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Weight gainer supplements are designed to help you put on pounds by providing you with a higher calorie source.
Also called mass gainers, their caloric content can range anywhere from 250 calories all the way up to 1000 calories or more.
If you’re someone who struggles with gaining weight, this might seem like the ideal solution.
But is it?
As a certified fitness trainer, I teamed up with a few colleagues, tested over 30 mass gainers for over 4 months, and came up with a list of the best mass gainers.
In this review, we will go over some of the need-to-know facts about the best weight gainer supplements so that you can make an informed buying decision that's right for you.
Our Best Weight Gainer Supplements (September 2023)
1 - Transparent Labs Mass Gainer (Editor's Choice)
Transparent Labs Mass Gainer contains 750 calories, 53 grams of protein, 12 grams of fat, and 109 grams of carbs per serving, which makes it a reliable mass gainer supplement available on the market to help you build muscle mass and gain weight quickly and effectively.
You can use this mass gainer to make weight gainer protein shakes or even as a meal replacement for muscle building while still getting all the important nutrients you need.
Supplement Facts:
- (Chocolate Glaze Flavor)
- Total calories : 790
- Protein : 53 grams
- Fat : 14 grams
- Carbs : 114 grams
- Comes in sweet vanilla and cookies and cream flavors
- Easily mixed with water shakes, and smoothies
- No artificial sweeteners, coloring, or preservatives
- Made with 100% grass-fed whey protein concentrate
- The cookies and cream flavor is not gluten-free
We liked that the Mass Gainer ProteinSeries is made from 100% grass-fed whey protein concentrate and has no artificial sweeteners, colorings, or preservatives.
The cookies and cream option is not gluten-free though, but you can still try the sweet vanilla flavor.
Get 10% off using coupon code: TOTALSHAPE
2 - Crazy Nutrition Mass Gainer
Transparent Labs Mass Gainer contains 750 calories, 53 grams of protein, 12 grams of fat, and 109 grams of carbs per serving, which makes it a reliable mass gainer supplement available on the market to help you build muscle mass and gain weight quickly and effectively.
You can use this mass gainer to make weight gainer protein shakes or even as a meal replacement for muscle building while still getting all the important nutrients you need.
Supplement Facts:
- Vanilla/Chocolate flavor
- Total calories : 672/695 (Vanilla/Chocolate)
- Fat : 4.4 grams
- Carbs : 100 grams
- Has Vanilla and Chocolate flavors
- No sugar crash
- Rich amino acid profile for better muscle recovery
- Claims muscle gains within two weeks of exercising
- Only available through its official website
If Crazy Nutrition Mass Gainer fails to meet your expectations, they offer a 60-day 100% money-back guarantee. In my experience, however, it’s unnecessary.
3 - Optimum Nutrition: Pro Gainer
With a right balance of macronutrients, Pro Gainer makes a perfect supplement that can also be used at any time during the day.
We liked that it provides 5 grams of dietary fiber per serving, which will help give you maximum blood glucose control.
ON Pro Gainer also contains a nice blend of whey, casein, as well as egg protein, so this will be a good option for those who tend to struggle with having too much whey protein (lactose intolerant people) in their diet.
Supplement Facts:
- Total calories : 650
- Protein : 60 grams
- Fat : 8 grams
- Carbs : 85 grams
- Packed with 650 calories per serving to support weight gain
- Helps boost energy for high-explosive workouts
- Easily mixed with water, shakes, and smoothies
- The unflavored variant does not taste good
This mass gainer supplement also contains medium-chain triglycerides, which are a type of fat that serves as a good energy source in the body that can help with maintaining optimal body composition and preventing obesity, as noted by a study [1].
4 - Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass
Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass was created as a high-quality mass gainer protein powder for those who want to gain weight.
One serving of Serious Mass will give you 1,250 calories and 50 grams of protein per serving. We found that this muscle gain supplement helps provide the nutrients needed to gain weight without forcing yourself to overeat.
It also speeds up muscle recovery after intense exercise sessions to get you ready for the next gym day. Packed with 25 vitamins and minerals, Serious Mass helps keep you energized while adding gains.
Supplement Facts:
- Total calories : 1250
- Protein : 50 grams
- Fat : 4.5 grams
- Carbs : 252 grams
- Another high-quality weight gainer from ON
- Contains 1,250 calories per serving for better gains
- Speeds up muscle recovery after workouts
- Texture is not really good when mixed with water
You can take this supplement between meals, during post-workout, or before going to bed.
Pro tip: If you want to gain some serious size, mix this with whole milk.
5 - BSN True-Mass
BSN is well-known for its great-tasting protein powders with their meal replacement product Syntha-6 being a big hit for many. Now, you can get the mass gainer version of Syntha-6 with True-Mass.
