Can supplements help you gain weight?
Supplements can be effective for weight gain because they provide a concentrated source of calories and nutrients. However, they should be used only to supplement your diet — not as a replacement for whole, nutrient-rich foods.
“A weight gain supplement should not be the first point of attack when wanting to gain weight,” said Laura Asbury, a registered dietitian and strength and conditioning coach. “Calories and nutrients must be in line in order to gain weight in a healthy and sustainable way.”
Also keep in mind that while some supplements may more directly help you gain weight by providing a boost of calories, others may have a more indirect effect by supporting muscle gain.
Supplements for weight gain.
Several types of supplements — protein powders, creatine, and pre-workouts — can help you gain weight if you use them in combination with a balanced diet.
In general, protein powders and mass gainers are your best bets if you’re simply looking to boost your calorie intake.
On the other hand, if you’re hoping to gain muscle mass through strength training, creatine powders and pre-workouts are worth considering.
Here is a closer look at each type.
1. Protein powders
Protein plays an essential role in building and maintaining muscle mass. However, protein intake without a calorie surplus and an appropriate resistance training program will not result in building lean muscle mass.
In fact, research suggests that high protein diets may aid in weight loss because protein helps people feel full
For this reason, if you use a protein supplement in a weight gain diet plan, it’s important to make sure you also maintain a calorie surplus.
One way to find out whether you’re eating enough calories is to track your diet on a few typical days to determine whether you need to adjust your total calorie intake. From there, you can also adjust your macronutrient intake as needed.
The recommended daily protein intake for active adults to build and maintain muscle is 0.6–0.9 grams (g) per pound (1.4–2.0 g per kilogram) of body weight per day. This amount has been found to support muscle growth and maintenance
Keep in mind that protein supplements are not necessary if you can meet your daily protein needs through whole food sources. However, supplements may be a convenient way to fit more protein into a busy schedule.
2. Creatine
- Who it’s best for:people looking to build muscle and enhance athletic performance
- Potential side effects:It may lead to water retention in some people, and larger doses may result in gastrointestinal distress
Creatine may have an indirect effect on lean muscle mass gains because of its potential to boost exercise performance.
When you take creatine as a supplement, the creatine concentration in your muscles increases. This can lead to performance benefits and muscle gain over time. However, most creatine supplements are low in calories and need to be combined with other ingredients to provide enough calories to support weight gain
Creatine monohydrate is recognized as the most effective form of creatine and is the most common type used in creatine supplements.
The typical recommendation for creatine supplementation is to begin by taking a loading dose of approximately 20 g per day, split into 4 servings, for 5–7 days.
After this initial period, a dose of approximately 3–5 g per day is recommended for maintaining creatine levels.
Some people may experience short-term weight gain when starting creatine supplements, which can be attributed to changes in fluid balance.
“Total body water is increased with creatine supplementation, which could increase body weight. However, once creatine supplementation is stopped, phosphocreatine stores are diminished after 4–8 weeks, which may decrease body weight,” explained Asbury.
Top 5 Vitamins to Help You Gain Weight.
1. B Vitamins
If you have a vitamin B deficiency, you may have an eating disorder. This can make it difficult to gain weight. Vitamin B also helps with the function of maintaining muscle tone. Some of these vitamins also help with converting carbohydrates to energy.
If you have a deficiency in Vitamin B1 or Thiamine, this might cause you to lose weight. A lack of B12 or B9, however, might cause anemia, which can cause you to lose your appetite and lead to weight loss.
Taking vitamin B can help to improve your weight. It can give you better health and increase your muscle tone.
2. Vitamin D
One of the most important vitamins, Vitamins D
allows you to gain weight if used correctly. This vitamin helps your immune system and can protect you from diabetes. It also makes your bones and teeth stronger.
While just taking vitamin D won’t cause you to gain weight, a deficiency of this vitamin can make it harder to gain healthy weight.
3. Vitamin C
A vitamin that has the ability to slow down your metabolism, Vitamin C can help you gain weight. It’s a necessary vitamin to help protect your body, but also to help you gain some weight. While you can gain some weight from the slower metabolism, vitamin C can also help keep you from overeating.
4. Iron
A very important metal your body needs, iron can help you gain weight. It plays a role in transferring oxygen to the cells of your body. While taking iron by itself won’t cause you to gain weight, it can make it easier to put on healthier weight.
5. Protein
While it’s not a vitamin that helps you gain weight, protein is vital to putting on healthy weight. It’s important to muscle function and studies show that you will gain more weight with protein supplements.
Taking in enough protein every day will make a difference. However, taking in too much doesn’t mean you will gain more weight. It’s best to take in between 0.6 and 0.9 grams per pound of body weight each day.
There are several vitamins and supplements you can take for weight gain. However, the main factor in gaining weight is consuming more calories than you burn each day. Of course, getting the right vitamins in your diet can help to ensure you gain healthy weight.
Many athletes trying to gain weight use shakes and bars filled with protein and the right vitamins to gain weight. These athletes still have to take in enough calories every day to gain weight. While most vitamins cannot help you gain weight alone, a deficiency might cause you to lose weight or struggle to gain weight.
