Strategies for Safely Using Mass Gainers: Preventing and Minimizing Potential Side Effects
, by Sandesh Prasannakumar, 9 min reading time
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, by Sandesh Prasannakumar, 9 min reading time
To those who are underweight and intending to achieve weight gain or those who are into body building, the mass gainers provide a convenient way of adding additional calories to their meals. But there are also possible negative outcomes and health consequences of improperly using weight gainers that you’ll need to avoid. So in this perfect guide, we will give out strategies on how to include mass gainer in ones diet without chances of experiencing these issues.
Before we try and answer the question – what are mass gainers and who uses them? – we must first understand the basics of what mass gainers are.
Mass gainers, which are also referred to by the name of weight gainers, are just protein powders with very high carbohydrate content though the proportions tend to be slightly more favorable towards carbohydrates. A single serving can contain anything from 600 to well over 1000 calories, and a good portion of those calories consist of maltodextrin, dextrose, oats etc They are useful to those who want to gain muscle mass because it provides a convenient way to consume additional calories that are often difficult to get from whole foods alone. People with slow metabolism, physically active people, light built people, and those who are in the process of recovery might need mass gainers to enhance their muscle protein rate. But where there is risk involved there is also potential for some unforeseen problems with mass gainers if not used adequately carefully.
Mass gainers are supplements that are designed to help athletes build muscle quickly: Top 8 safe rules when using mass gainers.
If you plan to add a mass gainer to aid muscle growth, keep these guidelines in mind to do so as safely as possible:If you plan to add a mass gainer to aid muscle growth, keep these guidelines in mind to do so as safely as possible:
In case you are making use of additional liquid calories from mass gainers then avoid shocking your system by increasing the portions gradually on a weekly basis. This gives the body an extra window of time within which you can be able to determine your own limit in a given weight gainer while at the same time avoiding the endangering effects of such products such as stomach upsets. Start with creating an energy deficit of between 250-500 calories above maintenance.
Mass gainers are swallowed with water, but their viscosity, and sugar contents are diuretic. This makes drinking sufficient water daily alongside them a crucial aspect to support digestion, energy, workouts and kidney’s health. However, if the user is a multiple-time daily consumer of gainers, he or she should consider being keen on the water intake.
In order to prevent fat gain and other problems such as acne, try to find gainers that contain complex carbohydrate loads instead of too many sweeteners. Look for products whose carbohydrates come from oat, quinoa, buckwheat, whole-grain millet, brown rice and not maltodextrin or dextrose. This better supports gym performance as well with longer-lasting energy, and thus we strongly recommend it.
4. Add More, Fiber From Foods Like Fruit, Vegetables, and Whole GrainsIncluding more fiber in addition to the recommended daily intake should be gotten from whole foods assist in slowing down digestion in order to control high blood sugar. This also helps maintain digestion hence avoiding antagonistic effects such as bloating, flatulence, and cramps as we incorporate those extra liquid calories in the form of supplements.
5. Concurrently, moderate other high sugar foodsMake a point to avoid gorging on sweets, juices, sodas, desserts and processed carbs in combination with a gainer, around your workouts. Excessive total sugars intake aggravates the problems mentioned earlier – GI problems, undesirable fat accumulation, fatigue, and so on; moderation helps prevent these risks.
6. As a rule, the patient should only take the medication in the way prescribed by the doctor; if side effects or other complications occur, dosage should be changed accordingly.Ensure that you religiously adhere to the usage instructions, dosing schedules, and the timings as recommended on your mass gainer product. Begin at the less expensive end. If any harm or side effects are experienced, reduce the dose and check whether this will help to regain normal sensitivity. Consume it before and after exercise and between sets.
7. Vary Work Days For Those Who Can Take An Off Every Week, Be Cautious For Those Who Are Slightly StagnantIt is recommended not to use weight gainer in at least 1-2 days in a week to give your body time to get back into normalcy. It is advisable to be moderate with the additional calories for less activity rest days unless you track macronutrients and micronutrients closely. Gainers are on the other hand meant to sustain the human body for extreme rigors not lazy ways of life.
8. Get Blood Test Done if At Higher Risk or Prolonged UseFor personal security, people with prior kidney problems, those on dialysis or on medicines affecting kidney, or those over 40 may need to get their blood tested a couple of months after beginning mass gainer to check that internal parameters such as kidney values, liver enzymes, glucose, lipids, etc are still within normal values or not affected by the supplement. This also applies to those using gainers longer term consecutively more than 8-12weeks who may be interested in additional and heavier doses.
If these measures are applied, one can gain weight from the mass gainer supplements faster than he or she would expect – muscles will grow at a faster rate as well as the total body weight. Listen to your body, cut usage based on how much it can handle, keep active to burn those extra calories, and get blood tested if required.
Frequently Asked Questions About Safely Using Weight Gainers While Minimizing Risks:Frequently Asked Questions About Safely Using Weight Gainers While Minimizing Risks:
1. Do mass gainers lead to kidney issues such as kidney diseases, kidney failure or kidney stones?It should be noted that occasional employment of mass gainers within the recommended dosage is not going to trigger clinical kidney problems in patients with no pre-existing health problems. However, this can occur along with poor water intake, while high doses are taken for an extended amount of time may stress kidneys to a certain extent by increasing the saturation of calcium oxalate. However, the risk is greatly minimized by proper intake of water. The data indicates that people with pre-existing renal conditions should be careful and should consult their doctor before engaging in the physical activity.
2. Are mass gainers good or bad for digestion and can they lead to diarrhea or any other digestive problems?It is possible if suddenly you are taking more than enough of liquid calories from sugars, fibers, protein and so on which your gut has never handled before. To avoid this, the following measures should be taken: begin with small portions, gradually increase the servo size, use a variety of protein products, consume more fiber rich foods, and drink adequate amounts of water in a day. Consume it before workout, after workout, and during workout also not only helps in spread intake but it is beneficial for the body also.
3. Will these help me gain more fat than muscle?They potentially can if using them with other incorrect eating habits such as excessive calorie intake, low protein intake, wrong workout plan, poor cardio and weight training routine, or underlying medical conditions and hormonal issues. The plan is to overfeed by just enough so as to bring about a state where muscle protein synthesis is at an optimal level and not necessarily fats.
4. When is it time to stop using mass gainer supplement?Mass gainers, in general, should not be consumed long term unless the doctor has recommended it for medical reasons as such mass gainers are simply a tool for gaining a lot of muscle in the shortest amount of time during the training period and not a staple of nutrition. Ply cycle weight gainers for 8-16 weeks during other dedicated mass gaining phases, after taking at least 4 weeks’ rest while keeping the training pattern intact. Get blood and if planning to use it for longer periods, check the internal health of the body. Aversive trainees intensifying muscle build-up as when required.
The Bottom Line:
Wheels are stood to add the necessary extra calories to a hardgainer’s diet, supplementing the exercise program used to gain muscle mass. But, implementing these tips for reasonable dosing, drinking water, monitoring blood count, etc. eliminate the chances of the negative impacts on health and lets you avail the benefits of faster and better muscle building. Some precautions that can be taken would make it easy for lean people to gain their desirable body weights through consumption of high calorie food supplements in a way that would reduce the impact of weight gainer supplements.
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