10 Best Weight Gainers For Skinny Guys

Have you ever felt like it is a struggle to gain weight and muscle mass?

Maybe you have tried some supplements but still don’t have the results to show it.

If you are a hard gainer or have a hard time putting on weight, a mass gainer or weight gainer supplement might be what you need.

The best weight gainers for skinny guys are loaded with calories and made primarily of good nutrients that you need to grow!

If you are female, take a look at the top weight gainers for women.

To help you in your efforts, here are my reviews of the best weight gainers for skinny people and how to choose the best mass gainers that work.

Top 10 Mass Gainers For Skinny Guys

		Weight Gainer		Review Summary
#1		ON Serious Mass	Click For Serious Mass Price	A great mass gainer which tastes good too.
#2		BSN True Mass	Click For True Mass Price	Another great mass building supplement.
#3		Universal Real Gains	Click For Real Gains Price	From a well-respected brand in the bodybuilding & powerlifting. community.
#4		Naked Mass	Click For Naked Mass Price	A protein-heavy weight gain supplement.
#5		Muscle Milk Gainer	Click For Muscle Milk Price	A popular brand. Servings are smaller than other mass gainers.
#6		Crazy Bulk D-Bal	Click For D-Bal Price	A very potent booster for gains. Offers impressive results quickly.
#7		Dymatize Nutrition Super Mass Gainer	Click For Dymatize Nutrition Super Mass Gainer Price	Has a good taste and high in calories.
#8		MuscleTech Mass Tech	Click For MuscleTech Mass Tech Price	Low in sugar. Contains no maltodextrin.
#9		Cytosport Cyto Gainer	Click For Cytosport Cyto Gainer Price	Has a great macro-split.
#10		Mass JYM Protein Powder	Click For Mass JYM Protein Powder Price	Use high-quality protein sources but lacks flavor.

Here are the top 10 best mass gainer supplements for skinny guys:

#1 – Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass Weight Gainer

Review: Optimum Nutrition is the best mass gainer for skinny guys on our list!

This is also one of the most popular mass gainers on the market. It not only packs a punch with 50 grams of protein per serving but also boasts 1,250 calories, 252 grams of carbs, and 25 different vitamins and minerals for immune support along with creatine and glutamine in every two-scoop serving.

If you have an active metabolism, a weak appetite, or simply don’t have the time to consume enough calories on a daily basis, this weight gainer contains a nutritional profile to help you bulk up.

Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass can be added to smoothies to boost nutrition and calories without sacrificing flavor. An electric blender can be used to mix it with fruit (mix two heaping scoops of powder with about 24 ounces of cold water or milk then blend it with other ingredients).

Optimum Nutrition’s flavors include chocolate peanut butter, strawberry, vanilla (which tasted just like vanilla ice cream), and banana.

Use it between meals to replace unhealthy snacks or use it to aid muscular recovery after workouts. You can even drink this before going to bed. If you’re just starting out, it’s recommended to start with half of a serving before increasing the serving gradually over time.

Click For Optimum Nutrition Price

#2 – BSN TRUE-MASS Weight Gainer

Review: BSN True Mass contains over 1,200 calories per serving, providing plenty of additional calories for bulking. More so, the high protein formula of  54 grams per serving will help with muscle growth and recovery.

Along with the protein, there are also 210 grams of carbs (derived mainly from rolled oats) as well as branched-chain amino acids for additional nutrients making it a great addition to your healthy diet and workout routine. With 19g of sugar per serving, this tastes good!

You can use True-Mass as a meal replacement, as a post-workout supplement, or even before bedtime. Mix two scoops of the powder with about 16 ounces of cold liquid and drink one serving each day (depending on your calorie/protein requirements).

The True-Mass uses quite a few high-quality protein sources. These are egg white albumin, calcium caseinate, milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate, micellar casein, hydrolyzed whey protein powder, and whey protein concentrate. This makes it one of the best protein powders if you are bony guy.

Click For BSN True Mass Price

#3 – Universal Nutrition Real Gains Weight Gainer

Review: Univeral Nutrition is well respected in the bodybuilding community for its “Animal” line of products.

