Three Whey Protein Side-Effects

Is there such a thing as Whey Protein side-effects? Before we can answer that question, we have to note that protein in general is a fundamental substance in every living organism. Not only for muscle development, but also in any aspect of our daily life, protein plays one of the most significant roles since it is considered as the building block of the human muscular and skeletal system.

Protein exists in several different forms and types. As a dietary supplement whey protein is a cheese byproduct. Its value is highly appreciated especially in the area of bodybuilding and different brands of Whey Protein overwhelm the market. But are there really any side-effects? Although over-consumption can cause some side-effects it hasn't been scientifically proved that consumption of Whey Protein is responsible for any serious side-effects. However, some slight consequences have been reported:

1) Since Whey Protein is a byproduct of cow's milk it might contain some small amount of lactose. People who are allergic to lactose could face similar problems with Whey. Nevertheless, the amount is too small to cause any serious side-effects even to allergic people.

2) Some people claim that prolonged intake of large amounts of any kind of protein can eventually lead to liver problems. Such a statement though, has never been scientifically verified. All you have to do in order to be sure is to follow the manufacturer's recommended dosage and take the supplement periodically throughout the year allowing yourself resting periods. For example, after finishing your protein powder, wait for a couple of months before buying the next one.

3) Another possible side-effect of Whey Protein over-consumption is osteoporosis. Increased Protein intake for years can cause imbalance of the bone minerals, which leads to osteoporosis. People with osteoporosis lose their bone density, and face increased risk of injuries and bone breaks. This side-effect is also without scientific backup. As I mentioned above, if you keep the right dosage and consume protein supplements periodically you have nothing to be afraid of.

As a conclusion, we might say that like everything in our life overdoing it can only have unpleasant results. Most of the claims about Whey Protein side-effects haven't been proven scientifically and others aren't severe enough to alarm you. If consumed properly Whey Protein can be your most valuable ally in muscle development. The above statement is valid for any protein type like casein, egg, soy, etc.

Keep those muscles pumping!

Chris G Pap
Since 1993 involved in bodybuilding and fitness area.Visit the following link for more info about bodybuilding, supplementation, workout routines and nutrition.
http://www.strengthtrainingmuscle.com/

Original article

Best Protein Shake Recipes

Making your own home-made protein shake is very easy and the procedure can also be really entertaining. There is a great variety of recipes to choose from. They are divided into two subcategories: The protein shakes that are based on protein powders in the form of a food supplement and the ones that are based in protein rich foods.

So, a good question would be what kind of protein shake recipes to search for. Although protein shakes based on protein rich foods are a great option, I would recommend the ones, which are based on actual protein powder.

Another question that might come up is why bother fixing a shake in the first place since we can get all the protein we need from an existing protein brand? Well, the answer is quite simple. Fixing your own protein shake gives you the opportunity to add the ingredients you desire and therefore have the taste you like best. Protein powders might have a large variety of tastes to offer, but sometimes we all need a new taste. Here are some easy to make protein shake recipes:

1) Whey Protein (Chocolate)
Two Scoops Whey Protein Chocolate
Ten oz low-fat skimmed milk
Two tablespoons low-fat yogurt or low-fat ice cream
One tablespoon instant coffee
Ten ice cubes
You mix all the ingredients into a shaker and your protein shake is ready!

2) Orange Shake
Two scoops Whey Protein Vanilla
Six to eight oz orange juice
Natural Sweetener
Two or three strawberries
One banana
Five ice cubes

3) The Creatine Shake
Two scoops Whey Protein Powder Vanilla or Chocolate
One small tablespoon Creatine Mono-hydrate
One banana or two apples
Five oz skimmed low-fat milk
Five ice cubes

4) The Honey Shake
Two scoops Vanilla Whey Protein
One cup of water or banana juice
Half a cup of low-fat yogurt
Two tablespoons honey
One spoon flax-seed oil
This one will boost you with energy and I promise you its taste will drive you insane!

5) The Peanut Butter Shake
Two scoops Chocolate Whey Protein
One or two spoons peanut butter
Ten oz low-fat milk
Half a cup vanilla ice cream
Five ice cubes

As you can see fixing a protein shake is pretty easy. All you need is a blender, imagination and of course common sense in order to avoid in taking too many calories. Also keep in mind that you should never use these shakes as a substitute to your normal supplementation.

