If you’re looking to put on solid amounts of muscle mass, you’re going to need a healthy amount of Protein every day! In this list, I’m going to show you what the best protein shakes for weight gain are. There’s a huge variety out there on the market, and oftentimes it can be hard to choose what works best for your specific application.

The biggest things to look for in a protein powder are the contents inside! For a certain crowd, a Casein based protein may be more beneficial than whey, depending on their diet and daily routine. To understand which one may be better for you, we’ll cover all the types of protein powders.

The Different Types Of Protein Powder

There are two major types of protein powder: casein and Whey Protein. Though it may not seem to make a big difference to some, the difference between the two can greatly influence your muscular growth. What are the best situations then for either protein?

Casein: Casein protein is shown to digest slower than whey protein. While it may not be as effective as whey protein if taken directly after a workout, casein powders present a key benefit if you’re maintaining a caloric deficit. Though most people aiming to gain weight won’t be at a deficit, those who might be interested in intermittent fasting may much prefer casein.

Particularly effective at preventing muscular catabolism, casein is ideal for those who either engage in endurance activities or work in a demanding, labor intensive job. Casein is also much more effective than whey protein when taken before sleeping! In this study[1] done by Maastricht University, protein synthesis was found to be increased by 22% with casein compared to whey when taken before sleeping.

Whey: While blood-leucine levels from casein remains in an elevated and constant state for an 8 hour period, whey proteins show a spike in those levels for only three hours, before slowly dropping back to baseline. What this means is protein synthesis is higher for whey protein in this period, however it’ll be less effective at preventing muscular atrophy and isn’t as beneficial as casein when taken before sleeping.

Shown here is a graph of blood-leucine concentrations after ingesting either whey protein (C-WP) or casein protein (C-CAS).

As you see, whey protein gives you a much stronger initial spike of available blood-leucine levels, however it drops off much quicker than casein protein does. Casein on the other hand reaches that high level and they stays constant for much longer. This means reduced anabolic catabolism after the 3 hour mark with casein – particularly effective for those who have activities later in the day or who engage in night time workouts.

So, after you’ve discovered which of the two types or protein powder would suit you best, it’s time to choose the best protein powder! Below are a total of 7 high-quality protein shakes for weight gain to choose between, each with a specific focus in mind.

Depending on your body, lifestyle and goals, each different one will provide you with different benefits. Below are 7 different protein shakes for weight gain  – whether you’re looking for the best protein powder for weight gain or a lean, no-frills isolate, you’ll find something that’ll suit your needs!

Best Casein Powder

Best High Protein Casein Powder

NAKED Casein ProteinPowder

NAKED is a unique brand in one way – all of their products have as few ingredients as possible. In this case, it’s just one – Micellar Casein. If you choose to get a flavored variety, then there will probably be a couple of extra ingredients. Made entirely in the USA, you get a high-quality, no-frills product that doesn’t pump you up with unknown supplements, if you’re at all concerned about that!

With this in mind, you get a protein powder which is 86% protein by weight! While many powders are marketed as “Up To 70% Protein!” this powder is taken to a whole new level by giving you as pure of a product as possible. For those who’re trying to remain extremely cut and lean, there’s really no better choice. Each 30g serving provides you with a cool 26 grams of protein and 110 calories.

With the unflavored variety, you’re best off adding some cocoa powder or even hot chocolate mix to it rather than taking it completely raw. Also with the unflavored choice, you get plenty of flexibility when it comes to cooking though! Add it to creamy soups and sauces or your morning oatmeal for a boost in protein content!

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Best Casein Powder For Weight Gain

Real Gains Weight Gainer

A completely different product than the one listed above, the Real Gains Weight gainer takes an entirely different approach! With a hefty 602 calories, 84g of carbohydrates and 53 grams of protein per serving, this product is designed for the real hard gainer in mind. It isn’t pure casein though, as it uses a strong mix of whey protein concentrate, micellar casein and whey protein isolate.

You truly get the best of all worlds though! It’s not overloaded with mysterious compounds, while delivering you adept amounts of both protein types, helping you get the absolute most out of your workouts. For the best weight gainer shakes, this is a solid choice – one of the best protein shakes for weight gain.

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Best Overall Casein Protein

Six Star Casein Protein Powder

If you’re not looking for any specific criteria to fill and just want a general, high-quality casein protein, look no further!  Being one of the least expensive options available, this is a great choice for those on a budget.

It’s worth mentioning that prices do vary occasionally, so the price you see today may be different than in a few months. Each 35 gram scoop nets you a health 20 grams of protein, 9 grams of carbohydrates and 120 calories, giving you a nice balance of available energies and proteins.

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Whey Protein For Weight Gain

Best High Protein Whey Powder

NOW Sports Whey Protein Isolate

For building lean, pure muscle mass, getting a quality whey protein is no mistake! Coming in at a whopping 89% protein per mass, this powder is almost as pure as they come. With only 110 calories per 28g serving (25 grams of which being protein), you’re able to get your protein intake in without going overboard on your daily caloric goals, if you have a maximum limit you don’t want to reach.

Like with the casein counterpart, this powder is unflavored – so if you’re going to be drinking it with just milk or water, it’s a good idea to add something like cocoa powder or get a flavored variety instead! If you’re looking for the best protein shake for weight gain, this is one of the better picks you could make.

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Best Whey Powder For Weight Gain

Muscle Milk Gainer Protein Powder

If you’re looking to put on high amounts of mass quickly, this gainer will definitely help you achieve that goal. With 32g of protein and 650 calories per serving, you’re easily able to accomplish your daily calorie goals! Being a highly recognized name in the game, Muscle Milk doesn’t disappoint in the slightest regard.

If you live a particularly active lifestyle full of running, jogging, hiking and so forth, you’ll also benefit from the staggering 109g of carbohydrates packed in as well! A great choice with the hard gainer in mind, you definitely couldn’t go wrong.

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Best Overall Whey Protein

RE-KAGED Whey Protein Powder

With so many quality whey protein shakes for weight gain on the market, it’s hard to choose the ‘best’ one. This protein however also comes with a myriad of other supplements bundlesdin! Each dose of protein powder contains a hefty amount of BCAAs, Glutamine, Creatine and Betaine. Each of these supplements aide greatly in gaining solid muscle mass, helping you get to where you want to be quicker.

Both the unique orange cream and strawberry lemonade flavors mix in perfectly with milk, making an absolutely delicious mixture! Definitely one of the better tasting proteins on the market with an awesome concoction of supplement to help you gain weight!

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Best Whey And Casein Protein Powder Combination

Grenade Hydra 6

While each particular type of protein shakes for weight gain presents different advantages, perhaps a perfect blend of the two might be exactly what you need! Though we mentioned the Real Gains Weight Gainer which also has both types of protein, it’s not exactly the most protein-concentrated choice on our list of protein shakes for weight gain!

For high amounts of both types of protein in a lean package, you’re best off getting the Grenade Hydra 6. At only 160 calories and 24 grams of protein, the Hydra 6 is a perfect all-rounder, giving you a 50/50 blend of whey isolate and micellar casein. You’ll get that immediate post-workout spike that whey protein offers as well as the long term, slowly digesting casein protein that shows long term benefit! For early risers or late night lifters, this is a really, really solid choice!

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Hopefully this list of the best protein shakes for weight gain helps you in finding your ideal protein powder so you have an easier time getting to the body goals you have! Trying to find the best protein powder that just ‘clicks’ for your body can be a difficult task, but once you find it, the results speak for themselves!

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