Best Lean Mass Gainers Reviewed and Rated
Disclosure: We use affiliate links and may receive a small commission on purchases.
Lean mass gainers are a great way to speed up the progression of your lean muscle development, and many come with the added benefits of reducing recovery time and adding vital calories and nutrients to your diet.
If you’re ready to take your body composition seriously and boost your muscle gains, you’ve come to the right place. You already know the performance-enhancing benefits of gainers, but now it’s time to take the plunge and start implementing them into your fitness regimen.
You can take your pick from hundreds of gainers, but choose wisely. Our recommendations are the best of the best, so you can’t go wrong with any of the products listed on this page.
- Optimum Nutrition
-
Our rating - High Calorie
- Price: See Here
- Naked Nutrition
-
Our rating - Minimal Ingredients
- Price: See Here
- NOW Foods
-
Our rating - Plant-Based
- Price: See Here
We found that lean mass gainers share the same core qualities – they’re high in calories, carbohydrates, and protein. However, it’s the formula of the lean mass gainer that makes it stand out from the competition.
A high-quality and effective lean mass gainer promotes the right kind of gains (i.e. lean muscle), so it should be low in fat and sugar. Many lean mass gainers also contain artificial ingredients for added bulk, calories, and nutrients. These are safe to use, but natural gainers can be just as effective.
We paid close attention to the serving size, length of supply, macronutrients, and micronutrients to narrow our search to the 10 best lean mass gainers on the market.
Choosing the right gainer is the first step, so stick around after you’ve made your selection for everything you need to know about incorporating lean mass gainers into your lifestyle. Right after our reviews for the best products, we give the inside scoop on all things gainer-related, including how to take gainers and practice proper safety with sports nutrition products.
10 Best Lean Mass Gainers
1. Optimum Nutrition – Serious Mass
Highlights
Here are the key points and nutritional breakdown (per serving):
- Serving size: 334 g
- Calories: 1250
- Protein: 50 grams
- Protein type: Whey, casein, eggs
- Carbs: 254 grams
- Fat: 4.5 grams
- Servings per container: 8-16
- Creatine: 1 gram
- Flavor options: Banana, chocolate, peanut butter, strawberry, cookies & cream, vanilla
Benefits
With 25 vitamins and minerals, high protein, creatine, and glutamine, this blend is both nutritious and effective for gaining lean mass. This is a low-fat gainer, so Optimum Nutrition includes “Calories That Count” for the right kind of gains.
Quality & Value
It’s not unusual for lean mass gainers to have fewer servings per container. This product contains 16 servings per 12 lb. (192 oz) container. For the nutrition profile, the premium price is worth it for the quality.
Brand
Optimum Nutrition is one of the leading brands of sports nutrition supplements. They have their own production facilities, and they consistently strive to be the best.
- Promotes muscle growth
- Reduces recovery time
- Low-fat
- High-protein
- Added nutrients
- Contains creatine
- Suitable for vegetarians
- 16 servings per container
- Not suitable for vegans
- Contains artificial ingredients
2. Naked Nutrition – Naked Mass
Highlights
Here are the supplement facts for one serving of Naked Mass:
- Serving size: 321 g
- Calories: 1250
- Protein: 50 grams
- Protein type: Whey, casein
- Carbs: 252 grams
- Fat: 2.5 grams
- Servings per container: 11
- Does not contain creatine
- Flavor options: Unflavored, chocolate, vanilla
Benefits
This product makes it easy to maintain or gain weight with clean ingredients. The complex carbohydrates fuel the body with a steady source of energy, while the protein adds muscle mass and strength.
Quality & Value
This is one of the most expensive options on our list, but high quality comes with a premium price. The minimal-yet-clean ingredients and no artificial additives make this product worth the value.
Brand
Naked Nutrition is committed to health and transparency. They oppose big agribusiness that promotes bottom-line additives. Instead, they source high-quality and effective ingredients that yield results without sacrificing health.
