If you’re a gym novice with a naturally lean body, you should try to put on some extra weight before you start pumping iron.
Some people do this by eating as much junk food as they can between workout sessions, but this often causes lethargy and mood swings.
More people are turning to weight gain supplements in order to put on mass and we’re going to be looking at some of those supplements in this article, examining each in detail to help you find the best mass gainer for your body.
Best Mass Gainer Comparison Chart
Best Mass Gainer Reviews
1. MUSCLE MILK Gainer
If you’re hoping to put on a little bit of muscle, but nothing Hulkster-esque, there’s no sense in going with a mass gainer intended for bodybuilders. Mid-tier lifters require a mid-tier mass gainer to ensure they accumulate the right amount of mass and not so much that it turns into fat before it can be converted into muscle. Enter MUSCLE MILK Gainer.
Muscle Milk Product Highlights
MUSCLE MILK Gainer is a great choice for those who don’t have the time to get to the gym every day.
It promises 32 grams of protein per serving, which is more than enough to keep you going through your workouts but won’t cause unhealthy weight gain should you go a couple of days without exercising.
This formula uses a gluten-free recipe and won’t leave you feeling sluggish just before a big workout. Similarly, it boasts slow-releasing energy, ensuring a steady stream of strength and speed throughout your gym session as opposed to giving you an uncontrolled burst of energy at the top of your workout and leaving you feeling burnt out within a couple of sets.
- Everyday Gains Muscle Milk Gainer Is a Specialized Product Designed for Hard Gainers: Those of Us That More Easily Lose Than Gain Size and Strength
- Key Features Muscle Milk Gainer Powder Contains 32 Grams of Protein, 3 Grams of Leucine From Milk Proteins, and 650 Calories in Every 4 Scoops (162g), the Recommended Usage for Individuals Looking to Build Size and Gain Muscle Mass
- Usage Muscle Milk Gainer Powder Can Be Used Pre Workout, Post Workout or as an Anytime Protein Rich Meal Option or Snack
- Great Tasting Shak Mix 4 scoops (162g) MUSCLE MILK Gainer Powder into 10 16 fluid ounces water for a Great Tasting Shak; You can also add it to pancakes, smoothies or other recipes to increase the protein content
- Work Out; Refuel; Rebuild; Advance; Consuming Both Fast and Slow Release Proteins, Like Those Found in Muscle Milk Gainer, Helps Keep Your Body in Positive Protein Balance
What’s to like about the MUSCLE MILK Gainer
MUSCLE MILK Gainer is one of the best weight gain supplements for fussy eaters as it’s available in a number of different flavors, including chocolate, so you’ll always be able to switch things up if you grow tired of its taste.
One serving of any flavor of MUSCLE MILK Gainer is akin to a full meal and will placate your hunger for hours, meaning you’ll never again have to sacrifice breakfast in order to get to the gym on time.
What’s not to like about the MUSCLE MILK Gainer
When mixed in a shaker as opposed to a blender, MUSCLE MILK Gainer tends to clump and clog the drinking spout. Some have complained about the taste of the various flavors in which the supplement is available, with the general consensus being that each flavor is “bearable” but nothing to write home – or post on Instagram – about.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| ✅ Multiple flavor options | ❌ Difficult to mix |
| ✅ Slow-releasing energy | ❌ Chalky taste |
| ✅ Satisfies hunger | ❌ Scoop comes buried beneath the powder |
2. Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer
Optimum Nutrition’s Pro Gainer formula is geared towards professional and aspiring athletes who need a little bit of help meeting weight and/or muscle requirements and will give you the results you’re looking for within just a couple of weeks of use.
Optimum Nutrition Product Highlights
Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer boasts superior protein content, as well as 24 additional vitamins and minerals. With a staggering 60 grams of protein per mass gainer scoop, it trumps almost all other mass gainer formulas in its price range and does so again when it comes to calorie content, offering a total of 650 calories per serving.
Pro Gainer features high biological value proteins, which are less trying on the digestive system and are more easily absorbed than those of lower-tier mass gainers.
- Vitamin C and Zinc Provides Immune Support along with Vitamin E
- 650 CALORIES - delivering calories that count to support your gains
- 60G PROTEIN BLEND - support your mass gaining goals with high-quality protein
- 85G CARBOHYDRATES - help restore energy levels
- 7g SUGAR (OR LESS)
What’s to like about the Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer
Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer is an easy-to-mix formula, almost entirely eradicating lumps, and bits in your shake regardless of how you choose to blend it.
This is one of the more convenient available mass gainers as it can be consumed just before or just after your workout – or even just before bed – without any impact on its results.
What’s not to like about the Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer
People who have experience using mass gainers understand that they don’t exactly taste like milkshakes, but even for a mass gainer Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer tastes bad.
