What's your take on protein powder?

[georgevan]

Is it a legitimate way to get your protein waste? waste of money or not?

 

[pictonguy]

There's a lot of nuance regarding protein intake. Protein powder will and does add to someones total protein intake, so not a waste of money in that context, it's also real so therefore it's a legitimate source of protein. I don't use protein powder and get my daily protein from mostly animal sources and I consume around 175g's a day.

 

[GotGarlic]

Most Americans get more than enough protein in their normal diet. If you think you're not getting enough, protein powder is a good supplement, but it shouldn't be necessary unless you are an athlete or have certain illnesses. Too much protein can eventually cause kidney problems.

 

[Andy M.]

Most Americans get more than enough protein in their normal diet. If you think you're not getting enough, protein powder is a good supplement, but it shouldn't be necessary unless you are an athlete or have certain illnesses. Too much protein can eventually cause kidney problems.

+1

 

[pictonguy]

If anyone is interested in protein and it's relationship with human physiology then Don Layman is basically the goat. Here's a podcast with Peter Attia and they talk about it. It's long but it has many time stamps to zero in on a particular topic or interest. Talking about protein really starts around the 27 minute mark.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I add 1 scoop of whey protein powder to my breakfast shakes, which I drink almost every morning, along with ice, various frozen fruits, whole milk yogurt and milk to maintain a Zone Diet recommendation of 40-30-30.

 

[KatyCooks]

I tried some "mega" high protein powder in my 20s as I was rather underweight and didn't want to just eat fatty food. Didn't put on an ounce! Probably I should have done some weight lifting at the same time.. oh well. It was pretty expensive, so I gave up. I eventually put on some weight in my late 30s and got to a healthy weight, so just age and nature did the necessary!

 

[pictonguy]

I tried some "mega" high protein powder in my 20s as I was rather underweight and didn't want to just eat fatty food. Didn't put on an ounce! Probably I should have done some weight lifting at the same time.. oh well. It was pretty expensive, so I gave up. I eventually put on some weight in my late 30s and got to a healthy weight, so just age and nature did the necessary!

Yeah, protein doesn't really have a storage capacity within the body and is either used as building blocks for muscles, bones, skin, cartilage, and blood. Additionally, proteins form enzymes and hormones, contribute to the immune system, and aid in tissue growth and repair then lastly for energy or excreted through urea in urine. If you wanted to gain weight then you would need a storable and dedicated energy source which are carbohydrates and dietary fats, lots of those would have done the trick.

 

[pictonguy]

I add 1 scoop of whey protein powder to my breakfast shakes, which I drink almost every morning, along with ice, various frozen fruits, whole milk yogurt and milk to maintain a Zone Diet recommendation of 40-30-30.

I remember the zone diet, that was 25 years ago, wow, anyway it was to reduce inflammation and and the philosophy was to formulate the macro's in to that 40/30/30
C/P/F
Here's a basic take on it.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/zone-diet

 

[EvieVaughn]

I like the whey protein powder that comes from grass-fed cows without all the added stuff you can’t pronounce. It mixes well with pretty much everything, whether I’m making a smoothie, adding it to oatmeal, or just mixing it with water after a workout. I feel less sore and more energized the next day. Plus, it’s got a great amino acid profile, which is important for muscle repair and growth. I’ve tried plant-based powders, too, but they don’t quite hit the mark for me in terms of taste and texture. In the end, I think it’s about finding what works best for you. Organic whey protein powder fits into my lifestyle well, and I’ve seen some good results with it.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I agree with GG.

People should stop looking for shortcuts and focus on eating a balanced diet.

There is plenty of free information on the internet that will help the average person create a healthy diet using readily available supermarket foods.

IMO these super supplements, like protein powder, benefit the people that make and sell them more than they benefit the people that buy them.

 

[dragnlaw]

I've never understood why people need to purchase their health in capsules, tablets, powders, etc. As said sometimes there is a health issue that does warrant it. Basically, nope, get it from your balanced daily meals.

 

[pictonguy]

I've never understood why people need to purchase their health in capsules, tablets, powders, etc. As said sometimes there is a health issue that does warrant it. Basically, nope, get it from your balanced daily meals.

It might be because Americans are a pretty sick bunch with Canadians, Brits and Aussies not far behind. People using medications in the US for different health issues is around 40% for people under 45 and for the older crowd it's about 70%.

Around 40% of the American population is insulin resistant according to the CDC with a guestimate of another 20% or so from people that have never had their A1C checked. So basically that's anywhere from 130 to 230 million people that are on their way to diabetes and when you factor in people that are overweight or obese that combined total represents about 75% of the population which is also associated with a higher risk of various health conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure, chronic inflammation, fatty liver and certain cancers etc.

Of course most of this is directly related to bad decisions related to diet and lifestyle where again most of the food consumed, around 70% are from Ultra Processed Foods and where adding more whole foods and of course some exercise will get these numbers down and pretty quickly as far as the individual is concerned and if a person is on a lot of medication then switches to whole foods and begins exercising they better inform their PCP because medication will be effected, big time, just a heads up.

