Are protien powders nessesary?

Freeapollo

Hey guys, I have been having great results since I started calorie counting and working out the last few months. As a male I am strength training a ton to build muscles. So far it is working great I am building muscle faster than most my peers. I really am not following any specific weight training formula other than to train every muscle as much as I can each week.

On top of working out I have been using whey protien for the past few months, while my muscle size and strength has increased dramatically I am curious how much using protien suppliments are helping me. Most of you who have purchased protien suppliments and powders know they can be expensive and I as a frugle college student am begining to wonder if I am just throwing money down the drain. Although I clearly have gained results I was wondering if I really need the suppliments on top of working out?

Thank you,

-Julian, add me for daily tips!

RTricia

hmm... I want to know too....

taso42_DELETED

Nope, not necessary. If you got the same amount of protein from regular whole foods, you would have had the same results.

kneeki

It's definitely not "money down the drain". Most Protein Powders are fantastic for fitness minded individuals. They are a great source of extra calories, BCAA's, Micro-nutrients, and of course, quickly digested Protein. Of course you could reach your goals without the support of Protein Powders, but they help tremendously if used correctly.

atomdraco

Personally, I prefer getting my protein from whole food. However, often you may not be able to have access to food within the time (45 min after weight training) limit that benefit the muscle. Therefore protein supplement (powders or bars) comes really handy. I totally agree that it is pricey, that's why I use them when I have no other choice.

liftingbro

Protein is important. It does not matter if it's protein from steak,chicken, turkey, soy or from a shake.

Protein does help with building muscle since it's the building block of muscle. You cannot create new tissue without getting enough protein.

Protein powders are not required but protein is.

Protein powders just make getting the protein easier and sometimes cheaper.

Schwiggity

It's actually better to get it from whole foods in weight loss terms because the more natural sources of protein (lean cuts of meat, etc.) burn calories to breakdown for your body to use, while most protein powders/shakes have protein that is already broken down. With that in mind however, I do like the taste of the powders, and it's a good sweet taste that isn't a bunch of empty carbs/sugars. Definitely good when you're having a day where hitting your protein goal is difficult.

SpaceMarkus

Nope, not if you get your protein from whole foods. The key is to leave the buckets of protein on the shelf. The cheap stuff at Walmart is exactly that. No matter what the label says, they won't tell you most of the crap that goes into it.

Remember, stuff like this isn't regulated so they can put whatever they want in it and sell it for whatever they want. Pay a big name to "use it" and it's sold. If you can, stick to good, whole foods.

liftingbro

It's actually better to get it from whole foods in weight loss terms because the more natural sources of protein (lean cuts of meat, etc.) burn calories to breakdown for your body to use, while most protein powders/shakes have protein that is already broken down. With that in mind however, I do like the taste of the powders, and it's a good sweet taste that isn't a bunch of empty carbs/sugars. Definitely good when you're having a day where hitting your protein goal is difficult.

Protein from powders and real food both require greater amounts of energy to breakdown than carbs and fat. TEF of powder and whole food protein is the same.

Kent_Wayne

Protein powders contain heavy metals which are known to cause all sorts of illnesses. AVOID THEM AT ALL COSTS!

myofibril

Nope, not necessary. If you got the same amount of protein from regular whole foods, you would have had the same results.

I actually think if you are working in a calorie deficit (ie on a cut) whole foods have a small advantage over protein supplements. Simply speaking because your body has to work harder to extract the nutrients from whole foods then it increases the TEF (thermic effect of feeding) element of the energy balance equation. In other words a slightly greater deficit for doing nothing other than eating.

Having said that I use protein supplements myself for sheer convenience.

taso42_DELETED

Protein powders contain heavy metals which are known to cause all sorts of illnesses. AVOID THEM AT ALL COSTS!

OMG YOU"RE ALL GONNA DIE!

anubis609

Protein powders contain heavy metals which are known to cause all sorts of illnesses. AVOID THEM AT ALL COSTS!

OMG YOU"RE ALL GONNA DIE!

I was just drinking some....should I purge it out?

taso42_DELETED

Protein powders contain heavy metals which are known to cause all sorts of illnesses. AVOID THEM AT ALL COSTS!

