A complete buyer’s Guide to Protein Powder

Looking to improve your muscle protein synthesis?

Do not rush to the market or online stores to buy the best protein powder without reading this legit and unbiased informational guide.

It is not the general grocery that you are buying. But it is a protein supplement that will help to promote the growth of lean muscles and also improve your muscle protein synthesis.

Why you need a guide to protein powder?

Many people tend to use supplements and resistance exercises for bodybuilding. However, these protein powder for bodybuilding tends to have advantages and side-effects.

Therefore, to understand the benefits and side-effects of protein powder, we have written a complete buyer’s guide to protein powder for you.

What Is Protein Powder?

It is a powder form of protein that is derived from plants, eggs and milk. Some of the other vital ingredients of the powder are sugar, vitamins, minerals and added artificial flavors.

Keep in mind that the nutritional powder meant for weight gain has more proteins than those meant for weight loss.

The intention of seeking these supplements depends on individual desire. Some have the intention of bodybuilding while others weight loss.

You need to understand the benefits and side-effects of protein powder before you buy it. The information will save you from thousands of risks and myths associated with protein supplements.

What Are the Different Types of Protein Supplements?

Protein Powder & its
Different Sources of Protein Powder

Protein powder comes in three main forms such as protein concentrates, isolates and hydrolysates. The production process and uses of these forms tend to bring out the distinction.

The demand for these supplements has been increasing gradually. It is an indicator that many people want to increase muscle mass and meet their protein needs.

Here are some of the possible types of protein powder. They include:

Whey Protein

It is a type of protein derived from milk. It is made by subjecting the milk to high heat to separate the liquid from the curd.

Whey protein contains lactose and milk sugar. These ingredients are quite difficult to digest among many people.

The good news is that the isolate version has very little amount of these ingredients. Instead, the protein contains more branched-chain amino acids.

These amino acids can easily be digested and absorbed into the bloodstream. Hence, an ideal supplement for promoting muscle growth and strength.

Besides that, it can be used to reduce appetite and promote fat loss. It is a great option for people with normal weight, obese and overweight.

Casein Protein

Casein is a popular protein found in milk. However, it takes so much time to get digested and absorbed into the bloodstream.

The protein tends to interact with stomach acid to form a gel, which helps slow down muscle protein breakdown.

Casein is a suitable protein supplement for enhancing muscle mass growth and fat loss during calorie restriction.

Egg Protein

Eggs are known to contain the highest amount of high-quality proteins. The proteins are easily digested and absorbed into the bloodstream.

The most wonderful thing is that eggs tend to reduce appetite. Consumption of this protein powder makes the stomach feel full for a longer period.

The supplement helps to promote lean mass and muscle strength. It is a good choice for people suffering from dairy allergies.

Pea Protein

It is a common supplement suitable for vegans, vegetarians and individuals with allergies to dairy or eggs.

It is made from high fiber legume that boasts of high-quality essential amino acids. The pea protein is digested slowly and makes an individual feel full for long.

The protein is quite effective in increasing muscle growth and promoting fullness. Besides that, pea protein supplements help decrease high blood pressure.

Hemp Protein

Another popular plant-based supplement. The hemp plant has some close relation with marijuana. It is due to some traces of the psychoactive component.

However, the supplement is rich in premium omega-3 fatty acids and other essential amino acids. That’s not all. It has a low level of some vital amino acids.

The good news is that hemp protein is ideal for reducing mass body composition and promoting fat loss.

Brown Rice Proteins

The type of supplement has been around for some years. However, it is termed as an inferior protein powder for bodybuilding.

The rice protein tends to lack some essential amino acids to be a complete protein supplement.

The good news is that brown rice protein facilitates lean muscle strength, bring change in body composition and recovery after strenuous exercise.

Mixed Plant Proteins

It is a protein powder that contains all the blends of plant-based proteins. It might compose a mixture of pea, hemp, brown rice, flaxseed seeds, etc.

These plant-based proteins have a higher amount for fibers, which tend to slow down the digestion rate. The limited amount of amino acids are ideal for providing strength for exercise.

Therefore, the mixed plant protein supplements are suitable for promoting faster recovery after undertaking a strenuous exercise.

What Are the Benefits of Protein Powder?

Most of these nutritional supplements come with tons of benefits to the user. They contain micronutrients that play an important role in the body.

5 Awesome Benefits of Protein Powder:

1. Weight Management

Most of these supplements tend to make people feel full for a longer period. Hence, reduce the frequency of eating snacks and also the amount of food to consume.

Therefore, it helps people to maintain a healthy weight and promote fat loss. If you are struggling with obesity and obesity, then this is a real gem.

That’s not all. The supplements reduce total cholesterol and high blood pressure. Besides that, limit the occurrence of other cardiovascular diseases.

