Best protein powders for muscle gain?

🤣🤣🤣
I haven't even shared my meal plan yet, but somehow you guys have already torn it to shreds...😂

I just finished a protein shake... I think I realized that using really cold water actually makes the Optimum Nutrition taste way better.😍

Amy Morris36 said:🤣🤣🤣
I haven't even shared my meal plan yet, and somehow it feels like everyone has already picked it apart...😂

I just finished a protein shake, and I've realized that using ice-cold water actually makes the flavor much smoother, almost like a refreshing chilled drink.😍

It wasn't really your diet people were criticizing, but rather those comments about hormones and all that—it felt a bit like discussing the weather when you're trying to talk about the storm.

Honestly, try mixing it with some milk instead; it’ll taste much richer and provide a better nutritional profile.

rustyowl4 said:Look, we weren't really trashing your meal plan itself, just that whole thing you said about hormones and whatever... I mean, it all sounds a bit silly in the end, doesn't it?

I guess you could just mix it with some milk, it might actually taste better that way, and maybe be a little healthier too...

The smell of milk alone is enough to make me nauseous...
What I'm telling you regarding hormones and antibiotics in meat isn't just nonsense...
Unfortunately...

So, what's your typical diet look like?

I personally stick to unflavored protein from Optimum Nutrition.
All those artificial strawberry, chocolate, or vanilla flavors, combined with sucralose and aspartame, are what trigger stomach issues.
Pure protein doesn't cause that reaction; it's all the additives.
I've had people tell me they got diarrhea after drinking certain brands—usually Scitecs—while those using pure whey don't have any digestive problems and can shake up a serving multiple times a day.

Secondly, there's the difference between concentrate and isolate; the former digests in about an hour, while the latter takes closer to two.
As for which is better, if you want isolate, I guess follow Ronnie Coleman's lead, though I highly doubt he actually drinks it. Besides, Arnold used concentrate back in the day. Isolate wasn't even really a thing then.
Concentrate is actually much better because, unlike isolate, it contains more fractions and biologically active proteins—substances like glutathione that support the immune system and act as some of the strongest antioxidants available.
It's also more beneficial if you're sipping on whey throughout the day, as it breaks down in just an hour or so.
You can tell a high-quality concentrate today by how well it dissolves in water; it shouldn't leave many clumps behind.

So, my recommendation for this girl is to go with the unflavored version, then just toss in some strawberries or other fruit and a bit of honey.

There's no need to mix whey with milk.
The same goes for canned tuna. I've avoided it for a long time now—it's too salty, and I'd much rather buy a fresh fillet from the Mediterranean Sea. I honestly don't get why people pay so much for such a tiny amount of fish in a can; it's a negligible amount of protein compared to the cost.

Maybe I'm out of the loop here, but since when did we start mixing protein with milk?

Actually, since when was protein even more effective with milk instead of water?

driftingtinker7 said:Maybe I'm out of the loop here, but since when did we start mixing protein with milk?

Actually—since when was protein actually better with milk than with water?

Milk is a whole food—it’s got sugars, fats, proteins, and a whole stack of vitamins and minerals.
Shakes can be made from just about anything, but whey is the standard, and it's just one of the proteins found in milk.

Look, if you mix pure whey with water, you're just hitting your system with protein. Your body still needs energy to function, so it ends up converting some of that protein into sugar just to meet immediate demands.
If you go with milk, the lactose and fats take over that job, plus you get those extra dairy proteins and nutrients in the mix.

You could always just drink it with water and toss in some added sugar—glucose or sucrose, for instance.

The bottom line is that you only really need that extra fuel if you're training hard and your body actually demands those higher quantities.
If you aren't training, nothing bad will happen—but you won't see any extra benefit either.

I thought I was replying to Amy Morris36.

Anyway, it really doesn't matter what you mix it with.

Sure, but from what I’ve read when I was looking into this, mixing whey with water and adding some glucose is actually better for post-workout. Since milk contains casein—that slow-digesting protein—it slows down absorption, and you really want that stuff hitting your system as fast as possible right after training.

This approach is specifically for post-workout; for any other meal, mixing whey with milk is fine.