- Contains minimal ingredients
- No artificial ingredients
- Contains 11.5g BCAAs per serving
- Free of growth hormones
- High calorie
- High protein
- Non-GMO
- Gluten-free
- Soy-free
- Low-fat
- Contains only 11 servings
- Not suitable for vegans
- Doesn’t contain vitamins and minerals
3. NOW Foods – NOW Sports Carbo Gain
Highlights
Here’s the nutritional breakdown and key facts per serving:
- Serving size: 63 g
- Calories: 240
- Protein: 0 grams
- Carbs: 60 grams
- Fat: 0 grams
- Servings per container: 14-86
- Does not contain creatine
- Flavor options: Unflavored
Benefits
Because this product is fat-free, users can expect to put on the right kind of mass. It also contains glucose molecules that are easy for the body to digest and use for energy. This product is a good source of calories and healthy carbohydrates.
Quality & Value
The NOW Sports Carbo Gain is the Best Value on our list because it’s the most affordable option. The value is great for the price, amount of servings, and clean ingredients. The company has also taken the extra steps of becoming GMP and Informed-Choice certified for quality assurance.
Brand
NOW Foods is a trusted brand of health supplements. They don’t specialize in sports nutrition products, but they’re a versatile health company with safe and effective products.
- Only one ingredient
- No artificial ingredients
- Non-GMO
- Easy to digest
- Contains 14 servings
- Suitable for vegetarians and vegans
- Kosher certified
- GMP certified
- Informed-Choice certified
- Fat-free
- Gluten-free
- Allergen friendly
- Not a significant source of protein
- Doesn’t contain added nutrients
4. MRM – Gainer with Probiotics
Highlights
Here are the supplement facts for one serving:
- Serving size: 84 g
- Calories: 350
- Protein: 25 grams
- Protein type: Whey, casein
- Carbs: 48 grams
- Fat: 6 grams
- Servings per container: 18
- Does not contain creatine
- Contains probiotics
- Flavor options: chocolate
Benefits
A special combination of ingredients promotes muscle growth to increase lean body mass. This gainer also has unique digestive benefits because of added probiotics and digestive enzymes. This can alleviate digestive discomfort that may accompany sports nutrition supplements.
Quality & Value
This product contains 18 servings, making the MRM Gainer with Probiotics great value in comparison to other gainers that contain fewer servings. The natural ingredients make this a better value for the quality.
Brand
MRM occupies a unique space in the sports nutrition industry because they advocate for alternative health care that’s “Inspired by Nature, Supported by Science.”
- All-natural
- Gluten-free
- Non-GMO
- Suitable for vegetarians
- Contains glutamine
- Contains probiotics
- Contains amino acids
- 25g complete protein
- Contains 18 servings
- Not suitable for vegans
- Lower in protein than other gainers
5. MHP – Up Your Mass
Highlights
The nutritional breakdown per serving is as follows:
- Serving size: 127 g
- Calories: 510
- Protein: 46 grams
- Protein type: Whey, casein, soy
- Carbs: 61 grams
- Fat: 11 grams
- Servings per container: 17
- Does not contain creatine
- Flavor options: Fudge brownie, peanut butter
Benefits
MHP claims that this product helps users gain 16 lbs. of lean mass in 5 weeks. This is due to the high-calorie and high-protein servings. With other nutrients and amino acids, this gainer also improves insulin response for muscle growth.
Quality & Value
Many sports nutrition companies don’t have their own facilities, so quality isn’t a guarantee. MHP products are GMP compliant and tested for quality assurance. They’re also certified by Informed-Choice as Trusted by Sport. MHP takes quality seriously, which is why their products are valued accordingly.
Brand
MHP stands for Maximum Human Performance, which is what this brand has promoted for more than 20 years. The company partners with top athletes and bodybuilders who believe in their sports nutrition products.
- Promotes lean mass gain
- Improves insulin response
- Contains BCAAs
- Contains glutamine
- Suitable for vegetarians
- Contains added nutrients
- GMP certified
- Informed-Choice certified
- Contains 17 servings
- Tested for banned ingredients
- Contains allergens
- Not suitable for vegans
6. Optimum Nutrition – Pro Gainer
Highlights
Here are the key points and nutritional breakdown (per serving):
- Serving size: 165 g
- Calories: 650
- Protein: 60 grams
- Protein type: Whey, casein, eggs
- Carbs: 85 grams
- Fat: 8 grams
- Servings per container: 14-28
- Does not contain creatine
- Flavor options: Banana cream pie, double rich chocolate, strawberry cream, vanilla custard
Benefits
This product is formulated with high biological value protein that is easier to digest than other gainer products. It also boosts energy and prevents proteins from being burned as fuel. The added micronutrients boost the lean mass gaining properties of the calories, protein, and carbohydrates for a more effective formula.
