If you’ve been hitting the gym for some time, then I doubt that the brand Optimum Nutrition sounds unfamiliar to you. Most guys begin their supplement journey with Optimum Nutrition, I know I did. When I first used the Whey protein concentrate, it was by Optimum Nutrition. In today’s post we will compare two of their most famous mass gainers, although to be entirely fair the Serious Mass is slightly more popular. Nevertheless we will cover everything there is to know regarding On Pro Gainer Vs Serious Mass.
Everything you need to know from the total calories in a scoop, nutrient facts to side effects and how to use them. Also, if you have already used one or both of these please let us know about your experience and which one worked best for you. If you want the briefest summary of both, Serious Mass is for the hardcore gainer who doesn’t mind packing a little of fat in the process as well. As for Pro Gainer, it is for the athletes with a slower metabolism and who only require the extra calories for lean muscle mass.
Alright! With that said let’s get into the in-depth comparison of both the mass gainers and have a better understanding of how they work to build muscle in their unique ways.
On Pro Gainer Vs Serious Mass Nutrition Facts
| On Pro Gainer | Serious Mass | |
| Serving Size | 165g(1 scoop) | 336g(2 scoops) |
| Calories | 650 | 1250 |
| Carbohydrates | 85g | 252g |
| Protein | 60g | 50g |
| Fat/ Cholesterol | 8.5g/ 80mg | 4.5g/ 110mg |
| Sugar | 7g | 9g |
| Creatine/ L-Glutamine | – | 3g/ 0.5g |
| Flavor | Double Chocolate, Vanilla Custard | Chocolate, Vanilla, Banana, Strawberry, Chocolate Peanut Butter |
Before we begin the analysis, it is important to highlight that we are comparing 1 vs 2 scoops of Pro Gainer to Serious Mass. Because the servings as dictated by Optimum Nutrition Mass itself is one serving for ON Pro Gainer and two servings for Serious Mass. But as you very well know, the popular expert opinion for newbies is to start slow until your body adapts. What that means is, until you’ve got your diet, workout and rest planned and sorted out stick to one scoop. However, since the recommended serving sizes by Optimum Nutrition are as specified above, our comparison will be based on those numbers.
Calories
The first and foremost factor of selecting a supplement, especially a mass gainer. And the amount of calories required for a surplus varies with the fitness goals, workout and diet. But the primary reason for anyone opting for a mass gainer is to have excess calories for the muscle to grow back bigger and stronger. There is a direct correlation between calories and weight gain. So when it comes to Pro Gainer, the calorie count is 650 while that of Serious Mass is 1250. Perfectly clear that the Serious Mass gainer is double step ahead in terms of calories IF you are consuming the recommended 2 scoops. If it is just 1 scoop, the calorie count is 625, in which case Pro Gainer is a head.
Carbohydrates
We cannot stress how important the Carbohydrates are when it comes to bulking on clean calories. Carbs are the fuel for energy production and that means you need them even if you are leaning out. The keywords here are Muscle Glycogen. Muscle Glycogen is a form of glucose that is stored as energy in the liver and skeletal muscles. And it’s the Carbs that replenish glycogen stored in your muscles and liver and reduces fatigue during strength training. So when it comes to On Pro Gainer Vs Serious Mass, the carb count is 85g to 252g. Again Serious Mass is ahead of the competition with almost thrice the amount of carbs present more than in Pro Gainer. This is one of the reasons for highlighting Serious Mass as the King of Mass Gainers.
However what you must be aware about is that both the gainers utilize sucralose and maltodextrin as forms of carbohydrates. Maltodextrin can be extracted primarily from corn and also from rice, potato starch and wheat. Now there are consequences here which we will talk about later when we discuss the side effects of each gainer. In short, both the gainers use whole food carbohydrate sources and cheap carbs as well. But the sad truth is that in this day and age it is quite hard to find gainers that have excluded both Maltodextrin and or dextrose. Don’t be mystified by these terms, we will explain them later.
Protein
Pro Gainer has 60g of blended protein while Serious Mass has 50g. Therefore the respective Protein to Carbs ratios of both are 1:1.4 and 1:5. Now this is interesting. As we mentioned before, you can clearly see that the Pro Gainer acts more as a protein shake rather than a mass gainer. So now it is more than clear which gainer suits you best if you want to put on a few extra pounds fast or add a bit of lean muscle mass.
The Pro Gainer protein blend consists of Whey Protein Isolate, Concentrate, Calcium Caseinate, Egg Albumin, Hydrolyzed Whey Peptides and Glutamine Peptides. The Serious Mass protein blend consists of Whey Protein Concentrate, Calcium Caseinate, Egg Albumin, Sweet Dairy Whey. Notice the absence of Isolate in Serious Mass.
Fats and Cholesterol
We have talked about the importance of healthy fats and cholesterol when packing on muscle mass. You can read more on healthy fats and cholesterol here. We have 8g of fat and 80mg of cholesterol in Pro Gainer while having 4.5g of fat and 110 mg of cholesterol. You can observe that the Pro Gainer has twice the amount of fat per serving than that of Serious Mass. Perhaps it is to cover up the calories lost by the low carbs. Because as per the rule, you cannot have a proportionality between Carbs and Fats. It is always inversely proportional. Therefore what we can conclude is that both the supplements contain the appropriate amount of Fats and Cholesterol respective to their other ingredients.
