What is Mass Gainer?
What are Mass Gainers?
What are Mass Gainer made of?
How do Mass Gainers Work?
Why should you use a Mass Gainer?
What time of day should you take Mass Gainer?
Should you take Mass Gainer Everyday?
The Best Mass Gainer UK
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If you’re looking to increase your body’s muscle mass, then you may have heard of a dietary supplement called ‘mass gainer’. But, if you’re wondering what it is, what it can do for you, and the benefits associated with its use, then read this guide from the Kinetica Sports team now…
What are Mass Gainers?
So, what exactly is a mass gainer?
Put simply, a mass gainer is a type of dietary supplement that is designed to help the user gain ‘mass’.
Mass gainers - which can sometimes also be called weight gainers - are typically formulated from a mix of proteins, carbohydrates (and in some cases) fats.
Designed to provide a large amount of calories per volume, mass gainers are ideal for everyone from gym goers to weekend warriors to professional athletes who are looking to increase their overall muscle mass. You’ll sometimes see mass gainers marketed towards what are known as ‘hard gainers’ - these are people who struggle to develop musculature and mass.
Mass gainers are also favoured by some endurance athletes who require a large intake of calories either prior to an event or post-event.
Mass gainers typically take the form of a powder, which is then consumed by being mixed with milk or water to create an easily digestible shake. You’ll typically find that mass gainers are available in a range of flavours such as raspberry yoghurt, and chocolate caramel nut.
What are Mass Gainers Made of?
The exact composition of mass gainers varies, depending on the exact product you purchase.
However, in general, you can expect a mass gainer to contain:
- Protein
- Carbohydrates.
- Fats.
Below, we’ve had a closer look at each of these core ingredients within mass gainers.
What Type of Protein is used in Mass Gainers?
A good quality mass gainer will typically contain protein in the form of whey protein concentrate.
As we’ve previously written, whey protein concentrate (WPC) contains between 70 to 80% protein, with the remaining 20 to 30% consisting of fat and lactose.
Here at Kinetica Sports, our mass gainer contains whey protein concentrate which is co-dried with organic coconut oil.
What Type of Carbohydrates are used in Mass Gainers?
Arguably the most important part of a mass gainer is its carbohydrate content. It’s primarily the carbohydrates that contribute to mass gain. Carbohydrates are classed as macronutrients.
The types of carbohydrates found in mass gainers tend to be a mix of both simple and complex carbohydrates.
This is important as - although your body ultimately breaks simple and complex carbohydrates down into the same thing - glucose - they break down in different ways and contain amounts of nutrients. This can have an impact on your satiation and ultimately impact your gains.
Simple carbohydrates
What are simple carbohydrates? Without delving too deeply into the science, simple carbohydrates are sugars. These can include everything from refined sugars like table sugar through to naturally occurring sugars such as those found in fruits like apples.
In mass gainers, you’ll tend to find simple carbohydrates added in the form of maltodextrin.
Maltodextrin is what’s known as a polysaccharide. It is a white powder that is produced from vegetable starch derived from foodstuffs like corn, rice, and wheat.
The reason that maltodextrin is the ‘simple carbohydrate of choice’ for mass gainers is that it is easily absorbed as glucose into the body and is either flavourless, or mildly sweet.
Complex carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates are effectively a mix of fibres and starch, which themselves consist of sugar molecules that are strung together in long, complex chains (hence the name).
Because they are ‘complex’, complex carbohydrates are more difficult for your body to break down. This means they are absorbed more slowly and your body doesn’t experience the blood sugar spike that is associated with the consumption of simple carbohydrates like refined sugar
Of particular note regarding complex carbohydrates is that they contain multiple nutrients which contribute to the healthy development and repair of your muscles. It’s for that reason that mass gainers that contain complex carbohydrates (such as Kinetica’s mass gainer), contain nutrients and vitamins such as:
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine mononitrate).
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin).
- Vitamin B3 (nicotinamide).
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid).
- Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine).
Note - the above is not an exhaustive list! To see the full nutritional profile of Kinetica Sports’ products, see the ‘Nutrition’ section within our product descriptions.
Complex carbohydrates allow your body to feel fuller for longer, and will contribute towards the building of mass.
Here at Kinetica Sports, we use fine ground oats to provide the complex carbohydrates in our mass gainer products.
What Types of Fats are used in Mass Gainers?
The third core ingredient you’ll find in mass gainers is fat.
The type of fats that are most commonly used in mass gainers are medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) which are a type of lab-made fat that is derived from coconut and palm kernel oils. Some mass gainers also contain dairy fats, such as milk.
Whilst not all mass gainers contain fats, you’ll find that higher-quality mass gainers do. This is because fats are more energy dense than protein and carbs and can make a significant contribution to mass development.
If you want to buy the very best mass gainer, then ensure you buy one that contains all three of the above ingredients; protein, carbohydrates and fat.
Note - mass gainers will typically contain other ingredients such as added vitamin blends, flavourings, amino acids, and colourings.
The composition of mass gainers
Mass gainers don’t contain these three core ingredients in equal amounts.
In order to provide the volume of calories required, mass gainers will generally contain a majority of carbohydrates. The exact proportion varies from product to product, however it’s generally agreed that a good mass gainer will have carbohydrates present at a ratio of 2:1 compared to proteins.
