What's the best whey for weight gain?

Mass gain is the main objective of most bodybuilding enthusiasts. But building muscle isn't easy, and choosing the right whey isn't that simple.

In addition to following a rigorous training program, it's in the fitness enthusiast's best interest to monitor his or her diet and use protein supplements. Whey is an ideal dietary supplement to promote mass gain, but you still need to know which whey to choose.

Whey isolate, protein concentrate, hydrolyzed whey, raw whey, plant proteins... Choosing the right type of whey isn't easy, because not all protein powders of this type are created equal.

Here's our advice to help you make the right choice. You can also read our article on the different types of protein powder.

Whey: the best dietary supplement for mass gain?

Whey protein is rightly considered the best dietary supplement for bodybuilding enthusiasts, whatever their goals. In addition to being rich in amino acids, notably BCAA (leucine, isoleucine and valine), this protein powder is easily assimilated by the body.

Whey's high bioavailability means it's ideal for post-workout supplementation. That said, there are also simple tricks for reducing its assimilation rate, so that it can be taken before bedtime. This technique allows you to stick to a single supplement and avoid taking casein, another protein derived from milk, which is slower to digest but also more expensive.

Taking your shaker as a dessert, just after a classic meal of carbohydrates and fats, slows down the absorption and assimilation of whey proteins, similar to the slowed absorption effect sought with casein.

Casein will cost you more and won't provide as many amino acids and BCAAs as whey. To find out when to take casein rather than whey, read our article on the difference between whey and casein.

Vegetable proteins have lower amino acid profiles and are often extracted using solvents, unlike whey, which is mechanically filtered. Find out more in our whey definition.

While it offers excellent value for money, beware of the cheap whey you can find, and look after your body by choosing products without additives or sweeteners... And if possible, a supplement made in France!

As you can see, there are many reasons to include whey in your diet, whatever your training phase.

Whey Protein

• Manufactured in-house by Protéalpes
• No additives, no sweeteners
• Protein isolate from Rhône-Alpes

These professional clubs put their trust in us:

Whey Vanilla Whey Chocolate Whey Caramel Whey Mint Whey Strawberry Whey Café

Which whey for mass gain?

Those looking to build muscle mass need to be very conscientious about their diet and supplementation. This choice, already crucial, can be even more important if your morphology is not conducive to muscle gain. Typically, ectomorphs will opt for a whey that is particularly high in calories.

Athletes need to choose a high-quality whey that provides the amino acids they need. To make the right choice, we advise you to look at the composition of these products.

Here are the whey we recommend for your mass gain:

In all cases, you should opt for a whey base with no additives or sweeteners. Depending on your metabolism, you can choose weight gainers or more "classic" wheys.

Gainers are wheys in themselves, less concentrated in protein and will provide the body with large quantities of calories in the form of carbohydrates.

You can make a very economical and healthy homemade gainer by adding a carbohydrate source to your whey. Organic oat powder is an excellent source of carbohydrates that you can use to make a "homemade" gainer. 

In short, successful weight gain depends on an appropriate training program, a carefully monitored, varied and balanced diet, and optimal supplementation with a healthy, additive-free protein source. To achieve satisfactory results, bodybuilders need to achieve a protein intake of around 1.6 - 2 g/kg/day .

To estimate yours, use this little calculator:

The different types of Whey for mass gain

• Whey concentrates
• CFM or Cross-Flow Microfiltration
• Hydrolyzed Whey
• Whey isolate
• Clear Whey

Most names describe different filtration processes, but marketing promises are often not scientifically proven.

Other types of protein, such as Clear Whey, are clearly harmful to the body.

What's more, these designations lose their meaning with additive-free wheys, as they have to be blended with other ingredients that "drop the protein content", compared with additives that are used in very low volumes. At Protealpes, for example, raw whey is effectively isolate.

For post-workout supplementation, whey with low lactose and fat content is recommended. Whey concentrates are of basic quality and still contain lactose and fat. Whey isolates are purer and contain less lactose and fat. Hydrolyzed whey is predigested and therefore more easily assimilated by the body.

Hydrolyzed whey is a dietary supplement with a high protein content and high bioavailability, but its price is excessively high due to its numerous production processes. 

Hydrolyzed whey offers no real advantages over classic whey protein, which has a sufficient concentration of protein.

The speed of assimilation of hydrolyzed whey is not necessarily an advantage, as that of classic whey is already sufficient for post-workout supplementation or during training in very specific cases. Ultimately, the supposed advantages of hydrolyzed whey can become disadvantages in both mass gain and lean phases.

Which whey is right for beginners?

