Best protein powders for muscle gain?

nimbleskipper89 said:..from what I can tell, that's just a concentrate and it’s pricey $43. Personally, when I hit the gym, I grab a 500g tub of whey ISOLATE for $45 with 40g of glutamine (it's an Optimum Nutrition brand), and honestly, those two products are worlds apart in terms of quality

Bradley Wilson11 said:No offense intended... but it's garbage.

My advice? Just stay away from Biotech for just about everything. ☕

Alright, thanks for the heads up!

I just wanted to get your take on this:

It’s actually pretty solid. My only real gripe is that the vanilla version gets a bit too frothy compared to the chocolate one, but I haven't had a chance to try any of the other flavors yet...

velvetgardener5 said:Alright, thanks!

Just wondering what you guys think about this:

I've actually been drinking this exact stuff for three weeks now...

NBA is solid. The price isn't crazy, and the quality? Unquestionable. I remember reading online way back around 2007 that they actually released their product testing results to the public. They were spot on—no deviations from what’s listed on the label. Most other brands won't show you a damn thing, and if I recall correctly, people were saying the same about Dymatize... yeah, let's just say they actually deliver.

Anyway, NBA Pro Whey is great. So far, I've tried banana and it's good. Tried cookies too; wasn't my favorite at first, but I got used to it. I'm actually heading out tomorrow to grab a kilo of the chocolate peanut butter flavor. I heard it tastes amazing.

I've got the chocolate peanut butter one, and honestly... it's not bad. I just mix it with water and it doesn't taste gross at all😉

but I have a question................ everyone keeps saying that Apple isn't anything special.................. but this box here says it's from Apple right under the NBA logo

so is it actually Apple or what?🤷

Henry Evans3 said:I've got the Choco peanut butter, and yeah... it's actually decent. I just mix it with water and it doesn't taste half bad.😉

But I have a question... everyone keeps saying Apple isn't anything special... yet this box right under the NBA logo looks like it's from them.

Is it actually from Apple or what?🤷

Oh yeah, I noticed that too a while back and meant to ask, but it totally slipped my mind.

From what I've read, it's not from Apple. In my opinion, they're just a distributor. Their first page basically claims they have their own labs in Canada, their own farms... whatever. Basically, they claim everything is theirs.

The NBA does a hell of a job with their marketing—it’s almost impressive how they manage to imply that anything else isn't worth your time. They play a dirty game, honestly, and it seems to work perfectly fine here because, frankly, most people haven't been given the full story yet.

NBA Apple would probably be pretty much the same thing as NBA nutrition, so I assume that label after the name—whether it's nutrition or biotech—just depends on whatever the manufacturer decides to put there, at least in my opinion...

Henry Evans3 said:Is this an Apple thing now, or what?🤷

I asked on another forum, and honestly, it has nothing to do with this company, Apple. This one is Canadian, while that other one is Canadian. The only thing they share is the "NBA" sub-brand.

nimbleskipper89 said:The NBA sure knows how to market themselves, don't they? They’ve mastered the art of making it seem like nothing else even exists. They play dirty, too, but apparently, that works just fine here because people still aren't informed enough to notice.

I have no idea where you're getting that from—this idea that they claim to be the absolute best while everything else is garbage. I’ve actually got their brochures sitting right here at home, and I’ve spent time scrolling through their website too. Not once did I see anything like that. Where is this coming from?
Every company has its own little hype squad to push their brand. Honestly, all I’ve seen them do is claim they're the only ones actually being transparent by releasing their product testing results to the public. It isn't even a direct shot at anyone else, really. Besides, they don't exactly go overboard with the flashy ads.

I’m planning on picking up a tub of whey isolate, but I could really use some advice—there are honestly so many brands out there, and it feels like every single one claims to be the gold standard.
In your experience, which whey isolate actually gives you the most bang for your buck? Don't just tell me what you personally use—I'd love to hear about the ones you've heard great things about from others.
thanks

p.s. I'll probably dig through this thread a bit more myself, but I'd really appreciate some specific recommendations from you guys.

Tyler Carter93 said:I suppose I might end up picking up a tub of whey isolate soon. I was wondering if anyone might be able to suggest what I should perhaps look into getting.There seems to be an overwhelming number of manufacturers out there, and I suppose they all claim to be the absolute best in their field.
I suppose I wonder which whey isolate you all think offers the best value for the money. I’m not necessarily asking about the specific brands you personally use, but rather which ones you have heard might be the most cost-effective choice.
Thank you.

