Anyone who follows me on facebook (probably not you as my fb is a ghost town majority of the time) knows that my page is all about bodybuilding. I like and follow a variety of IFBB Pros, NPC Competitors, Powerlifters, Strongmen, and supplement companies/shops. One supplement company that is very active in the realm of social media is Official MHP (I am an avid follower). I am a big fan of MHP's star athlete Victor Martinez. If you check my fb page you will see that I have had the privilege of meeting Victor Martinez on a few occasions. Although I am a fan of MHP's athletes, I can't express the same excitement for their products. This morning Official MHP posted a video with the caption:
Want to know how @ifbbjondelarosa packed on all that size this offseason?
MHP's #UpYourMASS
UP YOUR MASS is formulated with the powerful 45/35/20 Macrobolic Nutrition ratio to create the proper metabolic and hormonal environment for significant gains in mass, strength, endurance and recovery. #MHPSTRONG
The video shows Jon Delarosa giving credit to Up Your Mass for helping him achieve some very noticeable gains during his most recent off season. A few minutes after this video was posted someone commented, "He only says he uses that product for the money... no way he uses that shit." I had to call my memory into action in order to quote the above poster as OFFICIAL MHP immediately deleted his comment. I couldn't help but laugh at the poster's enthusiasm as well as OFFICIAL MHP's attempts to hide the negative post. MHP may have deleted the comment but one thing they can't delete is the nutrition facts and ingredients label on the Up Your Mass Container.
MHP INGREDIENTS LIST: MASS Load™ Carbohydrate Blend (Barley, Oats, Oat Fiber), PROBOLIC® Amino Acid Enhanced Sustained Release Protein Matrix [Supro® Soy Protein Isolate (With Calcium Phosphate, And Lecithin), Calcium Caseinate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Leucine, Isoleucine, Valine], Safflower Oil Creamer [Safflower Oil, Corn Syrup Solids, Di-Potassium Phosphate, Mono-Glycerides, Di-Glycerides, Sodium Caseinate (A Milk Derivative), Lecithin, Natural Flavor, Less Than 2% Silicon Dioxide (Anti-Caking Agent), And Tocopherols (To Help Protect Flavor)], Cocoa, Natural And Artificial Flavors, Lipid Complex: Medium Chain Triglycerides, Essential Fatty Acid Blend [Borage Seed Oil Powder (10% GLA), Conjugated Linoleic Acid Complex (78% CLA), Evening Primrose Seed Oil (4.8% GLA), Flaxseed Powder (8% ALA), And Omega-3 Complex (7.5% EPA & DHA)], Gum Blend (Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Carrageenan), Silica, Acesulfame Potassium, Vitamin Pre-Mix (Ascorbic Acid, DL-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Niacinamide, Calcium Pantothenate, Cholecalciferol, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Thiamin Mononitrate, Cyanocobalamin, Folic Acid, And Biotin), Sucralose, Banaba Leaf Extract (Lagerstroemia Speciosa) (Taken from BB.com)
Why in God's name would you put this gmo, artificial, and cheap powder into your body? Skip the gmo soy protein isolate, corn syrup solids, artificial flavors, gmo safflower oil, and processed/trans fat containing mono-glycerids/di-glycerides. I know we all have the goal of putting on size and products like "Up your Mass", "Real Gains", "Serious Mass", "Pro-Complex Gainer", "True-Mass", and the other countless weight gainers out their sound great. Lets be real they are convenient and a great way of throwing down some serious delicious tasting calories. But those easy calories come with a consequence. Those tasty calories aren't going to turn you into IFFB Pro Jon Delarosa (logical assertion). Instead they are going to fill your body with artificial chemicals, sugars, trans fats, and empty calories. Skip the powdered garbage and opt for whole food or home made mass gain shakes. Remember if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is.