The formula is often described as being bitter and has even been labeled as “stomach-churning” by some particularly unhappy customers.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| ✅ 58 grams of carbohydrates per serving | ❌ Not lactose-free |
| ✅ High in micronutrients | ❌ Bitter taste |
| ✅ 650 “size-supporting” calories | ❌ Fluctuating price |
3. BSN TRUE-MASS
Bio-Engineered Supplements and Nutrition, Inc. – usually mercifully shortened to BSN – is one of the industry’s premier manufacturers of weight gain formulas and similar supplements.
With each new release, BSN draws on the latest developments in nutritional science, which is why the brand’s innovative TRUE-MASS ultra-premium mass gainer has proven so popular among dedicated gym-goers the world over.
BSN Product Highlights
BSN’s TRUE-MASS formula boasts an oft-touted carbohydrates to protein ratio of 2-to-1, which means it will not only give you the extra weight you need to build muscle, but the level of energy needed to push you through your workout and beyond.
With 50 grams of protein in a single scoop, this is a great formula for aspiring professional athletes trying to tack on mass in a short space of time.
BSN advises using TRUE-MASS before you hit the gym in order to ensure you perform to your highest possible standard, but it can also be consumed in the evenings to streamline your recovery after a heavy workout session.
- 700 CALORIES PER SERVING – help add the quality mass to your frame that you’ve been looking for post-workout or even between meals
- 2:1 RATIO OF CARBS & PROTEIN – provide your body a quality mix of carbs and protein the support your mass gaining goals
- 46G-50G PROTEIN FROM ULTRA-PREMIUM PROTEIN SOURCES –whey protein concentrate, calcium caseinate, milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate, micellar casein, hydrolyzed whey protein, and egg whites
- MCT FATS – round out the nutritional value of each shake and complement the legendary great date from BSN
- 10G NATURALLY OCCURRING BCAAs PER SERVING – supports your recovery efforts from intense bouts of exercise
What’s to like about the BSN TRUE-MASS
BSN makes this formula available in a wide array of flavors, ranging from chocolate to strawberry, all of which are frequently praised for tasting better than similar flavors produced by other brands.
TRUE-MASS contains quite a bit more fiber than the average mass gainer, so it should be high on your list if you’re one of many people who suffer from constipation, gas, and similar digestive issues when using less expensive weight gain supplements.
What’s not to like about the BSN TRUE-MASS
As a weight gain formula, BSN TRUE-MASS is pretty solid (ironic verbiage considering how easy it is to mix), but BSN customers often complain about the inconvenient packaging of the powder.
While TRUE-MASS comes with a plastic scoop, it is almost always buried at the very bottom of the container, as if it were thrown in first and then the powder was poured in on top of it.
This makes retrieving the scoop more than a little frustrating and will likely cause you to spill some of the formula on your counter while fishing it out.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| ✅ 8 protein sources | ❌ Not the highest calorie and carb content |
| ✅ Contains Medium Chain Triglycerides | |
| ✅ Great flavor profile | |
| ✅ Low cost per serving |
4. Animal M-Stak
Despite being a family-owned company, Animal (in business since 1977) has risen through the ranks to become one of the top manufacturers of workout supplements in America and continues to fuel the gym sessions of bodybuilders and weekend warriors alike.
The brand’s M-Stak mass gainer serves to further cement its status as an industry leader and will put you on the fast track to the body you’ve been dreaming of all these years.
Animal M-Stak Product Highlights
Among the many things that make Animal M-Stak stand out from most of the other mass gainers in its price range is its all-natural formula. A non-hormonal supplement, it won’t cause mood swings, affect your sleeping schedule, or put your organs under pressure.
This formula is specifically geared towards “hard gainers” who struggle to accumulate mass, so you should definitely consider it if you’ve experimented with other mass gainers with no success.
- Animal M-Stak is designed for the bodybuilder or elite strength athlete that has trouble putting on weight. They are called “hard gainers” in the sport. If you eat your calories and can’t keep the weight on, Animal M-Stak was designed for you.
- Animal M-Stak uses 6 different complexes that helps your body make the most of the nutrients you are putting in it. Through nitrogen retention, food partitioning, and other methods, M-Stak is a non-hormonal gainer that helps you with lean gains.
- Take M-Stak for 21 days straight. On training days, take it 30-45 minutes before your workout, on off-days, take it between meals. Simple as that. You can pair M-Stak with our hormone booster Animal Stak, to maximize your gains, or take it alone to push your lean gains.
- Animal M-Stak is delivered in our infamous pack system. Simply grab one pack out of the container and you can throw it in your pocket or gym bag. Simple, all-in-one packs have made Animal supplements easy and convenient for over 30 years.