That’s what I was told, though maybe I was just being fed a line.😁

driftingtinker7 said:Yeah, but from what I gathered when I was looking into this—whey mixed with water plus some glucose is better post-workout. Milk absorbs too slowly because of those proteins—casein, right?—and you want things moving fast right after training.

That's specifically for the post-workout window; for other meals, whey plus milk is fine.

That’s what I was told, anyway. Maybe they were just feeding me lines.😁

Exactly—it's the casein and the fat. That's what I heard, too.

Turns out the whole anabolic "window" isn't nearly as narrow as people used to claim. You don't strictly need fast-acting isolates like pure whey or rapid carbs like glucose to see results.

Here's a breakdown from last year that lists the actual studies and recommendations:
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/mus...-recovery.html
There's some solid reading on that site. Highly recommend it. 👍

Amy Morris36 said:I can't even stand the smell of milk...
What I’m telling you about hormones and antibiotics in meat isn't just some nonsense idea..
Unfortunately...

Look, you're totally obsessing over this specific whey protein. If you don't like it, fine—don't drink it. I don't get why we're making such a huge production out of this. You can't stomach milk? Great, stop drinking it. Now, what, are you going to write a whole manifesto every single time you have a shake just to report whether it was "good" or "bad"? Just eat three eggs instead of one protein shake. Or grab some deli meat. It's literally the same thing. Honestly, it drives me nuts when people start overthinking these tiny little things. Next thing you know, you'll be blaming hormones for your cellulite; apparently, nothing is ever quite right. Meanwhile, the rest of us aren't suddenly having issues with our steak, tuna, or chicken. 🙄

boldwalker9 said:I'd honestly rather just buy a pound of fresh fish straight from the Mediterranean Sea

Look, nobody actually knows which farm that stuff is coming from or what kind of junk they're feeding them to make them grow faster. You guys are all being naive. Everything you buy at the grocery store these days is loaded with chemicals because corporations care about profit margins, not whether the food is actually good for you. If you want something healthy, grow it yourself. You can't trust what's sitting on those shelves. It could be anything—whether it's canned tuna or that "fresh" catch supposedly from the Mediterranean Sea, it's all a gamble.

Amy Morris36 said:I can't even stand the smell of milk...
The points I'm making regarding hormones and antibiotics found in meat aren't just baseless theories...
Unfortunately, that's the reality...

True, I didn't claim they don't exist, but debating their actual harm feels like running in circles; if they were truly dangerous, would regulators really allow them to stay on store shelves?

driftingtinker7 said:Maybe I'm a bit out of the loop here, but since when did we start mixing protein shakes with milk?

And more importantly, since when is protein actually more beneficial when paired with milk rather than water?

For me, it's always been the way; if you want to follow those hardcore bodybuilders, feel free to mix yours with something much less appetizing...

In any case, it’s largely irrelevant to my life, as I’ve been training for nine months now without a single supplement or a strict diet plan, and I haven't run into a single issue....

-And by the way, I mentioned that to her because, given she's a woman with lower muscle mass, it might actually work in her favor to use milk to slow down absorption—otherwise, it might just pass through her system without being properly utilized (plus, it tastes better)...

🤣🤣🤣
You guys are all honestly so sweet...😍
Thanks for the advice...

Jonathan Miller7 said:Nobody actually knows which farm the fish comes from or what they’re pumping them full of. You guys are all being naive. Most food today is loaded with chemicals because companies prioritize profit margins over quality. If you want something truly healthy, grow it yourself. What you buy at the store could be anything—whether it's canned tuna or fish sourced from the Mediterranean Sea.

I usually stick to fresh mackerel from a local fish market near the Mediterranean Sea.
The meat is incredibly juicy and delicious when it's fresh; for me, canned tuna is just junk.
Sometimes I get sea bream; those are farmed, sure, but they still come from the Mediterranean Sea, which is relatively clean compared to the stuff coming out of Thailand.

