Best protein powders for muscle gain?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/fitness-supplements-listing

It's $37/lb.

It’s not $2.50, maybe $2.75—but if you grab the 5 lb tub, it drops to about $1.00 a pound. Honestly, I don't care what flavor it is—the fact that it’s unflavored and lacks all those extra sweeteners is actually a huge plus for me.

Go ahead and keep sipping those branded blends if that's your thing. Just a heads up—if you buy from an importer, a 5 lb bag of 100% pure isolate from GNC goes for about $113.

So, if you really want "high quality," just get this stuff. At least then you won't be guessing how much actual isolate is in there.

James Rogers53 said:http://www.ebay.com/fitness-equipment-listing-example

That works out to $37/lb.

It’s not 250, it’s 275, so if you grab 5 lbs, you’re looking at $10 per pound. And honestly, whether it tastes good or not is irrelevant to me—one of the best things about unflavored stuff is that there aren't any extra sweeteners involved!

Be my guest and keep drinking those branded blends. Just a heads-up: if you buy 100% pure isolate from an importer, a 2.5 lb bag at GNC costs $113.

So, if you want to stop worrying about the quality of the isolate percentage, just get this and the dilemma disappears.

I have much better things to do than argue on a forum, but it's clear you don't really understand how this business works. You still haven't pointed out where the label on that Impact Whey shows the actual composition; if pure isolate is actually that expensive, then you should be able to see exactly what kind of low-grade product they're peddling.
We discuss flavor because flavored versions carry a premium, while unflavored stuff is a niche market. If you prefer unflavored, fine—that’s your preference, not a universal truth for everyone using protein. This discussion is strictly about 2.5 lb packs, not bulk sizes, which is exactly what Gemma realized, yet you keep pivoting back to something completely unrelated to my point.
If you're buying a 2.5 lb pack, the unflavored price is $100, whereas flavored goes for 340. Bulk sizing is a different beast entirely; anyone who understands retail knows larger quantities mean lower unit costs. For example, you can find a 10 lb tub of Ultimate Nutrition whey in flavored at a local wholesaler for $198, while a 10 lb bag of Impact Whey flavored might go for 620 in Washington, D.C. Bulk is more cost-effective and favors companies like GNC, but most people don't need massive tubs. Most consumers are smart enough to realize they won't be slamming protein shakes all day long, so buying 10 lbs at once feels like a waste when you're trying to avoid letting it sit around for months. Furthermore, you still haven't shown me anyone selling 2.5 lb bags of Impact Whey at the price you're claiming. From what I can see, this seller only stocks the 10 lb bags.

rapidtrucker14 said:I shouldn't have to dig through the entire thread from the beginning... the topic is protein, and I already laid out my take on it.🙂

Fine by me.
Then just head over to Toledo and grab some Scitec Nutrition; you can pick it up cheaper than Impact Whey there.

slydriver52 said:Sure thing.
So you just head over to Toledo to pick up some Scitec Nutrition, which you could probably find cheaper than Impact Whey anyway.

Yeah, because I’m totally going to drive all the way to Toledo just for some whey protein... 🙄 as if gas is free or something.

Plus, I’ve actually had people tell me to stay away from Scitec, and I don't really know anyone who uses it... so for now, I think I'll just stick with MyProtein...

rapidtrucker14 said:Yeah, right. Like I’m going to drive all the way out to rural Nebraska just to pick up some whey protein.. 🙄 As if fuel were free and plentiful..

I’ve also had people tell me to steer clear of Optimum Nutrition, and honestly, I don't know anyone who actually swears by it.. so for now, I'm sticking with MusclePharm...

That was sarcasm......
You specifically said you buy whatever is cheapest..................................

slydriver52 said:That was just sarcasm...
You did say you were looking for the cheapest option..................................

Even if I drove out to a local Vitamin Shoppe to find something, I doubt I'd find a better deal than just ordering from MyProtein online. 🙂

Sarcasm or not...

hey,

I know this thread is mostly about protein, but does anyone here actually use creatine
or anything with it mixed in? If you do, what brands are worth the money?

thanks!

rapidtrucker14 said:and that's why I just grab whatever the cheapest option is, because honestly, I don't think I'd see any better results by using the fanciest, most expensive whey out there

Sure, I get where you're coming from.
But what about the people who end up with total digestive disasters because they're drinking low-quality junk loaded with lactose?

After years of hitting the gym and testing out every single questionable brand under the sun, my vote definitely goes to Optimum Nutrition and MuscleTech—not just because of the big names, but because the actual quality is there. Even if companies try to pull fast ones and sell garbage globally, when I made my choice, I went with what actually sits right with my stomach without those unpleasant side effects we all know too well.
Take Dymatize, for example; their "Elite" line basically just smells strong enough to take over my entire apartment 😍, and besides the scent, it’s pretty mediocre for digestion, though I have to admit ISO 100 is in a completely different league. 😁

I tried this absolute crap known as Impact Whey Protein and let me tell you, I had some serious issues afterward regarding my digestion—we're talking heavy bloating and some seriously unpleasant gas, something right up there with those X-TREME whey proteins, which is just straight-up trash. 🤷 😁

You get what you pay for.
So, please, don't try to sell us smoke and mirrors or screw us over for $17; quality matters, and I've always prioritized it, and I haven't regretted it once.

restlessmason54 said:Sure, I get all that.
But what about the people who end up with digestive issues because they're drinking low-quality junk loaded with lactose?

In my long history of training and testing just about every brand out there, my vote goes to Optimum Nutrition and MuscleTech. It’s not just because they have big names, but because the quality is actually there. Even if companies try to cut corners globally, I stick to them because they sit best with my stomach and don't cause those side effects we all know too well.

