You will often hear a trainer explaining to their client that they need to focus on ‘increasing their protein intake’; or you will see an advertised product that now includes ‘increased protein content’. But why all this fuss about increasing your protein consumption?
A (quick) protein overview
Protein is one of the three macronutrients; its main function is the building and repair of body tissue, and this article will focus around muscles. This when combined with resistance exercise is how we grow our muscles, which is a key ingredient in any body transformation; or in fact just needed to get stronger.
How much protein do I need?
It’s a great question; and it is totally specific to the individual and their goals. However, a really simple way to think about it is; the more restrictive your total calorie count, the greater your protein consumption needs to be; and that is to ensure we maintain as much muscle as possible whilst we are placing our body into a calorie deficit.
A good general rule to follow is to achieve a total daily protein intake of 1.6g/kg per day. For example:
Person A- 70kg
Protein intake= 70 X 1.6
Protein intake=112g per day.
If you hit that target every day and train with intensity you will be well on the path to building muscle.
The best option is to consult with a nutritionist or personal trainer that can help guide you to the correct number for you.
Do I need to take a protein supplement?
One of the most often questions I get asked as a personal trainer is ‘do I need to take a protein shake?’
The short answer to this question is ‘no’.
The truth is if that you can hit your daily protein target from the food you eat, then a supplement on top is not necessarily a requirement.
However.
Often people struggle to hit protein targets every day, and simply adding a good quality shake can be an easy win in terms of reaching those daily targets.
It offers good ‘value’; now what I mean by that is your typical protein shake (one 25g serving) will equate in the region of 90-120kcal and will typically give you 18-22g of protein in that serving. So, it’s an excellent method of keeping the calories low and the protein high, which might be perfect if you are currently taking part or thinking in taking part of one of our transformation packages. It can also be an easy way of increasing your protein intake if you are going through a muscle building phase; so, you can see that a protein supplement can be a versatile tool.
Using shakes can act as an appetite suppressor; now I am not advocating that you use protein shakes to replace meals. They don’t contain the full range of macro and micro nutrients that I would want to see in any main meal you consume. But it can be a really good way to reduce feelings of hunger between meals; or as a means of stopping over consumption at meal times.
So, ‘NO’ you don’t need to consume protein shakes; however, there are benefits that may want to make you consider integrating them into your diet.
Which supplement is right for me?
After the discussion of the benefits of a protein supplement, the next question to ask is which supplement is the right option for me?
When you start to look around, you will see that protein supplements come from a range of different animal and plant sources. Below I will give you a quick overview of the some of the most popular supplements available and some benefits, and draw backs of each option:
Whey Protein
• Easily the most common found form of protein on the market and is a by-product of cheese production.
• It comes in three forms concentrate, isolate and hydrolysed.
• Concentrate is the least refined form of whey powder, and ranges from 30-80% protein content. It mixes well with both water and milk (including milk substitutes) and is the cheapest.
• Isolate has gone through an extra refining process that reduces the amount of carbohydrates and fats in the supplement. This usually ensures a minimum protein content of above 90%. It is usually a little more expensive then concentrate and doesn’t quite mix as smoothly. An added benefit to this refining process is the significant removal of lactate which can make it more easily digestible.
• Hydrolysed this has been refined the furthest with pre-digestives being added this just ensures that it can be absorbed quickest by the body. It typically has the same protein quality as whey isolate. It can have a slightly bitter taste; is usually the most expensive option.
Casein
• This comes from the same process as whey and is a by-product of cheese production. It also has a very similar nutritional composition to whey protein.
• The big difference is the time of absorption by the body; casein takes longer to be broken down, and thus releases amino acids more slowly into the blood stream. This has made it highly popular as a protein supplement to take before sleep.
• You will find two forms of casein micellular and hydrolysed. Micellular is the isolate form; whilst hydrolysed has the pre-digestives make it more easily absorbed in the blood stream (It could be argued this could undo the benefits of a slow release protein).
Soy
• This is a plant-based protein supplement which can make it a perfect choice for vegetarian and vegan populations.
• A concern for plant-based protein supplements is that the quality of the protein isn’t the same as its animal counter parts, but in the case of soy it has a full amino acid profile (amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and are what get used by the body to repair and rebuild).
• Soy can be found in three similar forms to whey, so we have a concentrate, isolate and hydrolysed. The concentrate has a lower quantity of protein than the isolate (as the isolate has been through a refining process). Whilst the hydrolysed has a similar protein content as the isolate, but with the addition of pre-digestives it is absorbed more quickly into the blood stream.
Pea and Rice
• You can find these as individual supplements i.e. pea protein supplements and rice protein supplements.
• The reason I have included them together; is that they both have an incomplete amino acid profile (individually they are missing some of the essential amino acids which are key for muscle building).
• However, if they are combined into a blend they form a complete profile and can be an excellent plant-based option.
Diet Protein Supplements
• These supplements are targeted at populations that would like to increase their protein intakes but are concerned that extra protein intake will make them ‘bulky’. This is just not the case in a calorie-controlled diet extra protein will only help you retain muscle mass not turn you into a bodybuilder.
• They are also listed as containing ‘fat burning’ supplements; which as of the current research there is no existing product that has been proven to ‘burn fat’ effectively. It just gives the seller a reason to increase the price of the product.
• I reviewed one product that although it was the ‘diet’ whey it actually contained more calories than the whey isolate. I would recommend avoiding these products for the time being.
These are just examples of the some of the most researched protein supplements on the market. There are other forms such as egg white protein powders or beef powder supplements that could be considered.
It appears that if you are achieving your daily protein intake, either the animal or the plant-based proteins are an excellent option for your diet. There are some differences between the two but that falls outside the scope of this article. If you would like to discuss the differences between animal and plant proteins; get in contact and I am more then happy to discuss.
So, what take homes can we get from this discussion on protein supplements:
1. Hitting your total daily protein intake is the most important factor (apart from resistance exercise) in stimulating muscle growth.
2. A good rule is to aim for a target of 1.6g/kg/d and increase this during periods of calorie restriction. Or book a session with a personal trainer or nutritionist to discuss further.
3. Whether its plant-based or animal based, a protein supplement can have beneficial effects on hitting total daily protein goals.
4. Avoid ‘diet’ protein supplement
Personally, I would recommend that you elect to choose a whey isolate protein (unless you are a vegan or lactose intolerant). It is a high-quality protein product that keeps the calories a little lower and can easily be digested by the body.
Hopefully you have found this overview of protein supplements useful and it will allow you to make a more informed decision on whether you need a protein supplement and if so which one will work best for you.