 

[blissful]

I eat between 0.6-0.8 grams protein/kg. 127 lbs is 57.6 kg, so 34-46 grams/day, which is enough without trying to get extra protein. Like everyone else I get more than that regularly, 50-65 is not uncommon. Protein is in most food even if you don't eat meat/dairy/eggs.
I don't use isolated protein supplements but if you do, make sure they are tested by 3rd parties for safety from heavy metals and contaminants.
Excess protein can tax the kidneys and like most food cause weight gain. It is filtered through the kidneys and it shows up as bubbles in urine in your toilets.
If you want to focus on your health, try to hit the minimum requirements of the RDA for fiber. 95% of the US population doesn't get enough fiber. The safest way is to eat enough whole foods to get it. It isn't that difficult. 25 grams for women, 38 grams for men.

 

[pictonguy]

There is a big difference between animal protein vs plant protein which isn't talked about very much so I'll mention it here so people can make a more informed decision.

The Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) is a method of evaluating the quality of a protein based on both the amino acid requirements of humans and their ability to digest them.

The highest PDCASS score is 1.0 which indicates the amino acid profile and digestibility it provides is 100%. For example an egg has a score of 1.0 (100%) vs wheat for example which has a score anywhere from 42 to 50, both the amino acid profile and it's digestibility value is about half as much as an egg. So it's important where we get our protein as well.

There's a few reasons for this difference.

1) Amino acid composition, wheat for example is deficient in lysine which also helps absorb calcium for bone health, contributes to collagen production and supports the immune system.

2) Antinutrients, wheat contains antinutrients like phytic acid which has a strong binding affinity to a few minerals which are calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium as well as reducing the digestibility by inhibiting some digestive enzymes.

3) Protein structure, particularly gluten which is a very complex structure making it resistant to proteolytic enzymes in the gut making it less bioavailable and absorbable.

If someone is mostly plant based then soy and chickpeas are your best source of better quality amino acids and absorbability with soy scoring 91 and Chickpeas 78.

The USDA understood the difference but have never shared that to any extent with the general public and considering most people are omnivores it would just complicate things, but buried in the few hundred pages of the USDA literature they gave the reason why. The USDA instructs people to consume half of their grain products in refined carbohydrates, like bread and breakfast cereals and told us to eat 7 to 11 servings a day which then could be fortify with those minerals and certain vitamins that are missing and would have been unavailable biologically if people ate all whole grain. I remember count chocula, back in the day and it even came with with that health blue check mark form the AHA, remember those, telling us it was going to save us from heart disease, the good ol times, lol.

Anyway if your diet is mostly plant based it would be a good idea to do further research so you can make any adjustments if your so inclined to do and considering we need not only more protein as we age the quality is important as well.

 

[dragnlaw]

So picton what do you do to protect your kidneys from the 4 x requirement of your proteins in the 5 eggs? I can see increasing with age - I do 2 sometimes even 3, especially since starting at the Y.

 

[pictonguy]

So picton what do you do to protect your kidneys from the 4 x requirement of your proteins in the 5 eggs? I can see increasing with age - I do 2 sometimes even 3, especially since starting at the Y.

I consume for my lifestyle and stats the recommended amount of protein which is around 150 g's. Not sure how you figured I'm consuming 4 x my requirements, 5 eggs have about 30g's of protein. The 0.8 RDA is to stave off malnutrition in 97% of the population, that's what that number represents, but no where near the optimal amount for proper muscle protein synthesis and maintenance and especially for the older population that need more protein. That is the scientific consensus from just about every PhD scientist that studies protein around the world with the only exception where a theology or belief guides them like the vegan community where they will say we hardly need any protein and too much will kill us and why everyone should do their own research and anyone certainly shouldn't trust what I or anyone else says.

 

[dragnlaw]

LOL - it just that you wrote "For example an egg has a score of 1.0 (100%)"
I guess I assumed that meant 100% of the protein needed for the 'average' person.

and yes, everyone is different and must do their own research. but.... I believe you and I do trust what you say.
But not to worry, I just live my own way anyhow - not what others say I should or should not do - I'll listen and still go my own way, right or wrong.

and I thoroughly enjoy your posts.

 

[blissful]

@dragnlaw, he said he eats 175 grams/day in his first post. He is getting his 0.8 grams / kilograms of his weight. A larger person would eat more protein to maintain that weight, a smaller person would eat less protein to maintain that weight.
But to your question about kidneys, we all have one set of kidneys, so a heavier person taxes the kidneys more than a smaller person.

 

[pictonguy]

Yeah, this idea that we'll burn out the kidneys if we eat too much protein is way over blown. Unless a person has an existing kidney problem the kidneys will easily handle larger quantities of protein. Everything is subject to context and dosage and we certainly can find a dosage within a certain context that will be detrimental which is where animal studies are used for the most part. Basically does too many eggs or tofu eventually lead to kidney disease, yeah haven't yet seen that in the literature but I suspect we'll continue to hear about it, institutions like to editorialize, that way there's less of a commitment and of course less clarity. Nutrition is fun and games.