A gainer is a dietary supplement that contains proteins and rapidly digestible carbohydrates and thus provides the necessary nutrition for people involved in active sports, which will allow skinny athletes to gain muscle mass.
The main benefits of gainers
Gainers not only provide the body with a balanced ratio of carbohydrates and protein but also allow unloading the digestive system, in addition:
- provide energy supply to the muscles;
- contribute to the growth of muscle mass;
- increase the efficiency of the training process;
- promote optimal recovery.
Gainer types by the composition
A gainer is a protein-carbohydrate concentrate, to which manufacturers can also add vitamins, trace elements, creatine, glutamine, which contribute to a greater anabolic effect. The ratio of proteins and carbohydrates can be either equal (50/50), or with a predominance towards carbohydrates (80 /twenty). Also, the sources of carbohydrates (simple and complex) can be different, which will determine the price of the gainer.
Features of taking a gainer
A weight gainer can be diluted with any liquid (water, juice, milk), except the hot water, due to the high probability of protein clotting.
The daily dose must be taken in several doses, it is mandatory to take it after training, which allows you to reduce the effect of catabolism.
The regimen is determined by the training regimen. On free days, you need to take the supplement twice: in the morning and the afternoon, but not before bedtime. On training days in the gym, the product is taken in the morning, half an hour before and after training.
A weight gainer is necessary for people with a lean physique. Due to their good metabolism, there is no increase in muscle fibers, and taking a gainer saturates the body with easily digestible carbohydrates and missing calories. However, the effect will not come without power loads, you also need to monitor a sufficient amount of protein food at the rate of 2-3 grams of pure protein per kilogram of weight.
The dosage is calculated for every 10 kg of weight, so men, with four single main meals, need from 14 to 16 grams of the mixture. For women, with a similar main food intake, up to 14 grams of the product is enough.
Taking a gainer for gaining muscle mass without sports activities can lead to the formation of significant layers of fat.
Overview of gainers and manufacturers
The modern sports supplement market offers gainers with a protein to carbohydrate ratio of 1/3, 1/2, 1/1. During intense training, if you need to quickly gain weight, then you need to use a mixture of 1/3.
They are distinguished by their effectiveness, pleasant taste, do not irritate the gastric mucosa and allow you to gain from 5 to 8 kg within a month, subject to the regime, correctly selected diet, and power loads.
How to take a gainer correctly
Gainers are an important part of sports nutrition, they have long been the entrance to bodybuilders, this nutritional supplement is firmly established in their diet.
When a gainer is needed
The use of a gainer, like any other sports nutrition, will be especially effective only if taken correctly:
Pre-workout consumption will help prepare the body for heavy loads. By taking a weight gainer 30 minutes before your workout, you will saturate your muscles with the protein and carbohydrates they need to endurance during intense workouts and help your body perform at its best. During the period of the so-called drying, you do not need to use the additive – the body will be nourished from adipose tissues.
At the end of the workout, the muscles are depleted and a mixture of carbohydrates and proteins is required to restore them. But before you take sports nutrition for gaining weight, you need to give the body a rest. The optimal interval for taking a gainer is half an hour after the end of the session.
The use of the supplement should not be interrupted even on rest days. Only it should not be a meal replacement – the gainer should be consumed between meals at least twice a day.
Dosage
In most cases, a single dose is from 100 to 150 g, but the exact amount is prescribed individually, depending on several factors:
- the number of calories in a particular product;
- body mass;
- meal frequency;
- the purpose of the reception is to restore the body or build up mass;
- intensity and number of sessions.
A person who is lightweight and needs a small dosage, but if normal food intake is rare, then the dosage should be increased to replenish calories.
In any case, it is best to consult a trainer before taking a supplement. Monitor how the body behaves – if you feel a lack of strength, and the result of muscle growth is not noticeable, then the dosage should be increased.
It is advisable to divide a single dosage into two doses – this will help the body to absorb the product more easily and reduce the load on the stomach.
