Supplements
Additional active ingredients that make up the gainer in addition to proteins and carbohydrates.
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Creatine. A substance from the class of carboxylic acids, which is part of human muscle tissue and plays an important role in muscle function and energy metabolism. Creatine takes part in the synthesis of ATP — the main source of energy for muscles; a sufficient amount of creatine provides a good level of "explosive" muscle strength, increases endurance, reduces fatigue and promotes muscle building. This substance is also synthesized in the human body from amino acids. However, during intense physical exertion, this is not enough, and athletes require an additional intake of creatine. Creatine is also available as a separate dietary supplement, but some athletes find it more convenient to take this component along with a gainer.
— Amino acids. Organic compounds that play the role of "bricks" for building protein molecules. They play an important role in protein metabolism and muscle building. The human body requires 20 different amino acids, of which 11 are non-essential, that is, they can be produced in the body from other nutrients. The remaining 9 are irreplaceable: they do not arise in the body by themselves and must constantly be supplied to it with food. Essential amino acids are usually included in the composition of gainers, their specific list and dosage will not hurt to clarify separately.
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...="/list/1134/pr-26041/">BCAAs. A complex of three essential amino acids (see above) with the so-called Branched-Chain Amino Acid — leucine, isoleucine and valine. It is these amino acids that are considered the most important for athletes: they make up more than 40% of all essential amino acids in muscle tissue. In addition, BCAAs not only ensure the proper level of protein and insulin metabolism but also accelerate the formation of other amino acids and the processing of metabolic products such as lactic acid. Such supplements are recommended to be taken before training (half an hour) and immediately after, which is consistent with the recommendations for taking gainers and allows you to combine the components.
— Vitamin and mineral complex. A complex of vitamins, minerals and micronutrients necessary for the normal functioning of the body. The specific composition of such a complex and the dosage of individual components may be different, but it's ok to clarify these points separately to most effectively combine the gainer with other sources of vitamins and minerals. However, this feature, most likely, will not be superfluous.
Carbohydrates
The amount of carbohydrates per one standard serving of a gainer (see "Dosage").
Carbohydrates are the "universal fuel" for the body, they provide most of the calories received when taking a gainer. The gainer is most often used primarily as a source of carbohydrates (to the point that pure carbohydrate products are produced that do not contain proteins and fats). Accordingly, this parameter is key for any gainer.
Protein
The amount of protein per one standard serving of a gainer (see "Dosage").
Proteins are indispensable for muscle growth — in fact, muscle tissue is formed from them. In addition, the use of certain proteins helps reduce appetite and prevents overeating. The supply of proteins, although important, is not the main task of the gainer (more precisely, it is not as important as the supply of carbohydrates). In addition, many “pure protein” supplements are available as sports nutrition, and even when taking a protein-carbohydrate gainer (see “Type”), additional protein nutrition may be required.
Fats
The amount of fat per standard serving of a gainer (see "Dosage").
Fats are one of the main components of human nutrition, but they are not needed to gain muscle mass (more precisely, they do not play a key role in this process). Accordingly, in gainers, fats are present more as a by-product of production than as the main component. However, fat data is necessary for those who are trying to follow the diet exactly.
Calories
Energy value of one standard serving of a gainer (see below).
Effective sports nutrition involves, among other things, counting the number of calories consumed. Thus, nutritional supplements, including gainers, must indicate the calorie content. The actual portion may not match the standard one. However, the nutritional value can be simply recalculated according to the simplest proportion.
Package
Type of packaging in which the gainer is supplied.
— Pouch. One of the most convenient packaging methods. The pouch takes up little space, and as the product is consumed, the total volume occupied by the package also decreases. This is especially convenient if the gainer is planned to be carried regularly with you (for example, to the gym for use after a workout). The disadvantage of the package is its relatively weak strength: it can break through from contact with any more or less solid object. The packaging of gainers in packages can be almost anything, from 0.5 – 0.6 kg to several kilograms.
— Jar. Another very popular option is found in almost any packaging option — from 1 kg and above. A can take up more space and weighs more than a pouch; however, such packaging is much more reliable, and it is difficult to pierce or cut it, even if you try hard. In addition, the jar is more stable on a table, shelf, etc. This is a very convenient option if the gainer is constantly stored in one place; and even if you have to take the product with you from time to time, you can not carry the jar, but pour the right amount from the jar.
— Bucket. Quite large volumes of the product are packaged in buckets — usually, from 4 kg and above. Such packaging is in many ways similar to the jar described above, but it has one important advantage — ease of access: the lid is completely removed from the bucket (whereas the jar has a neck, sometimes quite narrow)....Thanks to this, you can scoop up the contents of the bucket not only with a spoon but also with a larger object — for example, a measuring cup. The handle makes it easy to carry the container in your hands.
— Box. Packaging in boxes is relatively rare: such containers are rather bulky while being less durable and reliable than the same cans.
Servings
The number of standard servings contained in the package.
This parameter is calculated by the simplest arithmetic operation: the total weight of the product is divided by the size of one serving. For example, a weight of 1200 g and a serving size of 120 g gives 1200/120 = 10 servings.
Note that the optimal size of one serving is often less than the standard; for more on this, see Dosage.
Dosage
The regular weight of one serving of a gainer, in other words, the amount of the product that the manufacturer recommends taking at a time.
It should be noted that this parameter is rather ambiguous. And it's not just that the optimal dose will also depend on the personal characteristics of the athlete, his training regimen and nutrition. The fact is that manufacturers often indicate a rather large recommended serving — more than 200 g or even 300 g. However, among many sports nutrition experts, there is an opinion that such recommendations are, to put it mildly, not a very honest commercial ploy aimed at ensuring that the product ended faster and the athletes bought it more often. Proponents of this opinion argue that when taken in such “shock doses”, the gainer simply will not be fully absorbed, and a large part of the expensive product will be wasted, passing through the body unchanged. The optimal dose, from this point of view, is considered to be less than 100 – 150 g — it is it that is guaranteed to be absorbed by the body and have the desired effect; and if there are too few calories or nutrients in such a portion, this can be compensated by other foods.
Weight
The total weight of the product supplied in this packaging option (excluding packaging).
The meaning of this parameter is generally obvious, but we highlight a few nuances associated with it. So, the same gainer can be produced in several weight options, which gives the buyer additional options to choose from. At the same time, a larger package in terms of a kilogram is usually cheaper, and a smaller one will be convenient if large volumes are not needed — for example, when the product is taken “for testing” or at the end of a training course and enhanced nutrition.
Also note that some manufacturers tie weight not to kilograms, but to pounds (454 g). Because of this, there are packages on the market that are not quite the usual weight — for example, 0.908 kg (2 pounds) or 4.54 kg (10 pounds).
