Okay, so perhaps you’ve started getting serious about your training, or you’ve wanted to upgrade your fitness regime with protein shakes, but have no idea where to start?
Well, buckle your seatbelts, because you’re about to embark on a journey that explains the why what, and how’s on protein powder supplementation.
Let’s dive right in.
Why Should We Consume Protein Powder In The First Place?
First things first, what the heck is protein? Well, most of us know it as one of three macronutrients, and it’s absolutely essential building block to the body to repair and build muscle.
Not only that, protein is comprised of 20 of these teeny-tiny building blocks that are not only important for muscle growth, but also for neurotransmitter replenishment, hormone synthesis, and a whole range of metabolic pathways that take place in our body.
Long story short, protein is dang important.
You may be wondering though, can’t I just get all this through food? Well, of course, you can, but are you getting enough in just your diet alone? (We’ll touch on this shortly).
If you are an athlete or exercise enthusiast looking to crush those fitness goals, adding a protein supplement into your diet can do wonders.
Don’t believe me? Here’s what the scientific literature says:
According to a systematic review published in 2014 in the Journal of Sports Medicine, protein powder supplementation during resistance training enhances muscle mass and strength (Pasiakos et al., 2014).
Another more recent systematic review in 2018 published in the British Journal of Sports medicine also concluded dietary protein powder supplementation to significantly enhance muscle strength and size during resistance training.
The takeaway here is, protein powder supplementation is beneficial, especially in individuals who are actively training (Morton et al., 2017).
How Much Protein Should We Be Consuming?
Ahh, the sought-after question that often on everyone’s mind when it comes to protein, how much is enough?
Well firstly, I’ll tell you this, more is generally not better.
According to the RDA for protein intake, we’re supposed to be consuming 0.8g per kg of body weight (Lonnie et al., 2018), although unfortunately, this number is still vastly underestimated (Elango et al., 2010).
A better resource for determining your protein intake is an article written by examine.com, which outlines a pretty extensive, heavily researched article on pinpointing your optimal protein intake.
Let me give you the too long didn’t read (TLDR) summary for you.
If you’re sedentary (i.e.: don’t exercise, but you probably should)
Aim for 1.2 – 1.8g per kg of body weight.
If you’re a healthy weight and active (and looking to maintain it)
Aim for 1.4 – 2.0g per kg of body weight.
If you’re healthy weight and active (but want to build muscle)
Aim for 1.6 – 2.4g per kg of body weight.
If you’re overweight
Aim for 1.2 – 1.5g per kg of body weight.
TLDR: Protein is important whether we’re sedentary or an active individual looking to build muscle.
Which Protein Powder Is The Best?
Now that we know why protein is important, and have hopefully worked out how much protein we should be roughly consuming (if not, you’ll get there, no stress), the next question is: which type of protein powder is the best?
In all honestly, it does often come down to personal preference, such as dietary lifestyle choices, such as a vegetarian or vegan diet, for example. Some people also don’t tend to do well with whey protein and can have allergies to this form, more about this here.
Let’s look at some options that might be suitable for you.
Whey protein powder: This is often the most affordable protein powder, and comes in both whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate forms. Whey protein is also said to often have a better complete amino acid profile, whereas plant-based protein powders can differ.
Plant protein powder: Becoming increasingly popular these days, plant protein powder offers a vast array of varieties including pea protein, hemp protein, brown rice, soy protein, and carob protein powders. Although some feedback is a slightly more grainy texture in consuming these types of protein powders, I can assure you that Designer Physique’s plant protein powders are one of the smoothest on the market.
Ultimately, when it comes to purchasing protein, quality is best, this is why Designer Physique only sources the best quality ingredients, natural sweeteners, and no added fillers.
A side note: Both our whey and plant protein powders use a unique form of natural sweetener known as thaumatin (no stevia here folks).
How Should We Be Consuming Protein Powder?
Okay, we’re nearly there; we’ve selected our deliciously smooth pea protein or whey protein supplement, now what is the best way to consume it?
Although throwing it into a shaker full of water is often touted as the best “lower calorie” option, funnily enough, this isn’t always the best way to do it.
Instead of sucking down that somewhat flavorsome chalky-esque beverage, holding your nose while calorie counting in your head, I suggest taking on another approach.
Instead, change your mindset to “food fuels my body”, and blend that sucker with a range of wholesome blueberries, strawberries, coconut, chia seeds, and perhaps a heaping dump of your favourite organic greens powder.
Upgrading your mindset upgrades your protein supplement to be nutritionally dense, this is what we want.
Looking for some irresistible protein smoothie ideas? have a look here, or even more ways to get creative with protein powder here.
When Should We Be Consuming Protein Powder?
Most of us are told to suck down a protein shake immediately after a workout, but come on, is that actually true? Nope.
While consuming protein after a workout will help, you don’t finish your last set and immediately rush to your gym bag or fridge for that protein powder fix.
According to a meta-analysis in 2013 published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, the most important predictor of muscle growth is the total protein intake we consume throughout the day.
What this means is, ensuring we consume adequate amounts of protein daily is more important than when we actually consume it (Schoenfeld et al., 2013).
The Complete Takeaway
Okay, so to recap.
- Protein is not only important for muscle growth, but for nervous system replenishment, and a whole range of metabolic processes.
- It’s beneficial to supplement protein powder regardless if we’re sedative or active individuals looking to build muscle (ensuring we’re not overdoing it).
- There’s no real “best” protein powder supplement, it all comes down to personal preference, and choosing a quality protein powder (like ours).
- Don’t just drink protein powder with water, think “food for fuel” and upgrade your mindset for upgraded nutritionally dense shakes.
- Consuming adequate protein daily is more important than when we consume it, so don’t stress.
Phew! We got there; hope you learned some stuff. If you have any questions, drop us a comment below!
Until next time.
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References
- Elango, R., Humayun, M. A., Ball, R. O., & Pencharz, P. B. (2010). Evidence that protein requirements have been significantly underestimated. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 13(1), 52-57. https://doi.org/10.1097/mco.0b013e328332f9b7
- Lonnie, M., Hooker, E., Brunstrom, J., Corfe, B., Green, M., Watson, A., Williams, E., Stevenson, E., Penson, S., & Johnstone, A. (2018). Protein for life: Review of optimal protein intake, sustainable dietary sources and the effect on appetite in ageing adults. Nutrients, 10(3), 360. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10030360
- Morton, R. W., Murphy, K. T., McKellar, S. R., Schoenfeld, B. J., Henselmans, M., Helms, E., Aragon, A. A., Devries, M. C., Banfield, L., Krieger, J. W., & Phillips, S. M. (2017). A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(6), 376-384. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608
- Pasiakos, S. M., McLellan, T. M., & Lieberman, H. R. (2014). The effects of protein supplements on muscle mass, strength, and aerobic and anaerobic power in healthy adults: A systematic review. Sports Medicine, 45(1), 111-131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0242-2
- Schoenfeld, B. J., Aragon, A. A., & Krieger, J. W. (2013). The effect of protein timing on muscle strength and hypertrophy: A meta-analysis. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-10-53