N.B. Supplements are just like they say in the dictionary: “something added to complete a thing, make up for a deficiency, or extend or strengthen the whole”. Supplements should not be used to replace a wholefood, balanced diet.
The information below is to help clear up any confusion about what supplements really are. It will also provide a thread where all supplement discussions will be directed as the same questions invariably get asked and (hopefully) this thread will provide a one-stop resource to help you find the information you need. Ask questions about a particular supplement you want to use or provide feedback about something you've enjoyed or found beneficial. PLEASE USE THE SEARCH FUNCTION BEFORE POSTING A NEW QUESTION!!!
Whey Protein: The most common protein supplement available on the market is powdered whey protein. Whey is a type of protein that comes from milk, and it is one of the best quality proteins found in any food. It is quick to absorb and contains a full complement of amino acids. In other words, drinking a whey shake will provide you the same protein that an egg or a piece of chicken would, but it’s easier for your body to digest.
As a general rule of thumb, for anyone participating in sports or who regularly engages in strength training, your body will need extra protein to aid in recovery and regrowth and should therefore consume approximately 1g of protein per lb of bodyweight. The protein should primarily come from wholefoods but protein shakes can be used to delivery protein quickly post-workout and to make up for any shortcomings in protein intake throughout the day.
Whey proteins are usually provided as concentrates (whey plasma has all the liquid removed thereby concentrating the protein content into dry powdered form) and isolates (all fats and carbohydrates are removed leaving pure protein) or as a blend of both e.g.
Whey from the Supplement Factory,
Big Whey from Nutrition X,
ON Whey,
Pro Matrix from Nutrition X,
Unflavoured Whey from BulkPowders.co.uk
Casein Protein: Another type of protein found in milk. Casein is a much slower protein to absorb and so is useful to use either on its own as a pre-bed snack or blended with whey as a meal replacement e.g.
ON casein,
Casein from the Supplement Factory.
Creatine: a substance that is found naturally in the human body, and aids in supplying energy to cells. When taken in supplement form can increase the creatine content of muscle, allowing for greater protein synthesis in the cells, reduces muscle acidity (lactic acid build-up) and allows for a greater volume of exercise with less recovery time needed.
There are two types of creatine on the market: creatine monohydrate and creatine ethyl ester. The vast majority of the last ten years’ worth of creatine studies have been done with creatine monohydrate and as a newcomer to the supplement scene CEE is yet to be fully tested in action.
e.g.
creatine from BulkPowders.co.uk,
Cell X or
Creatine from Nutrition X,
Cell or Creatine from the Supplement Factory.
Post-Workout Supplements: These will generally come in the form of carb-only or carb + protein. Following intense exercise the body’s stored energy (glycogen) will be diminished and consuming a PWO shake or drink will allow the body to replenish glycogen stores quickly and aid recovery. The presence of protein in the PWO supplement will also aid muscle repair and aid protein synthesis e.g.
RAM from Nutrition X,
Cell Mass from BSN,
Recovery from the Supplement Factory.
Courtesy of
meijin here's a price comparison of few proteins (mostly unflavoured, except ON), here is a table with price per kg of pure protein and multiplier
brand|
name|
kg per box|
% of protein|
price (EUR)|
price/kg of prot.|
price comp
bulkpowders|0.82|5|82%|45.14|11.01|1|
myprotein|Impact Whey Protein|5|78%|53.29|13.59|1.23|
bulkpowders|0.9|5|90%|67.79|15.06|1.37|
bulkpowders|0.97|5|97%|90.39|18.64|1.69|
myprotein|Impact Whey Isolate|4|89%|74.99|21.06|1.91|
ON|Gold Standard|4.54|82%|110|29.68|2.7|
bulkpowders|Hemp|5|47%|73.44|31.25|2.84|
myprotein|Hydrolysed|2.5|80%|63.29|31.65|2.87|
myprotein|Hemp|2.5|47%|54.89|47.05|4.27|
ON|Platinum Hydrowhey|1.588|77%|79.95|65.45|5.94|
