Maybe you have been told whey protein, beef protein or vegan protein supplements such as soy protein are a scam becasuse they do not work, and that you only need to eat well to increase the size of your muscles.
But while it is true that there are many poor quality powdered protein supplements, there are also those that, due to their long history in the market, are very reliable.
I am from the old school and I always recommend what I have tried and it has given good results to me or the people I train. Brands such as BSN, ON, Muscletech, Dymatize, among others.
WARNING: I am not advertising these brands. I'm just giving a guide for those who want to start drinking good quality protein shakes. I also know that today there are many other brands, but I can not attest to them because I have not tried them.
Questions and answers about whey, beef, casein, soy and homemade protein shakes
1. Who should drink protein shakes and who does not?
- In theory both men and women of all ages, including under age and older adults, can drink shakes of whey protein, beef protein, soy protein, or simply homemade protein shakes with walnuts, almonds, oat flakes, etc.
But: if you do not like any of them, or if you feel inflamed (a) or heavy (a) after drinking a shake, it is because maybe your body does not require all that great nutritional contribution that can provide. Or because you have stress problems or pathological changes in your digestive organs.
If you do not train hard or if your energy expenditure at the physical and cognitive level is not so high throughout the day, you may not need to drink whey or beef protein shakes, and instead choose homemade and more natural shakes to improve your nutrition, health and mood and energy.
2. Do people who do not do exercise can drink protein shakes?
- Yes and No. The point for those who take protein shakes and do not workout, should take into account that they will not increase their muscle mass simply by drinking this type of protein powder supplements.
If you do not workout your muscles in order to make them hypertrophy, it does not matter if you take 5 scoops in every shake, because this amount od protein will not increase the size of your muscles.
In fact taking too much protein powder without exercising, especially if it is whey protein, can cause gastrointestinal upset and can also make you fat easily because proteins also provide calories.
If you do not workout and you want to venture to drink this type of supplements, prepare a shake in water with just one scoop and drink it on an empty stomach or as a morning snack. You can add some fruit.
But remember that in this case you are drinking it to provide nutrients to your body to maintain your current weight or to supplement your energy requirement but not to gain muscle mass because remember: You are not working put.
3. Women can drink the same powder protein supplements that men drink?
- Yes. Those pink jars are nothing but Marketing to take advantage of an under exploited market: women in the world of Fitness and sports supplementation.
Many women are still afraid of drinking powdered proteins because they think they are going to get a square body.
For this reason, some companies took advantage of this fear and take out jars of supplements with pink or fuchsia colors to make women believe that they are exclusive for them.
But the truth is that they contain the same components as jars of black, blue or red colors.
4. If i do not drink protein shakes, it will be impossible to increase my muscle mass?
- It all depends on whether or not you are able to cover your energy and protein requirement through food.
The problem is that sometimes we do not have time to prepare or to eat a complete and nutritious meal.
In addition, to speed up recovery processes and muscle growth, we must drink something that is absorbed quickly and the best in this case is a protein shake of good quality.
5. What kind of powder protein supplement must i drink?
- If you want one that is absorbed quickly you should opt for the Whey Isolate type.
If you want to opt for a type of protein that is absorbed slowly to provide you with protein constantly during the day or night, go for one that provides casein.
If you have a Lactose intolerance then opt for a supplement of Beef protein or Egg protein.
If you do not like animal protein supplements or if you just want a vegan option, then go for one made from Soy or another vegan option.
You can also opt for homemade smoothies in case the packaged products of any type produce you some stomach ache or if you simply do not have money.
Example of homemade protein shake: 150 mL of almond milk, 40 grams of strawberries, 40 grams of almonds, 2 tablespoons of oat flakes, 3 tablespoons of organic peanut butter, 1 banana. Let liquefy for a time of 15 to 20 seconds.
6. Do protein powder supplements damage my liver and kidneys?
- The high consumption of macro nutrients makes these organs work a lot your stomach, liver, intestines, pancreas, etc.
So far I have not heard anyone suffering from kidney or liver damage from drinking powdered protein supplements.
What they can cause are alterations in the gut microbiota especially when they are whey protein supplements or casein.
Now, if in addition to whey, beef or soy protein supplements you also drink alcoholic beverages, smoke and have bad habits, these supplements are going to make you get sick. Maybe not to the point of damaging your organs but to alter the absorption of nutrients and also cause inflammation and disease.
7. How many protein scoops should i add to my shake?
- 1. If you want to increase your muscle mass: you must add a total from 40 to 50 grams of protein that come to be around 2 scoops.
2. If you want to tone, maintain your current weight or simply seek to contribute to your nutrition: drink an average of 25 grams of protein, which would be a scoop.
8. Can i licute my powder protein supplement with any drink?
- Technically yes. But the most recommended is that always use only water when it comes to preparing shakes with packaged proteins of whey, beef, soy or other type such as egg.
Why? Because this way you guarantee a better absorption of the proteins, vitamins and minerals that this type of supplements gives you.
If it's a homemade protein shake, you can choose water, almond milk or cow's milk preferably skimmed.
9. What if i prepare my protein with whole milk of cow?
- In most people this combination is usually an extreme burden for the entire intestinal microbiota.
This combination can cause what is known as the Permeable Intestine or Leaky Gut where, in addition to inflammation, there is a poor absorption of the nutrients and a vulnerability to absorb the bad thnigs.
Some people feel headaches, constant desire to go to the bathroom, pain in the upper and lower abdomen.
In addition, when you liquefy your protein in whole cow's milk you will be responsible for creating a kind of competition in the absorption of nutrients, with which you waste your supplement because your body will not be able to absorb all this nutrients.
Even if you workout like a beast, I recommend liquefying your protein powder supplement always in water, and let it liquefy for 15 to 20 seconds.
10. How many times a day should i drink my protein shake?
- In most people, drinking a protein shake right after training is more than enough to speed up muscle recovery.
In other people who find it difficult to increase their muscle mass, they can try adding other shots of the shake: fasting, as a snack, before training and before going to sleep.
You should go testing first just by drinking it only after yoru workout, for 1 month. Then it depends on how you feel and look if you add the protein shake shot on an empty stomach. And so you are adding more shots during the day depends on how you feel.
11. Can i drink my protein shake with meals?
- Technically yes. But if you want to avoid gastrointestinal discomfort, and if you also want to avoid wasting nutrients, take your protein shake with your stomach relatively empty and when it really is required as mentioned in the previous point.
In addition, by taking your protein shake with your meals you would be adding many more calories that will mostly end up in your body and visceral adipose tissue, which makes you gain weight and generate health problems.
12. What other recommendations should you follow when drinking protein shakes?
- Be happy: because if you keep stressed, the protein shakes will gives you gastrointestinal problems. In addition, stress makes it difficult for you to increase your muscle mass and makes it easier for you to get fat.
Keep your digestive organs healthy: increase the consumption of foods that provide you with antioxidant vitamins. Reduces or eliminates the consumption of refined sugar, avoids the consumption of fried foods, etc.
When you drink your shake focus only on it: take your time, breathe deeply in each sip of the protein shake, all in order that the vagus nerve that is the one that activates the organs of your digestive system, remains active so that the consumed nutrients are well assimilated.