All you need to know about Protein & its Supplementation - Podcast

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“Too much protein is bad for your kidneys!” “Protein supplements will destroy your liver!”

 

In our day to day life, we often come across statements like these, how having too much protein is bad for our body & the side effects that protein has etc. On the contrary, people also talk about how protein supplements are beneficial for us & can help us build muscle.

So, the question arises, what is the truth? Is protein bad for us? Does it affect our organs? How much protein should 1 consume, etc? So, if you’re looking for any questions regarding protein, then look no further, as this blog will answer all your queries & help you build a great physique faster!

 

What is protein?

Protein is the fundamental building block of our body. Everything you see in the mirror is all made up of protein. Our eyes, cells, everything is made up of protein! Even our haemoglobin, hormones are all protein!

Protein is made up of amino acids. There are 22 amino acids and out of these 22, only 13 can be produced by our body on its own. This means that the other 9 can’t be produced by our body, therefore we must rely on the external intake of these in order to have them in our body. These are also called EAAs, essential amino acids.

 

How much protein should I take?

As far as your daily protein intake goes, you should take protein depending upon your daily activities.

If you’re an average gym-goer who doesn’t work out that much then you should consume around 1 gram of protein per pound of your body weight per day.

If you work out intensely, then you should consume about 1.5 grams of protein per pound of your body weight per day.

Experienced athletes can go as high as 2 grams of protein per pound of their body weight per day, but for the normal person, 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight is great.

 

Side-effects?

Does consuming too much protein have side effects? Yes it does! However usually the side effects are pretty minimal, like excessive farting however in extreme cases, it can lead to dehydration or diarrhoea.

So, if you’re doing a high protein diet & experiencing a bit more farting than usual, then it’s okay. However, if it’s going a bit too out of hand, then you probably should decrease your protein intake by a bit, or increase your workout intensity and/or frequency, as then your body is gonna require more protein to build your muscles back!

 

Protein Supplements

Now, there are many protein supplements, however, we’re going to talk about the top few types now –

1. Whey protein

This is the most commonly used protein supplement. It is usually made from milk & is a fast-digesting form of protein, so it’s great if consumed in liquid form post-workout as then it digests quickly & gets to our muscles fast so that they can recover from the wear & tear in the gym faster.

Now, whey protein is also of a few types

1. Whey protein blend/concentrate
   This is the most common form of whey protein & is mostly preferred by most gym goers
2. Whey protein isolate
   This is a more pure form of whey protein & it goes through more processing to give you the most protein, without the other nutrients like carbs, fat etc.
3. Whey protein hydrolysate
   This is the purest form of whey protein, even purer than isolate, and mostly the most expensive one.

So, which should I buy of these 3?

If you’re a regular gym-goer & maintain a good diet, then Whey protein blend is a great addition to your diet that’ll help you build muscle faster. You can go for isolate or hydrolysate but you won’t see much of a difference in results unless you follow a really strict diet & are an experienced lifter.

 

2. Casein protein

Casein protein is a slow-digesting form of protein & is also made from milk. This protein releases slowly in our body over a period of 5-7 hours, unlike whey protein which is released in our body over a period of 1-2 hours max.

This makes casein a great supplement to have throughout the day, or before sleeping, as your body then gets protein throughout the night to repair & rebuild itself.

 

3. Soy protein

This is a protein supplement made of soy, which is the richest source of natural protein. This is a popular choice of protein for Vegans to increase your daily intake of protein. It’s also rich in antibodies, which help with the immune system.

Now many studies say that soy should not be consumed by men as it leads to an increase in the production of estrogen in the male body, which eventually may lead to “man boobs”. And this is true, however the thing is that for this to happen, a person needs to consume a very large quantity of soy, which isn’t practical unless you eat nothing but soy the entire day, every day.

 

4. Egg protein

This is protein made from eggs and is one of the most complete forms of protein supplements out there.

Now, as far as eggs go, there are 2 types.

1. Egg white
   This mostly contains protein & very less other nutrients.
2. Egg yolk
   This contains protein, and other nutrients as well like omega 3 fats, which are great for our body.

Also, your gym trainer may tell you that you should only consume egg whites as the yolk has cholesterol.

Which is true, however, there are 2 types of cholesterol, good cholesterol (HDLs) & bad cholesterol (LDLs), and egg yolk has both. And there was a study done that concluded that people who consumed at least 3 whole eggs a day gained more muscle mass than the people who gained just the egg whites.

So, if you’re a regular gym-goer, then you should consume 3-4 complete whole eggs a day for more muscle gains.

 

Timing

There was a study done, in which there were 2 groups made. Group A was given 1 scoop of whey protein before & after their workout. The other group, group B was given 1 scoop in the morning as they woke up, and the other scoop right before they slept.

Rest of their entire diet & sleeping schedule remained the same. After the study, it was concluded that the 1^st group, group A, which took their whey protein before & after their workout gained a lot more strength & muscle than group B.

So, what this means is that the Timing of the supplement is more important than the supplement itself!

So when it comes to protein supplements, the best time to take Whey protein is before & after your workout, as it releases quickly & digests in our body fast.

On the other hand, casein protein is great when consumed before sleeping, or in the middle of the day as a meal replacement due to its slow release.

Which brand’s supplement to get?

Every brand tries to come up with their own “Best Protein”, however, there is no “Best”, there is best for you.

Every brand makes its protein differently, you should try a few & see which one shows you the best result. However the best way to choose a protein is to see

1. How much scoops it has
2. How much protein is in each scoop
3. The amount of BCAAs & EAAs it has
4. Other nutrients/special features like digestive enzymes(if any)
5. It’s price

And then compare the proteins available from different brands & finally go with the most reputable brand with the most affordable & worthy protein.

Here are a few top brands we recommend-

1. ON
2. Ultimate nutrition
3. JYM nutrition
4. Cellucor
5. 1stphorm
6. Kaged
7. Dymatize
8. BPI sports
9. My protein

Just to name a few. Also if you’re buying from an International brand & are confused if it’s a good brand or not, then see if it’s listed on bodybuilding.com. If it is, then it’s probably a trustworthy brand.

 

Where to buy your protein

In India, there are a lot of fake supplements in the market, so we recommend that you buy your supplements from trustworthy sources. Here are a few –

1. Healthkart
2. Neulife
3. com
4. That brand’s official website
5. Brand’s official authorized dealers

 

How to check whether the protein you have is genuine or not?

If you bought a protein or any other supplement, then a great way to confirm whether it’s genuine or not is to email the company you bought the supplement of & then send them the pictures of your supplement & ask them to verify it. Most brands so this & it’s an easy hack to verify whether the supplement is genuine or not.

And that's it, my friend, this is all the information I had for you today regarding protein. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us on our social media(@DevotedWear) & we'd love to answer your queries.

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