The nutritional profile in Univeral Nutrition Real Gains is very good! It has a particularly high protein and low-fat content. It is a great gainer supplement for athletes looking to make qualifying weight for specific divisions or for those looking to put on weight during their off-season. It can be used as a meal replacement or as a bedtime supplement.

The formula is quite potent and some might find that half of a serving twice a day might be better than a full serving taken at once. Simply mix your desired serving with 12 to 16 ounces of water (or any liquid you prefer) using a blender and drink it.

Each serving of Real Gains is over 600 calories and is made from digestible fiber and inulin. They offer rapid and sustained release of carbohydrates and proteins but use MCTs and EFAs as their healthy fat sources in order to provide you with additional beneficial nutrients. These can useful if you are particularly slim.

Click For Real Gains Price

#4 – NAKED MASS – Natural Weight Gainer Protein Powder

Review: Another popular product, Naked Mass is an all-natural weight gainer. Naked Nutrition purposely made this product with only 3 ingredients.

The all-natural weight gain powder is simply made of whey, casein, and maltodextrin derived from organic, gluten-free tapioca to provide you with a clean source of complex carbohydrates and multi-phase proteins—both important in gaining and maintaining lean body mass.

It is free of artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, and colors while also being GMO-free, growth hormone-free, and gluten-free making it a healthier option for those looking to keep to dietary restrictions.

This product contains 1,250 calories per serving made of 50 grams of whey protein, 252 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of sugar, and 11.5 grams of branched-chain amino acids making it a well-rounded formula.

Unlike others, this is unflavored so you can add it to recipes like smoothies and even desserts. So if you are particularly scrawny, you can add it to many meals.

Click For Naked Mass Price

#5 – Muscle Milk Gainer Protein Powder

Review: One of the most popular brands on the market, Muscle Milk Gainer features 650 calories per four scoops (the recommended serving size) with 32 grams of protein and 3 grams of leucine (from milk proteins). 9g of fat and 110g of carbs per serving, making it somewhat carb-heavy.

The higher than-normal volume of carbs in this make it a good pre-workout meal replacement. You can also add the powder to smoothies or even pancake batter for a calorie and protein boost. To get the most out of this, mix four scoops of the powder into no more than 16 ounces of water for a shake.

It also contains a range of vitamins and minerals. The formula has been around for a long time and is known to work consistently for hard gainers.

Click For Muscle Milk Price

#6 – Crazy Bulk D-Bal

Review: We know, this isn’t a protein powder or mass gainer in the traditional sense. But the product creates such great results (especially for hard gainers) that it NEEDS to be on our list.

These supplements are designed to enhance your body’s ability to build muscle and burn fat, kind of like steroids except these are completely legal and don’t have any of the side effects that you can get from steroids.

The D-Bal supplement is great for those who have been struggling to pack on muscle mass. If you can afford it, their bulking stack is the way to go. But if not, D-Bal is a great alternative. We just tested their new formula and the results are impressive.

Obviously, to get the best results with this, you will need to have a balanced diet and exercise routine. So if you combine Crazy Bulk supplements with one of the best mass gainers on this list then you will get some great results. See our Crazy Bulk reviews.

Click For D-Bal Price

#7 – Dymatize Nutrition Super Mass Gainer

Review: The Dymatize Super Mass Gainer contains around 1900 calories with skimmed milk or 1300 calories when mixed with water. It contains 17g of amino acids, 7.7g of l-leucine, and 1.5g of creatine monohydrate. It’s also gluten-free.

From a 2-scoop serving, you get 52g of protein, 254g of carbs, and 10g of fat. The shake is quite thick and can be difficult to mix without a blender. But a 1300-calorie shake is never going to be light. If you are a thin guy, these calories are well deserved.

#8 – MuscleTech Mass Tech

Review: The MuscleTech Mass Gainer is free from maltodextrin. This means that there is less chance of that crash feeling later.

Instead, it uses oats, quinoa, buckwheat, glucose polymers, and millet as carbohydrate sources.

A 235g serving (5 scoops) contains 820 calories which are 129g of carbs and only 11g of sugar. It also contains a high amount of protein at 63g per serving which comes from a blend of sources including whey isolate.

