Protein shakes – load of codswollop or actually useful?

I’ve been going to the gym over the last few months and see plenty of people drinking these. Are they a fad or is there a benefit to them?

My current diet leans more towards carbs than proteins.

Just wondering!

If your diet is woefully short of protein or you are at the cutting edge of training then maybe, just maybe they may have a benefit. Otherwise their main benefit is to the protein shake industry.

as above. food is best. if you dont get enough protein tho theyre a good way to supplement your diet.
im not a big meat eater, too fussy, so shakes are the best way for me to get protein in. have an unflavoured shake on my oatibix in the morning, makes it lovely and creamy 🙂

They are very good – many debunk them but when used correctly they are better than food to do the job they are designed for.
In the 30mins post workout you will struggle to get in the necessary protein to aid your muscles with normal food.
Shakes are assimilated 80%+ faster depending on the type of protein they are than traditional food – they don’t need the digestion that meat/grains do.
That chicken breast? 2-3hrs before its into your system as a minimum.
Shakes – 10-15mins.
Red meat is even longer.
Make the mistake of having any fruit/juice with/after your meal and its even longer than that because your stomach will move on all of its contents before its ready (15mins roughly) instead of it having the 2hrs or more it needs to start to break down the proteins in the meat.
Your intestine then has to do 5x’s the work which again takes longer.
There’s a good reason not to have fruit as pudding.

Make my insides unhappy…..also makes anyone in a fifty mile radius of me very very unhappy 😳

Didn’t they do a test of this on the telly?
Edit. Yes they did:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5qYndwd1nyvyFMSynmypy8Z/will-protein-supplements-help-me-put-on-more-muscle

for goodness shake stops my legs hurting and feeling empty after a ride. so they must be good.

Waste of time for 90% of people 90% of the time. I dabble, homemade vegan shakes, if I’ve done five or six hours, but otherwise getting the carbs in or just a normal meal will do. Where are all these protein deficient people? Ever met one?

Are you making sure you’re drinking it from one of these;

Ostentatiously, of course, so everyone knows you’ve got tickets to teh gun show.

Exercise. Eat proper food. Carry on.

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/fitness/the-sky-diet-37892

Relevant protien bit:

[/quote]

‘ Team GB and Sky riders spread their protein by having omelettes as part of their breakfast and a recovery drink or even a meal with protein in it immediately after racing or training. They will also have some protein before bed, such as yogurt or a protein drink.

“The recovery drinks are to exploit the window to refuel that occurs straight after exercise, and the night-time yoghurt or drink ensures that protein is available while the riders sleep. This helps them recover,” Mitchell says.

But talking about protein shakes takes us to the vexed subject of the multi-million pound sports nutrition industry. “Sports foods are there to support the diet, not replace it,” Mitchell stresses. Sport supplements are a great safety net, they are convenient, but normal food must come first.

“We use fish oils and that’s one place where everybody benefits from sports nutrition. The modern diet doesn’t provide enough omega 3 fats, so I recommend everybody take fish oils. Other products can be used to fill in gaps, and they are convenient and effective, but they shouldn’t replace a good diet,” Mitchell says.

Team Sky have normal food for their post-race meal, as well as sports foods, as Mitchell explains. “The post-stage meal is really important. We have cooked rice for the riders, which we use in the form of rice cakes during races. Rice is great, it contains easily digested carbohydrates, some protein and lots of water, which helps with hydration.” ‘

Obviously everyone on this forum is an athlete so all info here is directly applicable 😉

Protein drinks are designed to be a suppliment to a balanced diet.

For a bodybuilder or strength athlete that means they are an easy/convenient way to hit a high daily protein requirement to build, maintain and repair muscle mass. Athletes like rugby players etc aim for up to 2 – 2.5gm of protein per kg of bodyweight per day. That gets both expensive and tough to achieve using just solid food if you’re a big unit.

For a typical mountain biker protein shakes would be useful post exercise to aid recovery (or during extended periods where eating real food is not so convenient). But they’re not really essential.

