What is protein powder and do I need to take it?
An easy top 10 supplement question I get is “What is protein powder?”, and is usually followed by, “Do I need to take it?”. I’ve had clients confuse it with misconcieved things that some hardcore body builders take, like steroids or other muscle enhancing chemicals. Don’t feel bad. I’ve even known experienced gym goers that wasn’t 100% sure exactly what protein powder is.
Without getting too technical, our bodies produce amino acids. (there are some amino acids that we acquire through our diet because our bodies do not make them. I will explain this in another article.) Amino acids are, simply put, proteins broken down into usable form inside our bodies. When we eat meat, and some plants, we consume protein. I say this just to say that consuming protein is a natural process of the human body. Our bodies need it to survive and to function properly.
Okay, with that being said, the most common protein powder is whey protein. Whey is derived from milk. Typically, cow’s milk, but, yes, plain, regular milk. Milk is made up of two proteins, whey and casein. Casein is usuable in the gym but we’ll cover that another time. Whey and casein can be seperated in milk or created as a by product of making cheese. Whey is a complete protein containing all 9 essential amino acids our bodies cannot synthesize on its own.
Whey protein is really that simple.
Do you need to take it? Well, there are variables. If you do not work out regularly or if your workouts consist of walking or activities less than 30 minutes, then no. You should be getting plenty of protein through a properly balanced diet. If you do work out, dependant on your goals and intensity, yes, take it but it’s not as critical in the beginning. Although, it will help in a quicker recovery from the intense workouts.
A good rule of thumb of consumption is 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.
