Gaining weight sounds easy — you just eat a bit more, move a bit less, and the number on the scales will go up, right? In theory, yes. But gaining the right kind of weight — i.e. lean muscle mass — is a bit more complicated.
Luckily, there’s an array of supplements out there to help you out. Not so luckily, there are just as many supplements that will not help you at all — and may even cause more harm than good. You know those magic pills that promise to turn you from Bruce Banner to The Hulk overnight? Yeah, they’re the ones to avoid.
So, to help you distinguish between the money-wasters and miracle-makers, we’ve put together a list of the best supplements for weight gain to send you in the right direction. Oh, and as always, we’ve backed it all up with a bit of science!
In this article, you'll find:
1. Whey protein
Let’s start with a classic. Whey protein has demonstrated several benefits for health and fitness, though is most notorious for enhancing lean body composition. Whey protein contains amino acids which trigger muscle protein synthesis (muscle building) and reduce muscle breakdown — the overall effect being an increase in lean muscle mass.1
Gaining lean muscle mass without simultaneously gaining fat mass is challenging, though for most of us, desirable. Could whey protein be the trick? It could well be, as not only can whey protein prevent the gain of fat mass during muscle building, but a post-workout shake could actually help you lose fat mass.
In a double-blinded randomised controlled trial, male and female volunteers were put to work for an 8-week resistance training programme. After which, they consumed an ‘unknown’ shake (this was secretly either whey protein concentrate, beef protein isolate, hydrolysed chicken protein, or a placebo control). Those who drank the whey protein had the biggest increase in lean mass and lost more fat mass than the control group.2
Whey protein is wonderfully versatile — it can be added to shakes, yoghurt, porridge, baked goods, and even savoury dishes if you opt for unflavoured — making it an easy way to pack in some extra calories to your habitual diet.
So, whether you’re looking to bulk up, lean out, pack in extra calories, or simply after a tasty snack, when it comes to weight gain, whey is the way.