#9 – Cytosport Cyto Gainer

Review: The Cytosport Cyto Gainer contains 54 grams of protein, 73g of carbohydrates, and 5g of fat giving it a great macro split. It also includes 3.2g of creatine and a bunch of vitamins and minerals per 150g serving.

With 560 calories, it has a lower amount of maltodextrin when compared to others. It also has a good taste, mixes well and is made in the USA.

#10 – Mass JYM Protein Powder

Review: The Mass Jym Protein Powder contains a great balance of carbs to protein ratio of 1:1. It’s a good choice for those who want to gain weight steadily with less chance of gaining fat.

It uses a solid blend of protein sources consisting of micellar casein, whey protein isolate, and egg white protein. Its carb sources include pea starch, isomaltulose (a blend of glucose and fructose), and oat fiber for a mixture of low-GI and high-GI carbs.

But the great nutritional value is let down somewhat by its taste and slightly chalky texture.

Mass Gainer Nutritional Comparison

Here are the supplement facts of the best mass gainers (vanilla flavor):

Weight Gainer	Calories per serving	Sugar per serving	Protein per serving	Carbohydrates per serving
ON Serious Mass	1268	26g	50g	256g
BSN True Mass	1210	16g	50g	209g
Universal Real Gains	601	7g	52g	87g
Naked Mass	1260	58g	50g	251g
Muscle Milk Gainer	650	5g	32g	110g
Crazy Bulk D-Bal	0	0g	0g	0g
Dymatize Nutrition Super Mass Gainer	1248	13g	52g	242g
MuscleTech Mass Tech	870	11.2g	63g	138g
Cytosport Cyto Gainer	550	8g	54g	73g
Mass JYM Protein Powder	270	10g	30g	30g

What Is A Mass Gainer?

Mass gainers or weight gainers are usually consumed in the form of a shake. They are jam-packed full of calories and plenty of protein that is needed to build muscle mass, add strength and increase body weight.

They often also include macronutrients and micronutrients. Plus other muscle-building ingredients such as creatine.

Weight Gainers – Reasons To Use Them

Most people turn to weight gainers because they have problems reaching their goal weight through their eating habits, often because they have an ectomorph body type. They can be used to supplement calorie intake if you’re simply not eating enough to create a calorie surplus during the day or to combat a physical problem that prevents natural weight gain.

More so, a good body gainer supplement can double as a protein supplement as most have enough protein to replace additional supplements while also adding to your weight and improving your strength training progress.

But remember… a weight gain supplement can never replace whole food and a good training routine.

They can also contain other nutrients like creatine, L-glutamine, and similar amino acids to help with muscle protein synthesis and workout recovery. The good thing about these additional nutrients is that they work in other ways besides helping you gain weight. They can boost your immune system and help stabilize your metabolism to keep you in optimal health.  So they are super useful if you are a skinny guy.

When to Take Mass Gainers

The reason you’re using mass gainer supplements plays a part in when you should use one during your day. Some people take their mass gainer in the morning to fuel their day while others use it as a pre-workout supplement to help them get through their routine.

Still, some wait to use their weight-gaining supplement after their workout to feed their muscles to help them recover. Keep your own needs in mind and experiment to see what will work best for you and your routine.

Mass Gainer Side Effects

While weight gainers are considered safe when used according to their individual instructions, there are some possible side effects that you should consider before starting one. The most common complaints are:

• Bloating and excess gas
• Diarrhea or urgent bowel movements
• Gastrointestinal cramping

Most users say that these side effects go away when your body acclimates to the product, however. To better gauge your body’s possible response to a mass gainer shake, it’s best to speak to your doctor before you start using one. This will help to see if you have any pre-existing conditions or issues that it might exacerbate. Artificial sweeteners can sometimes give a strange aftertaste and undesirable effects for some.

Another thing to note with mass gainers is that over time, you will likely see an increase in body fat as you gain weight, especially if you try to gain weight fast. This is a natural part of the process of gaining weight but it is also because many supplements contain sugar or maltodextrin. These are high on the glycemic index which can cause spikes in blood sugar.

When consuming anything with sugar, you should also be aware of the damage that can be done to your teeth and the increased risk of cavities.

What to Consider When Selecting a Weight Gainer / Mass gainer?

With so many different products on the market, it can be hard to separate the good ones from the mediocre ones. By understanding what factors to consider when comparing supplements, you can look at your options and see which products make the cut and which are a waste of money.