Keep those muscles pumping!

Chris G Pap
Since 1993 involved in bodybuilding and fitness area. Visit the following link for more info about bodybuilding, supplementation, workout routines and nutrition.
http://www.strengthtrainingmuscle.com/

Original article

Whey Protein Vs Casein Protein

The most common myth spread around regarding protein is that one type is better than the other. I have been reading numerous articles claiming that consuming Whey or Casein or even Soy protein will be most beneficial for your desired muscle development.

Well, this is only half the truth. Every protein type plays its own unique role and assists you in a different way while you are trying to build serious muscle. Let's pinpoint in two of the most known protein types and try to isolate their pros and cons:

Whey Protein

Whey protein is being extracted from cow's cheese. The element that makes whey protein extremely valuable is its rapid digestion ability. Nowadays, it is widely known that consuming a whey protein shakes immediately after workout is most beneficial for muscle development. Whey breaks down into amino acids no longer than half an hour after intake and the valuable nutrients enter your blood stream almost instantly supporting your muscle growth. That's the reason why nutritionists suggest that Whey should be consumed post workout. But what happens when you are resting or when you are not working out? Whey has the disadvantage that it cannot put up with your long-term needs for protein.

Casein Protein

To be honest casein is a rather underestimated protein type. Most athletes fail to understand that people who train regularly require a constant flow of nutrients and especially amino acids in order to "feed" their muscular system while it is regenerating.

Casein protein is exactly what you need to achieve that. Casein is a protein type that is being extracted from cow's milk. Whenever consumed casein unlike Whey is being digested slowly and it releases its amino acids at a broader time spectrum. That way, you have the constant flow of amino acids you were seeking for into your muscle cells.

As a conclusion, we might say that there shouldn't be any preferences between those two protein types. Each one serves a certain purpose and you should get the best from both. Whey protein gives you the instant boost after your hard work out and casein protein works over a longer time period and supports your muscles during the recovery process. You can find products in the market who combine both protein types, or you can take them separately.

So, if you are still wondering which one, the winner is the answer is protein!

Keep those muscles pumping!

Chris G Pap
Since 1993 involved in bodybuilding and fitness area.Visit the following link for more info about bodybuilding, supplementation, workout routines and nutrition.
http://www.strengthtrainingmuscle.com/

Original article

So What Protein Should I Use For Bodybuilding?

Protein is used by our bodies for repair and growth following any type of activity that causes muscle tissue to break down. In this case we are particularly looking at how the body uses protein for bodybuilding. Bodybuilding is a form of progressive overload resistance where we challenge our body to exceed any prior demand made on it. When done correctly this will always result in the existing muscle tissue in the body being broken down and needing repair.

Protein is available from a wide variety of foods that most of us will eat every day. These include things like Chicken, Eggs, Milk, Beef, Fish and a lot more. You will also find protein in other foods in smaller quantities but these are not as beneficial for bodybuilding as their bio-availability is much lower. Your body is able to use the lower quality protein but you would have to consume large quantities often leading to high calorie intake and unwanted weight gain.

As a bodybuilder you will want to eat between 1.5g and 2g of protein per lb of bodyweight. A 200lb bodybuilder would need between 300g and 400g of protein daily spready between 5 and 6 servings during your waking hours. Trust me, this is quite a lot of food to eat and that is where a good protein powder offers an alternate way of consuming enough protein.

As far as your body is concerned protein is no different once broken down into amino acids whether it came from solid food or protein powder. Drinking shakes reduces the quantity of food you have to stomach and is very convienient and fast to prepare and drink. The powder is also easily digested which is ideal following a weight training session where your body is trying to repair as quickly as possible.

There are so many different types of protein available along with a huge number of different brands it makes it difficult to pick a good protein powder without spending a fortune. I will try to help you make a good choice with the information below.

Types Of Protein For Bodybuilding

The most common type of protein used in the bodybuilding community is whey protein. For those of you who are interested in where it comes from you may be surprised to learn that it is a by-product of making cheese from cow's milk

Whey protein can be categorised further depending on the process used to extract and purify it. Whey concentrate is the cheapest form and typically consists of up to 89% protein with the rest being made up of carbohydrates and fats. This type of whey has the highest amount of fat and cholesterol so that may be a consideration for some. It's bio-availability is very high and it is digested quickly in the body, suitable for post workout use.

