Best protein powders for muscle gain?

Steven Lopez35 said:The stuff from that ad had great solubility and flavor, but the texture feels off—maybe because the taste isn't quite hitting the same way...

I’m done buying Optimum through classified ads anyway; I don't trust it. I'm sticking to Universal or Ultimate now. (Currently drinking Universal Strawberry—it's solid.)

Yeah, Universal is solid. I’m on the chocolate flavor right now. The taste is a bit unique since it’s actually less sweet than Optimum, but the mixability is identical. The powder is finer than what you get with Optimum, and I've heard the flavor profile with Optimum can be inconsistent. If you aren't happy with the Optimum you bought from our shop, it's likely because the formula shifts slightly for markets outside the European Union. However, here in the States, if a product deviates more than a tiny margin from its label, the FDA steps in, so there's nothing to worry about. The product is definitely legitimate. Honestly, don't buy into the nonsense on those bodybuilding forums; they're ruled by myths, and half the people selling protein will tell you whatever lie helps them close a sale. When buying via classifieds, stick exclusively to branded goods—but just because Optimum is the bestseller doesn't mean it's the best.😉

slydriver52 said:Yeah, Universal is solid. I'm drinking their chocolate one right now. Taste is a bit weird since it's actually less sweet than Optimum, but the mixability is identical. The powder is finer than what you get from Optimum, and I’ve heard Optimum's flavor profile can be inconsistent. If you aren't happy with the Optimum you bought at our shop, it's probably because the formula shifts slightly for markets outside the US, but here in America, products can't deviate more than 5% from the label (if I remember correctly), so you have nothing to worry about. The product is definitely legit. Don't buy into all that nonsense on bodybuilding forums; those places are full of myths, and most protein sellers will tell you whatever bullshit they need to to make a buck off you. When buying through classified ads, stick strictly to branded stuff—and just because Optimum is the bestseller doesn't mean it's the best.😉

I'm assuming you're from Pollock?

I wasn't even complaining about your product, so if I can't find legitimate stuff in a local store, then we really have a 😂

Look, I don't trust anyone selling Optimum through online ads anymore.

Steven Lopez35 said:So, I assume you're with Pollock?

I wasn't complaining about your product. But if I can't find the real deal sitting on the shelf at a local Walmart, then we actually have a problem. 😂

I’m telling you, I’m done buying anything from Optimum Nutrition based on those ads. They don't hold water anymore.

Actually, I’m not with Pollock. I used to know someone who worked there, but I’ve never been on their payroll myself.
When I say "our retailers," I'm referring specifically to the stores across America.😉
You actually gave me a good laugh.😂
Don't sweat it. That Optimum tub from the ad is coming straight out of Canada, specifically packaged for the European market, which is why it's missing that local label. It’s being bottled over there for distribution across the European Union.
Look, you can find just about anything if you know where to look—whether it's under the counter, in legitimate retail stores, or hanging around local gyms.

slydriver52 said:Nah, I don't work for Pollock. Someone I know used to work there, but I've never been on the payroll.
By "our stores," I just meant shops here in the States.😉
You got me laughing there.😂
Don't sweat it—that Optimum stuff in the ad is from Canada and it's packaged for the EU market, which is why the label looks different. It's bottled over there for the European market.
And look, you can find this stuff anywhere from under the counter to legitimate retail stores and gyms.

Gotcha. 🤣

Can you DM me a link to a seller you actually trust for legit whey?

slydriver52 said:Honestly, Cookies&cream is easily one of the worst flavors they offer for Optimum Gold whey. Take it from me, I've been there. 😉
The heavy hitters are definitely all the chocolate variations (choco mint, double chocolate, choco malt, and milk chocolate), plus the mocha cappuccino and the Strawberry banana.
The middle-of-the-road ones are French Vanilla Creme, tropical Punch, and banana Cream.
Anything else is just pretty mediocre.

Well, clearly you haven't experienced the real deal yet—Caramel and toffee fudge 😍 is so good, with that hint of brown sugar, I could drink it all day long.

And what about this label on the Onwhey? Never heard of it or seen it before? 😕

and I have no clue how I'm supposed to count the breading and the oil fat content

That’s why you just grab as many napkins as possible and keep blotting it until it's completely dry. 😁

Does anyone know if any shops in Washington, D.C. have any whey protein on sale right now?

Ronald Cox96 said:Does anyone know if any shops in Washington, D.C. have whey protein on sale right now?

If I remember correctly—and my memory isn't totally shot—there’s Pride over by Central Park. I'm not positive, though, so you might want to give them a quick ring just to double-check before you make the trip.

^I’ve walked past that shop a thousand times, and honestly, I have no clue they even carry sports nutrition. All I ever see in the window is boxing gear and UFC stuff.

Ronald Cox96 said:^ I’ve walked past that shop a million times and honestly had no clue they even carried sports nutrition—all I ever saw through the window was boxing gear and UFC stuff.

I actually swung by there just the other day, and the clerk immediately pointed out they had some protein on sale. Since I wasn't looking for any, I didn't really bother asking about the brands or quality, but yeah, truth be told, I had no idea they even stocked it either. 🤣

restlessmason54 said:It’s clear you haven’t tasted the real deal, Caramel and Toffee Fudge 😍. If it had that hint of raisin sugar, you’d be drinking it non-stop.

