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Hello and welcome to 3 Scoops of Broscience #6, the information based on 30 years of expertise, and a little (a lot) of scientific studies.
Today, we're talking about gainers, the ultimate bulking product.
Tell me its story
Let's get ready for abundant marketing!
At the beginning of the 20th century, there were magic pills to gain fat! They were just full of sugar... They are a bit like the ancestor of gainers.
Subsequently, advertisements in magazines promised you to gain 500g per day. Muscle, I suppose... It was poor quality protein, in small quantities + lots of sugar. Good old Weider!
The explosion of gainers also coincided with the evolution of diets. At the time, keto diets were in fashion. Very low in carbs and rich in fats.
During the 70s, there was massive inflation in the USA. So, inexpensive food sources were needed. Agricultural policy subsidized carbohydrate production, especially corn (and thus ultra-processed and sugar-rich foods). Industry, in turn, subsidized studies to show that fat was harmful! It then became public enemy number 1.
And so it was the time of diets rich in sugars, and very low in fats. The result was an explosion of obesity in the 80s.
And it was also the race for calories from gainers! Some reached up to 10,000 kcal. You'd finish the pot, you'd become a strongman instantly.
In the 90s, maltodextrin, a fast and easily digestible sugar, became the bodybuilder's best friend.
Since then, we have found better quality gainers on the market, notably with quality proteins and carbohydrates and interesting ratios.
But what exactly is it?
Easy calories thanks to a mix of carbohydrates and proteins.
As a reminder, carbohydrates are fuel that gives you energy. Proteins, are what nourishes your muscles.
Gainers can be made at home. For example, I put a banana, peanut butter, rolled oats, whey, and hazelnut milk in a blender, and that makes a good gainer.
Or, they can be pre-made.
Gainers as a food supplement
Let's be honest, it's pretty convenient. It's a bit like a whey shaker; it saves you from taking out your hard-boiled eggs at 4 PM. Here, among other things, it saves preparation time.
But obviously, everyone does what they prefer.
The advantage of making it yourself is that you control what's in it. The quality of ingredients, the protein-carbohydrate ratio, the type of carbohydrates and proteins, etc.
But hey, in powder form, it's a bit simpler to control your calories.
There are hard gainers, with a lot of carbohydrates and less protein. And lean gainers, with more protein than carbohydrates. Both are suitable for different body types. I'll explain below how to choose the one that's right for you.
What does it do?
Specifically, what does it do?
As its name suggests, it creates MASS! Gainer, you gain.
To gain weight, it's ideal. To gain muscle, it's even better.
In general, it's thanks to gainers that people who have trouble gaining weight succeed. Be careful not to gain too quickly! We don't want a dirty bulk here.
🤔 Which ones to take?
The carbohydrate-protein ratio is important for choosing a good gainer. For that, there are two types of people:
"I eat all the time, but I don't gain a pound"
In this case, you should choose a gainer with a high carbohydrate ratio compared to protein: hard gainer
For protein, you should favor whey, which, with its rapid assimilation, allows for more frequent meals.
For carbohydrates, you need fast sugars! Very fast! Like maltodextrin and/or dextrose, which are rapidly assimilated and easily digested. With the combination of whey, you get an insulin boost that will help you gain muscle.
The advantage of hard gainers is that they contain no fiber. They therefore do not weigh down the stomach and allow for multiple shakes. With this rapid digestion, they can be taken before and after training without overloading the digestive system.
"As soon as I make a tiny mistake, I gain fat" (me)
In this case, you should prioritize gainers with more protein than carbohydrates: lean gainer
For protein, this time we opt for casein, which is more filling, and thus allows for longer intervals between meals.
For carbohydrates, you should prioritize fibrous cereals like oats.
Those who eat until full and only gain muscle, I'm not talking to you...
Be careful of gainers that contain only sugar. You will gain mass, of course, but not the kind we want.
💧 How do you take it?
It depends on the gainer's ingredients. But it can be beneficial to add creatine to maximize mass gain.
It can also be beneficial to add BCAAs if you want a less caloric gainer (instead of protein). However, I don't guarantee the taste...
Otherwise, like a good whey, with water, in a shaker.
⌛ When do you take it?
Again, it all depends on your goals. The more mass you want to gain, the more frequently you'll need to take it. It also depends on your meals and your digestive capacity. But before, during, after a workout is feasible. As a snack or at breakfast too, anything is possible.
And in the evening, favor those low in carbohydrates and containing slow-digesting proteins like casein.
🎯 Can I take it?
Yes, you just need to choose the right one.
