Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer Weight Gainer Protein Powder Review

Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer Weight Gainer Protein Powder Review

This Pro Gainer review will explain why it is one of our favorite mass gainers out there, and what exactly makes it best

Optimum Nutrition is a monster in the sports nutrition industry. Everything they do is for the most part exceptional and all of their products are extremely popular. Pro Gainer is no exception. ON is most famous for their Gold Standard whey protein, and Pro Gainer is another big success for ON…but read on to find out why it is best

What’s in Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer Weight Gainer Protein Powder

Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer contains the following ingredients:

• Maltodextrin
• Protein Blend, containing:
  • Whey Protein Isolate;
  • Whey Protein Concentrate;
  • Calcium Caseinate;
  • Egg Albumin;
  • Hydrolyzed Whey Peptides; and
  • Glutamine Peptides
• Lipid Blend, containing:
  • Medium Chain Triglycerides; and
  • High Oleic Flower Oil
• Partially Hydrogenated Guar Gum
• Lecithin
• Vitamin and Mineral Blend
• Carbogen Enzyme Blend
• Aminogen Enzyme Blend
• Lactase
• Sucralose
• Acesulfame Potassium

ON Pro Gainer Ingredients

The ingredients are by far your most important consideration when buying a mass gainer, so we will start by analyzing the formula. The two most important things to consider when it comes to ingredients are the protein blend and the carb to protein ratio.
Ideally, you want a carb to protein ratio of 1.5 to 1 in order to ideally gain lean muscle mass and help ensure that you do not consume excess carbs, which can lead to fat gain. Pro Gainer has a carb to protein ratio of 1.4 to 1. This is excellent and nearly ideal. However, it is one of the reasons why Pro Gainer was not ranked #1. The #1 ranked mass gainer (R1 Gain) has an exact carb to protein ratio of 1.5 to 1, so it has Pro Gainer just barely beat in that regard (not a huge difference).
The protein blend is the other of your two most important considerations because the purer the protein blend, the better results you will be likely to get. A protein blend that is not very pure can lead to fat gain.
You want to see strictly whey protein isolate, whey protein hydrolysate, and sometimes whey protein concentrate (but ideally you want the blend to be ONLY isolate and hydrolysate, which are the purest forms of protein in exxistence).
As a general rule, you want the list of ingredients within the protein blend to be as short as possible. Pro Gainer’s blend is not pretty. This is the major downfall of the product, otherwise it might have ranked #2 or potentially even #1.
The blend is as follows: whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, calcium caseinate, egg albumen, hydrolyzed whey peptides, and glutamine peptides. You really don’t want any of this aside from the first one (WPI). The reason companies put this other stuff in there is because it costs a lot less than the purer forms of protein. ON is just being a little cheap with this protein blend. With that said, if you don’t care as much about quality and are more concerned with price, then Pro Gainer could be exactly what you need.
Overall, Pro Gainer is an excellent product with the exception of the average protein blend. Lets talk about what does NOT go into it that makes it a good product.
It’s important to consider what it contains, but it is equally as important to consider what it does not contain (avoid high amounts of fat, sugar, cholesterol, and sodium).
Pro Gainer has only 8 grams of fat in every serving, which is very low for a mass gainer (the #1 mass gainer has 5 grams of fat per serving). Cholesterol is the lowest of any mass gainer I have seen at 60 milligrams per serving (crazy low). It only contains 6 grams of sugar, which is also extremely low for a mass gainer (the #1 gainer contains 3 grams per serving).
Sodium is slightly high at 340 milligrams per serving, which is what makes the product taste good. Sodium is something you want to look out for, as excess sodium will cause you to gain fat over time. To give you an idea of what a low sodium count looks like, the #1 gainer has 270 milligrams per serving. Generally, anything below 300 is solid for a mass gainer.

