Is Whey Protein Powder a waste of money?
joelguerra93
Posts: 15 Member
Here is an answer I've seen off of Yahoo! Answers:
The answer was; does whey protein powder actually work?
No. If you get sufficient protein with your diet - and most of us do - it won't do anything for you. It will go into the toilet and be a complete waste of your money. Protein supplements are a bad idea for most of the people who take them. Here's why.
Your body does not store protein as it does fat so there's no point in dumping a large amount of protein into your system at one time. You need protein in small amounts throughout each day so a protein shake will be mostly lost through excretion thereby making the calories in the shake wasted and of minimal nutritional benefit. Here's how much protein you need --> http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/ba… and you can get that easily with a glass of milk and a chicken breast or piece of meat.
If you get 150 grams of protein a day that amounts to 10 pounds at the end of the month. Bodybuilders may gain a half a pound of muscle in a good month. The rest of the 10 pounds goes into hair, skin, sinew, organs, and most of all the toilet.
Protein supplements have almost no fiber which means they will do little to give you the satisfaction of a normal digestive process and will not have any appreciable appetite suppression. They are refined foods with all the nutrition taken out of them except protein which makes them a bad addition to any diet. Some manufacturers add flavoring, sugar, and other junk to the protein to make the "shake" more palatable and more marketable which makes them an especially bad choice for any diet.
Here's why protein shakes should be avoided:
- They are not controlled by the FDA like foods and drugs.
- May have harmful or undesirable side effects
- May contain metabolically unavailable proteins
- Will probably provide more protein than you need with the rest going to waste
- Provide you with extra calories
- May contain junk food ingredients to make them tastey
- Possibly provide you unwanted contaminants or toxins
- Wastes money
- Replaces what you really need - good food!
- Perpetuates the myth
Here is another answer from my friend that replied on my Facebook status:
Friend: Eat real food. Shakes should be the last thing you want... Protein shakes... It's gmo produced food. Eat chicken, steak, turkey, beef real food. Protein shakes give bloat muscle... Ask any bodybuilder, they don't. I've meet Kai Greene, jay cutler and a **** ton of others and they all say the same thing. Get it all from food.
The answer was; does whey protein powder actually work?
No. If you get sufficient protein with your diet - and most of us do - it won't do anything for you. It will go into the toilet and be a complete waste of your money. Protein supplements are a bad idea for most of the people who take them. Here's why.
Your body does not store protein as it does fat so there's no point in dumping a large amount of protein into your system at one time. You need protein in small amounts throughout each day so a protein shake will be mostly lost through excretion thereby making the calories in the shake wasted and of minimal nutritional benefit. Here's how much protein you need --> http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/ba… and you can get that easily with a glass of milk and a chicken breast or piece of meat.
If you get 150 grams of protein a day that amounts to 10 pounds at the end of the month. Bodybuilders may gain a half a pound of muscle in a good month. The rest of the 10 pounds goes into hair, skin, sinew, organs, and most of all the toilet.
Protein supplements have almost no fiber which means they will do little to give you the satisfaction of a normal digestive process and will not have any appreciable appetite suppression. They are refined foods with all the nutrition taken out of them except protein which makes them a bad addition to any diet. Some manufacturers add flavoring, sugar, and other junk to the protein to make the "shake" more palatable and more marketable which makes them an especially bad choice for any diet.
Here's why protein shakes should be avoided:
- They are not controlled by the FDA like foods and drugs.
- May have harmful or undesirable side effects
- May contain metabolically unavailable proteins
- Will probably provide more protein than you need with the rest going to waste
- Provide you with extra calories
- May contain junk food ingredients to make them tastey
- Possibly provide you unwanted contaminants or toxins
- Wastes money
- Replaces what you really need - good food!
- Perpetuates the myth
Here is another answer from my friend that replied on my Facebook status:
Friend: Eat real food. Shakes should be the last thing you want... Protein shakes... It's gmo produced food. Eat chicken, steak, turkey, beef real food. Protein shakes give bloat muscle... Ask any bodybuilder, they don't. I've meet Kai Greene, jay cutler and a **** ton of others and they all say the same thing. Get it all from food.