What foods can you mix with
On sale, the gainer is in the form of a powder, from which, for ease of use, a cocktail is made. For preparation, you can use any drink you like. Here are the most suitable ones:
- Milk. It is most popular because it contains protein, which makes the shake richer and improves its performance. The effect produced directly depends on the fat content of the milk. If you need to increase the number of calories consumed, then you should use fat milk. It is best to consume milk with a low-fat content during drying.
- Water. Among the advantages of water, one can single out its availability and low-calorie content. The disadvantage of this liquid is that it does not contain any useful substances and cannot improve the effect of the cocktail.
To avoid protein folding, you cannot prepare a cocktail from a hot liquid, too cold makes it difficult to dissolve the powder. The cocktail is better to be prepared in a blender or shaker.
Combination with other food supplements
Knowing how to properly drink a gainer in combination with other types of sports nutrition, you can significantly increase the effectiveness of the cocktail:
- the combination with vitamins helps the body recover faster after exertion;
- a gainer with creatine significantly accelerates muscle growth, since creatine itself is a muscle growth stimulant, and carbohydrates significantly improve its absorption;
- combined use with amino acids promotes effective muscle growth;
- Gainer and Protein complement each other to help avoid protein and carbohydrate deficiencies that can occur when consumed separately.
- Do not get too carried away and eat horse doses, believing that muscles will grow faster. This will have the opposite effect – the belly will grow, not the muscles.
Ectomorph Gainer
The best sports nutrition for an ectomorph is a gainer. With a fast metabolism and often poor appetite, people with this body constitution usually have a low percentage of subcutaneous fat, accompanied by difficulty in gaining weight.
Without the use of sports nutrition, it is extremely difficult for ectomorphs to obtain the necessary calorie intake from regular food. Thus, an ectomorph gainer is a great addition to your main meals.
Of course, before buying sports nutrition, you need to establish a diet and provide a certain environment for muscle growth.
Carbohydrates are the main helpers in weight gain, however, sometimes muscles respond more to an increase in fat in the diet, so it makes sense to experimentally choose an individual diet.
What is useful for an ectomorph gainer
An increase in the calorie content of the diet can be the impetus for a set of ectomorph’s muscles. This task is easily handled by a gainer, which you can use before and/or after training, and of course, in the intervals of the main meals (if you are not inclined to be overweight).
Having drunk the gainer 30-60 minutes before the start of the training, you will instantly enrich your energy reserve for long training sessions and protect your muscle tissue from catabolism.
By using a gainer at the end of the training, you thereby ensure the filling of the formed window (protein-carbohydrate) and accelerate the process of muscle tissue recovery.
The best sports nutrition for an ectomorph, a gainer is also considered based on available research, in particular: the joint intake of proteins and carbohydrates has a good effect on their absorption, including on the growth of muscle mass.
What is the best gainer for an ectomorph?
If a gainer contains fast (simple) carbohydrates and, accordingly, a high glycemic index, then its strong point will be its fast absorption, which is important on training days. Such a product will cost less.
On rest days, opt for a more expensive, high-quality carb source. A complex carbohydrate gainer has a low glycemic index and can be consumed more frequently without the risk of gaining extra fat along with the muscles.
Such a gainer is less common than its “simple brother”. Its only drawback may be the price, but you will always have the opportunity to prepare a gainer at home.
When choosing sports nutrition for an ectomorph – a gainer in particular, also pay attention to protein sources. A protein-carbohydrate shake is often made with whey protein concentrate, which is poorly absorbed by people with lactose intolerance.
These basic recommendations will allow you to choose the right ectomorph gainer.
Take care of your health – take seriously the use of these drugs, be sure to consult your doctor. Since gainers may not be recommended for everyone. For example, people with diabetes need to show the composition to a specialist, and it will not be superfluous to pass analysis for the concentration of sugar in the blood. Diabetes is, first of all, a malfunction of the pancreas, in which carbohydrates cannot be absorbed completely, while gainers are 60-70% carbohydrates. Above normal blood glucose levels can lead to catastrophic consequences: loss of vision, epileptic seizures, and finally, diabetic coma.