To take Kinetica’s Oatgain mass gainer as an example, it contains 82 g of carbohydrates and 45g of protein; creating a ratio of 2:1.
How do Mass Gainers Work?
Mass gainers work on the basis of the second law of thermodynamics, that is, ‘any restriction in dietary energy intake results in energy sparing with a diminution in the basal metabolic rate and a concomitant loss in the lean body mass’.
To put this rather more simply, if you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight (e.g. body mass). Conversely, if you consume more calories than you burn, you will gain weight (e.g. mass).
Mass gainers, then, are a way to fuel your body with significant amounts of calories so that, even after a workout, you remain in a caloric surplus.
The success of mass gainer does of course rely on accurate calorie monitoring, assessing how many calories you are consuming throughout the day, and how many calories you burn during workouts.
Why Should You use a Mass Gainer?
If you’re looking to put on weight or generally increase your bulk and muscle mass, then there are a number of ways you can achieve a caloric surplus each day
However, we’d argue that mass gainer is the safest, and healthiest way of achieving this. Here’s why…
Quality macronutrients
Whilst it might be tempting to extend ‘treat day’ to ‘treat days’ and use junk food, sweets and confectionery to up your calorie count and bulk up, this is not recommended.
The concept of dirty bulking - eating fast and fried foods to gain mass - will in many cases result in your body gaining fat rather than mass. This fat is also likely to build up around your belly and chest, which can increase your risk of a range of health problems including type two diabetes, heart disease and fatty liver disease.
Fast and fried foods also don’t contain the vitamins and nutrients that you’ll get from a quality mass gainer product.
Here at Kinetica Sports, we’re acutely aware of this, which is why our Oatgain mass gainer contains a low level of sugar. You’ll find only 6.4g of sugar per each full 160g serving.
Measurable
Compared to other sources of calories, mass gainer powders allow you to gain bulk in a measured, controlled way
This is because mass gain powders - such as Kinetica Sports’ Oatgain high-calorie gainer - tell you exactly what you’ll get in each serving. This better allows you to track your calorie consumption throughout the day and achieve the exact caloric surplus you’re aiming for.
Here at Kinetica Sports, we don’t simply tell you how many calories you’ll get in each serving of our mass gainer (600+ kcal), but we break this down further, providing you with information on the amount of protein and carbs you get too.
As you can see, this is far more effective and reliable than attempting to count the calories from foodstuffs.
Convenience
The simple fact is that mass gainer is a far more convenient method of consuming calories than trying to eat multiple meals and snacks throughout the day.
By concentrating a significant volume of calories into an easy-to-drink shake, a mass gainer means you can quickly and easily achieve your caloric surplus.
So, if you like to load up on your calories pre-workout or post intense endurance event, then a mass gainer is definitely the way to go.
Quality and compliant
When you buy a premium mass gainer like Kinetica Sports’ Oatgain, then you can consume it safe in the knowledge that it contains high-quality ingredients, and most importantly, is Informed Sport Approved.
This means it doesn’t contain any substances from the WADA ‘Prohibited List’. For those of you who compete in sports at a semi-professional or professional level, you know how important this is.
What Time of Day Should you Take Mass Gainer?
One of the common questions that crops up in discussion of mass gainers is whether there’s an ‘optimum’ time of day to take it.
This is a question that doesn’t have a definitive answer and is very much subjective and down to personal preference.
Some people prefer to take mass gainer first thing in the morning. This gives them an instant boost in their calorie intake and will help fuel them throughout the day.
Other people prefer to take mass gainer post-workout, effectively ‘topping up’ the calories they’ve just burned from their workout.
There are also people who prefer to take their mass gainer before bed, so their bodies have time to absorb it during sleep.
Ultimately, what time of day you should consume mass gainer is up to you.
Should you take Mass Gainer Every Day?
Again, this is a question that has a very subjective answer.
If you’re aiming to build mass, and have days when you think you may fall into a calorie deficit (e.g. a day of very intense workouts), then you should take mass gainer.
As we said at the outset, mass gainer works best when you are accurately measuring and tracking calorie consumption and burn.
Shop The Best Mass Gainer UK
Kinetica Oatgain has been formulated to assist with high energy demands, mass gain and calorie replenishment after intense workouts.
Available in 2.4 kg and 4.8 kg sizes, and two delicious flavours - raspberry yoghurt and chocolate caramel nut - Oatgain is the mass gainer of choice trusted by athletes at the highest level including Sale Sharks flanker, Ben Curry.
Every batch of Kinetica Oatgain is tested to comply with WADA's exacting standards.
Fast facts on Kinetica Oatgain:
- Each serving provides 600+ kcal - perfect for replenishing calories.
- 46g of protein.
- 83g carbs.
- 13g of fat.
- 6.3g of sugar (per 160g serving).
- Includes a carbohydrate blend consisting of fine ground oats and maltodextrin.
- Vitamin blend adds important vitamins including nicotinamide, ascorbic acid, folic acid and more.
Kinetica Oatgain hasn’t simply been developed to have an excellent nutritional profile, but it’s easy to use too. Simply mix with water or milk to create a tasty shake.
Making gains has never been as easy - or delicious!