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Replies
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Some of us can't get it all from food...0
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what vienna said.
and in answer to this:
If you get 150 grams of protein a day that amounts to 10 pounds at the end of the month. Bodybuilders may gain a half a pound of muscle in a good month. The rest of the 10 pounds goes into hair, skin, sinew, organs, and most of all the toilet.
i say, better to gain 1/2 a pound than to lose muscle by not gettin enough protein.
and sure there are powders out there full of thinners and crap. mine has just 4-5 ingredients, the first two being whey proteins. and i can't believe i would have gotten where i am without them.0 -
Those protein needs are for sedentary individuals not exercising or eating at a deficit. Protein is the least likely to get stored as fat and I personally get plenty of satiety from my 'super unhealthy, processed, and flavorful' protein shake. And I can work and drink my shake at the same time. Where as I might struggle to work and cook a chicken breast at the same time.
Also, I could be wrong, but I think whey protein is actually one of the most bioavailable sources of protein out there.0 -
Whatever you posted is wrong. Protein can be stored as fat if you eat over your TDEE.0
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I think you should do more research. Your two sources are yahoo discussion answers and a friend's opinion....both are not reliable sources.0
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Hmmmm, I'm kind of lost here. Basically the point im trying to get across is,
I am hearing powdered whey protein doesn't work. But getting protein the natural way is more efficient.0 -
its a complete amino acid profile, unless you are intolerant to milk or lactose or what have you, its a good source of protein
. there are other types of powders. Hemp, Pea, Rice, soya......
its a good source, its absorbed well and is very pleasant to add into your diet. I have it every day and since starting doing it I have lost weight with increased protein intake, but this is probably due to the fact that if you eat more protein, it short circuits your brain to stop you eating more as it sends the "im full" signal faster than other food types.Hmmmm, I'm kind of lost here. Basically the point im trying to get across is,
I am hearing powdered whey protein doesn't work. But getting protein the natural way is more efficient.0 -
Hmmmm, I'm kind of lost here. Basically the point im trying to get across is,
I am hearing powdered whey protein doesn't work. But getting protein the natural way is more efficient.
protein is protein... get it from meat or get it from powder, doesnt matter as long as you get enough for YOUR daily needs.0 -
If you get 150 grams of protein a day that amounts to 10 pounds at the end of the month. Bodybuilders may gain a half a pound of muscle in a good month. The rest of the 10 pounds goes into hair, skin, sinew, organs, and most of all the toilet.
What? Lol.
That 'answer' Is full of complete nonsense.
Protein needs are INDIVIDUAL someone who is 6'2 200lbs 8% body fat and lifts 5x per week needs more
Protein than someone who is sedentary at 150lbs.
If you buy protein in bulk, from a resonable brand it's actually the cheapest and one of the best sources of protein available.Protein supplements have almost no fiber
Right because traditional protein sources such as tuna/chicken/turkey/steak/eggs/milk have TONS of fibre.......oh wait they don't have any.0 -
Hmmmm, I'm kind of lost here. Basically the point im trying to get across is,
I am hearing powdered whey protein doesn't work. But getting protein the natural way is more efficient.
protein is protein... get it from meat or get it from powder, doesnt matter as long as you get enough for YOUR daily needs.
This is what I always thought. Protein is protein. I do sometimes have a shake as I don't always eat a lot of meat, and if I am exercising I need a good amount of protein in my diet. Sometimes shakes are just easier and simple and you can also make them in to a yummy smoothie by adding fruit and ice.
If I am hungry and need protein I will have some chicken or tuna, but I'm trying to get out of the habit of eating when not hungry. So if my protein is low for the day and I don't feel like eating I just have a shake. It's better than not getting the protein in.0 -
It isn't necessary as long as you're getting your daily protein requirement. It's useful as a supplement if you can't get enough protein through foods or you find it more convenient to drink a shake rather than eat.
It is recommended that athletes take in 1.0 to 2.0 grams/kg body weight /day, depending on the type of activity and intensity level of the activity. The timing of protein intake is very important, especially after physical activity.
