Mass Gainer vs Whey Protein: Which is best for you?

by James Williams

Ever wondered how bodybuilders do it? One minute they are looking scrawny, a few weeks in the gym, and they are looking fit and rocking lean muscles. Truth is, protein supplements play an important role in helping every bodybuilder or casual gym-goer accomplish their goals.

In the world we now live in, people place a lot of value on having a fit physique; almost as much as being financially stable. If you are looking to achieve those fit physique you dream of, you are in the right place.

In this post, we will discuss how protein powder helps improve the muscle strength and development of gym-goers. There is no denying that the ease with which everyone gains muscle or weight varies greatly from one individual to the other. By knowing the difference between Mass Gainer vs Whey Protein, you can make an informed decision on which is best for you.

This comparison between Whey Protein and Mass Gainer will include all the differences between the two. We will also explain how to know the best supplement for your workout.

Without further ado, let's get down to it!

Benefits of Protein Supplements

Benefits of Protein Supplements
Benefits of Protein Supplements

The vast benefits of taking protein supplements alongside your diet cannot be overemphasized. It is one of the reasons they are mostly taken by bodybuilders and athletes.

Protein supplements come in powder and pills. They help enhance the body by increasing the speed of nutrient transfer. They also influence cell repair, hormone production, and the secretion of enzymes. To cap it all, they do not pose any health risk to the body, provide you do not abuse your dosage directions.

The type of nutrients a certain protein supplement offers depends on the form it is in. That is, whether it is a protein powder or protein pill. The ingredients found in it also determine the type of nutrients it provides your body on consumption.

So are protein supplements okay and healthy? Undoubtedly Yes. Although, like anything you abuse or consume in excess, taking protein supplements can cause health problems. As long as you consume the recommended dose, the benefits are massive.

Whey Protein vs. Mass Gainer

What is Whey Protein?

Whey Protein is essentially the purest form of protein you can consume. Made from the by-product of cheese manufacturing and milk processing industries, Whey protein is easily digestible in the body.

There are three different types of Whey Protein, viz:

Whey Protein - Isolate

This form of Whey Protein is the purest. It contains roughly about to 90-95% lactose-free Protein. It implies that Whey Protein Isolate contains low-fat content.

Whey Protein - Hydrolyzed

Hydrolyzed Whey Protein is the more popular form of whey protein. It is mostly used in making nutritional products used in sports and medicine. Children's formulas are also made using hydrolyzed Whey Protein.

Basically, in this form, the typical long protein chains are no longer present. Instead, small protein chains are chemically synthesized from the longer ones by hydrolysis. They increase the rate of absorption into the bloodstream. It also makes it suitable for people with allergies.

Whey Protein - Concentrate

The protein content of this type of Whey Protein is usually around 25 to 89 percent. The remaining percent consists of moisture, fats, and carbohydrate. Sometimes, minerals are present.

Mass Gainer

Mass Gainers, or Weight Gainers, are a type of protein supplement blended with essential weight gaining components such as fat and carbs. As the name implies, their primary function is to provide enough calories to your body. Calories, of course, help you gain weight.

As a result, they contain a high carbohydrate to protein ratio. The ratio is usually 3 to 1 or sometimes, 2 to 1. This shows that taking mass gainers means you want to focus on gaining weight.

The carbohydrate present in your typical mass gainer is in form of Maltose and Glucose. Most of the popular mass gainers are taken after a workout. The present carbohydrate and fat help gain weight as well as replenish the body's used-up glycogen. The essential lean protein component present in the supplement help enhances the muscle.

Benefits of Whey Protein?

Whey Protein is heavily marketed for Athletes and bodybuilder's use. It is a tried and tested supplement for athletes and gym-goers to help enhance their fit physique. That said, it is still a viable supplement for anyone who wants to keep fit.

In other words, you don't have to be a regular gymgoer to take whey protein. However, there are better alternatives for you if you are not a fitness junkie. To supplement your diet, it is best to take Protein Pills instead of whey protein powder.