This product contains 700 calories per 3-scoop serving and provides you with 17 grams of dietary fat, 90 grams of carbs - 15 of those from sugar and 6 grams from fiber, as well as 50 grams of protein.
This is a higher fat product, so it is a good option later on in the day. Use it at a time other than the post-workout period.
Supplement Facts:
- Total calories : 700
- Protein : 46 grams
- Fat : 18 grams
- Carbs : 87 grams
- Contains 700 calories per serving to support weight gain
- Provides 2:1 ratio of carbs and protein
- Tastes great in shakes and smoothies
- Not advisable to take during post-workout
It also contains 10 grams of naturally-occurring branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which our nutritionist suggest are effective in supporting anabolism and muscle recovery in the body.
6 - CytoSport Cyto Gainer
CytoSport is a well-known manufacturer of protein powders, and weight gainers. Their Cyto Gainer is a mass gainer supplement that contains a lower overall caloric content at just of only 550 calories per serving.
We like that you can double the serving size if you need more calories to build muscle.
Supplement Facts:
- Total calories : 550
- Protein : 54 grams
- Fat : 5 grams
- Carbs : 73 grams
- Recommended for those who want to take lighter supplements
- Promotes muscle recovery after high-energy workouts
- Tastes good with whole milk
- We find it hard to mix with other liquid
Aside from the presence of artificial flavors and sweeteners, it is also hard to mix with other liquids so you might have to double your shaking efforts to have a satisfying and smooth drink.
7 - Universal Nutrition Real Gains
Real Gains Weight Gainer makes no bones about the fact that it’s high in carbs.
It's based on the old-school bulk building that focuses on producing large, powerful muscles and leaves any arguments over which diet is better for another day.
The drawbacks of this mass gainer supplement include the addition of a few artificial ingredients, as well as sugar and salt (possibly for flavor enhancement), but based on our testing, it works.
Supplement Facts:
- Total calories : 600
- Protein : 52 grams
- Fat : 5 grams
- Carbs : 87 grams
- Contains healthy fats you need for muscle gain
- With regular workouts, you’ll see gains in bulk and strength
- Plenty of calcium to help build a stronger skeleton
- Fairly high in sodium and cholesterol
If the kind of physique that gets attention is what you’re after, Real Gains will provide it for you. Your job then is to get into the weight room, build muscle, and sculpt that muscles into the body you want.
8 - MuscleMeds Carnivor Mass
If you are really watching your sugar and carb count in your quest for lean muscle mass, you’ll want to consider Carnivor Mass by MuscleMeds.
We like that this mass gainer protein powder is not made from whey, but instead, from beef, so it is free of lactose and is overall, a pure product.
With 0 grams of sugar, it’s one that will keep insulin levels stable, preventing unwanted body mass gain.
Supplement Facts:
- Total calories : 710
- Protein : 50 grams
- Fat : 2 grams
- Carbs : 125 grams
- Made with 100% hydrolyzed beef protein isolate
- Helps build lean muscle mass
- Good for those with sensitive stomachs
- Not vegan-friendly
With only 2 grams of fat, it’s also one that’s a good choice following a workout session.
9 - MuscleTech Mass Tech
Mix a single serving of Mass Tech with a couple of cups of skim milk, and you'll get 1,000 calories and an astonishing 80 g of protein.
Mass Tech is loaded with 17 grams of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) per serving to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and shorten recovery times.
MuscleTech doesn't stop there, however. They go all-in on muscle growth by providing 10 grams of creatine monohydrate per serving as well.
Supplement Facts:
- Total calories : 830
- Protein : 63 grams
- Fat : 6 grams
- Carbs : 132 grams
- A generous 17 grams of BCAAs per serving
- One of the few mass gainer supplements and protein powders to include muscle building creatine monohydrate
- A well-balanced combination of slow and fast-digesting proteins
- 80 grams of protein per serving is among the best in class
- Like most protein powders, the taste is average
We noticed that with Mass Tech, you'll spend less time recovering from sore muscles and more time in the gym. And the creatine monohydrate content may help with muscle building too.
Reasons To Take A Weight Gainer
People take these calorie dense drinks because of two reasons:
- They struggle to hit their daily calorie requirement because of their busy lifestyle.
- They're an ectomorph or "hardgainer".
Weight gainer or mass gainer supplements are products designed to help you gain weight. Think supercharged protein powders, more or less [2].
Weight gain protein powders are helpful for increasing calories when you can't increase your calories from food alone.
- Susan Kleiner & Maggie Greenwood-Robinson (Human Kinetics)
What to Look for in a Weight Gainer?
Here are a few things to look for in a weight gainer:
- Calorie requirements - You can opt for mass gainer supplements that can supply more than 450 calories in one serving to maximize your gains and meet your daily calorie requirements.
- High-quality protein (whey or casein) - The best types of protein are casein and whey, for muscle development, since they contain all the essential amino acids needed by the body.