What Does Optimum Nutrition’s Pro Gainer Do

Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer is a weight gainer supplement designed to help you add a considerable amount of extra calories to your diet by introducing high-quality proteins and carbohydrates.
While many competing mass gainer supplements on the market bolster their caloric content with the use of low quality sugars and fats, Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer uses a fantastic blend of six different proteins, complex carbohydrates, and medium chain triglycerides for unrivalled nutritional content.
For young guys who are training hard on a consistent basis it can be extremely difficult to keep making progress in the size and strength department, and a lot of the time regular whole food simply doesn’t cut it.
If this sounds like a familiar scenario to you then you should find Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer to be a convenient and cost-effective way of adding quality calories to your diet without having to choke down endless amounts of food.

Effectiveness of Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer Weight Gainer Protein Powder

The big question with any mass gainer: will it really cause you to gain muscle? Pro Gainer can very likely cause you to gain muscle due to the nearly ideal carb to protein ratio and its use of whey protein isolate. It will likely overall be an effective product, however, there are some things that knock its effectiveness level down.
The protein blend, as said before, is generally directly correlated to what kind of results you will see. Pro Gainer’s protein blend will not be as effective as the #1 or #2 ranked gainers’ protein blends.
The other thing you want to watch out for in terms of effectiveness is the slightly high sodium count. Pro Gainer can likely allow you to gain muscle, but you also might gain some fat due to the excessive sodium count. With that said, the level of effectiveness is overall pretty good. We would have liked to see a purer protein blend and less sodium, but this formula is still likely to get the job done.

What are the Suggested Benefits of Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer Weight Gainer Protein Powder

The main benefit of using Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer or any other kind of weight gainer shake is that it allows you to swallow hundreds of calories within a matter of seconds; something that would be nigh impossible with solid food.
In terms of what Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer has to offer over similar mass gainer products, the defining feature is its fantastic protein blend which contains six different types of dairy and egg proteins.
These six proteins offer varying rates of digestion, so while hydrolyzed whey protein and peptides help to spike your blood amino acid levels very quickly, calcium caseinate provides more of a trickle effect to offer a sustained release of amino acids over the course of a few hours.
Another great addition to the ingredients list of Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer is the vitamin and mineral blend, providing your body with a wide range of essential vitamins and minerals to further speed up the recovery process and give your body what it needs for growth and repair.
There are quite a few low quality weight gainer supplements on the market that use impure proteins which can cause all kinds of digestive issues, but Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer combines great protein sources with Carbogen and Aminogen enzyme blends.
These two blends of enzymes, in conjunction with lactase, help to ensure that you don’t experience any kind of gastrointestinal discomfort, while also increasing your body’s ability to absorb and utilize every gram of protein and carbohydrate.

Taste of Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer Weight Gainer Protein Powder

Any product is hard to use if you don’t enjoy consuming it. Taste is important, and ON knows that. They didn’t get to where they’re at now by making products that taste bad. Pro Gainer tastes amazing, due mostly to the use of 340 milligrams of sodium per serving in addition to the 6 grams of sugar.
All of ON’s products taste fantastic, and this is no exception. It is worth noting however, that neither high sodium nor high sugar is necessary for the product to taste good. There are certainly products out there that taste good while still containing low sodium, low sugar, and low fat.

How and When To  Take Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer Weight Gainer Protein Powder

As per the manufacturer’s recommendations, you are to mix one heaping scoop of Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer into 16 ounces of cold water and shake until thoroughly dissolved.
Realistically you can take it anytime you want, your body will get the nutrients regardless, but i’d recommend drinking a shake before breakfast or after an intense workout for best results.
To increase the caloric content of your shakes you may wish to consider adding other items such as peanut butter, and if you are using an electric blender to mix your shakes then you could even use fruit, nuts, and other bodybuilding supplements.