Bottom line: I get more protein and better nutrition from a single fresh mackerel than I would from any of those cans.
I've tried those canned brands, and none of them are worth it.
As for StarKist tuna, I'm not entirely sure, but I think it's Spanish rather than local. It used to be decent—light fillets, maybe a little too salty—but the quality is totally inconsistent. One day you get light, good meat, and the next you get disgusting, dark red, smelly scraps near the head.
Rio Mare tuna is overpriced, and there’s so little in the can it’s barely enough for a kid; it all looks like shredded scraps.
The tune Maršić varieties are expensive as hell—it feels like there's gold in them.
The cheap, generic tuna is often packed with heavy metals from Thailand, or if you're lucky, it's from Spain.

uglavnom fuck tuna.

@boldwalker9/">@@boldwalker9

Everything actually worth buying costs an arm and a leg (and let's be real, I can't afford to work overtime every single day), and honestly, how much can we even trust the quality anyway? We're just regular folks stuck reading labels and crossing our fingers, hoping they aren't lying to us 😬

Listen, I need some answers here—please respond if you see this. HVALA!! I’m 17 years old and my main goal is putting on muscle mass. Right now, I’m sitting at about 163 lbs and 6'0". Since there isn't a gym anywhere near me, I'm pretty much stuck working out at home—doing push-ups, sit-ups, lifting weights, shoulder exercises, and so on. My question is: can I actually build significant muscle this way? I'm eating five meals a day and hitting a whey protein shake after my workouts. Also, is it okay for someone my age to be using whey given my training setup? Currently, I'm using Bio Essential protein—any advice on whether that's a good move or what else I should look for? Thanks a lot.

darkfox85 said:Man, if anyone sees this, please help. I'm 17 and my goal is to pack on muscle. I'm 183 cm and weigh 74 kg. Since there isn't a gym near me, I'm stuck working out at home—push-ups, sit-ups, dumbbells, shoulder exercises, stuff like that. Can I actually build muscle this way if I eat five meals a day and take whey protein after training? Also, is whey okay for someone my age and with this kind of routine? I'm using Bio Essentiall whey; any advice on that would be great. Thanks!

Look, you can't do much with just push-ups and sit-ups. Use whatever equipment you have at home...

...if you don't have anything, install a pull-up bar somewhere, grab some dumbbells, and honestly, it would be ideal if you could get a barbell. If you can do squats and deadlifts, you'll have a decent workout...

...as for the whey, go ahead and use it. No reason not to. Just take a scoop of whey and maybe a scoop of dextrose/glucose after your workout...

The main thing is putting together a solid program with quality movements. Deadlifts, squats, and pull-ups should be your bread and butter for growth. You might want to set up a bench too, unless you plan on doing everything on the floor.

Alex Long8 said:Look, if you're just doing push-ups and sit-ups, you aren't going to see much progress—tell me what kind of equipment you actually have at home...

...if you don't have anything, go install a pull-up bar somewhere, grab some dumbbells, and honestly—it would be ideal if you could get a long barbell so you can handle squats and deadlifts. That’s what constitutes a decent workout...

...you can definitely use whey; there’s no reason not to. Just take one scoop of whey and one scoop of dextrose/glucose after your training session...

The main thing is putting together a solid routine with high-quality movements. Deadlifts, squats, and pull-ups should be your bread and butter for growth. You also need to set up a bench press—either buy a bench or find a way to get it done...

I've only got some weights right now, but I'll definitely try to put something more together... Oh, and I'm not following this "scoop of dextrose/glucose" part—people keep telling me to have whey plus an apple after training... is that what you mean?

darkfox85 said:The only gear I have is some dumbbells, but I’ll definitely try to get more eventually. Also, what’s this "dextrose/glucose measurement" thing about? People keep telling me to take whey plus an apple after training... is that what you mean?

Look, if you're using whey, you could toss in some raisins or maybe some white bread. As for apples, I don't know. Some people claim bananas are bad, but my buddy who trains seriously says pros skip them while casual lifters can eat them just fine. It's basically the same debate as the glucose stuff—there's all this math about how many grams of glucose per kilo of whey you need, but honestly, that's just overthinking it for most people. If you're just hitting the gym for fun, just stick to your whey and some glucose. I haven't really looked into the science on apples, to be honest.

What actually works is what I just listed: raisins, white bread, or dextrose/glucose. You can buy glucose powder pretty cheap online; you can grab a couple of pounds for like $5.00 bucks... and as for bananas, well, it depends on who you ask.