Whey isolate could be considered the next step up in terms of quality when it comes to whey protein. The whey is processed to remove a lot of the fat content and lactose and generally whey isolate is lower in carbohydrates. It is common to see protein content upwards of 90%. The whey has a slightly lower bio-availability than whey concentrate but is preferred by some due to the carbohydrate content being suited to dieting and fat loss. The whey is still digested quickly in the body, suitable for post workout use.

Whey hydrolysate is a partially digested, partially hydrolysed form of protein processed for optimum digestion in the body. This processing normally results in the price being considerably higher than the other two forms of whey protein and you should question whether this extra cost is worth it for you.

There is another type of protein worth mentioning at this stage with a particular use normally associated to it. Casein is another protein derived from cow's milk. It is important as a bodybuilder to not go for long periods of time without ingesting a protein source. Casein is used for bodybuilding to fill this need. Most people drink casein prior to sleeping where the protein forms a gel in the stomach and binds together. This results in the digestion taking a lot longer and a constant supply of protein being drip fed into your blood stream while sleeping. You can also use casein between meals to bridge the gap and maintain high levels of protein in the body.

So What Protein Should I Use For Bodybuilding?

In my opinion it is not a case of picking one source of protein for bodybuilding. You will achieve better results varying the type of food and powder consumed. As always a good overall diet is going to be essential for you to achieve any results and protein powder should be considered a supplement to that diet rather than a staple source of your nutrition. Don't forget that while protein is protein when digested there are other nutrients essential for your health and bodybuilding goals that would be missing if you just consumed shakes. Spread the different types of powder and food throughout your day to suit you. Protein shakes are convienient and anyone looking to build muscle as a bodybuilder would do better to drink a shake than to skip a meal.

Original article

Five Tips to Choose the Best Protein Bar

Protein bars are a quick and easy protein source, especially for people who are on the go and have limited time. However, a common mistake when it comes to protein bars is that many fellow bodybuilders tend to replace the traditional protein sources such as protein-rich nutrition and protein shakes with protein bars.

Although over the last years, the market is overwhelmed with quality protein bars produced from well-known companies, it still remains just a snack. A snack, which is highly nutritional and is always better than a plain chocolate bar. So, the question is what criteria should you take under consideration in order to choose what fits best to your individual nutritional needs?

Here are five tips, which I believe will help you decide:

1) How Many Calories?
Read the product label carefully to make sure how many calories you will intake. Depending on the workout routine and your current training goals you should avoid high-calorie bars if you are trying to lose fat. On the other hand, if you are trying to add mass and you are desperately seeking for extra protein calories a high-calorie product is what you need. There is a large variety in the market to choose from. Promax snack bar gives you just 70 calories per bar and VPX Zero Impact Bar will provide you with over 480 calories per bar!

2) How Many Carbohydrates?
For the same reasons mentioned above you should choose your protein bar according to your training goals. A fat loss workout period requires fewer carbohydrates and a mass adding period more. Regardless of your goals, you can consume protein bars rich in carbs before or directly after workout when your body needs the carbs the most and a low carb bar when you are at work.

3) How Much Fat?
There is a lot of debate, whether a protein bar should contain more or less fat. Most protein brands contain between 2 and 8 grams of fat. Under my opinion, about four grams of fat is just fine. As mentioned above the fat intake also relies on the muscle-building routine you are on at the certain time period.

4) How much Protein?
As you understand this is by far the most important factor you should check. You need the highest possible protein from a bar in order to equally replace a protein shake meal. The best protein bars do contain a high amount of protein.

5) Cost
Cost is an important factor when it comes to choosing the right protein bar. It is not a cheap product since it is considered as a nutritional supplement. However, not everyone can afford to eat it twice a day. If money is an issue for you, then I would suggest you only have it when it is absolutely necessary or when you find yourself somewhere where you cannot drink your protein shake.

As a conclusion we might say that choosing the best protein bar should be the result of detailed research and a combination of the five factors mentioned above.

Keep those muscles pumping!

Chris G Pap
Since 1993 involved in bodybuilding and fitness area.Visit the following link for more info about bodybuilding, supplementation, workout routines and nutrition.
http://www.strengthtrainingmuscle.com/

Original article