Quality & Value
Optimum Nutrition has calculated the body’s physiological needs to gain lean mass, and they’ve developed their products accordingly. They believe this product will result in one pound of lean mass gains in just one week. For the quality and ingredients, this product is a good value.
Brand
Optimum Nutrition is a go-to resource in the sports nutrition industry because of their high-quality and effective products. They offer a range of lean mass gainers, both of which are similar in profile but different in calories and macronutrients.
- Contains 24 vitamins and minerals
- Results within the first week
- Promotes weight gain
- High protein
- Easy to digest
- Low in sugar
- Contains glutamine
- Suitable for vegetarians
- Contains 14 servings
- Not suitable for vegans
- Contains allergens like milk, wheat, and soy
7. BSN – True-Mass
Highlights
Here’s the nutritional info per serving for the regular and large size mass gainer:
- Serving size: 165-314 g
- Calories: 704-1220
- Protein: 46-50 grams
- Protein type: Whey, casein, eggs
- Carbs: 90-215 grams
- Fat: 17 grams
- Servings per container: 15-16
- Does not contain creatine
- Flavor options: Chocolate milkshake, cookies & cream, strawberry milkshake
Benefits
BSN’s True-Mass gainer offers a convenient solution to athletes and bodybuilders who need to add calories and protein into their diets quickly. The carbohydrate blend adds calories and carbohydrates to support intense training and the protein blend adds amino acids to reduce recovery time.
Quality & Value
This product doesn’t contain any vitamins or minerals, and it’s slightly more expensive than other lean mass gainers. However, it’s made by a trusted and award-winning brand.
Brand
BSN is used by top athletes and bodybuilders, and they are a global leader in the sports nutrition marketplace. Their products have won more than 35 awards, which is more than any other company in the industry.
- Supports intense training
- Promotes lean mass gains
- Reduces recovery time
- Boosts energy
- High calorie
- High protein
- Contains 10g of BCAAs
- Contains 16 servings
- Not suitable for vegans
- Doesn’t contain micronutrients
8. Universal Nutrition – Real Gains
Highlights
Here are the main nutrition facts for one serving:
- Serving size: 155 g
- Calories: 602
- Protein: 53 grams
- Protein type: Whey, casein
- Carbs: 84 grams
- Fat: 6 grams
- Servings per container: 11-31
- Does not contain creatine
- Flavor options: Banana ice cream, chocolate ice cream, chocolate mint, cookies & cream, mint chocolate chip, strawberry ice cream, vanilla ice cream
Benefits
Universal Nutrition’s Real Gains weight gainer promotes lean weight gain with its potent high-protein and amino acid profile formula. It’s also easily digestible and can be used during bulk season.
Quality & Value
This is a high-quality lean mass gainer, but it only contains approximately 11 servings. Therefore, the value isn’t as good as other products. However, it may be worth the price for the high concentration and amino acid profile.
Brand
Universal Nutrition has been a trusted brand in sports nutrition since 1977. They have a range of cutting-edge products and supplements specifically formulated for athletic performance and bodybuilding results.
- Potent formula
- Promotes muscle growth
- Contains amino acids
- Contains healthy fats
- Contains flaxseed powder
- Easy to digest
- GMP certified
- Contains fewer artificial ingredients
- Contains allergens
- Contains only 11 servings
- Not suitable for vegans
9. Muscle Milk – Gainer
Highlights
Here are the supplement facts for one serving of the gainer:
- Serving size: 162 g
- Calories: 650
- Protein: 32 grams
- Protein type: Whey, casein
- Carbs: 109 grams
- Fat: 9 grams
- Servings per container: 14
- Does not contain creatine
- Flavor options: Chocolate, cookies n’ creme, vanilla
Benefits
Muscle Milk contains both slow and fast release proteins, so it promotes a positive protein balance in the body. This product is specially designed for hard gainers, making it an effective source for lean gains and strength.
Quality & Value
The gainer by Muscle Milk is one of the most affordable lean mass gainers on the market, so it’s a great value for a trusted brand with key ingredients.
Brand
Muscle Milk is one of the most recognizable sports nutrition brands and has been developing athletic performance products since 1998. They are experts in protein products that taste great and appeal to the active consumer.
