Protein powder

Nowadays, it has become common to find people consuming a protein shake in gyms. This is because, along with creatine, it is one of the most popular supplements on the market.

However, there is a lot of misinformation about the product, and although the scientific community has debunked the myths surrounding it, much of the population is still confused about whether it really causes kidney damage or not.

That is why in this lesson, I will talk about the most common questions related to this supplement: protein powder.

Is it a guarantee of muscle mass gain?

First of all, taking protein powder does not guarantee a development of your muscle mass. This is the result of a process integrated by diet, exercise routine, supplementation, among others.

It is true that when training your body demands more protein; however, this does not mean that protein powder or any other supplement is mandatory. As I said before, nutrition is fundamental, and if you incorporate sufficient amounts of protein to your daily diet, your body will be fine.

On the other hand, it often happens that consuming the recommended amount is difficult, due to lack of time or resources. In this case, protein powders will help you achieve a balanced diet.

Which protein powder is better?

The fitness market has a wide variety of products of this type: the most common are powders based on weight, kaseem or egg. For vegans there are also options: powders such as rice or other plant-based powders.

On the Internet there is a debate about the ideal protein supplement. There are people who defend their favorite protein powder based on its amino acid profile or some other special ingredient; but it is valid to clarify that as long as your main or total protein intake does not come from these supplements, a habit that is not recommended, you will not notice big differences between powders of one type or another.

Vegan powders for example: these have a lower amino acid profile compared to others that we saw earlier, however, if the rest of your diet is balanced, and you provide your body with the amount of amino acids it needs, this becomes irrelevant. So I conclude once again that the choice of the type of protein powder is more related to personal taste than to any other factor.

However, here it is necessary to make a remark for two types of proteins that I do not recommend to new consumers: beef protein and soy protein.

In the first case, the problem is not with the beef itself, but with the powder. Most of them are made from what is left over after extracting the quality meat, i.e.: ligaments, joints and even ears and hooves. Surely this was not your idea when you bought it, but it happens.

Soybean meat negatively affects your testosterone levels, as it is abundant in plant-based estrogen. I recommend avoiding it or limiting it until further study of its adverse effects is done.

When to take protein powder?

You've probably heard that the ideal time to drink your protein shake is right after your workout. If you have followed this advice, I have good news for you.

Indeed, protein timing is important. Some studies show a positive effect of protein after training, however others question this relationship.

What is certain is that what is fundamental is the fulfillment of daily caloric and nutritional requirements; this is achieved as we have said through a balanced diet. So by following these tips, the time of day you want to take the supplement is up to you.

How much protein powder should I consume?

This is subject to the characteristics of each individual. As a general rule of thumb it can be said to be around 1g per pound of body weight.

In addition, it is important that your diet in terms of protein, and all macronutrients be based on products such as those from the Whole Foods chain. Include fish, egg, chicken, beef or other quality protein of your choice Always use protein powder as a supplement and not as a substitute for the above. I suggest getting about one third of your daily protein intake from protein shakes.

What is the best liquid to mix protein powder with?

Water is the most popular. It has no calories and is ideal for any weight loss diet. The downside with using water as the liquid for mixing protein powder is that the shake will not have a creamy taste.

Option number two is milk. This adds a little extra protein but leads to an increase in the calorie count.

There are options if you are lactose intolerant or have another type of diagnosed milk allergy. Soy, almond and rice milk are viable alternatives. It should be noted that nonfat soy milk is usually higher in calories than regular milk and often contains sugars. It should also be clarified that what we discussed above about soy protein applies to milk as well.