Muscles require protein to grow and develop, and if you are working out and not taking in enough protein then you will not be able to build muscle. Actually, it’s worse than that, if you exercise regularly and don’t have enough protein coming in, then your body will start to cannibalise the protein that it has easily to hand – i.e. the muscles, and rather than developing muscle you could find yourself losing it.
Most people need a daily allowance or around 0.8g of protein per kilo of bodyweight. If you are training regularly however, you’ll need somewhere between 1.4g and 2.4g per kilo of body weight.
If you are not eating enough protein in your diet, then you will need to supplement this somehow.
Whey Protein generally comes in powder form, and is a really cost effective way to buy
supplementary protein for your regime. Of all the protein powders that are on the market,
you will find that about 90% of them are made from whey. There are three types of whey
protein powder available, whey concentrate, whey isolate, and whey protein blend. Of these, Whey isolate contains the highest percentage of protein at 90%, and Whey concentrate will be somewhere between 34% and 80% depending on the quality of the powder. Whey protein blend is a combination of concentrate and isolate, and it will depend on the product what the ratio is.
The best way to know what the levels of protein per scoop are, is to look at the packaging. Some people say that it’s best to always go for a whey isolate as this will give you the highest concentration of protein, however if you go for a good quality whey concentrate there isn’t much difference in effect in muscle building. Also, a blend is a good idea as it increases the amino acid spectrum and gives you a more complete protein supply.
These protein powders come in many different flavours, and some can be used as meal
replacements, while others are designed either to be added to your meal, or as a post workout supplement. – During the 15minutes after a workout, your body absorbs the most protein which is why this can be very effective at helping with muscle building. If you choose the option of meal replacement, then make sure you select a powder that is designed for this purpose, as this will be made from a wider range of protein sources than just whey which means that you have a good protein supply, but also they have enough carbs in them to stop you feeling too drained and tired after a work out.
Obviously protein by itself won’t increase your muscle size, but without enough, you definitely won’t be able to build those muscles either.
