Best protein powders for muscle gain?

Steven Lopez35

I have a question, and maybe this has already been covered, but I can't be bothered to scroll through everything—what's actually the difference between whey isolate and whey concentrate, and when should you be using one over the other?

Thanks

northernbadger7 said:I have a question—maybe this has come up before, but I really don't feel like scrolling through everything to find the answer—what's actually the difference between whey isolate and whey concentrate? And which one should I be using when?

Thanks!

http://www.building-body.com/Whey_ko...at_izolat.html

Thomas Long7 said:So, after taking a three-year hiatus, I’m finally trying to get back into my training routine. I’ve got two five-pound tubs of whey protein sitting in my basement, and they’re about three and a half years old... I cracked them open yesterday, and honestly, the smell and taste seem fine—no weird clumps or anything... looks okay on the surface.
The manufacturer's expiration date has definitely passed, so I'm wondering if it's actually safe to use this stuff? It was stored in a cool spot in the basement, and I just opened it yesterday after sitting there for over three years...
I noticed protein prices have skyrocketed compared to what they were three or four years ago, so from a purely financial standpoint, it would be awesome if I could still make use of this old whey...

Just toss it in the trash, man...😁
I'm being dead serious, I wouldn't touch that with a ten-foot pole...
Look, if you've got the cash to just go grab some fresh stuff, just do it...
The real question is, even if it doesn't kill you, does it even have any nutritional value left, or are you just going to spend the whole day dealing with an upset stomach?

northernbadger7 said:I’ve got a question—maybe this has come up before, but honestly, I can't be bothered to scroll through everything—what's the actual difference between whey isolate and whey concentrate, and when should you be using one over the other?

Thanks

Look, if you’re asking that, it pretty much tells me you're still a total newbie...😁

Jonathan James7 said:If you’re actually asking the question, you clearly don't care, which just means you're still a novice...😁

Regardless, I need to know sooner or later, and I always prefer knowing before rather than after.

@Richard Fox7/">@@Richard Fox7
Thanks 🙂

Jonathan James7 said:Just throw it in the trash..😁
Seriously—I wouldn’t touch that stuff with a ten-foot pole..
Look, if you have the cash to just buy something else, fine..
But the real question is: does it actually provide any nutritional value, or is it just going to give you a massive stomach ache?

Listen here... I've been saving this stuff for a while now.$667 ..
I actually checked with a friend of mine who knows a professor over at Harvard, and he said the guy claimed that nutritional value doesn't just "evaporate"—as long as it's sealed tight and moisture hasn't ruined it, it can sit there for years...

Thomas Long7 said:But look... I've been playing it safe lately$667..
I actually reached out to a buddy of mine who knows a professor over at some big state university, and apparently, the guy said nutritional values don't just "evaporate." As long as the seal is tight and moisture hasn't ruined the powder, it can sit there for years...

Maybe, but hey, give it a shot if you want..
The silver lining is that it was tucked away in a dry basement..

http://www.answerfitness.com/642/how...ill-whey-keep/

Wait, hold up—did you mean the Whey Star has been sitting past its expiration date for three years or what?

If it's only been a year, it's probably still fine..

So, I was hoping you guys could give me some insight here. I used to pick up these supplements—cheap protein blends and amino acid mixes—at GNC
. I noticed that while I was taking them, my workouts felt significantly more intense; I was definitely packing on muscle and getting much stronger arms. Even when I wasn't pushing myself to the absolute limit during training,
I still managed to gain the mass I wanted without just getting fat. I looked pretty solid, almost like
a ranch hand working a field, but the moment I stopped using that powder, I seemed to shrink right back down into a weakling.
- Now I’m left wondering what exactly I was putting into my body, and if I was making a major mistake by messing around with those "bad" chemicals?
- They were large containers, maybe 6 or 7 pounds, or even closer to 9 pounds, labeled something like Mega Mass along with some liquid amino acids
. - It was the Optimum Nutrition brand. Honestly, I'm considering starting up that routine again, so I wanted to get your expert take because
I'm really just a layman when it comes to this stuff—not exactly an expert or anything.

Does it actually make sense to save whey protein strictly for right after a workout?