The hours after exercise are most important for replacing glycogen and optimizing skeletal muscle protein synthesis. Immediately after exercise or up to 2-3 hours appears to be the optimal time for protein consumption (more research is still needed here). 10-20 grams of high-quality protein are recommended to be ingested after exercise. Taking in more than this results in amino acids being used for energy or if energy needs are already met, stored as fat. High-quality protein include proteins such as egg whites, whey, casein, and soy. Soy and whey are quickly digested and are known as "fast-acting proteins." On the other hand, casein is more slowly digested and known as a "slow-acting protein." Milk is a combination of whey and casein, both of which will promote skeletal muscle synthesis. Milk is often recommended after exercise because it contains both types of protein (in addition to carbohydrate). The fast acting protein (whey), gives us a rapid rise in blood amino acids initially and then the casein gives a slower, longer sustained increase in blood amino acids, which can help to suppress skeletal muscle protein breakdown.
This info was taken from a class that I am currently in over at Coursera.org. (free if anyone is interested) I think the majority of people over there believe that whey is un-necessary if you are getting enough protein in your diet through foods. Whey powders typically have far too much protein in it....the remainder being stored as fat.
On the other hand if someone is cronically low in protein in their diet, whey protein powder would be an easy solution. A deficiency of protein in the body will cause a multitude of health problems such as brittle nails & hair, dry skin, poor immunity, breakdown of muscle protein & loss of lean body mass. I think that using a protein powder in lieu of a healthy diet may not be the most desired way to obtain the protein our bodies need, but it certainly has it's place if someone is struggling to get enough protein in their daily diet.0 -
Whey powders typically have far too much protein in it....the remainder being stored as fat.
This is the second time this claim has been made in this thread and there no evidence or logic behind it.
1 serving or a typical whey protein contains 20--30 grams of protein......a large steak or 300gr of chicken breast would have 60-90 grams of protein, 3 times that.
Is chicken breast making me store fat because it contains too much protiein? I think not. Overall net calories determine net fat loss/storage.0 -
Hmmmm, I'm kind of lost here. Basically the point im trying to get across is,
I am hearing powdered whey protein doesn't work. But getting protein the natural way is more efficient.
Why doesn't it work?
Eat a variety of food stuff - whey is just a reasonable supplement to meet goals - it's neither a panacea nor evil.0 -
If you get 150 grams of protein a day that amounts to 10 pounds at the end of the month. Bodybuilders may gain a half a pound of muscle in a good month. The rest of the 10 pounds goes into hair, skin, sinew, organs, and most of all the toilet.
What this quote doesn't take into account is a strength trainer, whether weights or bodyweight training, is regularly breaking down muscle fibres through training and allowing the body to repair and hopefully increase muscle mass along the way. So a good amount of the "rest of the 10 pounds" would also go into muscle repairs as well as the half pound of muscle in a good month.
Having said that, I wonder where the "1g per pound of lean bodyweight" of protein needs comes from. It seems the more scientifically argued articles pitch protein needs - for a strength training, non steroid user, average active person is more like 0.8g per pound of lean weight. Doesn't sound like a lot of difference but it does when you multiply it up to your own lean weight needs. Makes achieving the target a lot easier as well.
I don't think it chemically matters where your protein comes from, powders or foods, but I would prefer personally to eat my proteins naturally rather than swig out of a drink bottle. That's my personal choice.0 -
Ok, so here's something to the contrary....or is it??
"Oh yeah, the same holds for protein. Protein isn’t going to be converted to and stored as fat. But eat excess protein and the body will burn more protein for energy (and less carbs and fat). Which means that the other nutrients have to get stored. Which means that excess protein can still make you fat, just not by direct conversion. Rather, it does it by ensuring that the fat you’re eating gets stored. Of course protein also has the highest thermic effect, more of the incoming calories are burned off. So excess protein tends to have the least odds of making you fat under any conditions; but excess protein can make you fat. Just not by direct conversion to fat; rather it’s indirectly by decreasing the oxidation of other nutrients"
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/how-we-get-fat.html (Lyle McDonald)
The other point of view...
If individuals consume protein in excess of their caloric and protein needs, the extra protein will not be stored as protein. Unfortunately such extra protein is converted to and stored as fat. As a result, if individuals consume large amounts of extra protein in addition to their regular dietary intake, any weight gain would very likely be in the form of fat.
http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/60/122/are-there-health-risks-concerning-eating-too/
I suppose it all comes down to what you believe. I don't think there is a definitive answer to this one. I'm a fan of whey powder myself because I don't get enough protein in my regular diet. So, I can see both sides, but for me, it works.0 -
Whey powders typically have far too much protein in it....the remainder being stored as fat.
This is the second time this claim has been made in this thread and there no evidence or logic behind it.