P.S. I think I’ll spend some time digging through this thread again, though I suppose I would really appreciate it if someone could provide me with a more specific answer.

My current stash, I suppose. 🙏
If you have enough room in your budget, I suppose you could go with one of these two options marked by the arrows. I don't necessarily recommend them based on my own personal experience, though; rather, I am suggesting them simply because they come highly recommended by others. 😉 I suppose NBA products could work too. I am not quite sure about the more budget-friendly options yet, though I might look into them once my finances are a bit more stable. 🤷

I suppose if I were in your shoes, I might suggest that you bypass that Intel option right in the middle when you're making your selection.

There isn't much point overthinking it; whey is whey, and isolate is isolate. You aren't going to make a life-altering mistake just by picking any random brand.

Just focus on what actually matters to you. For me, when I'm buying whey, the first thing I check is whether it contains soy. That’s my main rule. Most brands don't use soy proteins anyway—maybe American Muscle does, which might be crap—but I never even bother looking at those two brands.

So, practically speaking, the main thing I look at is the price. Why would I pay $67 for 500g of Gold's Gym whey if I could get 1kg of an NBA brand like Dymatize for the same amount?
Second, I look at how well it dissolves. If I accidentally buy a whey that foams up too much or leaves clumps, I'll still drink it, but I'm never buying it again.
Third is the flavor, though honestly, most brands have decent flavors these days.

I've been sticking with NBA Pro Whey for a while now because it checks all my boxes.$68 It's affordable—especially when I'm hunting for discounts on fitness forums, I can snag a kilo for $53. The solubility is great, it doesn't foam, and the flavors are solid. It's also worth noting there's 23g of protein per scoop.

Alex Long8 It seems like you might have forgotten to include the text you wanted me to rewrite. Please provide the original post, and I will get to work on crafting it into a fresh, Americanized version while maintaining that specific, measured tone.
I suppose there isn't much point in overthinking it all; at the end of the day, whey is just whey, and isolate is just isolate. You probably won't go wrong regardless of which brand you decide to pick up.

I suppose it all comes down to what you personally prioritize most. For me, when I'm picking out a new whey protein, my absolute first step is checking to make sure there isn't any soy included; that feels like a primary necessity to me. Most brands don't really use soy proteins anyway, though I think American Muscle might, but I honestly never even bother looking at their stuff because of that.

I suppose, if I’m being honest, what I'm really focusing on is the price point, which would probably be my main deciding factor. $67 If I could somehow get a full kilogram of NBA or Dymatize for the same price as 500 grams of Gold's Gym, I suppose that would be a pretty incredible deal.
I suppose my other main concern would be how easily it digests. If I happen to pick up a whey protein that foams up way too much or leaves me with annoying clumps, I might still finish the shake just to not let it go to waste, but I probably wouldn't buy that specific brand ever again.
The third factor I tend to consider is the flavor profile, though I suppose most brands nowadays seem to have mastered that part pretty well.

I've been using NBA Pro Whey for quite some time now, and I suppose it really does meet all my requirements. $68 I suppose if I ever manage to snag a discount through one of those fitness forums again, I might actually be able to put on a few pounds. $53The mixability is actually quite impressive, and I noticed there isn't much foam when you stir it, which is nice. The flavors seem pretty solid too, I guess. It might be worth mentioning that you're getting about 23 grams of protein per serving.

I suppose one might say that Gold's Gym premium whey is quite a reliable choice, though I guess it really depends on what you're looking for. $47I suppose that would be roughly five hundred grams per unit, if I'm calculating that correctly. 😁 Personally, when I'm picking out a whey protein, I don't find solubility to be a huge deal since a blender usually handles that, and flavor isn't my main priority either. I suppose a better taste might just mean there's a higher concentration of aspartame, sucralose, or ace-K in there. If it weren't so much more expensive than the sweetened options, I think I would probably prefer buying a plain, unflavored whey. But, I guess that’s just how it goes.

I was wondering if you could perhaps explain to me how one actually goes about securing that discount on protein through this forum? 🙂

Christian Harris2 said:What exactly is Gold's Gym premium whey? $47$10 per 500g. Is that supposed to be a joke? 😁 Honestly, when I’m buying whey, I don't really care about how well it dissolves—I have a blender for that—and flavor isn't a huge deal for me either. Does better flavor actually mean they just pumped it full of more aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium? Probably. Personally, I'd much rather grab a neutral-flavored whey, provided it isn't priced way higher than the sweetened stuff. But hey, what can you do?

