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MASS gainers, how and why to buy one.

An elaborate method for gainz?

Mass gainers have been around for decades, definitely one of the more popular supplements around especially in South Africa. The idea to get in a huge amount of calories in a powdered form seems to get many excited especially ectomorphs who battle to gain weight due to their faster metabolism. Let's not get confuse the message here, FOOD is KING - always will be but for the purpose of this article and to directly answer the questions needed we will solely focus on mass gainers as an addition to a solid meal plan and of course a training plan along with ample sleep.


What to look at? Price Of course price is the most important aspect here, firstly you need to workout how many servings you get from a tub or packet. Some state calorie totals with full milk, some use 1/2 servings to get the acclaimed servings you see in the front. Mass gainers are a good tool for getting in a ton of calories but always be careful when figuring out how much mass gainers are gonna set you back a month - food will always be king. So buy according to budget and needs - would it really be sensible to buy a $100 mass gainer that only has 10 servings? Hell NO.


Protein and carb sources These again are factors that determine what and what not to buy. Ensure the protein you are getting is from whey or milk protein. Mass gainers never tend to use the most expensive sources of protein (whey hydrolysate) but whey concentrate and milk protein always seem to make up the protein sources. Ensure you are not paying for inferior sources of protein such as soy protein - this is a cheap form of protein and there are too many options to land up with a soy mass gainer lol. Secondly we take a look at carb sources - mass gainers are usually a plain slow and fast release maltodextrin or plain dextrose. Mass gainers aren't too complicated but if one has a patent carb source ie Carb10 that's certainly a thumbs up but then again it's always hard to guess how much is and isn't being used. Depending on what sources of carbs most mass gainers are used post workout but slower releasing carb sources such as Fructose and oat flour or any sustained release carb is better used as a meal replacement or first thing in the morning as digestion & absorption is key to making the most of your post workout nutrition. Higher fat mass gainers are also not ideal post workout as they slow down digestion which is not wanted post workout as your aim is to spike your insulin and not blunt it.


Add ins These include items like creatine monohydrate, glycine, taurine, vitamins/minerals and glutamine. These are often seen in mass gainers, each has their place and function but always keep in mind how much you are using especially when it comes to creatine monohydrate and taurine - both are common commodities in many pre workouts and protein blends. Always keep creatine monohydrate at 5g, nothing more and taurine around 2/3g is more than sufficient. Added vitamins/minerals are a great way to ensure you get them in considering most don't consume what they should, so these added are certainly a great addition.


Digestion Is obviously one of the massive drawbacks when it comes to mass gainers especially those lactose intolerant. Digestive enzymes are mostly overlooked so again gauge mass gainers, always start with a half serving and build your way up. It could be a good idea to added in digestive enzymes when you consume your mass gainer bloatedness and gas are a harsh reality so just keep it in mind.


TASTE Now this is A very important mention because taste has become as important as effectiveness. Mass gainers should taste GREAT. considering its basically a ton of calories and in fact one can be having the equivalent calories on a delicious meal or even an item considered as a cheat even. So a mass gainer faces a big competition in essence, especially if you plan to use a mass gainer long term. I can speak for these that I have first hand experience with.


In water, and in my own experience Vmi major mass - lucky charms 9/10 Muscle tech mass tech chocolate 9/10 Titan live large chocolate monster 8.5/10 Nutritech hulk gainer marshmallow 8.5/10

Are there vegan options? Yes there are, locally ssn has raw gainer which is meal replacement in essence but vegan and uses low gi carb sources with zero whey and full dosed also have one out - both extremely similar and both do taste good. Being lactose free makes this a great option for those who are lactose intolerant.


So do I NEED a mass gainer? No... You don't NEED any supplement, period. But it makes life a shit ton easier. If you are a ectomorph "hard gainer", find it extremely hard to get in calories or eating/cooking meal improbable it's definitely a worthy edition that should help in more ways than one in getting you where you need to be calorie wise.

Recommendations

ProSupps : Incredibulk


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A quality international brand, super high in calories, big on taste and zero creatine.



Major mass


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Certainly the most pricey option (at max dose) but at normal dosage this is a great meal replacement and tastes incredible plus they utilize carb10 and healthy fats.


Titan Nutrition SA : Live large

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This new addition by @titannutritionsa is certainly a must have if you want a mass gainer big in quality, creatine, omega 3&6 and taste. I definitely recommend 100g of this to get at your daily 5g Creatine monohydrate dose. This is virtually lactose free so a great option for those sensitive to lactose.


MuscleTech : Mass tech

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This old boy definitely still does the trick if you are looking for a high quality mass gainer with an array of protein sources and creatine - again I recommend a half serving to hit that 5g Creatine monohydrate sweet spot.



NutriTech : Hulk gainer


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Definitely one of the most undervalued and underrated mass gainers out with 2 patented carbohydrate sources, zero creatine and added vitamins and minerals this is a great addition to bulk up your calories in don't recommend the strawberry or peanut butter flavor but the rest are very good, the lack of taste consistency is questionable.




NutriCon : Mass-Con



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A high quality, affordable mass gainer with added goodies such as zma (great for recovery and muscle function) taurine and a creatine matrix. Grab this now as its on a huge clearance special. 


Get this and many awesome specials at www.nutricon.co.za

 
 
 

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