Weight Gainer vs. Mass Gainer
Nutrition in supplemental form is gaining popularity day by day. Many people take supplements to lose weight like meal replacements, while some take supplements to gain weight. One can choose the products depending on their requirements. Consumption of the right amount of calories is very important for all living organisms to maintain their regular activities. These calories come from a regular diet which consists of mainly carbohydrate, protein and fat. The nutritional requirement is different for every individual depending on their lifestyle, age, body type as well as a fitness goal.
Body type is one of the main key factors which determines the duration of body transformation. Body type is broadly categorised under endomorph, mesomorph and ectomorph. People falling under the endomorph category have the tendency to gain fat easily, while mesomorph do not face much difficulties in achieving an athletic body. Ectomorph people have a lean body type and a high metabolic rate. They have to strive harder to gain weight. If athletes with this body type want to add bulk to their body, they have to consume extra calories than usual. At times it becomes difficult to meet their calorie need only from a regular diet. Gainers are an excellent choice to meet such extra dietary needs.
Since athletes opt for a gainer to gain weight and build mass, therefore proper workout regime is equally important to gain proportionally. More weight training is usually recommended with less cardio.
The Indian market is flooded with multiple varieties of gaining supplements which further can be divided into 2 categories, weight gainer and mass gainer.
What is weight gainer?
It is an oral nutritional formula that supports weight gain. Being rich in carbs it provides extra calories which in turn results in weight gain along with fat gain. The general composition of a weight gainer is high in carbohydrate, particularly simple carbs, high to moderate in fat and low in protein along with some added vitamins and minerals. A serving of weight gainer usually provides 700 – 1000 kcal depending on the company. These supplements are suitable for severely lean people (ectomorphic) in their bulking phase.
What is mass gainer?
Mass gainer in form of oral supplements supports muscle gain in particular. Generally, they are high in protein, moderate in carbohydrate and low in fat. Being rich in protein these types of supplements provide muscle gain and they are suitable for ectomorphic to mesomorphic people in the bulking phase. Usually, 1 serving of mass gainer provides 450 – 1000 kcal depending on the company we are buying it. Sometimes special ingredients like taurine, choline or digestive enzymes are added to it along with vitamins and minerals.
Which one to choose?
Knowledge is the key to success. When it comes to supplementing context, in-depth proper knowledge is important otherwise it might directly harm our health.
People who have low weight gaining capacity need to take a weight gainer. ‘Hard gainer’ is the term used for the category of people who do not gain the required weight inspite of their healthy eating habits. This could be because of the high metabolic rate of the body or any other medical condition. This body type is also termed as ‘ectomorphic.’ It is recommended that these people can take up weight gainers as a part of their regular diet plan, so that they can fulfil the required calorie demand to help their body reach an optimum level before they can start working out for achieving the desired physique.
A mass gainer is generally used to gain muscle mass in the body. So any fitness enthusiast or bodybuilder who wants to build a muscular body with the help of exercise and supplements in a short span of time then mass gainer is the best choice.
Difference Between Weight Gainer And Mass Gainer
| Differentiation criteria | Weight Gainer | Mass Gainer |
| Purpose | The basic purpose of a weight gainer is to make the consumer gain weight | The basic purpose of a muscle gainer is to make the consumer gain muscle mass |
| Body Type | “Hard gainers” should primarily use it | Prospective body builders should take it |
| Usage | Used for refuelling body’s carbohydrate storage for a better performance | Used by people who want to spare lean muscle mass at the time of calorie restriction |
| Protein Quantity | The protein quantity is lesser in comparison to carbohydrates | The quantity of protein is high in a mass gainer. |
| Calories | Weight gainer gives you more calories | Mass gainer helps in gaining lean muscle mass |
| Fiber | The quantity of fibre that helps in active digestion of the body is low in a weight Gainer | Fibre content is high in mass gainer as it helps in digesting the fats and carbs, while focusing only on gaining power |
| Exercise regime | Since weight gainers are for hard gainers, they require to do some mild exercises | Mass gainer boosts your exercising abilities by providing the required power so that you can work out with heavy weights. |
Conclusion:
As we already discussed gainers are the supplements which are widely used in the fitness community. They are mostly a blend of macro and micronutrients sometimes incorporated with some special ingredients. To conclude we can say that both types of gainers have their individual nutrient profile and function. One should choose wisely depending upon their bodily needs and fitness goals. These gainers are a convenient and easy way to fill in the gap between dietary needs and a balanced diet. Hence, a proper workout and well-planned diet is a must with gainers.
