Protein Supplements

[g4ry13]

I'm going to start going back to gym again and getting in better shape. I used to go but never bothered with supplements and the like, but have heard it's beneficial and as i'm rather lazy to always be making so much food I thought it'd be a good idea to get some supplements so I can get additional protein.

So the question is: I know I should get Protein, should I bother with creatine as well? I've heard of this cyclone stuff (I think maximuscle make it) which is meant to be pretty good (seems a bit pricey though), but i'm just wondering if I can get some standard whey protein and it'd be enough for now.

Thanks for any help.

[Animal]

Tin of tuna? packets of microwave rice?

If you have to have protein supplements then yes, Maximuscle do taste nice and I've always found them easy to digest. They are expensive though. Try www.myprotein.co.uk instead.

Would always suggest you go for food before any kind of supplement though - it always tastes nicer!

[AB]

No way, PHD diet whey in Choc Orange flavour, I'd take that over food any day of the week!

[amir_j]

http://www.bulkpowders.co.uk/section.php/18/1/prot...

Order unflavoured and add something like nesquick and unlikely to find cheaper!

[ShadownINja]

Is that all necessary from the outset? I'd have thought if he's just going back to get back in shape, then it may help but is it really necessary?

[amir_j]

ShadownINja said:

Is that all necessary from the outset? I'd have thought if he's just going back to get back in shape, then it may help but is it really necessary?

Good point, takes a surplus of any type of calories to build muscle iirc so if already out of shape then not needed from the outset.

[AB]

Interesting... so what exactly is one doing to themselves by maintaining a negative calorie diet and lifting weights with their cardio? You need to take in more calories than you burn to build muscle?

[amir_j]

AB said:

Interesting... so what exactly is one doing to themselves by maintaining a negative calorie diet and lifting weights with their cardio? You need to take in more calories than you burn to build muscle?

Note: im no expert.

But muscles need X amount of calories inorder to merely to exists ie maintain themselves, without this they will shrink.

So an overall Negative calorie intake with low bodyfat will just mean you will reduce untill you plateu at the point where your calorie intake is sufficient to feed the muscles present.

Also what you are refferring to is the 'cutting phase' is it not? where bodybuilders first eat a lot and train a alot to bulk up, but then to get body fat right down cut calories but continue to train inorder to be 'ripped',

Edited by amir_j on Monday 12th April 17:18

[g4ry13]

Animal said:

Tin of tuna? packets of microwave rice?

If you have to have protein supplements then yes, Maximuscle do taste nice and I've always found them easy to digest. They are expensive though. Try www.myprotein.co.uk instead.

Would always suggest you go for food before any kind of supplement though - it always tastes nicer!

Tin of tuna/rice is useless because it's best to take protein within 30 mins after finishing a work out. So as I won't be carrying these around, a protein shake will be useful.

Just to clarify, i'm not overweight by any stretch of the imagination. I just haven't exercised/lifted lately.

[AB]

I dunno, I'm even less of an expert!

[amir_j]

g4ry13 said:

Animal said:

Tin of tuna? packets of microwave rice?

If you have to have protein supplements then yes, Maximuscle do taste nice and I've always found them easy to digest. They are expensive though. Try www.myprotein.co.uk instead.

Would always suggest you go for food before any kind of supplement though - it always tastes nicer!

Tin of tuna/rice is useless because it's best to take protein within 30 mins after finishing a work out. So as I won't be carrying these around, a protein shake will be useful.

Just to clarify, i'm not overweight by any stretch of the imagination. I just haven't exercised/lifted lately.

Then bulkpowders for training + make your own protein flapjacks (honey, whey protein, oats) for general snacks/small meals.

[monthefish]

This was posted on a thread a while ago.

monthefish said:

evenflow said:

Following on from this thread about Protein drinks, where several people made several suggestions as to their preference, I thought I'd look into it a bit more as it's all pretty confusing. Disclaimers:

1. I can't guarantee accuracy of the figures - just used what I've found online
2. Doesn't take into account taste or quality of the ingredients
3. Prices are best I could find online at various retailers (myprotein.co.uk, Supplement King, Monster Supplements, Affordable Supplements, Supplement Centre, Muscle Shop etc - Google is your friend)
4. I have taken the maximum recommended servings in each case (that is, where it says take 1-3 servings per day, I have assumed 3)

I think the key measure is "cost per gram of protein per day", so this is what I've ordered the results by - most expensive at the top to cheapest at the bottom.

Hope you find the following useful:

Name	Tub Size	Tub Price	Tub Lasts for...	Cost per Day	Protein per Day	KCals per Day	Carbs per Day	Fat per Day	Cost per gram of Protein per Day	Notes
EAS 100% Whey Protein	2.27kg	£34.99	7.6 days	£4.62	80.0g	480.0	20.0g	8g	0.058p
Maximuscle Cyclone	1.20kg	£31.99	10 days	£3.20	60.0g	460.0	42.0g	9.4g	0.053p	1 serving includes 10g creatine. Almost Lactose free, and have no egg proteins
Sci-MX Omni MX	1.68kg	£37.40	12 days	£3.12	70.0g	552.0	36.0g	7.7g	0.045p	1 serving includes 10g creatine
Maximuscle Promax	0.91kg	£27.99	7.6 days	£3.70	97.2g	480.0	8.2g	8.3g	0.038p	Almost Lactose free, and have no egg proteins
MyProtein Weight Gainer Elite	2.50kg	£19.95	8.3 days	£2.39	83.7g	1140.3	160.5g	17.4g	0.029p
Sci-MX GRS-5	2.28kg	£39.05	13.8 days	£2.83	120.0g	609.0	8.7g	10.7g	0.024p
USN Pure Protein IGF-1	2.28kg	£34.99	13.6 days	£2.58	120.0g	609.0	6.7g	6.9g	0.021p
Optimum Nutrition Whey Gold Standard	4.71kg	£79.99	39.2 days	£2.04	96.0g	480.0	12.0g	4.0g	0.021p
Boditronics Express Whey	2.25kg	£32.99	17.9 days	£1.85	93.0g	570.0	14.7g	9.0g	0.020p
MyProtein Impact Whey	5.00kg	£47.99	66.7 days	£0.72	72.0g	354.0	5.4g	6.3g	0.010p

Interesting - thanks for putting that together.

