Research-Based

Best Supplements For Weight Gain

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By Leslie Waterson

Reviewed by Juliana Tamayo, MS, RDN - Last Updated

best supplements for weight gain

Supplements for weight gain do not come in a large variety to choose from. This can actually be a good thing since there are fewer products you need to purchase. Weight gain is generally going to be desired as primarily deriving from muscle production. A “hard gainer” normally just wants to see any type of weight increase on the scale, but minimizing fat development should be considered.

Best Weight Gain Supplements

Below are the best weight gain supplements to consider for each type of product. You want to see both quality and affordability when choosing your supplements. They are to be used long-term since weight takes longer to put on for those with a high metabolism.

CrazyNutrition Mass Gainer

CrazyNutrition’s Mass Gainer is designed to help you gain weight using high-quality ingredients.

This product contains 488 calories per serving, which includes 40 grams of protein, 55 grams of clean carbohydrates, and 10 grams of healthy fat from MCT oil.

While 488 calories is on the lower end for mass gainers, CrazyNutrition’s supplement is focused on providing high-quality ingredients (vs. simply increasing your caloric intake with subpar ingredients).

This mass gainer also features ingredients to improve absorption, reduce blood sugar spikes, and minimize stomach issues.

crazynutrition mass gainer

Naked Mass

Naked Nutrition is known for its simple, filler-free formulas.

Naked Mass is a simple mass gainer designed to increase your caloric intake with clean ingredients.

Each serving contains 1,250 calories, from 50 grams of protein, 252 grams of carbohydrates, and 2.5 grams of fat.

At 1,250 calories per-serving, this mass gainer is ideal for people who want to considerably increase their caloric intake (of course, you can take less scoops if you want to lower the amount of calories per serving)

Naked Mass

Transparent Labs Mass Gainer

Transparent Labs’ Mass Gainer is a high-protein mass gainer that falls right in the middle of our other two recommendations.

Coming in at 790 calories per serving, this mass gainer contains 114 grams of carbohydrates, 53 grams of protein and 14 grams of fat.

This is the highest protein option on our list, making it ideal for people who want to build muscle (or simply increase their protein intake).

Mass Gainer by Transparent Labs

Different Types Of Weight Gain Supplements

As mentioned, many weight gain supplements available focus on muscle development. However, there is one type that focuses solely on weight called a mass gainer protein. This is a high-calorie weight gain product with all three macros -i.e., carbs, protein, and fats. Typically there are 800-1,400 calories per serving.

The other supplements you will want to consider purchasing are:

  • Whey Protein
  • Casein Protein
  • Creatine
  • Beta Alanine
  • BCAA/EAA

Although mass gainers are protein supplements, the amount of full servings you receive is 8-10 per bottle. This can be very expensive for long term use, which is why whey and casein proteins come in handy for their cost-effectiveness.

weight gain supplements

Whey Protein

Whey comes from cows’ milk and makes up 80% of the protein found within. Through a heated filtering process, you get the whey separated from the rest of the milk in powdered form. Whey is fast digesting and does not take long to absorb for use. There are many whey products available on the market, such as Spartan Whey and Ghost Whey Protein.

This type of protein can be classified as concentrate, isolate, or peptides. Usually, you will find a blend of all three, or concentrate with isolate. This makes the product have quality and still be affordable.

The difference is that concentrate is the first process of filtering whey, which leaves some dextrose and fats behind. Not necessarily bad to have the extra calories for weight gain. Isolate is whey purified further to be almost all calories from protein.

Peptides are added to protein products because they are longer whole amino strands, which are ready to absorb quickly after ingestion.

Casein Protein

Casein is another great protein supplement for weight gain, and should be added to your stack alongside whey. This protein is the other 20% found within milk that slowly digests and absorbs. The concept behind using casein is as a snack before bed to slowly release protein calories while your body is at rest.

Your metabolism is hard at work to recover and repair damaged muscles after training, and as a result, this leads to muscle gain. Casein supports this process by ensuring protein is present during muscle synthesis.

Clean Carbohydrates

One of the best ways to gain weight quickly is to ingest clean carbohydrates. Most products that are designed to help you gain weight will contain a high amount of carbohydrates to give you fuel and help you increase your caloric intake.

One of the main differences between a protein powder and a “mass gainer” is the inclusion of the additional carbohydrates. While protein shakes are generally low-calorie supplements that help build muscle, mass gainers contain high amounts of carbohydrates to increase overall caloric intake (whilst still providing high levels of protein).

Creatine

Creatine is one of the top researched ingredients known to be safe for most with proven effectiveness. This ingredient is naturally found within your muscle cells, and can be received through consuming red meats.

However, the amount of red meat needed to meet daily recommended amounts is nearly impossible to obtain. Creatine supplements make it easy for you to get the amount needed from one or two servings daily.

Creatine has been shown to increase strength, power, and muscular endurance. This results in lean muscle production to assist with weight gain through exercises. These products are affordable to find for long term use, and studies show you do not need to cycle off this unless you choose.

You would want 5-8 grams of creatine loaded daily for your muscles to store for the next training day.

Beta Alanine

Normally you find this amino is only a pre-workout supplement, but it’s actually effective if you consume it daily for at least 6-8 weeks with 4-6 grams consumed. You do not have to consume all this at once. People who consume over 2g in one serving experience skin tingles that cause itchiness for several minutes.

This is safe, and the tingles should not be any concern. Studies show beta alanine supports muscle power output and endurance, which makes your training more effective for weight gain through muscle development.

BCAA/EAA

BCAA stands for branched chain amino acids, and EAA is essential amino acids. BCAA are 3 of the 9 essential amino acids, so if you see a product with EAA present, they are stating you get all 9 together.

Protein supplements must contain all EAA to be considered a whole protein product, and this is the only way your body can use them for muscle repair and growth. EAA and BCAA have been shown to reduce muscle fatigue and soreness, which assists with preparing for the next training day also.

Who Needs Weight Gain Supplements?

Anybody seeking to gain muscle mass, or looking to add weight due to a high metabolism would want to consider these products. As mentioned, you should not desire fat as a source for your weight gain unless medically needed.

Excessive weight gain through fat and water can cause problems with your heart, blood pressure, and other various conditions. You will be able to gain weight through a healthy means when developing muscle mass.

The results are slower than what many would want, but weight fluctuates, and the scale cannot always be trusted that something is working. Developing muscle shows proof of progress and that the weight is going to stay.

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Leslie Waterson

Leslie has been passionately involved in the health and fitness industries for over a decade. She is constantly reviewing the latest scientific research and studies in order to take a research-backed approach to lifestyle optimization. Her main areas of interest include nutrition and supplementation. Leslie shares her findings on Fitness Clone to help other health enthusiasts choose the products and routines that will help them achieve their goals.