Gainers
Gainer is a carbohydrate-protein supplement designed for athletes of various disciplines, incl. strength sports, who want to increase body weight, including muscle mass.
Carbohydrates contained in gainers can be a valuable source of energy, necessary when performing intense physical efforts, while the protein present in nutrients can have a beneficial effect on muscle development.
Gainer - what is it?
Gainer is a carbohydrate-protein supplement, in the composition of which you can find both carbohydrates and proteins. Most often, these macronutrients are found in a 4:1 ratio. The protein content in the gainer is therefore about 20%, while carbohydrates constitute about 80% of the entire supplement.
Gainer is most often used by athletes whose goal is to increase muscle mass, i.a. by supporters of strength disciplines.
Often, in gainers you can also find ingredients such as BCAA, creatine or glutamine, which can positively affect the reception of the nutrient by consumers and the popularity of the product.
Effects of gainers
The purpose of using gainers is to cause an anabolic effect and increase body weight, including muscle mass. The protein contained in this type of nutrients can participate in building muscle mass, while the carbohydrates used in the product can contribute to increasing the energy of the diet, which is a key element in increasing mass, both overall body weight and muscle mass.
Gainers consumed before training can be a source of energy necessary to undertake physical effort and delay the appearance of fatigue symptoms. Thus, they can extend the training process and increase the athlete's performance.
In turn, carbohydrate-protein supplements used after physical activity can help rebuild glycogen stores and support the growth of muscle tissue. At the same time, they can fasten the regeneration of the body and positively affect the well-being of a physically active person.
When using gainers, however, it is worth bearing in mind that these are nutrients that are mainly a source of calories. Therefore, the energy content of the product should be included in the daily energy balance in order to be able to control the daily energy intake and not lead to excessive energy consumption.
Gainers - for whom?
Gainers are designed for people who want to increase body weight, especially for:
- slim people who are distinguished by a fast metabolism and who want to increase overall body weight and muscle mass,
- people who do not have time to prepare balanced meals - a good quality gainer can replace one meal in the diet of people whose goal is to develop muscle mass. However, it is worth remembering that the use of a gainer instead of a balanced meal should not be a frequent phenomenon.
Gainers should be avoided by people with a tendency to gain weight, because nutrients of this type can contribute to the deposition of additional fat in the body.
When to use gainers?
As we mentioned earlier, the gainer can be part of a pre-workout meal or be consumed after physical exertion. A solution may also be to take it during the activity.
Gainer consumed in the peri-workout period can provide the body with missing nutrients, which can inhibit catabolism, and can also contribute to the intensification of anabolic reactions, energy replenishment and acceleration of body regeneration.
Gainers can also be used on days without training, but it is not recommended to take the conditioner at night.
Side effects and contraindications
The use of the gainer in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations placed on the product packaging should not contribute to the occurrence of unwanted side effects.
Sometimes, however, you can observe complaints from the digestive system incl. bloating, diarrhea, nausea.
The use of gainers in accordance with energy demand should not contribute to adverse changes. Exceeding the daily portion of the nutrient, however, uncontrolled weight gain can be observed.
An unhealthy solution is also too frequent replacement of traditional meals with gainers. It should be remembered that these dietary supplements are devoid of i.a. valuable micronutrients, which is why they cannot replace the traditional, properly balanced menu.
