Whey Protein?

Shadowmf023

What would be the difference between a protein powder I buy from the gym (a commercial brand) and just plain whey protein concentrate with nothing added?

You know, besides the flavouring and stuff.

Does commercial whey have added aminos? I can't really compare because the nutrition info on the plain whey doesn't say.

kwtilbury

The short answer is "no".

Can you provide examples? I'm not sure what you mean by commercial brands vs. plain whey protein.

Shadowmf023

kwtilbury wrote: »

The short answer is "no".

Can you provide examples? I'm not sure what you mean by commercial brands vs. plain whey protein.

Well commercial as in anything that's branded. That you can buy as a workout supplement.

And plain whey as in just unbranded whey, that's not sold as a supplement.

I don't really know how else to put it. Lol except for posting pictures.

Shadowmf023

Commercial whey bought from the gym...

Shadowmf023

"Normal" whey bought from a health food store, not sold as a supplement.

tanyabrillhart9

Isolate is much better for you. I use Jay Robb.

kwtilbury

Generally speaking, any additives to protein powders are fillers and give you less bang for your buck.

From a quality standpoint, you should be most concerned with the % of protein content (calories from protein divided by total calories). Be careful, many companies overstate the quantity of protein by using unscrupulous methods (Google "amino spiking"). Companies such a Labdoor.com offer analysis of different protein brands.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Shadowmf023

It's also twice as expensive...lol

dreamsignals

kwtilbury wrote: »

The short answer is "no".

Can you provide examples? I'm not sure what you mean by commercial brands vs. plain whey protein.

From the pictures, I'm guessing the confusion is between supplements that contain isolate, concentrate, a mix, and so on.

I recommend this read: bodybuilding.com/content/the-whey-it-is-the-truth-about-whey-protein.html

Shadowmf023

Thanks for the article. It answered my question. I guess I should have worded it better. I was simply wondering if one is superior over the other, but it seems not.

rebel_26

agree one is not necessarily better but to dial down on another comment made in this thread and certainly I'm not trying to start a protein types debate, but I would say whey isolate is not necessarily the better choice as that is all dependent on consider your goals, budget, and any allergies. For example, since whey concentrates contain significant amounts of lactose, anyone with lactose intolerance should avoid them. Also to be considered is when your consuming your protein and what absorption rate your looking for.

I can look for studies but I know I had read that through the processing of whey to refine it to an isolate standard that it loses many health promoting compounds found in normal whey concentrates. Conversely Isolate generally contains a higher amount of protein per serving. Whey isolates, and hydrolysates, are more rapidly absorbed than concentrates and create a more significant insulin response. Isolates and Hydrolysates are also at a premium price so they likely are best put to use post workout. Whether that increased rate of absorption translates into any real anabolic advantage is arguable, but anyone wishing to limit rises in insulin may want to avoid isolates because of their effects on insulin release.

sgt1372

Just realized that I can buy unflavored bulk whey isolate at my local Winco (a discount supermarket) for just $5/lb and will start buying it there as soon as my current commerical retail stock of whey runs out.

CipherZero

Look for the ones with the fewest ingredients. If I see the label reads "proprietary blend" I put it back - those and almost universally garbage.