- Animal M-Stak is non-hormonal, so you can take M-Stak with a test booster, or on it’s own if you are worried about getting tested. Animal has bodybuilders and elite athletes covered from all angles, no matter your goal.
What’s to like about the Animal M-Stak
A lot of mainstream brand workout supplements manufacture their products in Asian countries, where they can produce in bulk and don’t have to worry about strict health and safety standards.
This means that many, if not most, weight gain supplements produced abroad fail to meet the expectations of the people who purchase them.
Animal M-Stak is produced in the United States of America and adheres to all standards and guidelines set by US governing bodies, so you can be certain you’re getting a quality formula that will stimulate your muscles and the American economy.
What’s not to like about the Animal M-Stak
A lot of Animal users have reported becoming too dependent on the M-Stak formula, so much so that after a couple of weeks of using this mass gainer they find it difficult to make it through a workout without it.
It should be noted that most of those customers were likely taking M-Stak with greater frequency than is advisable, but it is something to be mindful of nonetheless. Because this is designed with “hard gainers” in mind, you’ll have to be sure to work out every day or every second day when using this formula in order to avoid gaining excessive weight.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| ✅ Formulated for “hard gainers” | ❌ Requires strict cycling |
| ✅ Made in the USA | ❌ Money-back guarantee can be difficult to redeem |
| ✅ Anti-catabolic amino blend | ❌ Chalky taste |
5. Naked Mass
Naked Nutrition prides itself on its honesty and sells its products “without the marketing and gimmicks that many companies use today.”
The brand’s supplements are similarly devoid of gimmicks, this gainer included. Naked Nutrition Mass boasts an all-natural recipe and is totally free from artificial sweeteners, flavors, and colors, so if you’re conscious about what you put into your body – and you should be – this is the mass gainer for you.
Naked Mass Product Highlights
One of the major selling points of Naked Nutrition Mass is its simple recipe. This mass gainer is composed of just 3 ingredients: organic maltodextrin, grass-fed whey protein, and casein. The aforementioned maltodextrin is made from gluten-free tapioca, so you won’t have to worry about upsetting your stomach if you have an intolerance to gluten.
- ONLY THREE INGREDIENTS: Naked Whey, Naked Casein and Organic Maltodextrin (made from gluten free organic tapioca). Naked Mass contains no artificial sweeteners, flavors, or colors and is GMO Free, Growth Hormone Free, Soy Free and Gluten Free.
- MAXIMUM NUTRITION: 50g of Protein, 252g of Carbs, 1,250 Calories, 11.5g of BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) per serving and only 5g sugar.
- MULTI-PHASE CLEAN PROTEIN: Gain weight with grass-fed whey and casein that provides your body with healthy amino acids to keep protein synthesis up throughout the day. Transform yourself from a hard gainer to a pro gainer.
- PREMIUM COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES: Unlike other weight gainer supplements that use wheat-based maltodextrins, Naked Mass is a serious, true mass gainer and uses gluten free organic tapioca maltodextrin for clean source complex carbohydrates.
- BEST WEIGHT GAINER SHAKES AND RECIPES: Our unflavored super mass gainer protein powder is versatile for making smoothies and recipes. Boost calories and give your body optimum nutrition by adding Naked Mass to protein bars, cookies and more.
What’s to like about the Naked Mass
Despite its lack of additives, Naked Nutrition Mass promises 50 grams of protein per serving, so it can hold its own against some of the most potent mass gainers on the market and is suitable for professional athletes and casual gym-goers alike.
If you have a history of tiring of weight gain supplements, this formula should be high on your list as Naked Nutrition customers have 3 different flavors to choose from: an unflavored anchor option, a chocolate flavor, and a vanilla flavor.
What’s not to like about the Naked Mass
Although it is free of both soy and gluten, Naked Nutrition Mass contains a high amount of lactose owing to the aforementioned whey and casein, making this one of the worst mass gainers for lactose-intolerant gym-goers. Because of the lack of artificial flavors used in the manufacturing of this mass gainer, the flavored formulas are pretty weak and difficult for the average set of taste buds to detect.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| ✅ 50 grams of protein per serving | ❌ High in lactose |
| ✅ Unflavored option | ❌ Difficult to mix |
| ✅ No soy or gluten | ❌ Unpleasant taste |
Best Mass Gainer BUYER’S GUIDE
Be sure to read the ingredients list of each mass gainer before adding it to your cart. Some brands include gluten and soy in their recipes, which could cause diarrhea if you have an intolerance to either, leading to you losing more weight than you gain.
The calorie content of each potential purchase should also play a role in your final decision, particularly if you struggle to put on weight even when using weight gain supplements.
If you struggle to get through a whole mass gainer shake, try to go with a brand that produces multiple flavors of their formulas as a chocolate or strawberry mix will be easier to keep down than a chalky unflavored alternative.
