Protein Powders
What's best for you?

Protein powders, where do I begin: I figure it would be best to just give you a run down of all the different kinds, so you'll know what's best for you. . .

Basic Mass Building Powders:

For general mass building, basically any protein will do, it will provide a combination of carbs and protein. Whey protein should be the dominant protein in your life. A good whey everyday will do well for pre and post-workout and a good casein protein will work excellent before bed.

Shed Pounds:

In my research I have found if you want to lose unwanted jiggles when you jump, you need the purest protein, with as little added fat and carbs as possible. A protein isolate would be a great choice. Soy protein isolate is also a good option. That’s flabtastic!!

Maintenance:

If your not trying to be the toughest and the buffest but just looking to maintain your manly slabs, a good choice would be a whey protein blend. This will provide the BCAAs you need and is also low-carb. You want to steer clear from protein powders with high carbs from sugar (weight gainers).

Athletic Performance: (Players choice)

For when you need to bring your “A” game and you want the maximum athletic performance, you want a protein powder that may have added carbs. This way you will maintain muscle and burn the carbs for energy. Mix in a carbohydrate powder supplement into your protein powder for explosive energy.

Now, that you have figured out what goal you are looking to achieve, your ready to pick out the protein powder that’s right for you.

Lets start with.....

Isolates:

They are about 90% pure protein, which is great for all the lactose-intolerant people out there. There is a couple of whey protein isolates that I thought I would explain a little bit.

- Ion-exchanged:- This is the standard isolate, impurities are removed but so are beneficial peptides that are included in whey concentrates.

- Micro-filtered:- The whey is filtered to an isolate but the peptides that are in concentrates remain in the isolate.

Whey Concentrates:

They are about 80% pure protein and don't have as smooth of a taste as isolates. To all the lactose-intolerants you may have a problem with concentrates, but hey everybody may have problems with gas once and awhile. Whey concentrate protein contains traces of nutrients that are beneficial, which are taken out of isolates, whey protein is derived from casein. This is probably the most popular of all powders used throughout the weightlifting world. This means that whey is the highest quality protein. They harbor a large BCAA (branched chain amino acid) profile, and will boost amino acid levels when taken. In my opinion I think it's a good idea to take BCAA pills if your whey does not have a lot in it.

Casein:

Casein is a slower digested protein powder, great for a night protein, it won't rise amino acid levels as high as whey, but it absorbs much slower in your body.

The protein forms a gel in your stomach, and this allows the slow release over hours. This is what makes casein a great pre-bed protein powder, it will keep your muscles growing all night, that’s time well spent.

Soy Protein:

Soy protein dosn't rank up at the top with a lot of weightlifters but it has become a good substitute for vegetarians. It helps lower cholesterol and prevent heart diseases. Soy protein powder is a protein that can be taken by anybody. They are good for the lactose intolerant.

Egg Protein:

Egg protein provides a way for weightlifters to get the benefits of high quality eggs while avoiding the cholesterol and fat found in egg yolks. The value of egg protein ranks up there right next to whey. This makes a great protein for all bodybuilders to use any time of the day.

Meal Replacement:

These powders are a combination of protein and carbohydrates, meant to replace a meal. Most have a good amount of vitamins and minerals. They are usually a combination of casein, whey, and egg protein.

Weight Gainer:

Weight gainers are shakes that contain a high amount of calories, in order to help the naturally skinny gain weight. They usually come in a 2:1 (carb-protein) ratio. Something to look out for with weight gainers is a high fructose. That much sugar is too much throughout the day, although it may be ok post-workout. Some companies may try to slide extra fat and bad carbs in, to increase the calories, so be aware look at the ingredients.

Protein Blends:

Protein powders that are made from an assortment of proteins, such as whey, milk, casein and egg. They are a best way to get the benefits out of all of the types of protein powders. You want the best of both worlds try a blend.

Remember when working out it's important to have a schedule with your meals planned out, with what time of day to take your protein powder shakes. To get an idea of what kind of meal schedule you should be following check out some example meal plans that you could follow.

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