1 serving or a typical whey protein contains 20--30 grams of protein......a large steak or 300gr of chicken breast would have 60-90 grams of protein, 3 times that.
Is chicken breast making me store fat because it contains too much protiein? I think not. Overall net calories determine net fat loss/storage.
Correct response.
De novo lipogenesis - the creation of fat - occurs mostly via a carbohydrate path, and is very rare for protein usage in a normally balanced macro diet. At calorie equivalent diets a high protein diet does not result in higher fat storage. So that first claim is false.
If protein consumption is such excess, be it whey or chicken, as to exceed calorie needs, the extra calories will result in partitioning to fat but most likely from carbohydrate and lipid sparing processes.0 -
Some of us can't get it all from food...
This . Im a believer in WHEY PROTEIN0 -
Just took a random Whey from online. MyProtein Whey 1kg flavoured is £14.99 theres 40 25g servings in a pouch. £14.99/40 = .37 per serving. At 37p for 25g of P i would suggest that Whey is not a "Waste of money" That said, do i use Whey? No. I'd rather eat cottage cheese and meat0
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Ok, so here's something to the contrary....or is it??
"Oh yeah, the same holds for protein. Protein isn’t going to be converted to and stored as fat. But eat excess protein and the body will burn more protein for energy (and less carbs and fat). Which means that the other nutrients have to get stored. Which means that excess protein can still make you fat, just not by direct conversion. Rather, it does it by ensuring that the fat you’re eating gets stored. Of course protein also has the highest thermic effect, more of the incoming calories are burned off. So excess protein tends to have the least odds of making you fat under any conditions; but excess protein can make you fat. Just not by direct conversion to fat; rather it’s indirectly by decreasing the oxidation of other nutrients"
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/how-we-get-fat.html (Lyle McDonald)
The other point of view...
If individuals consume protein in excess of their caloric and protein needs, the extra protein will not be stored as protein. Unfortunately such extra protein is converted to and stored as fat. As a result, if individuals consume large amounts of extra protein in addition to their regular dietary intake, any weight gain would very likely be in the form of fat.
http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/60/122/are-there-health-risks-concerning-eating-too/[/b]
I suppose it all comes down to what you believe. I don't think there is a definitive answer to this one. I'm a fan of whey powder myself because I don't get enough protein in my regular diet. So, I can see both sides, but for me, it works.
That example uses someone in a calorie excess. There person there would have got fatter by eating any of the macros above their maintence, not protein specifically. The statement that 'whey protein contains too much protein which is stored as fat' ignores the context of the diet and total energy balance and is just plain wrong In isolation.0 -
Because I am new to this I appreciate all the viewpoints & banter back & forth about what is sufficient & what isn't.
It was mentioned in my current course "Nutrition & Physical Activity for Health" that the body can only utilize 20 g of protein at a time...the rest is waste.
Here's another viewpoint from my class blog to think about:
They lack all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients from regular foods all for the mere hope of increasing muscle size. Athletes are the hardest people to convince because they see n increase in muscle size but don't realize that it's from all the hard work they put into their workouts and NOT the protein.
Again, I agree with the mere fact that whey powder is ok if you are short on protein but eat healthy otherwise. One cannot survive on blended whey protein drinks alone....although that would be SOO much easier!0 -
all for the mere hope of increasing muscle size.
i would like to think that most people who train seriously are aware that drinking protein doesnt actually GIVE you muscle....
that being said, a friend of mine once told me that the reason i didnt look like the insanity girls after my first round was because i didnt drink shakeology.... ok, yeah , people are stupid!0 -
I find whey protein useful to supplement my diet when I'm not hitting my protein goals.
If I decide to have something other than meat for a main meal I usually cant hit my protein goals, so I will have a protein shake to make up for it that day.
I don't have them everyday but its more convenient than going out and buying and then cooking a chicken breast and eating it when when you're not even in the mood for chicken and cant calorically afford much else but need the protein.0 -
Because I am new to this I appreciate all the viewpoints & banter back & forth about what is sufficient & what isn't.
It was mentioned in my current course "Nutrition & Physical Activity for Health" that the body can only utilize 20 g of protein at a time...the rest is waste.
