You’re never totally happy with your body.

Either you want it to be more, or less.

The former can require mass gainers.

The plight of the naturally skinny guy isn’t always well understood or sympathized with by anyone in the latter category who believe you should just eat more!

It’s not always that simple. You need the right balance of high-quality nutrients that don’t take hours to prep.

Fortunately, mass gaining supplements can help get your calories up. These usually come in the gigantic buckets that demand solid biceps just to hold them.

That can be where the intricacies around mass gainers begin because this is what you should watch out for when you’re supplementing for bulk.

Watch out for sugars and substitutes

Products that claim to have sugar are at least up front. Those which claim to have low sugars often have high levels of maltodextrin, which is code for a sugar-like ingredient that is equally as harmful.

This can often be listed on the label before protein, which means you’re getting more sugar than protein.

Check protein sources

If there is just one protein source listed, that’s fine. If you want a higher quality mass gainer look for multiple protein sources as these are digested at different rates and offer more opportunity for building muscle.

These can be animal based, like whey and casein, or plant based, like pea protein. The more variety the better.

Tactical professionals need to be tactical with their supplement choices

Mass gainers can come with a vast number of ingredients so it’s wise to make sure you don’t inadvertently take a banned substance. Many muscle building products have been shown to contain things like anabolic steroids, Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMS), or other banned substances.

To safeguard yourself, look for third party testing certificates such as the BSCG Certified Drug Free program from the Banned Substances Control Group (BSCG) who have decades of experience in anti-doping and sport drug testing. They have been certifying supplement products for banned substances for almost 20 years.

BSCG brings the Olympic standard in drug testing to your supplement certification with the Certified Drug Free program. The program begins with an audit of quality control and the manufacturing process, along with reviewing the ingredients, labels and claims. Every lot of BSCG Certified Drug Free supplements are tested for 505 drugs including 296 drugs on the WADA Prohibited List and 209 OTC, illicit, or prescription drugs – the most comprehensive testing menu in the realm of third-party certification for banned substances.

This protects you against health concerns or a positive drug test while you are out protecting the public or fighting battles for your country.

Look out for the BSCG Certified Drug Free seal to know you’re supplementing in the safest way possible thanks to the supplement industry’s most comprehensive banned substance testing menu.

If you’re a first responder or military professional who is taking supplements, make sure you have all the facts.

That starts with reading what’s on the label, not what the marketing claims are shouting at you.

Make informed decisions. Look for third-party certifications like the BSCG Certified Drug Free seal.

Shop with a strategy that keeps you safe from the inside out by partnering with the right brands.