The Pros

• Nearly ideal carb to protein ratio
• Produced by the one and only ON
• Low sugar
• Low fat
• Very low cholesterol
• Tastes great

The Cons

• The protein blend lacks purity
• Slightly high sodium count
• Level of effectiveness can be slightly lowered due to the unpure protein blend

Quality of Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer Weight Gainer Protein Powder

Optimum Pro Gainer is number one on the current best weight gainer supplements list with a high flavor rating of 7.5 out of 10, and an overall 9.3 out of 10 as well on bodybuilding.com where over 300 users reviewed this product from personal experience.
With 60 grams of protein per dose, 85 grams of carbohydrates and only 5 grams of sugar, this mass gainer supplement should help you pack on lean muscle through proper usage, healthy diet and training sessions.
Users rave about the effectiveness of Optimum Pro Complex for bulking up without the fat gained on some gainers, “Awesome for bulking, easy convenient way to get sufficient protein and calories.”  Reviewers also say they had no bloating or gas like on other such products.  Optimum Pro Complex Gainer is recommended for weight lifters and hard-gainers alike, with great results in a short time frame.

THE TRUE STRENGTH OF WEIGHT GAINERS*

• 60 Grams of High-Quality Protein to Help Kick-Start Recovery
• 85 Grams of Carbohydrates to Help Restore Energy Levels
• 650 Calories per Serving With Just 1 Gram of Added Sugar
• 22 Vitamins & Minerals Because the Nutrient Needs of Very Active Individuals May be Greater Than Less Active People

Precautions of Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer Weight Gainer Protein Powder

Consult your doctor or physician prior to using Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer if you have any pre-existing medical conditions, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you are currently using prescription medication.
Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer is generally not recommended for individuals under the age of 18.
Please note that these statements have been neither written nor reviewed by a doctor or medical authority of any kind.
Available Flavors and Serving Sizes
Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer is available in the following flavours:

• Banana Cream Pie
• Cookies & Cream
• Double Chocolate
• Strawberry Cream
• Vanilla Custard

What’s more, Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer is available in the following serving sizes:

• 09 lbs
• 1 lbs
• 16 lbs

Price of Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer Weight Gainer Protein Powder

The average price for Optimum Pro Gainer is around $36 to $50 for 5.08 pounds. One user said that this is “a great product [for a] great price” and highly recommended the use of this product to anyone looking to gain lean mass.
I do recommend buying this product online specifically for finding the lowest prices available. Overall it’s not that bad of a price for such a good product. However there are cheaper alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions about Pro Gainer

Is Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer Better Than a Normal Whey Protein Powder?

Better is always going to be a relative term when it comes to mass builder supplements like Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer.
This product isn’t really suitable for use as a post-workout protein shake, and it is intended primarily to allow you to add extra calories to your diet throughout the day, either as a replacement for your existing meals or to be taken in between meals.
Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer does offer some great value for money compared to a lot of similar products so is well worth considering if you are in the market specifically for a mass gainer protein supplement.

Is Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer Suitable As a Meal Replacement Product?

Absolutely.
There are a lots of inferior weight gainers on the market but you can always rely on a reputable brand like Optimum Nutrition to be a leader in just about every area.
This product provides a balanced content of protein, carbohydrates, and fats in addition to a few grams of fibre.
It is not recommended that you use Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer as your sole source of protein or as the foundation of your diet, but it will certainly suffice as a convenient replacement when you are either in a hurry or in need of a big calorie hit.

Conclusion of Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer Weight Gainer Protein Powder

Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer is definitely one of the better weight gainer products on the market, and it should come as no surprise for any of you who have ever used Optimum Nutrition supplements before.
With its easy digestion and five different flavours to choose from you should find Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer to be more than up to the task of bolstering your daily caloric intake in a convenient and cost-effective way.
Pro Gainer is a high-end, high-quality product produced by an amazing company. I would recommend it to anybody
Hopefully, this Pro Gainer review has been helpful in giving you the information you need to make a decision if it is the right gainer for you.