Extreme Mass is a product manufactured by International Protein. It's a supplement designed to assist those who have trouble adding muscle mass by supplying additional protein, carbohydrates and fat. It contains 42.5g protein, 42.5 g carbohydrates and 9.4g fat; half the fat is saturated. This product can only help you gain lean muscle mass if you have a resistance training regimen. Consult your physician before beginning any diet or exercise program.
Protein
The protein in Extreme Mass is a combination of hydrolysed whey protein isolate, high glycomacropeptide whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, calcium caseinate and egg albumen. Though not all of this may be completely necessary, it ensures you're getting a good blend of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein, and in sufficient quantity. Research by Dr. Peter Lemon of the University of Ontario has shown that if you want to gain muscle, you need extra protein.
Fats
Adding fat is a quick way to add calories. That's likely the only reason for the nearly 5g saturated fat, which are otherwise unnecessary. According to the product label, the remainder of the fat is a blend of canola and sunflower oils, which means it has some omega-6 fatty acid and a little omega-3, but the best sources of omega-3 are absent from this blend. The product also claims to possess medium-chain triglycerides, which are a type of fat easily burned for energy. But given that there's the possibility of there being no more than 2g given all of the other fat in the product, that amount is hardly worth writing about.
Carbohydrates
The product contains medium-length glucose polymers and rice starch as carbohydrate sources. Medium-length glucose polymers are a form of carbohydrate that is quickly digested, and so is rice starch. Basically, both of these are carbohydrates that are quickly absorbed by your muscles -- assuming you depleted your muscle glycogen levels sufficiently with enough training volume and intensity. Otherwise, they are nothing more than sugar. Sugar is a cheap and abundant source of calories, but there is nothing special about it. And carbohydrates do not "drive massive muscle growth whilst minimising fat gain" as the label claims; either you use them to recover and for energy, or they are stored as fat if you consume too much.
Use of Product
Post-workout Extreme Mass can be useful; you get plenty of protein and easily digested carbohydrates to restore depleted muscle glycogen levels and amino acids. Otherwise, it's basically a combination of decent protein, fat for calories and sugar for more calories. A cheaper alternative might be to create your own protein supplement in the kitchen with a blender. You can control the taste and nutrient intake.
References
- Mass Nutrtion Extreme Mass
- Journal of the American College of Nutrition; Beyond the Zone: Protein Needs of Active Individuals; Peter W.R. Lemon, Ph.D.; 2000
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation Increases the Rate of Muscle Protein Synthesis in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial; G.I. Smith et al.; Dec. 15, 2010
- Dietary Supplements Affect the Anabolic Hormones After Weight-Training Exercise: R. M. Chandler, et al., J Appl Physiol February 1, 1994 76:839-845
- British Journal of Sports Medicine: Hyperinsulinaemia, Hyperaminoacidaemia and Post-Exercise Muscle Anabolism: the Search for the Optimal Recovery Drink, Manninen, 2006
- PubMed: Structural basis for the slow digestion property of native cereal starches. 2006
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