So, you're actually asking me how to score that protein discount on this forum? How does one even work that magic? 🙂

So, when you're picking up some NBA protein at Nike, if you grab more than... $833 You get a 20% discount, then once a month the whole squad meets up on the forum to grab whatever they need. Everyone piles their orders onto one single account and just calls it a day. Simple, right? $833 Everyone gets a discount on their own terms, I guess. It was my first time ordering from them, so I just grabbed a bag of Optimum Nutrition whey and a bag of casein to get started. $120 It would set me back about $460. I haven't bothered checking what other brands are sitting on the shelves at different stores, though.

You only show up when it suits you to grab the goods. I swung by this morning, mentioned I was from the forum, and the guy just handed me a discount without any hassle. Honestly, it felt a little sketchy—like anyone could just walk in and score whenever they want. If you guys are part of that regular crew constantly placing orders, maybe give them a heads-up so they know when to expect us.

Alex Long8 said:if you buy NBA proteins at Nike and order through $833, you get a 20% discount; also, once a month, a group from this forum gets together where everyone buys what they need, but everything goes through one account via $833, so everyone ends up getting their own discount. I actually joined them for the first time recently and picked up 1kg of whey and 1kg of casein for $120, which normally would have cost me $460—though I haven't really looked into what other companies in different stores might be charging

you just show up whenever you want to pick things up; I went by this morning and mentioned I was from the bodybuilding forums, and the guy gave me the discount without any hassle, which felt a little strange to me since it seems like you could do that all the time. I suppose if anyone else from those regular ordering groups is seeing this, maybe you could let them know when you guys plan on heading down there next

Well... I'm not based in Washington, D.C., so pulling off a trick like that would probably be quite a bit more complicated down here in Miami. 🙄

Thanks for the reply, though. 🙏

EDIT: Oh, and if I could ask one more thing, when Nike says that orders over $133 qualify for free shipping... I guess I wonder if there is some sort of catch or hidden fee that somehow results in an extra charge being added on anyway?

Christian Harris2 said:

Here’s what I’ve got on hand right now. 🙏
If you’ve got the budget for it, go with one of these two—the ones I marked with arrows. Honestly, I don't suggest them because they're my personal favorites, but rather because they come highly recommended by the pros. 😉 You could also look into some NBA-level stuff. For the cheaper options, I'm not entirely sure—I'll probably dig into those once I'm not so strapped for cash. 🤷

And if I were you, I'd steer clear of that Intel option in the middle when you're shopping around.

Thanks a lot, guys, both of you.
I think I'm going to go with the Dymatize—I already know where to pick it up and the price looks pretty decent.

Wait, what brand is that one on the left?

Christian Harris2 said:Well.. I'm not from Washington, D.C., so pulling a stunt like that would be way harder to pull off in Miami. 🙄

Thanks for the reply, though. 🙏

EDIT: Oh, one more thing—when they say at Nike that orders over $133 get free shipping... is there usually some catch? Like, some hidden fee they slap on you for no reason?

No clue. Honestly, I don't really like ordering stuff online anyway. I'd rather just head down to the store and buy it in person. That's why I never touch web shops....

I picked up a protein bar and some scented boric acid from Nike🤣 while I was grabbing my NBA protein🙂

Tyler Carter93 said:I really appreciate it, guys, both of you.

That shouldn't be an issue at all, I suppose. 👍

Jonathan Miller7 said:I wonder which brand that one on the left happens to be, I guess.

I suppose I’ve been leaning toward Optimum Nutrition lately, though I'm never entirely certain if it's the absolute best choice for everyone. Regarding the Optimum Nutrition formula, I believe that the little logo you see right near the top of the left arrow is actually the official branding for that company. 🙂 I guess this whey is actually quite good. I would probably recommend it to anyone looking for something reliable.

Alex Long8 said:I honestly have no idea, though I suppose I don't really care to order things online like that much anyway. I've always preferred just heading down to the store and picking things up in person, so I guess that's why I rarely ever use web shops.

I was actually asking because just a few weeks ago, I ordered those three items shown in the photo from Amazon in Austria, and I went ahead with the payment. $370I suppose I should have seen that coming, though I truly expected something else. $100 I might be underestimating the total cost, as I seem to have forgotten to account for shipping, customs, taxes, and all those other little extra fees. 🙄But honestly... I suppose it’s still more cost-effective than what we end up paying here in the States.

Henry Evans3 said:I received a protein bar and some scented boric acid from Nike.🤣 I suppose I ended up picking up some NBA protein.🙂

I believe my order arrived with a shaker and a water bottle for cycling. 🙏😂