And what about this label on the Onwhey? Never heard of it, let alone seen it? 😕

That's why you need to use plenty of napkins and keep blotting until it's completely dry. 😁

I’m not just speaking from my own experience here; I'm evaluating feedback from people all over the country.

I'm looking to pick up some protein powder. What's the best way to take it? Should I mix it with water? Is it better before, during, or after a workout? Also, are those proteins from GNC any good, and how much should I be aiming for daily?

Good afternoon,

I’ve been hearing through the grapevine that I really ought to be aiming for roughly 200 grams of protein every single day, but since there are those inevitable days where life just gets in the way and I simply can't manage to hit that 200-gram mark through whole foods alone, I was seriously considering just picking up the most budget-friendly powder available... and looking at what they have over at Walmart, I see they have some options for about $13 300g. So, I wanted to reach out and ask if that would actually be a decent move? Or would it be more sensible to just settle for a lower total protein intake rather than relying on that cheap powder?

man, just take the long way around those proteins. you can grab $100 2.2kg of high-quality protein on Craigslist
...

Sam Roberts, besides working on your spelling, you really need to learn how to actually read a nutrition label.
If you’re talking about those unflavored protein powders from CVS—I think they go for about $15 for a 10oz tub—then by all means, go ahead and grab them!
All that worrying about soy content and whatnot is just nonsense; honestly, they're just as good as the stuff with an MVP or Aminostar label on it.
The real issue is that a few years back, there were some cheap brands out there that were basically just mass gainers masquerading as protein, but those were pulled from the shelves ages ago, so I guess some people still haven't caught up and think they're all the same thing.

feralorca7 said:Sam Roberts, fix your spelling and learn how to read a label.
If you're talking about that protein powder from CVS—the unflavored 300g tub for maybe $15—then go ahead... buy it!
All that talk about soy and whatever else is just nonsense. They’re just as good as anything with an MVP or Aminostar label on it.
The thing is, a few years back, there were some cheap proteins out there that were basically just mass gainers in disguise. Those got pulled from the shelves, so people still think they're all the same.

those proteins are absolute garbage and definitely not worth the money.

sorry if my typo offended you... 🙂
clearly that's your only real point.

Actually, my main point is that I’m looking at 89g of protein per 100g of powder—which is made up of 62% milk and whey, 2% egg white powder, and 35% soy (you know, that "harmful" soy everyone talks about that actually has a complete amino acid profile), plus just 3g of sugar and 2g of fat.

feralorca7 said:Sam Roberts, besides fixing your spelling, you really ought to learn how to actually read a nutrition label.
If you’re talking about those protein powders from CVS—around $15 if I recall correctly, unflavored, 10oz bags—then by all means, go ahead and buy them!
All this nonsense about soy content and whatever else is just pure distraction; they are every bit as high-quality as the stuff labeled MVP or Aminostar.
The real issue stems from a few years back when there were some cheap, low-grade proteins on the market that were basically just glorified mass gainers, but those were pulled from the shelves ages ago, so plenty of people are still operating under the false assumption that they're the same thing today.

hmmm... yeah, those are exactly the ones I was thinking about, and actually ended up buying...
I don't particularly favor powders, to be honest, preferring whole foods instead, but I usually manage to hit about 40 grams of protein daily through natural sources, so I was wondering if using a powder to bump that up to maybe 60 or 75 grams would be wise... which is why I asked if that CVS brand is the way to go (assuming it's the cheapest option available, unless maybe MusclePharm has something better?) or if I should just avoid powders entirely and try to squeeze even more protein out of my diet to get closer to that 60-75 gram mark?!

Carl Sullivan22 said:hmm... yeah, those are the ones I was thinking about, or rather, actually bought...
I’m not really a big fan of powders—I much prefer getting everything from whole foods—but I usually manage to hit about 35g of protein a day naturally. I was hoping to bump that up to maybe 55-70g by adding some supplements just to make sure I'm hitting my goals... so that's why I was asking if the stuff from Vitamin Shoppe is better (since I think it's the cheapest option out there? Or does GNC have something superior?) or if I should just skip the powder entirely and try to squeeze an extra 15-25g out of my regular meals instead.

Sometimes, bloating is just one of those side effects you get with cheap "protein" supplements, and honestly, the stuff you picked up falls right into that category. If you start feeling like a balloon, just give it away to someone else and grab a higher-quality brand for yourself...

Carl Sullivan22 said:hey there,

I heard I need about 200g of protein a day... but since I can't always hit that 200g mark, I was thinking about grabbing the cheapest powder available... looks like they have some at CVS for about $13 300g. So I wanted to ask, is that fine? Or is it better to just take less protein and skip the powder entirely?

Hold up.. do you even weigh 220 pounds? Of pure muscle?

feralorca7 said:Nah, my point is the macros. 89g of protein per 100g—with 62% milk and whey, 2% egg white powder, and 35% soy (yeah, that "bad" soy everyone hates, despite having a complete amino acid profile), plus just 3g of sugar and 2g of fat.

Go ahead, enjoy it then.