Modern sports cannot be imagined without the use of special additives that help to achieve the best result. Sports nutrition is used for gaining muscle mass, losing weight, effective recovery after training, and for many other purposes. One of the most popular supplements in this market is the weight gainer. What is a gainer for? This high carb supplement solves a lot of problems. However, few people know what a gainer is.

The composition of the gainer

Everyone knows that in order to gain muscle mass, it is important to consume proteins along with carbohydrates. A gainer is a protein-carbohydrate mixture, the composition of which provides for the content of a large amount of carbohydrates. The ratio of protein to carbs in a supplement can vary, but is usually around 50-75% carbs and 50-15% protein.

The composition of the gainer богат углеводами, которые с разной степенью и скоростью усваиваются, и имеют различный гликемический индекс. The supplement contains a mixture of proteins to provide muscle building material, which is so important after training. It serves for an effective set of muscle mass.

High-carb sports nutrition also contains a mixture of various vitamins, minerals and other supplements that activate protein production in tissues. Due to the fact that the composition of the supplement is as balanced as possible, the athlete receives the energy boost he needs. What does taking the drug give? It allows you to increase muscle mass without deposition of fat. Such sports nutrition really contains a minimum of fat.

It is important to purchase a product that has not expired, and also check the composition, because the mixture may contain a lot of sugar.

As for the content of proetin, it can be in the form of whey or multicomponent protein. Some manufacturers include creatine, glutamine and other substances in the supplements to improve the anabolic effect and for faster weight gain.

The gainer works great if taken 1-1.5 hours before training. In this case, sports nutrition with a high carbohydrate content will allow you to train more efficiently and for longer.

Gainer varies in cost. A package of powder made in the USA costs from 1,000 rubles per 1,000 grams, but if you take 5,000 grams, then it already costs 4,000 rubles. You can find an additive that costs 4000 rubles for 6000 gram. Thus, no matter how much the supplement costs, you should purchase a large volume, it is more profitable.

Before buying and taking a geiger, you should definitely check its expiration date. After all, only an unexpired drug works, the quality of which is at a fairly high level. If the expiration date has expired, then the beneficial properties are most likely lost. After opening the package, the drug should be used as soon as possible. To find out how long the product can be stored, you should look at the lid of the jar. Usually, the expiration date is indicated in the form of a stamp with a date. For example, the inscription “EXP 12/15” means that the gainer expired in December 2015.

The expiration date depends on the manufacturer, the composition of the product is also important. Sometimes the shelf life of a gainer can be only a couple of months, and sometimes several years.

Gainer functions

Why do you need a gainer? Completing the lack of protein and carbohydrates after training is the main condition for an effective set of muscle mass. Sports nutrition, taken immediately after training, will fill the “carbohydrate window” and protect the muscles from destruction.

Some people think that a regular diet will allow you to get the right amount of nutrients, but this is not so. The body will not be able to absorb this amount of food. In addition, proteins and carbohydrates are better absorbed when combined with water, so a protein-carb mixture prepared with milk, water or juice is the best source of energy after a workout.

The carbohydrate mixture is simply necessary for those who have a lack of body weight. It serves to gain mass in the shortest possible time.

To understand what a gainer is for, you should learn more about its functions:

It normalizes energy balance, reduces fatigue
It contains a large amount of complex carbohydrates, which increase the supply of amino acids in the body.
It improves muscle tone
It serves to increase the mass and is able to provide an increase of 3-7 kg per month.
It is indispensable for aerobic exercise, making it longer.
And how much gainer should you drink at one time? A measuring spoon is required for accurate dosing of the powder. It is known that one heaping scoop contains 167 grams of powder. Доза, которая содержит одна ложка, может быть мало, поэтому следует принять две ложки, то есть около 334 gram.

If the portion seems too much large, especially after adding liquid, then you can divide it into two doses.
Thus, one spoonful of powder is taken per dose. This ratio is ideal for muscle growth.

What are gainers?

To understand which gainer to choose, you should consider their differences. They differ in the quantitative content of carbohydrates and proteins. There are the following types of gainers:

High in carbohydrates. Their calorie content is usually higher. The ratio of proteins to carbohydrates they can be 1:4. Calorie content – in the region of 1000-1300 calories.
High in protein. The ratio of proteins to carbohydrates is 1:2 or 1:3. Contain slow carbohydrates with a low glycemic index. Due to the fact that they have little sugar, their calorie content is lower and does not exceed 1000 calories.
Which gainer to choose, the athlete decides.

The calorie content of different supplements is not the same. Therefore, when choosing an additive, you must adhere to the following rules:

A portion of a gainer taken after a workout should restore 2/3 of the energy spent
When calculating the calorie content of the mixture, the calorie content of the base, that is, the liquid with which the powder is diluted, should also be taken into account.
The calorie content of a serving of the supplement is not always equal to the calorie content of 100 grams of a gainer
Calorie content also varies because different supplements contain different amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, sugars and fats.
We have already answered the question of how many calories a gainer contains. Often, it is thanks to the calories that sports nutrition provides that the athlete sees an increase in muscle mass.