Another handy feature of protein supplements is that you can get a big dose of protein without a significant amount of any other macro nutrient (if you want). This is also tricky to achieve just with food (and turkey/chicken breast gets boring quickly). Sweet flavours of protein help beat cravings if you’re dieting too.

Not all protein supplements are fast absorbing. Some, like casein, are absorbed slowly and thus make effective nighttime suppliment to drip feed the body protein whilst the body is in the most optimal recovery mode (deep sleep).

As with most things, they are perfectly safe to use in moderation. Real food is usually better. Better sense of satiety.

There are lots of different types of protein sourced from different origins and the cheaper brands can definitely mess with your guts.

There is really no cause for mocking protein suppliment consumption (or the containers that they are consumed from). They make perfect sense is many situations (plus a lumpy protein shake is bogging and those shakers are the most convenient way to get a smooth beverage).

One day, Charles, you’ll open a thread like this a refrain from posting the same old shit.

Gets boring, fella. Really.

If your diet is deficient then essential amino acids may help if you train.

If you’re eating enough protein/EAA then any extra will put stress on your kidneys or just make your sweat pong badly!

What ton said.

Might all be in my head, but if I have one straight after a big ride, I reduce the amount of crap I binge eat later and my legs feel much better the next.

Don’t care about science, it works for me.

The way I see it, if I’ve done a hard training session, I want to maximise the benefit of the pain. That means, if I’m not going to eat in the next 1/2hr, I’ll have a protein bar. I prefer bars to shakes for the convenience. I wouldn’t if I’ve just gone for an average ride, I read somewhere it’s not necessary to have protein quickly if you don’t go out of z3 because you are stressing the aerobic system not you muscles.

If I wasn’t actively training, with o.c.d traits and delusions of mid-pack grandeur there is no way I’d bother 😆

hmmm, never had one. Would I benefit?

Just been out for a reasonable paced 2hr ride. Lots of out of the saddle efforts. Back home and within 15mins scoffed 2 eggs, toast, yogurt, fruit, honey, and a milky coffee. I imagine that would do? Would a shake be better then have the breakfast later? I want to do a longer fast paced ride tomorrow.

Also have delusions of mid-pack grandeur 🙂

I think the protein bar has about the same protein as two eggs so if you eat the eggs quickly after its no difference. If I’m training pre brekker normally have two eggs instead of a bar too

Ah – that’s good then. The above is my usual breakfast straight after I come in from a morning ride. Thanks.

I’m a big fan of recovery drinks – it feels like I’m giving my muscles a treat after abusing them. I think they work for me and therefore they do.

I’ll mostly have a pint of Nesquik (or some other carb/milk combo in the blender if I can be bothered). Have some powder stuff on standby for when we’re out of milk, but it’s no better than nesquik and is much more expensive.

Everyone posting for everyone else. As per. What works for some won’t work for others and vice versa. If you’re going to the gym, lifting weights and want to put on muscle you need far more protein than an ordinary balanced diet can provide.

Also, if you’re not finishing a ride at your house it can be very beneficial to have a protein/carb recovery drink in your car post ride in terms of feeling less achey/painful in the following days.

They’re really not much use if you’re just going through the motions and staying in your comfort zone but if you’re pushing yourself or certain muscle groups in new ways they help with the pain.

Work for me. I feel a lot stiffer and more achey if don’t have something soon after hard exercise. Is that enough anecdotes to make some data yet? Cost is 50p to £1 so hardly a big rip off or scam.

I find they work for me, within limits.

Just now I’m typically doing between 2 & 3 hours training each day between swim / turbo / running. Without recovery drinks my legs ache massively by mid week and quality of training drops off.

With the recovery drinks made from water (re:charge orange for me), I find I can make it first thing in the morning and it’s still fine to drink in the evening after being in my bag all day.

However the bulk of my recovery drink has been nesquick. It doesn’t have quite as good recovery properties as re:charge but works out good value on the cost / efficacy balance. I am going to through gallons of milk though!

