Detailed research from an experienced bodybuilder: Which gainer is best?

Undoubtedly, most people who find it difficult to gain muscle mass have at least once heard about this product, but not everyone has a good idea of ​​what it is and “what it is eaten with.” The first thing that comes to mind for most when mentioning this remedy is weight gain, let’s consider: how true are these ideas? We will figure out which gainer is better, and where to buy it, and also talk about other important details, such as: composition, pharmacological actions, time of administration and much more.

1. Definition and functions.
2. A short course in history.
3. Who needs this supplement?
4. Which is better?
5. Selection criteria.
6. We do it ourselves at home.
7. How to use?
8. Is there any harm to health?
9. How to save wisely?
10. Conclusions.
11. Table of contents:

Definition and functions.

The name gainer comes from the English gain, which means growth; in fact, it is a type of sports nutrition consisting of protein and carbohydrates with the addition of many other elements: vitamins, minerals, amino acids, creatine and a certain amount of fat. The main goal of this drug is to quickly compensate for energy reserves and increase muscle mass. Independent studies were conducted regarding the compatibility of protein and carbohydrates, which revealed the effectiveness of their combination.

A short course in history.

The history of the production of gainers is quite long, so nowadays modern sports nutrition manufacturers manage to avoid the mistakes that happened in the past, namely:

1. the production of these supplements using cheap types of protein, which undoubtedly affected the quality of the product,
2. oversaturation with sugar and fat for an extremely simple and cheap increase in calories. A serving of a product with this composition could easily contain over three thousand calories!

Oddly enough, even now on the shelves of sports nutrition you can find such low-quality substances, but to the delight of bodybuilders there are also companies worthy of respect for the quality of protein they provide with high biological value, special carbohydrates and other high-quality substances.

Who needs this supplement?

Who should take gainers and why? People who want to increase muscle mass in an extremely short time, without suffering from problematic fat deposits and who are ectomorphs (thin build), can effectively use this sports supplement without any fear. It is primarily aimed at them.

For people who are overweight or endomorphs, they should not take a gainer, otherwise most of the carbohydrates that the supplement contains will be stored in subcutaneous fat, so it is better to take proteins in their pure form, and take mostly slow carbohydrates. This supplement is contraindicated for such persons.

Athletes.

An interesting fact: this supplement can be taken not only by adherents of strength sports, but also by those who engage in aerobic exercise:

1. swimmers,
2. boxers,
3. footballers,
4. cyclists,
5. runners,
6. hockey players
7. track and field athletes
8. etc.

Firstly, its use before planned loads makes it possible to maintain a high level of energy during training (games), and after it restores muscles. By adhering to a diet, representatives of such sports can easily “keep” their weight at the desired level.

Which is better?

Now, having understood what this product is, let's move on to the question: which gainer is better? Firstly, we need to understand by what criteria to evaluate it? - for us bodybuilders, this is, first of all, protein content, sugar, manufacturer and cost.

Many beginners attach importance to the serving size, but this parameter should not be used to compare gainers, because their sizes are very different and range from 30 to 200 grams, respectively, in a larger serving there will be more protein and carbohydrates, but, nevertheless, many are on this are bought. If you come to a sports nutrition store, or look at the products offered on the Internet, compare only by the percentage of substances per 100 gamma, many companies are cunning and indicate the composition in relation to one serving, but this is not scary because it is not difficult to recalculate, knowing the weight of one such portion.

Selection criteria.

Now let's go through the criteria. Remember: the more protein, the better, it should not be less than 20%, but it is better when there is 30%. With less protein, you run the risk of gaining weight from body fat rather than muscle.

Pay your attention primarily not to the bright, beautiful jar, but to:

1. the manufacturer itself,
2. how long is it on the food market,
3. and how they speak about it, you can hear different opinions on different forums.

^{Remember: products tested by time and consumers will bring fewer unpleasant surprises.}

We do it ourselves at home.

Regarding the cost, we note that the gainer is a little more expensive than the protein, and you will have to eat more of it. Do not take too expensive products, find the best option according to the formula: price-quality. If you don’t have a lot of money, you can try to create your own gainer right at home by purchasing protein and pure carbohydrates first. The advantage of this preparation is that you can choose the consistency as you wish, choose any available protein, etc., that is, make the “gainer for yourself” as much as possible. But if you are still a green beginner, then it is better not to experiment, entrust this matter to professionals represented by sports nutrition manufacturers.

How to use?

Having decided which product is best suited for your purposes, you need to understand how to take it correctly. It is believed that in bodybuilding, fitness, and powerlifting, the most suitable time to take a gainer is 5-10 minutes after training, because it is then, according to scientists, that the protein-carbohydrate window opens, which this sports supplement does an excellent job of filling:

1. it will restore the athlete’s strength,
2. muscle tissue,
3. stops catabolic processes,
4. will replenish wasted energy.

This dietary supplement can also be taken before training, because the body will receive a significant amount of carbohydrates, and this will allow you to train more intensely, protein will help suppress catabolism during exercise, but there is a possibility of an increase in fat, because fat loss will not occur.

Preparing a gainer is simple: the powder is diluted in milk (water, juice), after which it is completely ready for use. On average, a serving consists of 30 grams of protein and 70 grams of carbohydrates, the rest is vitamins and so on. You should not exceed the recommended doses, because the drug simply will not be fully absorbed.

This sports supplement is well compatible with creatine; some manufacturers deliberately add it to the composition. This is primarily due to the fact that protein and carbohydrates help creatine to be better absorbed. The substance goes well with vitamin-mineral and anabolic complexes.

Is there any harm to health?

Gainers are not dangerous and do not harm health, although individual intolerance to the components is possible. Let us immediately note that damage to the liver, heart, liver, impotence as a result of taking this supplement, which the Internet and yellow paper media are so full of, is nothing more than fiction, because the harm from them can be equated to the harm of meat or barley.

How to save wisely?

Finally, since a gainer is actually a “mix” of protein and carbohydrates, and its price is almost the same as protein, we believe that buying it is not economically feasible. It’s better to buy protein and replenish carbohydrate reserves from natural food, however, if you don’t have much time for these troubles, then you always have the opportunity to buy a ready-made dietary supplement. So decide for yourself:

1. Save money and spend your time.

Or

1. Save valuable time and pay more.

Conclusions.

Remember: only by searching well and trying different options, you can understand which drug is best suited for you, because only high-quality sports nutrition products will help you achieve the desired results in our sport.

Table of contents:

1. Start.
2. Definition.
3. Story.
4. Who needs it?
5. Athletes.
6. Which is better?
7. Selection criteria.
8. With my own hands.
9. How to use?
10. Is it harmful?
11. We save.