In some of our most recent mass-gain diets, we suggest not only a pre- and postworkout supplement stack, but also a “during workout” supplement stack that mainly consists of carbs, protein and other amino acids. You could simply create your own stack for that purpose, but a study published in a 2010 issue of the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests that you may benefit by choosing a formulated stack from a reputable supplement manufacturer. Researchers compared muscle mass, strength gains and fat loss in trained male lifters during nine weeks of taking either Gaspari Nutrition’s SizeOn Maximum Performance (which, in each scoop, contains about 4 grams of several diff erent forms of creatine, about 40 g of carbs from several sources such as glucose and trehalose, 7 g of whey protein, as well as branched-chain aminos, glutamine, insulin boosters and numerous other active ingredients) or a stack of an equivalent amount of creatine monohydrate, whey protein and carbs that the researchers mixed themselves. The subjects taking SizeOn increased their bench-press strength by 20% and muscle mass by 2.4%, and decreased bodyfat by 10%, compared to the group getting the homemade stack who increased bench-press strength by 15% and muscle mass by only 0.27%, while decreasing fat by 4%. It appears that the numerous other ingredients in this product enhance the eff ects of the creatine, protein and carbs.