Here's another viewpoint from my class blog to think about:
They lack all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients from regular foods all for the mere hope of increasing muscle size. Athletes are the hardest people to convince because they see n increase in muscle size but don't realize that it's from all the hard work they put into their workouts and NOT the protein.
Again, I agree with the mere fact that whey powder is ok if you are short on protein but eat healthy otherwise. One cannot survive on blended whey protein drinks alone....although that would be SOO much easier!
Get a refund.
Protein adsorption from a meal is a multi hour process. This 20 g number is a crock. Simple protein absorption from the gut varies from 1 g per hour for egg whites to 10 g per hour for whey isolates.
Bioavailabilty from drinking a whey drink is demonstrated from a maximum serum AA level 4 hrs after ingestion. 4 hrs.
http://www.jissn.com/content/5/1/10
No one is suggesting eating only whey drinks.
There isn't a EXCESS protein storage system like there is for fat but free extracellular protein in the liver and blood exceeds 30-50 g. Plus cellular protein uptake potential is in the excess of 50g per hour.0 -
Because I am new to this I appreciate all the viewpoints & banter back & forth about what is sufficient & what isn't.
It was mentioned in my current course "Nutrition & Physical Activity for Health" that the body can only utilize 20 g of protein at a time...the rest is waste.
Here's another viewpoint from my class blog to think about:
They lack all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients from regular foods all for the mere hope of increasing muscle size. Athletes are the hardest people to convince because they see n increase in muscle size but don't realize that it's from all the hard work they put into their workouts and NOT the protein.
Again, I agree with the mere fact that whey powder is ok if you are short on protein but eat healthy otherwise. One cannot survive on blended whey protein drinks alone....although that would be SOO much easier!
Get a refund.
Protein adsorption from a meal is a multi hour process. This 20 g number is a crock. Simple protein absorption from the gut varies from 1 g per hour for egg whites to 10 g per hour for whey isolates.
Bioavailabilty from drinking a whey drink is demonstrated from a maximum serum AA level 4 hrs after ingestion. 4 hrs.
http://www.jissn.com/content/5/1/10
No one is suggesting eating only whey drinks.
There isn't a EXCESS protein storage system like there is for fat but free extracellular protein in the liver and blood exceeds 30-50 g. Plus cellular protein uptake potential is in the excess of 50g per hour.
I'm questioning that statement as well. The body can only absorb 20 grams at a time? Is this suppose to be regardless of gender/weight? And what is "at a time", like what if I sip my protein shake over 10, 30, or 60, minutes?
But yes, obviously it's always better to get your nutrients from food, but some of us can't reach those goals through diet alone, hence why we call them "supplements".0 -
Ok, is whey protein a waste? Maybe to you.
Whey protein is a suppliment. Key word Suppliment. At 6'1 220lbs, I aim to eat a 2,000 calorie diet daily. The System (MFP) recommends that I get at least 80 to 100 g of protein a day, depending on workout, which I do most days. But I am seldom at 150g. So to me a Whey shake makes sense to suppliment my diet, especially to start the day or right after a workout where I may not be eating for a couple of hours, points where my body maynot be getting any protein.
On top of that most shakes seem to have fewer calories that eating some forms of fruit. If your diet gets you 150g, then more power to you, mine does not, so a suppliment helps.0 -
Whey protein is cheap and useful.
I'd eat a 24oz steak three times a day instead of taking a shot of whey if I was rich and self employed.0 -
I've been using MFP for 70 days tomorrow and I've met my protein goal once. I'm not even bulking, I just don't like foods that are high in protein except peanut butter and cottage cheese. I eat meat usually once a day, but never in large amounts. Would whey powder be a good idea for me?0
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Hmmmm, I'm kind of lost here. Basically the point im trying to get across is,
I am hearing powdered whey protein doesn't work. But getting protein the natural way is more efficient.
Whey is a natural source of protein. It's skimmed off of milk and dehydrated into a powder. If you were to drink milk directly from a cow, you would be drinking both milk and whey.
Not sure how dehydration turns it into a "non-whole" food. If that is the case, then raisins, prunes, and beef jerky could not be considered "whole" food.0 -
waste of money? Whey is the cheapest source of protein I've found0
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What about Whey protein isn't "natural."
1 scoop (25 grams of protein) right after a work out keeps me from pigging on everything available until I have a chance to prepare a proper meal.
So, for me, it's not a waste of money. YMMV0
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