For years the supplement industry has convinced scores of men that they need tons of protein to gain weight, build hard muscle, and get ripped. They reinforce this notion by slapping pictures of 250-pound roided-out bodybuilders in their ads and on their already overly decorated supplement labels. But are protein powders truly essential for gaining muscle? Or is it better to get your protein from food sources? Let's answer these questions by looking at the hype behind protein supplements, how they compare to food-based protein, and how much protein you actually need to gain weight and build muscle. If you read until the end, we'll also cover some of the best protein powders and the best supplement to stack with any protein source, be it food or powder. Protein consists of amino acids, which are the building blocks of your muscles. You must have protein and amino acids, or you can't build, maintain, or repair muscles. So the protein craze is indeed founded on an accurate and well-known scientific principle. But supplement manufacturers take this notion a step further, making it seem like protein powders, shakes, bars, and manufactured amino acids must be used alongside regular food to build muscle. Supplement ads and articles commonly use glycomacropeptides, microfiltration, nitrogen value, and biological value to make protein powders sound more important. Biological value (BV) is primarily used to push the idea that protein powders are necessary. But can you simply solely rely on foods as your source of getting protein? Let's find out... What Is Biological Value?Biological Value or BV refers to how much of a protein is absorbed and used by your body. Specifically, biological value measures how much nitrogen you retain for growth or maintenance and is expressed as a percentage of nitrogen absorbed.When more protein (nitrogen) is absorbed and utilized, it results in a higher BV score.Foods with the top BV score include whole eggs (100 BV), cow's milk (91), fish (83), beef (80), and chicken (79).Protein supplements with the highest BV (based on chemical score) include whey (106 -159 BV), casein (80), and soy (74).Based on this, it seems like Whey is the ultimate protein source because your body retains so much of it. Whey is also great for post-workouts because it gets into your bloodstream fast to promote anabolism (building muscle!) and repair muscles.But casein, despite having much-lower BV, is highly regarded because it slowly releases amino acids into the bloodstream. This effect makes it a good choice before bedtime since casein provides you with a steady stream of protein while you sleep. Biological Value Is Important But Not That ImportantIf we base protein quality solely off BV, then you'd want to choose whey above any food-based protein. But while BV is important, there's more to the story than just this one factor.When supplement companies tout the 106-159 BV of whey, they are referring to the chemical score of protein. As the International Sports Science Association (ISSA) explains, a chemical score compares the amino acid pattern in an ideal reference protein to a test protein. This calculation is how the BV exceeds 100, whereas eggs, which don't use a chemical score, have a 100 BV.If you're solely looking at protein supplements, then BV plays a critical role in what you choose. But as long as you're getting enough high-quality protein from food sources, then you don't have to supplement. Furthermore, choosing whey protein over eggs, chicken, beef, or milk protein isn't going to make you build muscle at a faster rate. Protein Powders vs. Food-Based Protein: Pros and ConsProtein Supplement ProsWe've just established that a protein powder's BV isn't the end-all to gaining muscle. So why do experienced bodybuilders still supplement with protein?The answer is convenience.In an ideal world, we'd all have lots of time to throw on our chef's hat and prepare high-quality, food-based protein. But we don't.And since you still need protein to build muscle, supplements offer the perfect way to get your protein on the go. You can make protein shakes within minutes, throw them in a sealed cup, and down them later at work, the gym, or on the road.Another benefit is that some protein shakes taste really good because they have added flavoring and sweeteners. I'm not saying that this is a great reason to use protein powder, but it makes the process more enjoyable. Protein Supplement ConsGiven that protein powders offer essential amino acids in a convenient form, why doesn't everybody take these products?First off, supplements are more expensive than protein-packed foods. If your product contains 27 servings, with 24 grams of protein in each scoop, that's 648 total protein grams. At $30 for a container, that's 4.6 cents per gram.If you pay $2 for a pound of chicken, which has 123 grams of protein, that's 1.6 cents per gram.Aside from the cost, protein powders often contain sugars and artificial flavorings, versus the vitamins and minerals that you get from food. These sugars and artificial flavors can be counter-productive to your muscle-building efforts.Another problem is that they don't fill you up like normal food. Since protein powders don't promote satiety or the feeling of fullness, you consume calories and feel like eating more afterward. Which again can be counter-productive to your muscle-building efforts by causing you to overeat and gain more weight (fat). Food-based Protein ProsWith food, you get more bang for your calorie.Not only do you get the amino acids that your body needs for muscle, but you also consume nutrients like iron (beef), calcium (cow's milk, yogurt), vitamin B (whole grains), and more.Unlike protein powders, food also produces satiety and makes dieting less painful, as opposed to getting a sizable portion of your calories from supplements.Given these benefits, it's optimal if you can meet your daily protein needs with food over powders, shakes, bars, and/or amino acids. Food-based Protein ConsThe problem with quality food is that it requires planning and preparation. Not only do you have to make the food, but you also have to plan out what to eat to get the perfect combination of protein, fats, and carbs.If you have a full-time job, kids, and work out, it's tough finding time also to prepare meals. Even without kids, you'll have difficulty setting aside time to make food every day with a demanding job.One good way to cut down on your food preparation time is by preparing a week's worth in one day, then storing the food in containers. How Much Protein Do You Need?As mentioned before, the supplement industry has created the perception that protein powders are crucial for building muscle.Much of what sells this idea is the mistaken belief that you need ridiculous amounts of protein to grow lean mass. In fact, some guys think that you need 2 grams per pound of body weight each day.This logic makes sense because protein is the building block for muscles. And if you consume more, it seems like you'd also build bigger, stronger muscles. But the truth is that gaining muscle doesn't require much more protein than when you're on a maintenance diet/workout schedule.According to ACalorieCounter, here's how protein requirements break down:
You can consume as little as one protein gram per pound to obtain solid muscle mass. As long as you eat a healthy mix of foods with protein, you won't have to supplement to reach this goal. Best Protein PowdersSo far, we've determined that it's better to get your protein from food rather than supplements. Even so, you probably won't always have time to prepare protein-rich foods for every day of the week.In these cases, here are a few protein powders that you can supplement with when you need convenience over whole foods.
Now, if you want a true recommendation here it is. I`ve tried many proteins in my life, but this one protein is the bomb. And I love it. Here`s the breakdown:
100% TRI-PROTEIN from CRAZYNUTRITION is designed to maximize performance, boost muscle growth and burn fat with the only protein 3 times more effective than standard wheys. For more information, and testimonials from well-known athletes and actors, click on the picture. Take advantage of the awesome savings and the 60-day money-back guarantee.  Finals Thoughts In the end, whether or not you should use protein powders to build muscle all depends upon your schedule. The ideal scenario sees us in the kitchen on Sunday, cooking beef, chicken, boiled eggs, and fish so that we can store them for later.The reality is that many of us are busy and need a quick source of protein every now and then. There's nothing inherently wrong with using protein powders in these cases because it saves you time.But make your best effort to cook food whenever possible so that you get more nutrients out of your calories, rather than the sugary, flavored protein that many supplements offer.When you do look for muscle-building supplements, you should also consider TESTODREN because it significantly raises your natural testosterone level, allowing you to gain muscle and lose fat easier. TESTODREN can be stacked with any protein source and will actually enhance your body's ability to synthesize protein and build lean muscle faster. It`s also backed up by a 67 day money-back guarantee. |