Buyers Guide
There are quite literally hundreds of supplements manufacturers these days and every single one claims to have the best protein source and the most advanced formula around. Truth be told they are all fairly similar. The main differentiator tends to be price. If you take some time to find out about the ingredients then you can soon identify which ones are the rip off’s and which supplement is right for you. Below we have listed the main things you need to look out for…
1. Type of Protein
There are three main types of protein source used for protein shakes. These are, whey concentrate, whey isolate and casein.
Whey Concentrate is a by-product of cheese production. Concentrate contains a low level of fat and cholesterol but, in general, has higher levels of bioactive compounds, and carbohydrates in the form of lactose. Concentrate is generally 29%-89% protein by weight.
Whey Isolates are processed to remove the fat, and lactose, but are usually lower in bioactive compounds as well — they are 90%+ protein by weight. Both of these types are mild to slightly milky in taste.
Casein a by-product of milk production. It’s main difference to whey as a source of protein is that it is a slow digesting and rich protein source that continues to feed your muscles long after whey proteins have dropped off. It can release protein for up to 7 hours after digesting which makes it a great supplement to take before bed.
Remember to study the main protein source of your chosen supplement before purchasing to make sure that your are going for the right type. Isolate is the best source of whey and also the most expensive. Try to think of it like orange juice! Whey Isolate is like freshly squeezed juice where as whey concentrate is like squash!
The ideal mix would probably be whey isolate straight after training and then Casein before bed.
2. % Protein per serving
Generally a pure whey protein shake (this excludes carb shakes) will have between 75% – 90% whey protein per serving. Make sure you look carefully at this as shakes that are at the lower end of this scale will often have more fat and lactose content. Obviously the higher the % the higher the cost but there are plenty of shakes in the 85% region which are a great deal. Check out Sci Mentor, Optimum Nutrition and Maximuscle.
3. Added ingredients
Any protein shake worth it’s salt will include some additional key ingredients. The most popular of these are often Glutamine, Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s), Creatine, HMB, Carbs. The more of these advanced ingredients the higher the price but the bigger the potential gains. Always consider your objectives and what you are looking to achieve.
Glutamine is one of the most important building blocks in forming the proteins that maintain cellular health and tissue repair. L-Glutamine is found in varying amounts in most meat and fish as well as, to a small extent, in vegetables and pulses. If you are looking for some serious increase in muscle growth and strength then you definitely need L-Glutamine as a dietary supplement.
Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s) are required to maintain muscle tissue. Studies have also shown that they help to preserve the muscle stores of glycogen. What this means is that BCAAs help prevent muscle tissue breakdown during training.
Creatine is a compound found naturally in the body and helps supply our muscle with energy. The main benefit of Creatine is that also responsible for improving performance in high-intensity exercise, increasing energy levels, and speeding up recovery rates. Creatine’s ability to enhance energy reserves in muscles comes from its muscle protein synthesizing action, while minimizing protein breakdown. This occurs because creatine has the awesome effect of super-hydrating muscle cells with water. It enhances muscles’ growth too-making muscle fibers bigger and stronger. So a typical effect of creatine is that you will have more energy to be able to do extra reps at the end of a set that you wouldn’t have been able to do before. This enables you to train that little bit harder and make big gains.
HMB slows down the breakdown of muscle protein as well as promoting muscle gains. So every time you train out and breakdown muscle fibres you will break down less fibres if you include HMB in your diet.
Complex Carbohydrates are included in some shakes known as mass gainers. Additional calories are essential for those looking to put on serious size. That means you need to supplement a high protein diet with a good source of complex slow releasing carbohydrates. These are the type of carbohydrates found in Brown Rice, Brown Pasta and Oats. Consuming such a high calories diet can be difficult so if you are having trouble getting good calories into your diet a mass gainer including carbohydrates is the one for you.
4. Taste and Mixability
If you are a serious weight trainer then you are going to be taking 3 protein shakes a day every day. If you are going to be taking that much then it’s handy if the shake tastes nice and mixes well. Watch out for shakes that go really thick when you mix them or go gloopy. Ideally you want the shake to mix seamlessly into the water. If you use milk then the shake will thicken up somewhat.
Some manufacturers like Dymatize have over 10 flavours of each protein so try a few and you should be able to find one that you actually enjoy!
5. Cost
The cost of any protein shake or muscle supplement in general is dictated by two factors: the brand and the quality of ingredients. If you choose the cheapest product then don’t expect to get the most advanced formula. This is why you really need to read the ingredients carfeully. If the protein content is largely casein or whey concentrate then the price will cheaper. If on the other hand the shake is mainly whey isolate plus it contains BCAA’s and Glutamine then the price is going to get more expensive.
There is a lot of debate around paying extra for some brands, namely Maximuscle. Maximuscle have been extremely successful in marketing supplements to the mainstream gym goer. There is no doubt that their products are of the highest quality but you certainly will pay a bit extra for the brand name as you would with any big brand. However, if you find Maximuscle products work for you and you don’t mind paying a bit extra for quality ingredients then don’t let anyone put you off.