I tried this Impact Whey crap and, honestly, I had some pretty serious digestive issues—mostly bloating and some seriously unpleasant gas. It was basically on par with those X-TREME whey proteins; just total garbage. 🤷 😁

You get what you pay for.
So, don't sell people smoke and mirrors just to make a quick buck for $17; quality matters, and I've always prioritized it without any regrets.

Just because something is $50$33 more expensive doesn't mean it's free of additives... so it's not like you should just grab the most expensive thing on the shelf based on that logic...

I know some people had stomach issues with Bulk Nutrition, while others were fine... so I guess it really is down to the individual.

rapidtrucker14 said:Just because something costs more doesn't mean it's 50-$33 free of all that junk...

But look, I’m telling you this based on my own personal experience—and since we're apparently going to nitpick and get down into the weeds here, let me just say my digestion is pretty specific about these things. 🤷

restlessmason54 said:Look, I’m speaking from my own experience here regarding digestion—if we’re really going to get into the weeds about supplements. 🤷

So you're saying I should just buy whatever is most expensive...?

Personally, I stick with MyProtein. I don't have any digestive issues, their unflavored stuff works fine for me, and the price is right. 🤷

And like I said before, I doubt I'll see any better results just by switching to some top-tier, overpriced whey protein.

rapidtrucker14 said:So we're just supposed to go out and buy the most expensive thing on the shelf, is that it?

Look, I try not to mess with the results themselves since they're pretty much a given, unless someone tries to pass off straight-up smoke and mirrors as some kind of premium essence.
What I’m really getting at here is the actual quality and substance of what we're buying when we're being all stingy with our cash. 🤷

restlessmason54 said:I tend to avoid debating results, mostly because they're pretty much a given—unless someone tries to pass off plain dust as some kind of premium essence.
I'm just talking about product quality here, since we're already nitpicking. 🤷

From what I've gathered, MyProtein is actually a really solid brand... seems like it might even be one of the most popular ones over in the UK.

So, I’m sitting at about 185 cm and weighing in at 85 kg—which, honestly, feels like just enough—and I was wondering... how much protein and glucose should I actually be looking at? I really don't want to put on any more mass, because, frankly, I think I’ve got plenty to spare already. I guess maybe something like 170 g of protein and roughly 80 g of glucose mixed with maybe 3 to 5 dl of water would work? What do you guys think?

Bradley Thomas51 said:I'm about 185 cm and 85 kg... how much protein and glucose should I be hitting if I don't want to pack on extra mass? I've already got more than enough... maybe 170g of protein and 80g of glucose with about 10-15 oz of water?

🙂

🤣🤣

rapidtrucker14 said:From what I’ve gathered, MyProtein is actually a really solid brand... seems like they're probably one of the biggest names over in the UK.

Look 😁, back in the day in California, there were these "local" protein brands being churned out that were huge—at least within my social circles. Honestly, I can't even wrap my head around the name of the company or who actually ran it, and weirdly enough, I can't even find an official website for them online now.

Everyone used to rave about them, and if I'm being totally honest about my own experience, they didn't even taste that bad or cause any stomach issues, plus the price was incredibly easy on the wallet.
But from what I heard, they lost their license to sell specifically because they couldn't produce the actual ingredient certifications for the back of the packaging; and honestly, the formula itself was likely sketchy too, because after some local regulatory agencies ran their analyses, they got hit with a total production ban. Now, you don't see them anywhere anymore (which makes me think there's a high probability I was basically pouring poison into my own body just because it was cheap).... and frankly, that whole situation smells a lot like these MyProteins.

I get that everyone has different tastes and opinions, but I also firmly believe that you truly get what you pay for—especially when it comes to things like flavor, how drinkable it is, or how easily it digests.

restlessmason54 said:Everyone was raving about them

but I don't know, it all kind of feels like one of those MyProtein situations.

You get what you pay for, I guess—especially when it comes to how well it actually mixes or digests.

It’s funny because about six months ago, everyone was swearing by Dymatize Elite Whey, and now suddenly I’m seeing people say it’s not that great either...

When someone says it "kind of" feels off, they aren't saying it definitely is, just maybe that it might not be up to par because it's cheaper than the rest. I suppose you can't really judge quality based solely on the price tag.

The regulations regarding dietary supplements in the United Kingdom aren't quite the same as they are across the rest of the European Union.😉
As I understand it, brands like Jack3d are sold legally over there. Honestly, I’d love to get my hands on the actual label of that Impact Whey just to see if the math actually adds up.
Besides, their websites list the ingredients as Whey concentrate, but they never explicitly state if it's WPC80. That leaves room for doubt—it could easily be produced using outdated methods, resulting in a protein content closer to a measly 60%.
When you look at the plastic tub packaging, however, it’s clearly labeled as containing WPC80.

rapidtrucker14 said:Six months ago, everyone was swearing by Optimum Nutrition Elite Whey, but now suddenly nobody’s recommending it anymore...

This "maybe" implies it's somehow unsafe just because it hits a lower price point than the competition. You can't judge the integrity of a product solely by its sticker price.

You’re acting like this skepticism just popped up out of nowhere six months ago. This isn't news; people have been questioning this specific Whey for years...........................

slydriver52 said:I think you're assuming people just started getting suspicious about that Whey six months ago. Honestly, this whole conversation has been going on for years...........................

Whether it's been six months or a full year... everyone was swearing by it back then. It was being used everywhere, from local gyms to all over the online forums.