Benefits of Mass Gainer over Whey Protein?

The only reason you might want to choose Mass Gainer is if you want to gain weight. There is no other significant benefit of using it. Mass Gainers provide your body with a ton of fat and carbohydrate alongside a little bit of protein. The protein acts to enhance your muscles and immune system. The carbs and fats provide your body with calories to gain weight.

To give you a good overview of what happens, you get only about 150 calories from a single serving of Whey Protein. Whereas, per each serving of Mass Gainer, your body gains about 1200 to 1500 calories. For you to gain that many calories on Whey Protein, you simply have to abuse the recommended dosage.

Side-by-Side comparison of the differences between Mass Gainer and Whey Protein

Mass Gainer Whey Protein
Weight - Mass Gainer rapidly increases your body weight or mass. In other words, you take them if you want to bulk up.
  1. - Whey Protein reduces your weight. It does this by providing lean protein to your body. This helps the development of lean muscle.
  2. - It also serves as a source of energy when taken along with your diet.
Health benefits
  1. - Mass Gainers are a blend of carbs, fats, vitamins, and other essential minerals. It provides your body with the necessary nourishment to bulk up
  2. - Mass gainers often cause hydration issues. When on Mass Gainer medication, ensure you drink lots of water.
  1. - Helps reduce the risk of blood pressure and diabetes
  2. - Enhances the production of blood cells
  3. - Enhances the production of hormones
Nutritional Composition
  1. - Mass Gainers provide your body with excess calories.
  2. NOTE: It is best to also exercise regularly while taking mass gainers. You don't want to become unnecessarily overweight now, do you?
  1. - Rich in amino acid for muscle growth/
  2. - Also provides a small number of calories to the body. The body uses the provided calories as a source of energy.
usage - Best for skinny people who find it hard to gain weight
  1. - Best for bodybuilders and athletes.
  2. - Can also be used as protein supplements by casual gym-goers.

Whey Protein vs Mass Gainer - which should you choose?

From the comparison table above, you should now be able to tell the differences between the two. You should also now have an idea of the option that works for your body type.

However, if you are still struggling on deciding between the two supplements, there are a few things you should consider.

Bodybuilding

Mass Gainers offer no significant benefit if your aim is building your muscles. The calories provided by mass gainers are only stored as fat in your body.

In this case, you need only the best source of pure protein. Whey Protein provides this.

Physique

Whey Protein is suitable for just about everyone. As long as you are not pregnant or nursing, it is highly beneficial. As much as it provides bodybuilders energy, it also contains enough nutritional content for the average gym joe.

In other words, unless you want to gain weight like Sumo wrestlers, stay away from weight gainers.

Weight Gain

If your goal for taking nutritional supplements alongside your diet is to gain weight, Mass Gainers are your only option. The carbohydrate present in Whey Protein isn't even remotely enough to accumulate as fat in your body. Check out the Best Weight Gain Pills On The Market

Conclusion

From the health benefits of the two, it is easy to see that Whey Protein is a healthy way of enhancing your body. It does not have any type of fat or carbohydrate that can cause you to gain weight. Mass Gainers, on the other hand, contain carbs and fats needed to gain mass.

Abusing any of the two can cause health problems, of course. For instance, if you don't plan on regularly exercising, you should steer clear of both supplements. In such cases, taking protein pills will be a better solution.

Protein Pills, as the name implies, provides your body with pure ingestible protein or collagen. Collagen, among other functions, provides your body with the nutrients needed to improve your skin, muscle, and bone health.

In addition, Protein pills are perfectly healthy. Healthcare professionals even recommend them for patients that are protein deficient.

If you need help choosing the right protein pills, you can check out our review of the best Protein Supplement pills.

About James Williams

Hi, This is James from HomerDIY. I have great experience in writing about everything related to Pump and DIY tools. For the last few years, I am researching the different types of tools and sharing my opinion on this blog.

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