The most basic of all the supplements is protein powder. Not very exciting well it should be! The word protein originates from Greek and literally means "of first importance". 

 So why protein? Protein provide the building blocks for the body to build and repair muscle tissue such as muscle, hair , mails and skin. It is broken down through the process of digestion to building blocks called amino acids. The human body cannot store protein, so it must be supplied on a daily basis. So why is protein of "first importance" quite simply most people who want to lose weight, put on lean muscle, improve sports performance simply don't consume enough of it. 

 "Certainly the consumption of a protein / carbohydrate supplement before and after resistant training has been shown to facilitate protein synthesis" 

Protein Powder supplements biggest benefit is it simplifies delivery of nutrients to your body so it can grow and get get stronger. An example would be you have just torched your chest and triceps or you have just completed a BOOTCAMP. 

You feel awesome yea ! Your muscles ache with that beautiful pain. Inside your blood is coursing around your system.

Your muscles have been damaged by your workout -which is the first step in growing muscle and your body is trying to repair it. To do that it needs an injection of protein and amino acids. On your way home you could stop of at Coles pick up 150gms of lean breast chicken, some veggies head home cook em all up. Or you could throw 2 scoops of protein powder in a shaker with a splash of skim milk or water and drink it. Sounds easier well it is in fact by consuming a protein shake within 30 minutes post-workout you can improve your recovery by up to 80%. 

 HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO YOU NEED?

 "As a general rule to maintain muscle mass the body needs 1 gram of protein per kilo of your body weight per day , to build new muscle the body will need 1.7 grams of protein per kilo per day to achieve overall size the body needs 2.2 grams per kilo per day. So an 85 kg male trying to amass new muscle would need about 176 gm of protein on a workout day, Sure you could  get that by eating two two 100gm chicken breasts (60gms of protein ) and two large boiled eggs ( 15g). Or you could half that and chug back a whey protein powder shake before and after your workout!

Nearly every protein powder is based mostly on whey protein. There are two types of whey isolate, and concentrate. Isolate has a igh biological value (BV) , concentrate less so  ( BV is the measure or how "good" a protein is) In terms of BV both isolate and concentrate surpass egg and meat. The difference is:

Whey Isolate vs Whey Concentrate

  • Whey Isolate Protein Powder is more pure then Whey Concentrate Protein Powder
  • Whey Isoltate Protein Powder has less fat than Whey Concentrate Protein Powder
  • Whey Isolate Protein Powder has less Carbs than Whey Concentrate Protein Powder

Note: Most people buy a Whey Isolate Protein Powder based on these facts thinking the less carbs the better but in fact you need carbs and fats in your diet to build muscle and burn fat. Whey Isolate is best used with a strict nutrtion plan. An example would be someone who hasn't got strict nutrition and consumes  Whey protein Isloate will find that they might feel hungry and binge on unhealthy snacks due to lack of carbohydrates.

Rule of thumb every meal should have Carbohydrates , Protein and Fats in every meal you consume throughout the day.

 Different Protein Brands and Varieties ?

 You will also find that most protein blends have a mixture of Whey Isolate Protein and Whey Concentrate Protein very few are purely Whey Concentrate.

 Protein Powders differ in:  

  • Different Amino Acids
  • Ratio of Concentrate and Isolate
  • Carbohydrates
  • Fat Content ( Good Fats )
  • Energy Per Serve
  • Cost

The Bottom Line:

Unless you like eating or have the time to cook a lot of red meat , get a protein powder to consume before and after a workout. It will help put muscle on. Can you take a protein powder ,not train and lose fat at the same time of course you can. The bottom line is most people lack protein in there diets so if your serious about putting muscle on try a protein shake!