While one of the most popular goals of a fitness lifestyle is to lose weight, there are many who are in it for the exact opposite. Gaining muscle mass and growing in strength can provide a vast swathe of benefits from how you perform in competition, to how you feel just living your life every day. For many, though, gaining muscle can be a very difficult challenge. Muscle tissue can be stubborn and communicating to your muscles that it is time to grow requires that you speak in a language they can understand.
When trying to activate muscle growth, the best way to send that message is to challenge your muscles. Put them in a position that says “Your current size and strength is not sufficient for the activities I’m looking to participate in.” Lifting heavy weights is a great way to begin the process of getting larger, but it’s not the whole message. You’ll also need to provide your muscles with the nutritious tools they need in order to adapt to this new lifestyle.
Enter the GNC AMP Mass XXX clinical trial, where GNC decided to put its mass gainer to the ultimate test.
SHOP: GNC AMP Products
Read More: Avoid Losing Muscle Mass You Put on During Bulking Season
What Did GNC Study?
In the Mass XXX trial, investigators were studying the effect of adding a calorie-dense, high-protein supplement with resistance training when compared to an isocaloric carbohydrate placebo and a non-supplemented control. This supplement was a mass gainer protein powder that provided 750 calories and 50 grams of protein. The carb-based placebo provided the same amount of calories and protein.
Subjects of the study were split into one of three groups: Gainer with Low-Volume training (3 sets), Placebo with High-Volume training (5 sets), and Control with High-Volume training (5 sets).
What Was the Objective of the Study?
The objective of the GNC Mass XXX study was to observe the effect that the calorie-dense, high protein supplement had on a wide range of muscle variables. The study measured changes in Bodyweight, Body Mass Index, Fat-Free Mass, Percent Body Fat, and Fat Mass. Additionally, the investigators measured changes in strength and endurance metrics such as 1 rep max for Bench Press and Leg Extension as well as changes in the number of repetitions of Bench Press and Leg Extension at 80% of 1-RM.
Who Were the Study Participants?
The Mass XXX study investigated the effects of a calorie-dense, high protein supplement in untrained, but otherwise healthy men, ages 19-29.
What Were the Results of the Study?
At the end of the trial, the results revealed a very interesting story. All three groups showed significant changes across every metric measured, but none were significantly different from the others. While this may seem like a null result, we can actually yield a significant conclusion. Due to the differences in training volume between some of the groups, it was found that the group that exercised less gained just as much muscle and strength and lost just as much body fat as both the control and placebo groups exercising harder. They were able to get more benefit from less exercise compared to other groups.
To put it simply, those who consumed Mass XXX had the following results with 40% fewer sets (LESS WORK):
· Increased lean muscle mass
· Increased body weight
· Increased strength
· Improved stamina and endurance
What Does This Mean?
With this many groups and variables to consider, it can be difficult to parse out how studies like these can apply to you in your fitness journey. For those that are interested in gaining muscle and strength, nutrition is a core tenet that needs to be considered just as much as the exercise routine you stick to. Building muscle requires a couple main components: amino acids and energy.
A mass gainer product provides both the building blocks to synthesize muscle (in the form of amino acids) as well as a great amount of energy (in the form of carbohydrates) necessary to pack on lean body mass. With the information gathered in this study, we can see that having the right nutrition can make less exercise just as effective as high-volume training, making recovery and mental health easier to achieve during your transformation.
The road to greater gains is long and challenging but knowing what tools you have access to and how to use them can significantly reduce the friction of your journey and pave the way to a new, better you!
References
1. Mielke M, et al. The effects of a calorie dense high protein supplement on exercise performance and body composition during resistance training. J of Strength and Conditioning Research. NSCA Abstract 2008.
In an eight-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of healthy male volunteers, 18 subjects completed 3 sets of resistance training (RT) daily + the macronutrient blend in Mass XXX™, and 16 subjects performed 5 sets RT daily with no supplement. After eight weeks, subjects on the supplement showed equal gains in body weight, fat free mass (FFM), maximal muscle strength (MMS) and muscle endurance (ME) with only 3 sets RT per day compared to the control group who completed 5 sets RT per day.
^When used in conjunction with an exercise program