2. Promote Muscle Growth

The main function of proteins is to aid muscle growth in the body. It is the reason behind the high consumption of protein shakes by bodybuilders.

Research shows that these supplements help to increase muscle size and strength among adults who undertake weight lifting.

The most wonderful thing is that these nutritional supplements are ideal for both men and women. However, the effects tend to decrease with an increase in age.

3. Good for Aiding Recovery

Proteins not only promote muscle growth but also repair damaged tissues and muscles. Individuals who perform strenuous exercises tend to experience soreness in the muscles.

Consumption of these supplements will help to speed up recovery from muscle pains after undertaking strenuous training.

The nutritional supplements aid faster recovery by improving muscle performance and also muscle protein synthesis.

4. Boost the Rate of Metabolism

Protein powders help to reduce appetite and, in the process, foster a higher rate of metabolism. The body uses the available energy for digestion and absorption of nutrients.

The nutritional powders are ideal for those people struggling to get rid of potty belly. Replacing high carb foods with these supplements will help maintain ideal body composition.

Related article: Gut health for weight loss

5. Provide Vital Nutrients for the Body

The human body requires between 46g and 56g of proteins daily. Most vegans and vegetarians tend to find it hard to meet the daily intake.

The most exciting thing is that protein powder tends to be an ideal solution. It contains the recommended amount of proteins for daily consumption.

Are There Any Side Effects of Protein Powder?

Most of the nutritional supplements are safe. They are typically known for reducing appetite, weight loss and building lean muscles.

However, excessive consumption of protein powder tends to pose some dangers. It is advisable to take the recommended amount.

Here are some of the possible risks associated with protein supplements.

12 Side Effects of Protein Powder:

1. Cause Dehydration

A diet full of proteins tends to make individuals experience dehydration. This happens so since the amino acids are converted into urea. Urea is a toxic substance in the body that needs to be excreted in the form of urine.

Therefore, individuals on a high-protein diet tend to experience frequent urge to urinate. The frequency later reduces the amount of water in the body. Hence the need to increase water intake to maintain body hydration.

2. Trigger Appearance of Acne

Excessive consumption of proteins tends to trigger the production of insulin or growth hormone. The hormone stimulates the sebaceous glands to produce excessive sebum

The body oil ends up clogging skin pores, and this causes the formation of acne or pimples. The reduction of protein supplements will automatically reduce the formation of acne on the body.

3. Upset Digestive System

Most popular nutritional supplements are derived from milk. This implies that they are rich in lactose and natural sugar.

These ingredients are bad for those individuals who are lactose intolerant. Besides that, these harmful ingredients increase bowel movement, bloating and nausea.

Also, the fibers present in some supplements tend to lower digestion speed, which could result in bloating. Remember to check the ingredients before buying any supplement.

4. Result in Unhealthy Weight Gain

The main purpose of these supplements is to spearhead healthy weight gain and promote fat loss. However, excessive intake of the protein powder might cause unhealthy weight gain.

Intake of these nutritional powder requires an individual with a serious workout routine. Failure to undertake workout will result in unutilized calories, which will later be converted into fats. Excessive piling of fats will result in rapid weight gain.

5. Reduce Blood Pressure to Much

Protein supplements are medicinal for people with high blood pressure. They help reduce the pressure up to the required level.

However, excessive usage of these supplements could further lower the blood pressure. This will later reduce metabolic rate and result in other body complications.

We recommend consulting your physician on how to use the supplements. This will help reduce the side effects associated with nutritional powder.

6. Could Affect Kidneys

Proteins are broken down in the body into amino acids. Excessive amino acids result in the formation of ammonia as a by-product.

The by-product is further converted into urea, which is eliminated from the body. Intake of large quantities of supplements results in more formation of urea.

This puts a large amount of pressure on the kidney since it has to filter out large urea quantities. They are hence putting the kidney to the risk of developing renal disorders.

Other fatal side-effects of protein supplements of the kidney are kidney stones, impairment and renal failure.

7. Causes Hair Loss

An excessive amount of proteins in the body boost the level of testosterone in the blood. The hormone later triggers the production of DHT chemicals in the bloodstream.

A high level of chemicals causes hair loss. It is not the protein that causes hair to fall out. Keep in mind excessive weight lifting can also boost testosterone levels to cause the same side-effect.

8. Increase Risk of Cancer

Most of these artificial supplements tend to contain heavy metals. But this is normally in a rare case. If these heavy metals happen to be in excess, there is a high risk of getting cancer.

However, most protein supplements tend to reduce the size of tumors and prevent possible cancer proliferation.

9. Disrupt Hormone Production

Some supplements contain essential amino acids and phytoestrogen. Consumption of phytoestrogen tends to mimic the functionality of the estrogen hormone.