Whey Protein

All mass gainers will contain some form of protein source. The most bioavailable form is whey protein isolate and it will be absorbed most readily by the body. This is considered the gold standard, so if you can afford it, this is the best type to look for. Some other bioavailable source is whey protein concentrate and then whole eggs.

Here is the protein content per serving in our favorite  mass gainers:

Weight Gainer	Protein per serving
ON Serious Mass	50g
BSN True Mass	50g
Universal Real Gains	52g
Naked Mass	50g
Muscle Milk Gainer	32g
Crazy Bulk D-Bal	0g
Dymatize Nutrition Super Mass Gainer	52g
MuscleTech Mass Tech	63g
Cytosport Cyto Gainer	54g
Mass JYM Protein Powder	30g

Carbohydrates and Macros

All mass gainer supplements should have a mix of carbohydrates as well as protein to provide you with the proper nutrients to fuel your body and help skinny guys gain weight properly. The best supplements should have a three-to-one ratio of carbs to proteins for the best protein synthesis.

Regular protein powders will usually just contain one type of protein. The ideal protein shake should be a mix of fast-release and slow or medium-release sources for a steady protein intake. With this, your energy levels can be sustained throughout the day as the fast-release sources will fuel you at the moment while the sustained-release amino acids ensure that you’ll stay properly fueled throughout the rest of your day. Look for protein sources like micellar casein, whey, and calcium caseinate.

Choosing the right protein is important because it’s the nutrient that helps your muscles recover after strenuous workouts and what triggers new muscle growth. Whey is a fast-release protein that does this well while micellar casein and calcium caseinate are slow-release proteins. Those work great to help stop your muscles from breaking down and also preserve your lean muscle mass.

If you drink your weight gainer before bed or between meals, these slow-release proteins work best while whey-based formulas are great for post-workout shakes. For powders that use only fast-release proteins, make sure they have the proper amount of complex carbohydrates in the formula to sustain your energy levels throughout your day.

Digestive Enzymes

Mass gainers can sometimes make you feel bloated and gassy. To stop this from happening, these products use digestive enzymes in their formula to help enhance your digestion. This helps your body process the supplement better, too, which helps it work quicker.

If you’re using your supplement to help fuel your workouts, digestive enzymes can help your efforts by helping your digestive system and increasing its rate of absorption. Look for a quality mass gainer shake with these enzymes to avoid uncomfortable bloat and embarrassing gas.

Low Sugar Content

A lot of subpar and cheap weight gainers will use sugar to give you a jolt of energy instead of beneficial nutrients since it’s easier and cheaper for the manufacturer to incorporate it into the formula. Sugar also increases the supplement’s calorie content easily, which might look good on the label. However, this isn’t great for your overall health since elevated sugar levels can lead to long-term health problems and increased body fat.

Here is the sugar content per serving in the top mass gainers:

Weight Gainer	Sugar per serving
ON Serious Mass	26g
BSN True Mass	16g
Universal Real Gains	7g
Naked Mass	58g
Muscle Milk Gainer	5g
Crazy Bulk D-Bal	0g
Dymatize Nutrition Super Mass Gainer	13g
MuscleTech Mass Tech	11.2g
Cytosport Cyto Gainer	8g
Mass JYM Protein Powder	10g

If you add your supplement to a smoothie, milk, or something other than water, it’ll mix with other sugars so you’ll be ingesting more sugar.

If you have a predisposition to diabetes excessing sugar consumption can be harmful.

In general, steer clear of gainers that have more than 6 grams of sugar per 100-gram serving.

Instead of picking a mass gainer that uses high amounts of sugar look for one that uses clean sources of nutrients like carbohydrates and proteins while limiting the sugar content.

Price

Usually, you can expect better quality products to be more expensive. The cost of protein is often trending upwards and to get it for cheap should make you wary.

Not everyone has the cash to get the most expensive products on the market, but you should also not get the cheapest mass gainers either. There’s a very good chance that they’ll have poor nutritional value.

Additional Nutrients

Metabolic stress caused by exercise can only be properly combated by the right amount of vitamins and minerals. When choosing a weight gainer, try to find one that has multiple vitamins incorporated into it. These trigger biochemical reactions in your body to create energy and aid in muscle fatigue recovery after a strenuous workout.