I also ensure I way pretty clean food (and some wine & cheese of a weekend), and get plenty fruit & veg

Your body & experience may vary.

mrsfry – Member
Make my insides unhappy…..also makes anyone in a fifty mile radius of me very very unhappy

Try Soy protien. I use Soy protien isolate from my protien. It’s 33p a drink rather than the £1 for Frij, and for me if I drink it post hard ride / turbo my legs feel fine the very next day. No ill effects from my guts at all.

the only time i used them was when training for a high altitude climb. i was at the time a postie so i was walking a hell of a lot then doing 3-4 hrs a day in the gym. i needed the extra protein then. now i only use for goodness shakes every so often if i have had a heavy session (really not that often) so in certain circumstances they work really well, but generally, imo, the majority of people at the gym haven’t got a clue what they are doing with diet or suppliments. (and yes i do have some coaching qualifications to make such a sweeping statement 😉 ) Robz sums it up really well.
the magic hour for recovery drinks is in the first 20 minutes after exercise

simple test – use them and if you shit bricks you don’t need them.

Don’t confuse “recovery drinks” with “protein” though.
Some contain it – most contain carbs and sugar.
All Nesquick is is milk and sugar! Makes no odds if you drink plain milk instead. In fact the milk on its own is healthier.

Soy isn’t that nice – mostly to the environment – try pea protein instead of whey or one of the newer meat derived proteins that the likes of Musclefood do.

I’ll give them a try then. I used to use supplements when racing/trailquesting many moons ago (SIS, High5 etc) and found them really helpful especially on the 7hr events, but have never used protein shakes.

What’s a good brand to start with or are they much of a muchness?

Whatever’s got the biggest discount online!

myprotein usually cheapest, i buy in bulk when theres 20% off.

Musclefood are often cheaper than MyProtein now (although MP have an offer on this weekend) – the added bonus is you can also order all your meat there too!
The chicken breasts are like nothing else you’ve had – even the ones from the local butcher don’t compare.
There genuinely is no added water and they don’t shrink at all – can be a little disconcerting when you’re used to ones that come out half the size they go in at 😆
5kgs for £25 and thats usually 24-25 breasts.
They come unfrozen too so portion them into bags in 2’s and a few 3’s and into the freezer.

Pretty sure Trust me I’m a doctor did a test on these and sports energy drinks.

Gatorade and the like were debunked quite a while back.
Protein is what is being discussed here not “recovery drinks”.
Protein has been proven to aid in muscle recovery medically repeatedly.
The time frame is what is important.

Protein is protein and can be consumed in many forms, so yes, protein shakes are one method of getting protein into your system. However your body needs alot of other stuff too for recovery and alot of these protein shakes don’t contain much else so be careful what you buy. It’s been scientifically proven that the best recovery drink is actually milk. It contains all the stuff you need – fancy that the Human body producing something that is full of the stuff it actually needs. I guess mother nature knows best.

Also there is no need to get it all down your throat a few minutes after exercise. The process of recovery occurs over many hours post exercise and its best to feed your body over that entire time…a little often.

I don’t think you can go too far wrong as long as you are having something after exercise that is high in protein and low in fat. Even whole milk is low fat – its only about 4% fat. The protein shakes don’t agree with my system either and i’m from the school that you’re best to be eating food that actually looks like food and not some processed substance – you’ve no idea what’s in these supplements, they could be full of some sort of edible filler like cheap sausages, for all you know.

Whatever works for you.

the best recovery drink is actually milk. It contains all the stuff you need – fancy that the Human body producing something that is full of the stuff it actually needs. I guess mother nature knows best.

You realise that human adults don’t drink human milk, don’t you?

Edit: because of stupid error!!

It’s been scientifically proven that the best recovery drink is actually milk.

Reference?