Hence, they stimulate the endocrine system to overreact when not needed. Besides that, it could also cause low libido, erectile dysfunction and breast enlargement in men.

10. Cause Liver Damage

A low amount of carbs in the diet due to the heavy consumption of proteins pushes the body to experience ketosis. It is a state where the body utilizes all sources of fat to provide energy.

This increases the body’s level of acidity, and the consistent flow of this type of blood into the liver could cause liver impairment.

Besides that, it can also cause liver inflammation and liver disorder. Taking supplements will require adequate workout to get rid of excess proteins in the body.

11. Lead to Heavy Metal Poisoning

Research shows that most protein powders are marked with heavy metals such as arsenic and lead. Hence, excessive intake of these supplements could lead to heavy metal poisoning.

That’s not all. These protein supplements cause exhaustion and other issues. Hence, not suitable for people with diabetes and kidney failure.

12. Drug Interactions

People on osteoporosis medication are not allowed to use protein powders. It may increase the absorption of drugs, which causes excessive bleeding.

We recommend consulting your medic before consuming any supplement. This will help to prevent drug interactions that have a negative effect.

Protein Powder best for:

The type of protein supplement chosen depends on individual needs and expected outcomes. Most supplements are used for weight loss, bodybuilding, weight gain and fulfilling protein requirements.

Let’s find out more:

Protein Powder for Weight Loss:

Protein supplements not only foster muscle development but also help to enhance weight loss among people.

These nutritional supplements come in different forms. Each type tends to have different ingredients. Some ingredients are good, and others are bad.

If you are looking for weight loss, it is advisable to consider supplements with a high amount of fibers.

These fibers tend to slow down the rate of digestion and make an individual feel full for a longer period.

Besides that, some ingredients help to reduce the level of appetite. Hence, suitable for reducing the portion of food intake.

Another important advantage of protein supplements is boosting the metabolism rate—this helps to utilize all the calories during digestion and prevent the formation of fat.

The most recommended weight loss supplements are egg powder, casein proteins, and other plant-based sources like pea powder.

Lastly, they contain fortified ingredients like caffeine that have proven to be effective in enhancing weight loss.

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Best of the Best Protein Powders

Protein Powder for Weight Gain:

Many people are opting for these supplements for weight loss. The good news is that they can also be used to increase body mass.

The rule of thumb here is consuming more calories and undertaking less workout to prevent fats’ burning after formation.

Therefore, you will be expected to consider higher-calorie mass gainer supplements. Most of these protein compounds tend to contain up to 1200 calories and even more.

Besides that, you need to be extra careful since you might surpass the daily requirement and end up experiencing overweight or obesity.

The most recommended amount to consider range from 85 to 250 grams. This will provide sufficient carbs to boost weight gain.

It would help if you considered things like artificial flavors, creatine and independent product testing. The good news is that there are plenty of supplements in the market ideal for weight gain.

Protein Powder for Bodybuilding:

Proteins play a crucial role in our diet. It helps in building muscles and also maintaining various types of body tissues.

The building blocks of proteins are essential amino acids. These components help to promote muscle growth and fat loss.

Bodybuilding is a serious sport that has attracted men and women from all walks of life. Most of these people are opting for supplements to foster muscle growth and strength.

The good news is that the majority of these protein supplements are readily available over the counter. We recommend choosing protein powder meant for bodybuilding.

We recommend choosing supplements that have low sugar and are free from artificial flavors. These ingredients tend to get deposited in the body in the form of fats, which will hinder muscle growth.

The most exciting thing is that there are plenty of brands in the market to provide a wider option. We recommend going for a supplement that suits your needs and has efficient outcomes.

Protein Powder for Muscle Gain:

Protein plays a role in building and repairing muscles. Consumption of protein supplements will also speed up the rate of recovery after strenuous exercise or training.

The demand for protein powder in the market increases due to the need to develop training endurance and gain lean muscles.

However, there are different types of nutritional supplements on the market. Therefore, you need to check the ingredients present before opting for a certain brand.

We recommend going for a supplement that does not pose an allergic reaction after consumption. If you are susceptible to sensitivity, then consider vegans or vegetarian brands.

It is advisable to consider products that have non-GMO ingredients. These nutrients are quite effective in the promotion of muscle gain.

Summary

Choose protein powder wisely and remember you are choosing for your body.

Consumption of excess nutritional supplements could lead to fatal side effects such as kidney failure, hair loss, and even increase the risk of cancer. We recommend going for reputable best protein powder brands in the market. These huge brands tend to test their products before and after production for quality assurance.

References:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/
https://www.cleanlabelproject.org/protein-powder/
https://health.gov/our-work/food-nutrition/2015-2020-dietary-guidelines/guidelines/appendix-7/
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/body-building-sports-supplements-facts/