For a beginner in mass gain, the best whey to choose is the one that : 

• meets its needs in terms of amino acid and BCAA intake;
• she likes enough to be taken on a long-term basis

Whey is considered the best protein powder because of its protein concentration and amino acid profile.

However, there are several other types of whey on the market, such as whey concentrate, raw whey, hydrolyzed whey, clear whey...

For beginners, depending on their objectives, it's advisable to choose a classic whey or gainer like those offered by Protéalpes, as they contain sufficient protein to support muscle growth, the right carbohydrate-protein ratio for assimilation, while being less expensive than other types of whey which have no real scientifically-proven benefits. 

It's important to note that whey should not be considered a miracle product for mass gain. Training sessions remain at the heart of a beginner's progress, and whey is a complement to optimize results.

How to start and succeed with weight gain?

In addition to intense and appropriate muscular training, building muscle mass depends largely on the athlete's diet.

He needs to ingest more calories to "build" muscle. Protein is essential for muscle building. Hence the importance of consuming whey.

As a general rule, 1.6 to 2 g/kg/d of protein should be consumed during this period. It's important to note that there's no need to exceed 2 g/kg/d, as the body won't be able to properly metabolize this excess protein.

Whey is not a miracle solution for mass gain

Although the emphasis is on nutrition, it's important to remember that the training program is at the heart of muscle mass gain.

The main factor is tonnage, i.e. the athlete's training volume. Athletes need to work their muscles hard enough to naturally stimulate muscle anabolism.

Proteins support the athlete by enabling efficient recovery between training sessions, as well as biological optimization of the anabolic effects of muscular exercise.

Here, the consumption of whey and other protein powders improves the results obtained without appropriate supplementation. With amino acids and BCAAs at its disposal, the body can effectively repair muscle fibres and synthesize new, more suitable ones. This means faster recovery between workouts, and greater muscle mass gains.

When to take whey for successful weight gain?

Ideally, whey should be consumed directly after training. In this way, with the right whey, you combine glycogen replenishment, rehydration and post-workout muscle rebuilding. That said, the most important thing remains the overall daily dose of protein.

In other words, a body-building athlete who absolutely must take his shaker at a time other than post-workout is not, in itself, doing anything wrong.

It's important to remember that taking whey should not be a constraint, but a comfort product, combined with the pleasure of training. We return to this subject in our article dedicated to the scientific reality of the metabolic window.

Of course, the recommended dose of whey according to body weight must be carefully observed, and adapted to the protein dose already provided by the diet.

For some people, you'll need to pay particular attention to the calorie content of any whey-based shaker recipes. Similarly, you'll need to have a fairly precise idea of the protein intake represented by the various dishes in your diet. Remember, there's no point in exceeding 2 g/kg/d.

Should I take whey every day to promote weight gain?

In itself, you don't need to take whey every day to promote mass gain, but it is important to respect a daily protein intake adapted to your weight and level of physical activity. That's where whey can help.

Daily protein intake must first be obtained from animal protein sources (meat, fish, chicken, eggs) or vegetable protein sources (rice or pea protein). Whey protein is a practical and healthy way of meeting these requirements if your diet is insufficient.

You can therefore take whey every day to build mass, as many athletes do, but it must be justified by your caloric and protein requirements.

Is whey effective for building lean body mass?

Note already that as we've mentioned whey isn't compulsory for building muscle, it's a catalyst for your training and sleep routine.

That said, whey alone is not entirely suitable for lean mass gain. 

In principle, the protein shaker should also contain carbohydrates, and possibly lipids. Taken in the context of sport, they help to absorb more calories while regenerating glycogen stocks.

Therefore, for effective dry mass gain, it is advisable to use a quality gainer rather than whey alone. 

Gainers are dietary supplements that contain a mix of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, providing a balanced supply of nutrients to support muscle growth and minimize fat accumulation.

Why not give it a try? Our customer reviews speak for themselves 🙂

As you can see, incorporating whey into your physical preparation can be a catalyst for performance. Physical preparation means different phases, and often after mass gain comes... the dry phase! This is another vast subject, and to prepare yourself we invite you to read our article entitled Which whey to choose for a successful dry-down, or the one on whey for weight loss.

And for more on the subject:

• Which whey is right for beginners?
• Which whey to choose for professional athletes?
• Should I take whey every day?
• How do I take whey?
• Whey: doping or not?

If you want to dig even deeper, here are our sources:

^1Sucraloseaffects glycemic and hormonal responses to an oral glucose load by Pepino et al - 2013

^2Sucralose, A Synthetic Organochlorine Sweetener: Overview of Biological Issues by Schiffman et al - 2013