A couple of fully referenced posts from: https://www.facebook.com/ebtraining/?fref=ts

The average adult over 19 years old consumes less than 1.3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. This is enough to build muscle but is, as we’ve already mentioned, not the optimal level of protein consumption for building muscle. Therefore, assuming you consume as much protein as the average individual, you need to consciously eat more foods with high protein levels such as chicken, eggs, milk, lean meat, beans, fish etc. An alternative to this is to add a protein supplement such as whey protein to your diet and thus reach the optimal protein level of 1.6 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Studies on if whey is “superior” to food sources of protein are conflicting as there are theoretical advantages of the amino-acid composition on whey-protein and effects on muscle protein synthesis directly after a workout, but in practice there have been minimal advantages seen when it comes to building muscle, comparing to the same amount of protein from food. So the takeaway is that it is the protein that is the most important to keep track of rather that where you get it from. Vary your protein sources and you will be well off!
Source 1: Victor L Fulgoni III. Current protein intake in America: analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2003–2004. Am J Clin Nutr May 2008. Vol. 87 no. 5 1554S-1557S.
Source 2: Stuart M. Phillips & Luc J.C. Van Loon (2011) Dietary protein for athletes: From requirements to optimum adaptation, Journal of Sports Sciences, 29:sup1, S29-S38, DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2011.619204
Source 3: Tipton KD. Efficacy and consequences of very-high-protein diets for athletes and exercisers. Proc Nutr Soc. 2011 M5ay;70(2):205-14.

The ‘anabolic window’ is a term used to indicate a period of time after a workout where your body is primed to receive nutrients and bring it straight to the muscles for optimal recovery. The term is found both in “bro-science” forums and in marketing campaigns for supplements. A meta-analysis of 23 studies on the subject found that ingesting protein directly after a workout had no significant benefit compared to ingesting the same amount throughout the day.
Source 1: Brad Jon Schoenfeld et al. The effect of protein timing on muscle strength and hypertrophy: a meta-analysis. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2013, 10:53.
Source 2: Alan Albert Aragon et al. Nutrient timing revisited: is there a post-exercise anabolic window? J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013; 10: 5.

If he’s drinking human milk then he might be the sort to like a sausage too…….

I use them when training hard. Milk also works for me but as I’m intolerant I get tummy issues if I drink pints of the stuff.

I also eat protein bars instead of puds or snacks at work. Ideally I would cut them out completely but haven’t the willpower.

I buy from my protein, literally just placed an order. Thanks for the tip about muscle food for chicken, I’ll take a look.

My protein also do 8% cash back

DT – email 😉

Another referenced quote re the Kidney damage myth

Physicians once feared kidney damage as a result of too high protein intake, as protein breakdown results in the production of urea which the kidneys have to deal with, but the kidney can handle high protein even at a constant level. Theoretically, an extremely high protein intake (3.5-4,5 g/kg/day) could cause damage to the body due to exceeding the livers capacity of converting nitrogen to urea. A new study published in 2015 (source 4) even concluded that a high protein intake (> 3,5 g/kg) could have positive effects on body composition. One important thing to remember however, is to consume enough carbohydrates and fats along with your protein, as getting >35% of your energy from protein could result in ”rabbit starvation” syndrome with symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, and even death (this is however, sparsely documented and probably only applicable in very high protein doses).
Source 1: Martin WF et al. Dietary protein intake and renal function. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2005 Sep 20;2:25.
Source 2: Campbell B et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2007 Sep 26;4:8.
Source 3: Bilsborough S1, Mann N. A review of issues of dietary protein intake in humans. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2006 Apr;16(2):129-52.
Source 3: Jose Antonio. A high protein diet (3.4 g/kg/d) combined with a heavy resistance training program improves body composition in healthy trained men and women – a follow-up investigation. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2015, 12:39 doi:10.1186/s12970-015-0100-0

No idea about the bodybuilding stuff, but the For Goodness Shakes recovery drink works miracles for me.

Tried a free sample, and was very sceptical. Genuinely surprised at the level of difference it made. Been using it after longer runs/rides ever since.