Best protein powders for muscle gain?

Tyler Scott8 said:So, what makes you think you should even start messing with supplements in the first place?
What kind of results are you actually looking for here?

Well, my plan is basically just to toss some protein powder into my routine—I figure if I get enough of it, I'll finally see some real muscle growth!

Is anyone actually using Jack3d? It’s always been hyped up as one of the top-tier supplements out there, but I want the real story. Is there anyone here who’s personally putting it in their stack? I’m looking for an honest, unfiltered review. 🙂

Ronald Cox96 said:Is anyone actually using Jack3d? It’s supposedly one of the most hyped supplements out there. I want an honest review from someone who actually takes it.🙂

We're talking protein here.
I've used Jack3d, but you didn't specify what exactly you're looking for. When I'm in a cutting phase trying to drop weight, it works great—that's usually when I reach for it. It provides a solid energy boost and acts as a thermogenic. The catch is the tolerance; you'll feel the kick hard the first few times, but after that, even if you bump up the dose (which is mandatory), that initial rush disappears. Occasionally, I'll take it when work or life gets exhausting just to get myself dialed in before a workout.

slydriver52 said:We’re talking about protein here.
I’ve used Jack3d before, but you didn't specify what exactly you're looking for. If you're in a cutting phase trying to drop some weight, it’s actually great—that's pretty much when I stick to it. It gives you a solid energy kick and acts as a thermogenic. The catch is that you’ll really feel it during those first few times you take it. After that, even if you bump up the dose (which is mandatory, though don't go more than 10g over), that "kick" starts to fade. Sometimes I'll grab it when I'm totally wiped from work and other life stuff just to get myself revved up before hitting the gym.

It sounds like it works as a pre-workout booster, which is exactly what I'm after. I have a leaner build, so I'm not really worried about weight loss; I just want something that provides a noticeable energy surge without heavy side effects. I tried guarana before, but it didn't do anything for my energy levels and gave me some nasty side effects, so I quit. I'm wondering if Jack3d is actually what I need.☕

Is there any chance my protein powder has gone bad if it’s been sitting out in a hot spot all summer long? 😁

I might have been a bit careless—if you can call it that—and now that I've started mixing my shakes again, they have this... peculiar scent. Almost sort of sour?

Adam Hernandez8 said:Is there any chance the protein goes bad if it sits out in a hot spot all summer? 😁

I was being a bit careless, I guess. Now that I've started mixing my shakes again, they have this weird smell... kind of sour.

Toss that crap in the trash before you end up with a legendary case of food poisoning. ☕

Ronald Cox96 said:Just toss that thing in the trash before you end up dealing with a total gastrointestinal disaster. Honestly—why take the risk? ☕

Don't even go there—don't you dare say that to me. 😢
God, everything is just falling apart—it's gone. $133 Absolute garbage...

hiddenlynx21 said:I just ordered some L-carnitine, so we'll see how much it actually helps. I've set a goal of losing at least 5-8 kg over the next two months... whether that's realistic remains to be seen! If I see progress, I'll post back here with my experience and recommendations!!

Look, I can give you my take on this. I dropped 18 lbs in about two and a half months, working out three times a week.
About an hour before training, I’d take some L-carnitine. Spent the first hour doing cardio—running or the elliptical—then followed up with 45 minutes of weights and machines (my buddy put the program together). After the workout, I'd have my Protein shake.

Breakfast was mandatory every morning—either cereal or toast with turkey or chicken deli meat.
Lunch: I made sure to eat at least two full meals a week, loaded with veggies and salad plus various meats (just nothing fried). In the afternoon, I'd grab a bio-active supplement and an apple.
Dinner was either something light or a Muscletech gainer, which is basically an 85% protein meal replacement used instead of grabbing a sandwich.

I completely cut out white bread, pastries, puff pastry, mayo, fast food, Coke, beer, all that junk.

I went from 229 lbs down to 211 lbs (I'm 6'4"). I haven't done anything for a month because it's summer, people are drinking, eating out, etc., so I gained about 2 lbs back.
Now I'm starting a new cycle. Goal is to hit 202 lbs.

It's tough at the start, but once you get moving, you feel a hundred times better and it just becomes second nature.
My advice? Read as many posts on this thread as possible. I went from knowing absolutely nothing to lecturing people on how bananas have a high glycemic index but are great for potassium. 😁😁

slyrider7 said:Look, I can tell you exactly how it went for me. I dropped about 18 pounds in just two and a half months by hitting the gym three times a week.
An hour before my workout, I’d take some L-carnitine, start with an hour of cardio—running or using the elliptical—and then follow that up with 45 minutes of weights and machines (my buddy put the plan together for me). After the session, I’d just toss back some Protein.