If I may add one...

Name	Tub Size	Tub Price	Tub Lasts for...	Cost per Day	Protein per Day	KCals per Day	Carbs per Day	Fat per Day	Cost per gram of Protein per Day
One litre of semi skimmed milk	1000ml	£0.78	1/2 day (@2 per day)	£1.56	68.0g	460KCals	50g	16g	0.022p

[bales]

However lots of people tend to be 'slightly' lactose intolerant so large amount of milk can cause an upset stomach.

I know thats the case for me anyway, I can drink milk fine in cereal/hot drinks but if I have large amounts of it makes my stomach feel off and bloated.

Its all down to convenience really, plus a lot of the supplements have additional things that milk doesn't like BCAA's and glutamine etc etc which do have evidence to support that they aid recovery. Also cyclone has creatine in if you want to take that also, which if you don't eat much red meat is one of the only proven supplements to actually work.

[Shinobi]

Very useful info, currently using ProMax but will definatly be trying the MyProtein Impact Way next.

[E21_Ross]

i've done enough nutrition work to find out that all these protein supplements are totally unnecessary. even for olympic style body builders research has proven it's not beneficial to consume more than 2g per kg body mass per day of protein. the amount of protein needed to sustain 95% of the UK population is between 0.6 and 0.7g/kg body weight/day.

OP - in light of this about 1.2-1.3g per kg body weight per day is fine. meaning....just eat some fish, meat, eggs, milk etc etc. don't waste your money on this tat. it's not needed at all. companies have got it across to gym-goers that 1 million kilos of protein per day is good for you, quite the contrary. also, excess protein causes a higher amount of urea formation, meaning excess work for the kidneys.

don't waste your money OP.

they can be useful if you're training to become a body builder, but even then, it's not needed. a good healthy diet is more than suffice

Edited by E21_Ross on Thursday 15th April 16:34

[monthefish]

E21_Ross said:

i've done enough nutrition work to find out that all these protein supplements are totally unnecessary.......

That depends on the OP's diet/food availability throughout the day.

Perhaps the OP doesn't have access to all of the quality foods you mention. I agree that supplements should be just that - supplements - but they definintely have their place, and are definitely effective.

[E21_Ross]

monthefish said:

E21_Ross said:

i've done enough nutrition work to find out that all these protein supplements are totally unnecessary.......

That depends on the OP's diet/food availability throughout the day.

Perhaps the OP doesn't have access to all of the quality foods you mention. I agree that supplements should be just that - supplements - but they definintely have their place, and are definitely effective.

the guy mentioned he wants to get in better shape, not become a ripped body builder. generally, a normal diet provides more than enough protein through the day. latest research shows on average in the UK people consume 88g per day (males), yet the RNI for a person between 19-50 to maintain a normal body weight (assuming the OP is roughly "normal" is only 55.5g per day (again, males). so the normal diet throughout the UK of 88g per day is more than enough. assuming the OP doesn't eat st food all the time.

edit: the guy may want to increase intake to around 100-110g per day or so, but the protein supplements are far from essential, even for strength athletes.

Edited by E21_Ross on Thursday 15th April 16:47

[monthefish]

E21_Ross said:

monthefish said:

E21_Ross said:

i've done enough nutrition work to find out that all these protein supplements are totally unnecessary.......

That depends on the OP's diet/food availability throughout the day.

Perhaps the OP doesn't have access to all of the quality foods you mention. I agree that supplements should be just that - supplements - but they definintely have their place, and are definitely effective.

the guy mentioned he wants to get in better shape, not become a ripped body builder. generally, a normal diet provides more than enough protein through the day. latest research shows on average in the UK people consume 88g per day (males), yet the RNI for a person between 19-50 to maintain a normal body weight (assuming the OP is roughly "normal" is only 55.5g per day (again, males). so the normal diet throughout the UK of 88g per day is more than enough. assuming the OP doesn't eat st food all the time.

Edited by E21_Ross on Thursday 15th April 16:44

I don't disagree, but you can't make a blunt statement that "all these protein supplements are totally unnecessary".

Even from your own figures

E21_Ross said:

OP - in light of this about 1.2-1.3g per kg body weight per day is fine

E21_Ross said:

latest research shows on average in the UK people consume 88g per day (males)

Assuming the op weighs about 82Kg, he is still about 10% short.

[monthefish]

Just seen your edit.

To clarify:

E21_Ross said:

i've done enough nutrition work to find out that all these protein supplements are totally unnecessary.......

Disagree.

E21_Ross later said:

protein supplements are far from essential

Agree.

[E21_Ross]

agree, he may be 10% short, hence i said at the bottom he may want to increase his protein intake a little. but lets say it is 9g....do you need supplements to find another 9g of protein per day?

they are unnecessary in the sense that the protein can be had in cheaper alternatives. but, if you do want lots of protein (be it for a purpose, or for no real benefit at all) they are useful, this i'm not denying, however, if the OP just wants to get in shape, i am going to stand by saying they are unnecessary.