Many bodybuilders turn to weight-gain formulas in the hope of increasing muscle mass through added calories. This will only work if you are training hard enough to actually need all those extra calories. No supplement will build muscle -- if you're not working out, extra calories get stored as fat. Optimum Nutrition Inc. makes two weight gain formulas, Serious Mass and Pro Complex Gainer, which provide two very different options for the needs of different athletes.
Calories per Serving
Both formulas are sold as powdered mixes, so the serving size can be as big as you want it to be. To get the full nutritional benefit stated on the label, you must use a heaping scoop of the Pro Complex or two heaping scoops of the Serious Mass, but you can mix it with as much milk, water or juice as you would like. The Pro Complex Gainer contains 650 calories per serving, and the Serious Mass formula contains 1,250 calories per serving. Keep in mind that if you mix the powder with anything but water, you will be adding calories, fat, protein and carbohydrates to the total for the drink.
Macronutrient Ratio
According to BodyBuilding.com, the ideal weight gain formula should have twice as many carbohydrates as protein and twice as much protein as fat. Pro Complex Gainer contains 85 g of carbs, 60 g of protein and 8 g of fat, and Serious Mass contains 252 g of carbs, 50 g of protein and 4.5 g of fat. Obviously, the ratios are not ideal, but Optimum Nutrition says that it formulated the products to allow the weight gain to come from protein rather than using fat to increase the calorie content. The Pro Complex Gainer may be more suitable for someone who is limiting his carb intake, and the Serious Mass formula may be better for endurance athletes who regularly deplete their carbohydrate stores.
Additives
Both formulas have a host of vitamin additives. Pro Complex Gainer contains 20 percent of your daily B vitamins, zinc and vitamin A, 25 percent of your daily iron, and 10 to 30 percent of most of your mineral requirements. Serious Mass contains 100 percent of your daily vitamins A, C, E, zinc and selenium, and 100 to 320 percent of your various B vitamins. Serious Mass also contains creatine, L-Glutamine, choline and inositol, which proponents believe contributes to muscle mass gain. Creatine has been shown to help to increase lean mass, but the claims about the other supplements have never been proved.
Alternatives
Use an online calorie calculator to determine how many calories you really need in a day. Many people think they need more than they do, and the excess ends up stored as fat. If you do need more calories than you are currently eating, try to get them from whole foods instead. Eat frequently, increase your serving sizes and don't fill up on nutritionally empty beverages like diet soda. Eat nutrient-dense, high-calorie snacks like peanut butter, cheese and dried fruit, and eat more whole grains like pasta and cereal.
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