glycogen levels. It derives protein from high-quality whey and casein and carbs from simple and complex sources to maintain energy levels throughout the day. The product is packed with essential vitamins and minerals and a digestive enzyme blend.
Nutrition per serve (75 g)
Calories: 283 kcal
Carbs: 15.75 g
Proteins: 52.5 g
Fats: 1.5 g