Proteins

[BJC_CF]

So I've been curious recently if the whey isolate that I'm drinking up to three scoops a day of is actually helping me at all. I've been reading recently more and more about some of the dangerous byproducts in whey, and that it may be more beneficial to switch to egg and/or beef protein.

Any thoughts on what kind of protein supplements I should consider over whey? Should I bail on the protein all together.

I also use XTend BCAA powder pre-workout and take fish oil and vitamin D every day.

[BadWolf]

I don't really have a good answer, but the way I figure it variety is good. Maybe do one scoop of whey and then get the rest from meat and eggs. Just my two cents, interested to see what others say!

[andygates]

Dangerous byproducts? Do tell.

[BJC_CF]

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2010/july/food/protein-drinks/overview/index.htm

[BadWolf]

Well, the report says if you drink them frequently you may have a problem on your hands. I only have one scoop in milk two or three times a week, so I will be continuing. However, thanks for sharing the link! Informed decisions all the way! *flies off into the distance*

[Waldo]

Without more details simply saying that something is present (the heavy metals) is no reason for alarm. Testing sensitivity is such that anything can be found in anything. Heavy metals literally can be found in every product in every grocery store ("real" or proccessed). What matters is the concentation. Most of the time the presense is merely used a scare tactic by commentators and of no real consequence. The fact that it is "processed" should tell you that the concentrations are below extablished guidelines to be legally sold as a food product (which protein powder is).

Sure there isn't a whole lot of scientific "proof" that you need elevated protein intake to build muscles at the maximum rate, but most studies on the subject are laughably constructed. For the most part the need for elevated protein is common knowledge among the fitness community, and you have to be aware that there is a strong trend out there to try to prove common knowedge wrong, often by drawing faulty conclusions from poor studies (which is glossed over when making headlines). My own data suggests I'm getting 100% utilization of all protein intake @ 1g/lb LBM.

[andygates]

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2010/july/food/protein-drinks/overview/index.htm

The dose is the poison: without the test results, that report is meaningless scare stuff. And there's a range of types of shake covered, too.

True people don't need 'em, and they shouldn't be a core of your diet (don't go living on just shakes - medical liquid diets are a deal more complicated and involve micronutrients and stuff to stop your arse bunging up). If you're keen to avoid them, try a delicious bit of tuna (oh no, more heavy metals) or soy shake (uh-oh, phytoestrogens). You see my point?

And those are contaminants, not by-products. They're not related to the product, and there's no reason good stuff should be contaminated over safe doses. That's what food standards people are for.

[Waldo]

We purchased 15 protein powders and drinks mainly in the New York metro area or online and tested multiple samples of each for arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. The results showed a considerable range, but levels in three products were of particular concern because consuming three servings a day could result in daily exposure to arsenic, cadmium, or lead exceeding the limits proposed by USP.

We found that three daily servings of the ready-to-drink liquid EAS Myoplex Original Rich Dark Chocolate Shake provides an average of 16.9 micrograms (µg) of arsenic, exceeding the proposed USP limit of 15 µg per day, and an average of 5.1 µg of cadmium, which is just above the USP limit of 5 µg per day. Concentrations in most products were relatively low, but when taking into account the large serving size suggested, the number of micrograms per day for a few of the products was high compared with most others tested.

Notice a lack of FDA limits or EPA limits. Why wouldn't they talk about food limits when labeled as such and sold as such? Because consumer reports is at war with the FDA over this issue (arsenic and brown rice, arsenic and apple juice, etc...)

Fun fact, the EPA's Arsenic standard for drinking water is 10 µg per liter, so if you drink a liter and a half of water a day you are at risk of exceeding the limits proposed by USP. The EPA's standard for Cadmium in drinking water is 10 µg per liter, with a long term goal to reduce that number to 5 µg per liter. You could exceed the USP's proposed recommendations by drinking as little half a liter of water. Time to stop drinking water I guess..... (and no, bottled water is no better, in many instances it is actually worse).

Meeting your daily protein requirements through a balanced diet rather than supplements is best for both your health and your wallet.

You can roughly calculate how many grams of protein you need daily by multiplying your body weight by 0.4. For athletes, a general rule of thumb is about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day.

A sandwich with 3 ounces of chicken and an 8-ounce glass of whole milk provides about 40 grams of protein, which is more than half the 72 grams required by the average 180-pound person and most of the 48 grams required by someone weighing 120 pounds. According to federal health survey data, Americans get an average of 82 grams of protein per day from their diet.

And there you go. Lets conviently not point out that virtually everybody that uses protein powder ALSO lifts weights and/or does other high stress excercise, thus they would would be in the athlete class (competitive or not) and the calculation they ran through is all wrong. That same 180 pound person if he weightlifts regularly needs 180 g protein/day, not the 72 they quote. And the average diet of 82 grams is woefully inadequate, that 180 lb person needs to consume 100g more protein per day.

I'm not sure if they've been shopping lately, but no form of 100g of protein is cheap. However whey powder is defintiely one of, if not the, cheapest source. It also doesn't have the baggage calories that most foods would have. Obviousy it can be done with food alone but protein powder is a useful tool to have in the drawer to help you reach both your daily calorie and protein targets.

You can't protect stupid people from themselves; people that eat ridiculous amounts of protein per day and don't work out are misguided idiots, it doesn't mean that noone should use protein powder. It is by far the single most useful "suppliment" on the market (I say suppliment in quotes because why powder is a much closer relative to table sugar and butter than it is to a health suppliment).

[aj_rock]

What andy and waldo said. Also, most whey powders already have excellent BCAA profiles, so unless you're doing IF, it's not really all that necessary.