If you wish to increase your calorie count even further, you can use milk in your shake instead of water.

Similarly, you should make sure that the supplement you choose has branch-chained amino acids as well as essential amino acids. These are important for all metabolic processes including the storage and transport of nutrients throughout your body. These are also the building blocks for proteins so it’s more likely that a mass gainer supplement will work properly if it’s noted that there are additional amino acids in it.

Considerations for Aspiring Bodybuilders

If you’re turning to a weight gainer supplement because you’re a skinnier person looking to become a bodybuilder or to at least get some serious gains, there are additional things that you should look for in your supplement.

Find a supplement that has creatine, glutamine, betaine, and MCT (medium-chain triglycerides) oil. While there are products that have these additional ingredients, not all of them do so you have to make sure you read the ingredients and product description if these factors are important to you.

Creatine will assist you in producing a phosphocreatine reserve. This is essentially an energy tank that can be used during strenuous weight training sessions. With this type of reserve in your body, you can push yourself harder and get more out of your workouts so you increase your muscle mass effectively. While creatine, in general, is good, look for supplements that are made with Creapure, if possible. This is a pure, potent form of creatine that works best.

If I have creatine before bed, I have trouble sleeping. That’s something to bear in mind with gainers that contain creatine.

You can also get some creatine separately and simply add it to your protein shake.

Betaine is an amino acid that increases muscle mass and supports athletic performance. A mass gainer with this amino acid is better than other basic supplements that just look to provide you with extra calories. Similarly, glutamine is another amino acid that aids in muscle recovery and prevents muscle breakdown to help you increase your gains and feel less fatigued after an intense workout.

Finally, MCT oil and Omega 3 are a type of healthy fat that improves your ability to burn unwanted fat while helping you build muscle mass. If you’re looking to gain muscle without too much fat, look for a supplement with MCT oil or Omega 3s fatty acids.

Weight Gainer FAQs

Are Mass Gainers worth it?

Main gainers are high in calories. So if you struggle to get the necessary caloric intake from real food to gain weight, a mass gainer is worth it.

Are Mass Gainers safe?

Mass gainers are relatively safe. But they may contain sugar which can be a concern for diabetics.

Can I take Mass Gainer and Whey Protein together?

If you have a weight gain supplement that does not have your desired amount of protein in it per serving, you can add some extra weight protein to it. You can also take whey protein at different times of the day when compared to your weight gainer, such as before bed.

Can I take Mass Gainer without Working Out?

Mass gainers will make you gain weight whether you work out or not. Many people take mass gainers without working out.

But if you are not exercising, you won’t build much muscle mass. So if you can work out, then you should.

Taking weight gainers for a long time without exercise will lead to a body fat increase. So unless you desire a chubbier physique, you should exercise.

Will Mass Gainers Make You Fat?

Mass Gainers can make you fat if taken over a long period without the necessary exercise.

If you are particularly skinny, it may seem unlikely. But if taken consistently and for enough time without exercise, they can cause fat gain.

Which Mass Gainer is Best for Skinny Guys?

The best mass gainers are the ones that have the lowest amount of sugar and natural ingredients.

My particular favorites are Naked Mass because of its natural ingredients and BSN True Mass Gainer for its sheer number of calories.

How can a Skinny Teenager Bulk Up?

Teenagers can bulk up in the same way that an adult can. It all comes down to consuming more calories than you use. Teenagers will likely have a higher metabolism than an adult and so will likely need more calories to gain weight.

How To Gain Weight and Keep My Abs?

As you gain weight, you will also gain some fat. But you can minimize this belly fat accumulation and keep your abs visible by controlling what you eat. Try to avoid junk food. See how to gain weight and keep your abs for more information.

Mass Gainer Final Thoughts

When it comes to trying to find the best mass gainer for skinny guys, you should have a good understanding of what makes a good mass gainer supplement and what ingredients are needed to be effective.

While these are the best six weight gainer supplements for skinny guys (or gals!), there are more products available on the market that might better suit your needs and preferences. As you shop, be sure to compare all available products based on their descriptions as well as user reviews to narrow down your options.