OMG YOU"RE ALL GONNA DIE!

I was just drinking some....should I purge it out?

It's too late bro. It's too late.

See you in the afterlife!

myofibril

OMG YOU"RE ALL GONNA DIE!

Any timeline on this, you know, dying thing? I've been using them for well over 15 years so I might be cashing in my chips anytime soon.

Speaking of chips, I'm bloody starving now. Where did I leave my milk isolate powder?

cobaltis

I prefer to EAT my protein, it takes from 8-16 hours to digest and use food sources of protein, protein shakes however pass through your system quickly and make for a poor protein source except right after your workout, but your body is lucky to use much more than 30g of protein in a dose if your working out naturally without the use of steroids...

I do occasionally mix whey with cytocarb for energy source during long workouts and sip on it... Needed? no I eat 200g of protein a day. Does it help? maybe.

MrsCon40

Protein powders contain heavy metals which are known to cause all sorts of illnesses. AVOID THEM AT ALL COSTS!

OMG YOU"RE ALL GONNA DIE!

I was just drinking some....should I purge it out?

Nah - there's a cleanse for that. It involves high power colonics and snorting talc.

astovey

Maybe it's because Im a chick...but I like my protien to taste like cookies and cream Tired of chicken and fish

****goes to fill out will***

anubis609

Protein powders contain heavy metals which are known to cause all sorts of illnesses. AVOID THEM AT ALL COSTS!

OMG YOU"RE ALL GONNA DIE!

I was just drinking some....should I purge it out?

It's too late bro. It's too late.

See you in the afterlife!

Damn it. Then I have no choice but to start blending all of my whey protein bars into my whey protein shakes.

bzmom

I think protein used properly can be beneficial I have noticed my hair and nail grow much quicker.

But not use properly can lead to ugly after match 9 months later (thats if your not ready for it)......

liftingbro

Protein powders contain heavy metals which are known to cause all sorts of illnesses. AVOID THEM AT ALL COSTS!

joejccva71

Protein powders contain heavy metals which are known to cause all sorts of illnesses. AVOID THEM AT ALL COSTS!

LOL. Where do you people come from?

Kohadre

Protein powders contain heavy metals which are known to cause all sorts of illnesses. AVOID THEM AT ALL COSTS!

If this means I die at 40-50 while still retaining my mental functions, so be it.

Honestly being wheeled around at 80 years old by some college student named Dave while *****ing myself and stealing silverware in my underpants doesn't sound appealing to me.

razeak

Personally, I prefer getting my protein from whole food. However, often you may not be able to have access to food within the time (45 min after weight training) limit that benefit the muscle. Therefore protein supplement (powders or bars) comes really handy. I totally agree that it is pricey, that's why I use them when I have no other choice.

The post workout protein shake is a myth. You don't need to eat within 45 minutes of a workout.

Kohadre

The post workout protein shake is a myth. You don't need to eat within 45 minutes of a workout.

Source to medical documentation please?

End6ame

If you are on a caloric deficit protein powders are extremely helpful in getting your required amount of protein each day especially when strength training. If you are on a caloric surplus, it is pretty easy, and usually cheaper, to get your protein from whole food sources.

I also agree with the idea that you don’t necessarily need a post workout meal. Some studies have shown that the benefits of a post workout meal are no different than ingesting the same meal up to four hours later. I admittedly don’t have this bookmarked, so I will have to see if I can search it out again. As anecdotal evidence, I don’t always consume protein directly post workout, sometimes I only have fruit, and have seen nothing negative as far as my strength gains go. You can’t go wrong with a post-workout meal, just don’t feel that you have to.

Teemo

The post workout protein shake is a myth. You don't need to eat within 45 minutes of a workout.

I am pretty sure this is not a myth, per se. It's just (a) not very significant, if at all, and (b) difficult to comply with.

(a) Not very significant in that the difference between eating protein with 45 minutes to 1 hour won't really make a huge difference, since the muscles remain receptive to protein for many hours afterward.

(b) Difficult to comply with because unless you're dosing protein throughout your workout, you'd never get the protein within that "window" anyway, since it takes anyway from an hour or more for ingested protein to beak amino acid levels.