In order to be fair to OFFICIAL MHP I'd like to point out that several supplement companies are guilty of producing worthless mass gainer products. Guilty Culprits:
Universal Nutrition Real Gains:
Maltodextrin, Real Gains Protein Complex (ultra filtered whey protein concentrate (milk), micellar casein, whey protein isolate), inulin, lecithin (soy), flaxseed, MCT, calcium caseinate, natural & artificial flavors, sodium chloride, sucralose, acesulfame potassium. Made in a GMP facility that uses Milk, Soy, Egg, Peanuts. NOTE: Do not use as your sole source of calories. (Retrieved from vitaminshoppe.com)
Quote From their site:
Real Gains from Universal Nutrition is that “x factor” in helping provide your hungry muscles with the quality calories they need, in abundance, to grow like never before. Real Gains was designed with the ideal macro-nutrient profile to provide quality calories in an easily accessible powder form. Real Gains is a clean, nutrient-dense weight gainer that provides plenty of fast and slow proteins in the form of whey (isolates and concentrates) and premium micellar casein. Real Gains also utilizes complex carbohydrates (with low sugar), healthy fats (EFA and MCT) and special inulin for fiber.
**So the ingredients list for this product is much shorter and I would argue much better than Official MHP's Up your Mass product. However it is still spiked with cheap maltodextrin and artifical sweeteners (sucralose/acesulfame potassium). Maltodextrin is in fact a complex carbohydrate, however, it is still a HI GI carb and is micro nutrient lacking. Be weary of such misleading claims. (Retrieved from Universalusa.com)
Optimum Nutrition's Serious Mass :
| Maltodextrin, Protein Blend (Whey Protein Concentrate, Calcium Caseinate, Egg Albumin, Sweet Dairy Whey), Cocoa (Processed With Alkali), Natural And Artificial Flavor, Vitamin And Mineral Blend (DiPotassium Phosphate, Magnesium Aspartate, DiCalcium Phosphate, Calcium Citrate, Ascorbic Acid, Niacinamide, Zinc Citrate, Beta Carotene, D-Calcium Pantothenate, D-Alpha Tocopheryl Succinate, Selenomethionine, Copper Gluconate, Ferrous Fumarate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Thiamin Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Chromium Polynicotinate, Folic Acid, Biotin, Molybdenum Amino Acid Chelate, Cholecalciferol, Potassium Iodide, Cyanocobalamin), Acesulfame Potassium, Lecithin, Medium Chain Triglycerides. | ||
| Allergen Information: Contains Milk, Egg, Wheat (Glutamine Peptides) And Soy (Lecithin) Ingredients. |
BSN's TRUE MASS:
| Protein Matrix Consisting Of (Whey Protein Concentrate, Calcium Caseinate, Milk Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Isolate, Micellar Casein, Hydrolyzed Whey Protein, Egg Whites, Glutamine Peptides), Maltodextrin, Sunflower Powder (Sunflower Oil, Corn Syrup Solids, Sodium Caseinate, Mono- And Diglycerides, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin, And Tocopherols), Natural And Artificial Flavors, Polydextrose, MCT Powder (Medium Chain Triglycerides, Non-Fat Dry Milk, Disodium Phosphate, And Silicon Dioxide), Lecithin, Cellulose Gum, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Acacia (Gum Arabic), Acesulfame Potassium, Sucralose. | ||
| ALLERGEN INFORMATION: | ||
| Contains Milk, Egg, Wheat And Soy (Lecithin) Ingredients. | ||
I am sure most experienced bodybuilders/athletes are aware that weight gainers suck. Please forgive the obvious post, but this is directed towards the younger and up & coming trainers out there. While at school I couldn't' help but notice dorm rooms and gym bags filled with mass gainer containers, so I thought why not put out this slightly informative blog post. Beware of the propaganda bullshit! Next time your favorite athlete(s) tells you to go out and buy a product, take their suggestion with a grain of salt and realize their hidden intentions/biases. Read your nutrition labels, ingredients lists, and books/research studies. Reading is knowledge. Knowledge is power!
Till Next Time,
Anthony P.
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