Breakfast was non-negotiable every morning—either some cereal or toast with turkey or chicken breast slices.
For lunch: I made sure to eat at least two full meals a week where I actually used a fork and knife, plus tons of veggies and salads along with various meats (just nothing fried!). In the afternoons, I’d grab a probiotic supplement and an apple.
Dinner was usually something light, or maybe an Inkos Muscle Gainer with 85% protein... it works great as a meal replacement instead of grabbing a sandwich.

I completely cut out white bread, pastries, puff pastry, mayo, fast food, Coke, beer, and all that stuff.

I went from 230 lbs down to 211 lbs (I'm about 6'4"), and since I haven't been training lately—summer happened, people are drinking and eating more...—I actually gained a couple of pounds back.
Now, I'm starting a new cycle. My goal is to hit 203 lbs.

It’s tough at first, but once you get moving, you feel a hundred times better... you just start doing it naturally!
My advice? Read as many posts on this topic as you can online. I went from knowing absolutely nothing to lecturing people about how bananas have a high glycemic index but are still an awesome source of potassium! 😁😁

Everything sounds good, but you definitely need to swap those two things around. Hit the weights first, then do the cardio. You want to give your absolute max during the lifting portion while your glycogen levels are still high. Then, after the weights, move into aerobic training—but don't go over 45 minutes, because that's not great for your muscles. Keep the post-weight cardio at a low intensity. Finally, after everything is done, go with Protein + dextrose mixed with water, not milk, just so the absorption is faster! 👍

Why bother with dextrose if Protein is enough (is it?) for muscle recovery?
I’ve messed up my training routine a few times before, and my muscles end up incredibly sore, especially after running. 😳
If I hit the weights first, should I take L-carnitine about 10 minutes before that, given I don't start cardio for another hour?
Thanks for the advice and input. 🙂
(Maybe this is the wrong thread since we're mostly talking about proteins here.) 🙂

Hey,

What else should I be taking besides Protein if I'm trying to pack on muscle? I'm hitting the gym 4-5 days a week for heavy lifting.

Steven Lopez35 said:Hey there!

Besides just basic Protein powder, what else would you suggest for someone trying to pack on some muscle mass? I'm hitting the gym for weight training about 4 or 5 days a week...

Why would you even want to avoid Protein?? It won't do much for you unless your diet is totally dialed in first (think chicken, eggs, tuna, fish, lean meats, oats, etc.—basically 5 or 6 solid meals a day)

Steven Lopez35 said:Hey there,

besides Protein, what else would you recommend for someone looking to pack on some muscle who hits the gym for weight training 4-5 times a day?

First piece of advice: don't go to the gym 4-5 times a day (unless you're just going there to watch others train).

It’s pretty clear he just misspoke and meant per week, so I don't really see why everyone is getting so worked up over such a minor detail. 🙂

If you’re looking at what to consume immediately following a workout, perhaps some chocolate milk might be a good 🤷

Look, I’m not avoiding Protein, I actually want to buy him some extra stuff to boost the results.

Also, my bad, I've been hitting it 4-5 times a week 🙂)

Creatine? Mass gainer? I don't know 🙏

If you guys have experience, weigh in!

Steven Lopez35 said:Hey there,

besides just sticking to Protein, what else would you guys suggest for someone trying to pack on some serious muscle? I'm hitting the gym about 4 or 5 days a week for heavy lifting sessions.

Food,
in huge amounts!

-Joe

briskjackal5 said:Food
In huge quantities

-Joe

Sure

but what other supplements could actually help him out?

Count me in! I'm doing the same thing—hitting it hard at home for about an hour every single day following those Jillian Michaels workouts, so I totally get where you're coming from. Honestly, if you're putting in that kind of work daily, adding some protein to the mix is a total game changer for recovery. It makes such a massive difference. As for what to grab, you can't go wrong with the classics like Optimum Nutrition or maybe some Dymatize if you want to switch things up. Personally, I’ve always leaned toward the heavy hitters like Muscletech too. If you're looking for a spot to pick some stuff up, just head over to a GNC or even a Vitamin Shoppe—they usually have everything stocked up and ready to go. Good luck with the grind!
Thanks a million!

Seriously, stop buying protein in those tiny little tubs. You can find it online for nearly half the price if you actually look. It’s cheaper in Mexico, so people just grab it there and flip it here. If you're interested, just shoot me a DM...

http://www.amazon.com/s?k=protein+supplements

Which of these is actually worth buying?