How many times a day should you take a mass gainer?

November 27, 2025 •

3 min read

Weight gain is often noticeable within 3-4 weeks when combining a mass gainer with exercise. However, how many times a day you should take a mass gainer depends on individual factors.

Quick Summary

Mass gainer consumption can vary in frequency daily, based on metabolism, training, and body weight objectives. For a calorie surplus, the best times are post-workout and strategically between meals.

Key Points

Start Slow: Begin with a single serving daily to assess your body's response, especially for beginners.
Timing is Key: Take your mass gainer post-workout to maximize muscle recovery and growth.
Supplement, Don't Replace: Use mass gainer shakes to complement a balanced whole-food diet, not replace meals entirely.
Consider Your Metabolism: Hard gainers with fast metabolisms may need multiple servings daily, while those gaining weight easily should stick to one.
Consistency is Crucial: Regular, consistent intake, combined with proper training, is more important than the exact timing of every shake.
Split Your Intake: For high-volume intake, splitting the total serving into smaller, spaced-out portions can improve digestion and absorption.

Determining Your Optimal Mass Gainer Frequency

The number of times a day to take a mass gainer is not a fixed recommendation. This depends on factors like body type, metabolism, training intensity, and daily nutritional needs. The main aim of a mass gainer is to assist your diet, helping you achieve a consistent caloric surplus, vital for muscle growth. Most experts advise starting with an initial serving size and adjusting as needed.

Factors Influencing Your Intake

Body Type and Metabolism: Individuals with a fast metabolism may need more calories. For them, multiple servings a day may be necessary to meet their targets. Those with a slower metabolism (endomorphs) need to be cautious to avoid excess fat gain, and a single serving per day may be sufficient.
Training Intensity: Intense workouts burn more calories and require more fuel for recovery. In such cases, more than one serving can be helpful. For lighter training days, a single serving is likely enough.
Daily Calorie Needs: The decision to take one or even multiple servings should be based on total daily calorie and macronutrient requirements. A mass gainer is a supplement, not a meal replacement, and should fill gaps your diet can't cover.

The Best Times to Take a Mass Gainer

Timing is crucial for maximizing a mass gainer's benefits. The aim is to supply the body with nutrients, especially around workouts, to promote an anabolic (muscle-building) state.

Optimal Timing Windows:

Post-Workout: This is often considered the most effective time. After exercise, muscles absorb nutrients to rebuild muscle tissue and replenish glycogen stores. The carbs and protein in a mass gainer are ideal for starting this recovery process.
Between Meals: For people struggling to get enough calories, taking a shake between meals is a simple way to increase total calorie intake. This helps maintain a constant anabolic state and prevents a significant calorie deficit, which is vital for mass gain. Space out servings and avoid consuming them right before a meal, as the fullness can decrease appetite for food.
Before Bed: A mass gainer before bed, especially one with fast and slow-digesting proteins like casein, provides a sustained release of amino acids to muscles overnight. This prevents muscle breakdown (catabolism) during sleep and supports overnight recovery.

Common Mass Gainer Intake Schedules


Schedule Type	Frequency	Timing	Best For	Considerations
Beginner	Daily intake	Post-workout	Those new to supplements, slower metabolisms, monitoring initial gains	Start here to assess tolerance and response.
Intermediate	Multiple servings daily	Post-workout & between meals	Hard gainers, intense training, increased calorie needs	Ensures consistent calorie intake throughout the day.
Advanced	Multiple servings daily	Post-workout, morning, and/or before bed	Very high-calorie demands, high-volume training	Split servings to prevent digestive issues and maximize absorption.
Rest Day	Daily intake	Between meals, morning, or before bed	Continues to fuel muscle repair on non-training days	Consistent calorie surplus is key even without training.

Potential Side Effects and How to Avoid Them

While generally safe, overuse can lead to unwanted fat gain without a consistent workout. Start with a smaller serving size and increase it gradually to help the digestive system adjust, potentially preventing bloating or stomach upset. Prioritize whole food meals and use mass gainers to supplement, not replace, these meals.

Conclusion

The ideal frequency for taking a mass gainer depends on bodybuilding goals and caloric needs. Most people will find success with daily intake, timed around workouts and between meals. Multiple servings might be beneficial for those with high-calorie needs or a fast metabolism. Monitor progress, listen to your body, and ensure the supplement supports a diet and training routine. Tailor mass gainer intake for the best results by understanding needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Daily mass gainer use is generally safe as a supplement for healthy individuals. Combining it with a workout routine and balanced diet is vital to ensure weight gain is from muscle and not fat.

The most effective time is after a workout for muscle recovery and growth, or between meals to boost calories or before bed to support muscle repair.

If there is digestive discomfort like bloating, gas, or cramps, you might be consuming too much. If gaining fat instead of muscle, total daily calorie intake may be too high relative to the exercise level.

Yes, continue taking a mass gainer on rest days to maintain your caloric surplus and give muscles the energy and nutrients needed for recovery and growth.

Mixing with water is often sufficient, but milk can increase calorie, protein, and fat content. The choice depends on macronutrient goals and personal preference.

Mass gainers are calorie-dense supplements with high carbs and proteins, designed for weight gain. Regular whey protein is high-protein, low-calorie, focused on muscle recovery.

With consistent use, proper training, and a balanced diet, beginners can expect noticeable changes in 3–4 weeks. A healthy weight gain rate is typically 0.5–1 kg per week.