Other Ingredients
This is another spot where the Serious Mass really kicks in. As we mentioned in the table, Serious Mass has some pre workout ingredients like Creatine and Glutamine. Whereas the Pro Gainer lacks in that area. But when it comes to Multivitamins and Minerals, both the gainers consist of the essentials. To name a few would be Vitamin A,B,C,D,E, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc, Chromium and Manganese. What must be noted here is the lack of pre workout ingredients in Pro Gainer. Because you can always break down the intakes as pre and post workouts.
Therefore as far as the key nutrition facts are considered for ON Pro Gainer vs Serious Mass, the Serious Mass is ahead in terms of a pure weight gainer. But this is not a wrap. We still have a few more facts to consider.
Taste and Mixability
There are quite a few different flavors for Serious Mass, although most people opt for either chocolate or vanilla. However, the taste is excellent in both the mass gainers. But remember when it comes to mixability, you definitely have to stick to a blender. You are most likely to leave a considerable amount of unshaken powder if you use a shaker bottle. Because the mixability of mass gainers are not the same as that of Whey protein or Creatine. Since the Carb content and other ingredients make it thicker, a blender is needed to mix everything up smoothly.
- –Pro Gainer Usage– 16 oz. of liquid per serving. The difference here is that you can actually use a shaker to blend it well. Why? Because the less Carb content makes the powder a bit smoother.
- –Serious Mass Usage– 24 oz. of liquid and they reckon starting with one scoop, just until your body adapts and gets everything in sync. And definitely use a blender, not a shake. The powder is much thicker than Pro Gainer. Also use water and not milk. You do not want to increase the calories by adding any type of milk, for there are plenty of calories in the gainer itself.
On Pro Gainer vs Serious Mass Side Effects
Remember earlier we talked about Maltodextrin and Dextrose? Well these are substances used to increase the Carb amount of mass gainers and they are highly processed. Since they are made from Corn, they rapidly increase insulin levels in your body. Which is why if you don’t stick to the gym hardcore, you will simply accumulate fat. No doubts about that. Consumption of Maltodextrin or Dextrose should be done in very small amounts and we can’t say for sure about the percentage present in both the mass gainers. Therefore make sure to have your diet and gym schedule in the right alignment even if you are a skinny guy. Several other side effects of INAPPROPRIATE usage include;
- -Diarrhea and Stomach problems
- -Kidney ailments
- -Liver problems
- -Coughing, Sneezing, Wheezing
Now remember most of these side effects are experienced due to over-consumption. Which is why Optimum Nutrition themselves recommend starting small and increasing as you adapt and progress. The liver and kidney problems are brought out by the excess consumption creatine. Now I know the concentration of creatine is low in Serious Mass, But still you do NOT want to overconsume. And keep in mind the unnecessary weight gain. The last thing you want is excess belly fat and a pear shaped body.
Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer Review
Now that you are more than aware of both the gainers and the Pro Gainer nutrition facts, I hope you are convinced of its suitability to you. Protein blend of Pro Gainer has more Whey in it than Serious Mass, thanks to the addition of Whey protein isolate and Whey peptides. Therefore the protein to carbohydrate ratio is balanced thereby promoting the growth of lean muscle mass. Also the fat content is higher to compensate for the carb loss. The taste is great and the mixability is on point. However what we feel is that this is more of a protein supplement than a mass gainer.
Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass Review
No doubt, the Serious Mass is for the Serious Gainer who badly wants to pack the extra calories. With the superior carbohydrate content, Creatine and glutamine amounts, this is built for gaining mass. The taste is great, mixability is okay as long as you use a blender. You can check my complete review of the Serious Mass Gainer here. Just make sure to lift heavy, stick to the schedule and eat well.
Pro Gainer vs Whey Protein
The call for this topic to be elaborated is long overdue. There are three types of Whey. Concentrate, isolate and hydrolysate. Each more refined and purified than the previous. The Optimum Nutrition Whey protein has 30.4g in one scoop. The total fat is 1.5g and the carb count is 3g. The protein amount is 24g. So yes, you can see that there is a vast gap between Whey and On Pro Gainer. In terms of the carb count, protein and overall calories, even if you use two scoops of whey to one scoop of gainer. If we are to sort it out using an equation for bulking;
Serious Mass> Pro Gainer> Whey Protein
Well I hope you get the idea. If you want pure muscle mass and be athletic, then Whey isolate is the answer. You will only be fueling your body with protein and very little carbs while improving endurance, strength plus muscle. If you want to have a little bit more mass but an almost equal amount of protein to be lean, then stick with the ON Pro Gainer. It isn’t as bad as the Serious Mass and won’t bloat you if you use it properly. It all comes down to your fitness goals and diet plan.
Conclusion
So that concludes our post on On Pro Gainer Vs Serious Mass. Make sure to consume a proper balanced diet rich in carbs, protein and other essential nutrients. If we consider the overall user feedback for Serious Mass, not a single negative feedback could be found. Users are complimenting the solubility, flavor and most importantly the promised results. There is absolutely no doubt that you will gain the desired weight with Serious Mass. One user claimed that he gained 4 kilos in 1 month taking half a serving.
For On Pro Gainer, most consumers seem to have stuck to the recommendation of two scoops and put on muscle mass after a few months. Comparatively easier to blend and everyone’s loving the double chocolate flavor. Only complaint seems to be the pricing, a bit to the heavier side. Anyways, both the gainers have earned their fair share of reputation among mass gainers. Whichever you use, lift hard and heavy and last but not least see that you get a good rest. You will begin to see the changes in your physique eventually.