- Promotes protein balance in the body
- Contains vitamins and minerals
- Encourages lean muscle gains
- Encourages strength
- Low sugar
- High protein
- Gluten-free
- Trusted brand
- Suitable for vegetarians
- Contains 14 servings
- Not suitable for vegans
- Contains artificial flavors
10. Dymatize – Super Mass Gainer
Highlights
Here are the key facts and nutritional breakdown (per serving):
- Serving size: 333 g
- Calories: 1280
- Protein: 52 grams
- Protein type: Whey, casein
- Carbs: 245 grams
- Fat: 10 grams
- Servings per container: 8
- Creatine: 1 gram
- Flavor options: Cookies & cream, gourmet vanilla, rich chocolate
Benefits
This product promotes quick gains and strength. It’s one of the highest calorie gainers on our list, so it can supplement any well-rounded diet for muscle mass growth. The high protein content also promotes sustainable muscle building, and the BCAAs stimulate protein synthesis.
Quality & Value
The gainers that we tested typically contained at least 12 servings, but this product only contains 8. It has a cheaper price tag but for fewer servings. However, with high calories, high protein, and added micronutrients, it’s a two-in-one product that’s worth the value.
Brand
Dymatize products are developed by a team of scientists to deliver maximum results safely. Chip Smith Performance Systems–a world-class training facility where elite athletes go to train–chooses Dymatize as their official sports nutrition supplement brand.
- Promotes protein synthesis
- Encourages lean mass gains and strength
- Contains vitamins and minerals
- High calorie
- High protein
- Contains 17g of BCAAs
- Shaker cup friendly
- Suitable for vegetarians
- Used by elite athletes
- Contains only 8 servings
- Contains allergens
- Not suitable for vegans
All About Lean Mass Gainers
Athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness experts often want to gain weight for various reasons. However, not all weight gain is healthy. Gaining weight by increasing your muscle mass still results in a narrow physique because muscle takes up less space than fat.
While it seems that losing weight is the number one trend in the fitness world, gaining lean muscle mass also has its place. You can think of this as cutting vs. bulking in fitness, and an easy way to bulk muscle is with sports nutrition supplements called lean mass gainers.
What Are Lean Mass Gainers?
Lean mass gainers are sports nutrition supplements designed to boost calories, protein, and carbohydrates.
To gain one pound, a person must consume an extra 3,500 calories. (1) Lean mass gainers contain hundreds – and sometimes thousands – of calories per serving to get someone closer to that threshold.
A key component in lean mass gainers is also protein content. Many lean mass gainers contain anywhere from 30-60g protein per serving. This promotes the growth of lean tissue mass, which is the healthy kind of weight gain.
Finally, carbohydrates are important in lean mass gainers because they provide energy to fuel intense workouts and training sessions.
Ingredients in Lean Mass Gainers
The main ingredients in nearly every lean mass gainers are maltodextrin and protein powder.
Maltodextrin is a food additive that can be derived from corn or tapioca. Maltodextrin is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) by the FDA. (2) This is the main source of complex carbohydrates in gainers that boost energy, aids weight gain, and is easy to digest. (3)
The protein source in lean mass gainers is usually derived from whey or dairy. Whey protein is isolated from milk, usually as a byproduct of making cheese. (4) It’s a complete protein and common in gainer products. (5) It’s also believed to be an effective supplement for protein synthesis and preserving lean muscle. (6, 7)
Other ingredients include natural flavors, artificial flavors, oils, and added vitamins and minerals.
Different Types of Lean Mass Gainers
It’s not unusual for lean mass gainers to have a serving size that is 2-4 large scoops of powder. This is because products that are high in calories, protein, and carbohydrates have a lot of volume. The best way to formulate a high-volume supplement is in powdered form.
Powdered lean mass gainers are very similar to protein powders–they’re usually flavored, the applications are versatile, and they can be added to liquid.
Lean mass gainers also come in liquid form, such as liquid Muscle Milk that you may see at the gym or your local grocery store. Liquid gainers usually contain a lot of oil, making it less healthy than powdered gainers.
For our purposes, we recommend powdered lean mass gainers because they’re more versatile, healthier, and just as effective as liquid gainers.