- Carbohydrates - carbohydrate is the body's primary source of energy during exercise and strenuous physical activity, so a good amount of carbs won't only fuel your performance, but will also ensure weight gain.
- Ingredients - Knowing how to read the food label protects you from consuming ingredients that are not good or healthy for the body. Understanding the macronutrients (and micronutrients) on your favorite supplement is essential when planning your diet.
- Serving size - An average of 1-3 scoops per serving should be ideal for giving you the right amount of calories, vitamins and minerals while still being easy to ingest.
Studies have shown that ingesting casein and whey (which most weight gainers have) results in net anabolism and muscle growth following exercise.
This will, however, depend on the calorie content of the drink and how fast your individual metabolism is.
What you should aim to do is match the weight gainer to your metabolic level. If you are a pure ectomorph and really struggling to increase your weight, you’ll want to look for a product that has 500+ calories per serving.
Additionally, if you support a very active lifestyle, burn a lot of energy but still gain fat, then a weight gainer in the 250-400 calorie range is more appropriate to support enhanced muscle endurance and growth.
See related post:
How Much Weight Gainer Should I Drink?
You should drink one serving of a weight gainer. Generally, that will be enough for most people, but it will still depend on the calorie content of the drink and how fast your individual metabolism is [3].
What you should aim to do is match the weight gainer to your metabolic level. If you are a pure ectomorph and really struggling to increase your weight, you’ll want to look for a product that has 500+ calories per serving.
If you are someone who lives a very active lifestyle and burns a lot of energy but gains fat if they aren’t careful, then a weight gainer in the 250-400 calorie range is more appropriate to support enhanced muscle endurance and growth.
FAQ
Who Should Drink Weight Gainers?
People who struggle to gain any weight, i.e., those who are naturally thin and have an ectomorph body type, should drink weight gainers.
Mass gainer supplements may also be used by athletes who are expending a very high amount of energy daily and need extra calorie support.
A good rule of thumb is that if your daily calorie needs are higher than 3000 per day, looking into a weight gainer is a smart move. Eating more than 3000 calories per day from whole food sources can be hard to stomach, which is where a mass gainer comes in handy.
When Should I Drink My Mass Gainer?
You should drink your mass gainer post-workout so your muscles can soak up all the nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids to aid in your recovery.
However, you can always drink it for breakfast, between meals (as a snack), and before going to bed. You can mix mass gainers with water in your shaker, or if you want to add more calories, you can add milk.
If the texture is too thick, you can use a blender to get a better consistency. See more information on How to use mass gainers in this related post.
Can I Use A Mass Gainer Before My Workout Session?
You can use a mass gainer before starting your workout session, but it may make you feel bloated and/or sluggish while at the gym. For more efficient results, try using it after your workout or at another point during the day.
Should I Take My Mass Gainer With Food?
You shouldn't take your mass gainer supplements with food. Weight gainer supplements are very calorie-dense, and taking them with food may cause even more bloating to occur.
Can I Take It On Days I Don't Train In The Gym?
You can take a mass gainer on days you don't train in the gym if it helps you reach your calorie intake needs. Remember that your calorie intake may not be as high on non-training days, so you need to adjust your intake accordingly.
You may decide to only take half the serving size on non-training days as an easy way to achieve better calorie control.
The Best Weight Gainer Is...
The best weight gainer protein powder not only helps with weight gain and muscle growth, but also contains the essential vitamins and minerals and skips the unhealthy ingredients to achieve a good overall health.
That's what you're likely going to get with the ProteinSeries Mass Gainer from Transparent Labs if you consider this product.
With this high protein content, this mass gainer will optimize your results, helping you gain muscle and weight.
Since it comes from 100% grass-fed whey protein concentrate, you would be assured that the calories you are consuming are of top quality.
Use it as a high protein shake or a meal replacement. Either way, you can’t go wrong with the ProteinSeries Mass Gainer for the results you want.
Our #1 Weight Gainer Supplement
Transparent Labs Mass Gainer
- Comes in sweet vanilla and cookies and cream flavors
- Easily mixed with water shakes, and smoothies
- No artificial sweeteners, coloring, or preservatives
- Made with 100% grass-fed whey protein concentrate
- Get 10% off using code: TOTALSHAPE
- The cookies and cream flavor is not gluten-free
About The Author
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Thanks for this awesome weight gain supplements review! I followed your recommendation by buying ON Pro Gainer and so far, I have gained a few pounds by drinking this mass gainer. I know I’m on the right track with this product. Cheers!
These tips are awesome, I was looking for something like that. Thanks
Thanks for sharing such a great information, it is really helpful. Keep up the work.
The Transparent labs mass gainer is legit! Super delicious and i’ve already put on 4 pounds of muscle.
Indeed, these are some of the best weight gainers on the market. Thanks for sharing them with us!