Steven Moore7 said:Is there any point in taking whey protein right after a workout?

only then

Thomas Long7 said:After taking a three-year hiatus from the gym, I’m finally looking to ease my way back into a training routine. I actually have two five-pound tubs of whey protein sitting in my basement; they've been there for about three and a half years now. I cracked them open yesterday, and honestly, the smell and taste seem perfectly fine—no clumps or anything weird. Everything looks okay on the surface...
The manufacturer's expiration date has already passed, so I'm wondering if it's actually safe to keep using this stuff? It was stored in a cool basement environment and was only opened yesterday after being tucked away for over three years...
I've noticed that protein prices have skyrocketed compared to what they were even just a few years ago, so from a purely financial standpoint, it would be a massive win if this whey is still good to go...

So, what's the verdict?
Personally, I wouldn't touch it. Look, I just don't feel like spending my entire day stuck in the bathroom because of some questionable supplements.

feralorca7 said:http://www.ajcn.org/content/65/6/1747.abstract
http://www.ajcn.org/content/55/6/1060.abstract
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/59/1/39.full.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Correla...mply_causation

Since testosterone comes from cholesterol, does that make testosterone bad? 🙄

Obviously testosterone isn't bad, but stop talking nonsense about it being derived from cholesterol. 🙂
That's like claiming muscles come from walnuts; you're technically right because they contain protein, but that's the absolute bare minimum compared to sources like chicken or turkey breast. It's the exact same logic with testosterone.

shadowhound8 said:Only then does it actually make sense.

+1

Matthew Thompson32 said:Look, testosterone isn't bad at all, but let's not get carried away thinking you just eat cholesterol and suddenly it turns into T. 🙂
It’s like saying you build muscle by eating walnuts. I mean, technically you aren't wrong because they have protein, but we're talking about a tiny fraction of what you actually need—like hitting up a deli for some chicken or turkey breast. It's the same deal with testosterone.

Cholesterol plays a part in synthesizing steroid hormones, including testosterone... if you think there's another way this works, feel free to educate us...

Henry Fowler said:Cholesterol is used to synthesize steroid hormones, including testosterone. If you know otherwise, enlighten us...

Look, let me set the record straight. Yes, it helps synthesize adrenal and sex hormones, along with several other vital processes. It is absolutely essential for the body, but my point was that you shouldn't overdo it. Two eggs a day is plenty. Now, people are turning this into some massive scientific debate. Eggs aren't the only source of cholesterol; animal products in general provide it, so we can't just obsess over eggs alone. Keeping everything within normal limits is perfectly fine. If cholesterol were actually as vital as everyone claims—some kind of magic hormone trigger—we wouldn't be seeing thousands of health issues linked to it; it would be prescribed as a medicine.

Matthew Thompson32 said:Look, here’s the deal: cholesterol helps synthesize those adrenal and sex hormones. There are plenty of other glands and hormones in play too, so it’s not like cholesterol is doing all the heavy lifting alone. We definitely need it to function—it's essential. But what I meant was we shouldn't go overboard. Having two eggs a day is plenty, yet suddenly everyone's making this huge deal out of the chemistry behind it. Eggs aren't just pure cholesterol; animal products are where you get most of it, so you can't just pin everything on eggs. As long as you stay within a normal range, you're golden. If cholesterol were actually some magic fuel that we needed massive amounts of to trigger hormones, it wouldn't be linked to thousands of health issues; it would basically be prescribed as a medicine.

You should probably just clarify that, because your first post was a bit misleading. 🙂
I agree that staying within the normal range is fine, but again—there's no reason to treat it like some terrifying monster.

Hey everyone.
First time posting in this thread. I’ve been lurking and reading through everything, but I could really use some advice—specifically from people who actually know what they’re talking about...
So, I train French boxing. Up until this season, I was doing assault style (all technique, no contact), but for next season, I’m moving up to combat (full contact)... Since I'm naturally pretty lean—about 143 lbs at 5'11"—I was thinking about bulking up a bit to get more power. My coach suggested the same thing... My questions are: first, is it even smart to mess with supplements at my age, being 16? Second, if it is, does anyone have recommendations? I'd start with just gaining weight, maybe move toward muscle mass later—nothing crazy, just enough to look decent... I have a relative who uses them and looks great; we were talking about it, and he takes a ton of vitamins alongside his cycle... So, if anyone could share a regimen or some guidance...
Thanks in advance.

Stick to creatine and whey protein—that’s all you really need. If you're loaded, grab a mass gainer.

Good luck!

Steven Moore7 said:Is there any point in taking whey just after a workout?

You can toss it in with some oatmeal in the morning too... simple, fast, solid breakfast. Way easier than messing around with eggs and stuff. Just throw oats, water, and whey together and you're done. Obviously, if you're doing it post-workout... but you can also do it between meals, especially when you're cutting and keeping those carbs low...