How to Use Lean Mass Gainers
It’s important to remember that lean mass gainers are supplements, not meal replacements. In order to gain weight, a person must consume more calories and protein that he or she burns during exercise.
For someone following a rigorous exercise routine, he or she must increase calories and protein to effective gain lean muscle mass. (8)
This is why lean mass gainers should be taken in-between meals and snacks. The point is to add calories, not replace them. If the serving size is more than 1 scoop, you can split the serving up throughout the day.
Lean mass gainers are safe to use at any point throughout the day, but athletes and bodybuilders recommend taking them directly before or after a workout to promote muscle building and quick recovery.
Safety of Lean Mass Gainers
Most lean mass gainers contain multiple dairy-based ingredients. Someone with dairy allergies or lactose intolerance should not consume lean mass gainers with milk ingredients. Other common allergens found in lean mass gainers include soy and eggs.
Lean mass gainers may also induce overconsumption of protein, which is not recommended for people with kidney, liver, or heart diseases. Too much protein adds extra saturated fat and cholesterol to the body, so it’s associate with increased risk for coronary heart disease. (9) If you’re at risk for kidney, liver, or heart diseases, consult with a health care professional about incorporating lean mass gainers into your diet.
5 Main Benefits of Lean Mass Gainers
Like the name suggests, the main benefit of taking lean mass gainer supplements is to increase lean muscle mass on the body. However, lean mass gainers are packed with healthy macronutrients and micronutrients for other benefits.
-
1. Add lean muscle mass
When bodybuilders and fitness experts say they want to gain weight, they don’t usually mean fat. Lean mass gainers promote muscle mass, which increases overall weight. The high protein content in gainer products contributes to the increased lean muscle mass as a result. (10)
-
2. Boost energy
Lean mass gainers typically have more grams of carbohydrates than protein. Carbohydrates get a bad reputation, but there’s healthy carbohydrates and unhealthy carbohydrates. The kind of carbohydrates in lean mass gainers are good for the body’s energy levels to power through intense training sessions. (11, 12)
-
3. Promote protein synthesis
Lean mass gainers that are high in protein often contain naturally occurring BCAAs, which are beneficial for synthesizing protein. (13, 14) This is the process by which muscle builds itself.
-
4. Reduce recovery time
Gainers are recommended to take directly before or after a workout to reduce muscle recovery time. This is mainly due to the high protein content, but BCAAs also help with this. (15)
-
5. Increase nutrient intake
Many lean mass gainers contain added micronutrients such as calcium, vitamin B12, folate, and more. We recommend lean mass gainers that are nutrient dense for the added health benefits.
Exercise and Diet for Building Muscle Mass
Keep in mind that taking lean mass gainers alone won’t yield life-changing results. Athletes and bodybuilders exercise many hours per week to gain lean muscle mass, and they consume a diet that is higher in calories and protein than they burn through working out.
Gaining muscle mass is a combination of consistent strength training, taking the right supplements, and adopting a healthy, protein-rich diet.
Your Questions Answered (FAQ)
What are the Risks of Lean Mass Gainers?
Lean mass gainers are free of added hormones, so they don’t have any of the risks of hormonal sports supplements. However, many people experience digestive issues after taking lean mass gainers because whey protein can be difficult to digest. (16) If you are lactose intolerant or have a sensitive digestive system, avoid taking dairy-based lean mass gainers or look for products that are easy to digest.
Are Lean Mass Gainers Safe?
Lean mass gainers contain many artificial ingredients, which is why some people are concerned about the safety. Like all supplement types, some lean mass gainers are created by unverified brands with unregulated ingredients. The lean mass gainer products we recommend are all manufactured by trusted brands that formulate safe health and sports nutrition products.
Are There Dairy-free Lean Mass Gainers?
Many people are lactose intolerant or don’t consume dairy products for ethical reasons. Some gainers are corn-based, but they’re not as common. Alternatives to dairy-based gainers include vegan protein powders made from hemp, rice, or pea protein.
What’s the Difference between Lean Mass Gainers and Protein Powders?
Lean mass gainers are very similar to protein powders, but they contain more carbohydrates. Lean mass gainers typically contain a protein blend, a carbohydrate blend, and a micronutrient profile, whereas protein powders are purely protein-based. Lean mass gainers and protein powders also have different functions. Protein powders serve to boost protein intake, but lean mass gainers promote lean mass weight gain.
