Pro Gainer is a mass-gainer supplement by Optimum Nutrition.

It’s labelled as a “lean-gainer” because of its lower calorie and sugar content than most other mass-gainers.

Optimum Nutrition is an American supplement brand. It’s also part of Glanbia – an international cheese and nutritional ingredients group.

Ingredients Label

Active Ingredients

Maltodextrin

Although Pro Gainer emphasises the fact that it doesn’t contain much sugar, it contains a lot of maltodextrin.

This isn’t technically a sugar, but it is very high GI. It still releases energy faster than sugar, which isn’t a plus for us.

Protein Blend

The protein blend uses a combination of different protein types.

This includes whey, casein, and egg protein, which are all digested at different rates (1, 2).

Lactase

Lactase is a digestive enzyme that that helps the body break down and absorb lactose, the natural sugar found in milk (3).

This can help with any upsetting of the stomach that some people experience from dairy products.

Who Takes It?

Those wanting extra assistance with gaining size and strength will benefit from Pro Gainer.

How to Take

Mix 1 heaped scoop (165g) with 500mL water or milk, and consume either post-workout or as desired.

Side Effects

Maltodextrin is very high-GI, and may not be good for diabetics in large quantities.

Excess protein intake can worsen an existing kidney or liver condition.

Pros

High-calorie formula provides an easy way to increase your calorie intake
Contains added vitamins and digestive enzymes.

Cons

Although it’s advertised as being a low-sugar formula, its main carb source is actually just as bad as sugar.

Conclusion

Optimum Nutrition has been somewhat deceptive here claiming that this is a “lean-gainer” because of its low sugar content, when in fact maltodextrin could be considered just as “bad” as sugar.

It is a good source of protein, though, and the extra vitamins and enzymes are great extras.