Although it shouldn’t be the deciding factor in which mass gainer you purchase, it is only natural that price is going to influence your final choice.
Gainers designed for casual gym-goers can be purchased for less than $50, but hard gainers and professional athletes will have to resign themselves to more expensive formulas.
Finally, be sure to buy your mass gainer from a reputable brand. Each product featured in this article comes from a brand with a history of excellence, so you can be certain you’re getting a quality supplement regardless of which one you choose.
Dedicated gym goers should look to brands like Animal and BSN, while purists will likely gravitate more towards a brand like Naked Nutrition.
Protein
The protein content of a mass gainer is more often than not displayed prominently on the packaging. Formulas geared towards casual gym-goers tend to offer 30 to 40 grams of protein per scoop while those intended for hard gainers often offer 40 to 50. Mass gainers marketed towards bodybuilders and similar athletes usually exceed 60 grams of protein per serving.
Taste
A mass gainer could have the perfect combination of vitamins and nutrients, but it means next to nothing if you can’t handle more than a couple of sips at a time. The taste of a mass gainer is as important as any of its other features, which is why you should search for a mass gainer that has multiple flavor options.
As we mentioned a little earlier on, you’re probably never going to find a mass gainer that can be described as “delicious,” but there are a number of formulas out there that taste slightly less chalky than those of the competition.
Chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla are among the most popular mass gainer flavors, but if you have a particularly strong sweet tooth, you’ll enjoy the cookies ‘n cream flavor offered by some of the more indulgent brands.
Best Mass Gainer F.A.Q.
I’m a man; how do I gain weight fast?
Men often have a harder time gaining weight than women, particularly when they have to do so in a short space of time. Thankfully, it is entirely possible for a man to accumulate mass fast, you simply need to alter your diet and workout routine while supplementing both with the right mass gainer. Once you have settled on a mass gainer, plan your diet so that you are consuming more protein, preferably in smaller meals as they are easier to eat and digest. Eliminate all heavy treadmill work from your exercise routine for the time being as weight gain relies on you consuming more calories than you are burning. It is important to remember, however, that you can’t simply stop exercising altogether while cultivating mass as this will lead to you gaining fat rather than muscle.
How long does it take to build muscle?
The speed at which muscle develops varies from person to person and will ultimately come down to the type of body you have, regardless of what mass gainer you choose. That being said, muscle growth generally begins 2 to 4 hours after a workout, so the more you hit the gym, the quicker your muscles will develop. Broadly speaking, you can expect to see significant changes to your body within 8 weeks of regular workouts.
Does protein make you fat?
This isn’t quite the yes or no answer you may have been led to believe it is. Protein is a key feature in all mass gainers as it promotes speedy muscle growth and weight gain. High-protein diets are often recommended to people who are trying to lose weight as the increased levels of protein in their body will give them the energy they need to make it through their workouts without collapsing.
However, if protein is consumed regularly but your workout routine is inadequate or non-existent, you can expect to start piling on the wrong kind of pounds within a couple of weeks.
How much muscle can you gain in a week?
Again, the answer to this question will vary from person to person and is determined by the kind of body you have been blessed – or cursed – with. If we treat our answer as a matter of averages, however, we can tell you that the average man can expect to gain between 0.25 to 0.5 pounds of muscle per week, while the average woman can expect to gain 0.12 to 0.25.
These averages do not account for the use of weight gain supplements, so those using mass gainers may find themselves exceeding them ever so slightly.
How can I gain weight with a fast metabolism?
A fast metabolism is great in the sense that you can eat whatever you want without having to worry about getting fat, but it is a curse for athletes who can’t meet weight requirements no matter how hard they try. If you have a fast metabolism and struggle to put on weight, we recommend going with a mass gainer specifically designed for hard gainers. While you don’t have to completely overhaul your diet, making slight changes to the food and drink you consume can push you to the weight you desire. Try drinking more milk and less water. Add an extra tablespoon or two of olive oil to your pasta. Add a slice of cheese to your ham sandwich. These are minute alterations, but they can have a major impact on your body and performance.
Best Mass Gainer – FINAL VERDICT
While we can’t point to one of these mass gainers and say that it will absolutely give you the body you want, we highly recommend the BSN TRUE-MASS formula.
This mass gainer promises 50 grams of protein per serving, making it a great choice for casual gym goers and professional athletes alike.
With multiple flavors available and a carbohydrates to muscle ratio of 2 to 1, this formula will give you both the energy and the taste you’ve been looking for.
If you don’t want to put the additives used in the manufacturing of BSN TRUE-MASS into your body, you’ll prefer Naked Nutrition Mass, which is an all-natural weight gainer.
To get this mass gainer, however, you’ll have to stretch your budget to close to $100 and resign yourself to the product’s frequently reported unpleasant taste.