Best protein powders for muscle gain?

There’s actually a manufacturer out there that avoids using aspartame altogether—Optimum Nutrition, for instance. If you take a look at their specs, you'll see they offer a massive variety of options. Honestly, though, trying to dodge aspartame is a losing battle; you're consuming it in almost every diet product out there, even in things like Mars, Inc. gum. It’s incredibly difficult to cut it out of your diet entirely.

wearyotter81 said:I haven't been keeping up—did you already mention which protein you're drinking?

Give Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard a shot—you won't even realize it's mixed with water. It's honestly delicious. 👍

Yeah, I mentioned that I drink Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Rich Chocolate... 🙂 I also asked if you’d tried any flavors besides chocolate, but you didn't get back to me on that... 🥳

rapiddriver11 said:Yeah, I definitely mentioned that I’ve been sticking with the Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Rich Chocolate... 🙂 And I also asked you if you’d actually tried any flavors besides chocolate, but you totally dodged the question! So, come on, give me the scoop—is there anything else worth grabbing? 🥳

Oh man, my bad! So sorry about that! 🙈 Wait, did I miss that? I must have totally overlooked it! 🤷

Kaaaj, how is your chocolate shake with water not turning out right? Seriously, how much water are you even adding? For me, I just do about 3/4 of a cup per scoop.

I’ve been rotating through a few different flavors lately—besides the chocolate, I also tried Smooth banana, Vanilla, and Berry Blast—but honestly? The Smooth banana is hands down the winner! It is just so incredibly good. Like, seriously, where has this been all my life?! 😍
Ugh, bummer! I missed out on my usual flavor last time I stocked up, so now I’m stuck settling for chocolate. Don't get me wrong, I’m not some total chocolate fanatic or anything—it's fine—but honestly? It’s still lightyears better than that absolute garbage from MusclePharm I’ve been trying to finish. Seriously, how is that bag still not empty? It's like a bottomless pit of disappointment! 😠

I stick strictly to Inkospor's Smooth banana. It's honestly top-tier.

Hey there! So, I was just thinking—maybe I should just grab that banana while I wait for my shipment from Optimum Nutrition to arrive. It’s a bit pricier than I’d like, which is the only thing really bugging me about it.

wearyotter81 said:Hey there! I'm actually thinking about picking up that Smooth banana flavor while waiting for my Optimum Nutrition shipment to arrive. It’s a bit pricier, which is the only thing holding me back.

How much are you paying for Dy? Inko is $47, but it's definitely worth it. How's the packaging on the Dy? Honestly, I once bought some creatine from Biotech at a little corner shop near Basque (I think it was the one by Stjepan Radica); anyway, I get home, pop the lid, and realize there's no safety seal. 😲 Who knows what could have been inside or how long it had been sitting there. With Inko, at least you know you're getting the real deal.

Oh my gosh, I totally spaced out! I was thinking about EAS, not Inkospor (which is way pricier than Dy) Ufuf, maybe I just didn't eat enough carbs today. Undo 😬

Dy comes in a standard tub with the foil seal on top. So your serving size is $47 for that 500g bag, right? Helix? Dy is available at Helix too.

wearyotter81 said:Man, I totally spaced out there. I was thinking about EAS instead of Inkospor (which is pricier than Dy) Ufuf, maybe I just didn't get enough carbs today. Undo 😬

Dy comes in a standard tub with the foil seal on top. Is your serving size $47 for that 500g bag? Helix? You can find Dy at Helix too.

$47 Yeah, for 500g.

I'm going to try it tomorrow after my workout—I'll use as little water as possible (just a couple of ounces) and see how it goes...
I’ve only tried the chocolate flavor myself. I actually just picked up a massive Optimum Nutrition tub after finishing off a smaller one—I don't know, that chocolate flavor is great. At first, while I was getting used to it, I thought it was way too sweet when you add a scoop of glucose, but now 🙂...
Anyway, I'll give the water a shot. If it tastes terrible, I'm going back to milk. I know I won't get the absolute maximum results that way, but whatever... maybe someone is just sneaking baking powder into that MusclePharm stuff. 😉

I honestly never touch whey protein, whether it’s chocolate or vanilla, because that weirdly "milky" aftertaste just drives me crazy. If you're mixing it with water, you're much better off grabbing a fruit flavor instead—it doesn't hit you quite as hard.

Mixed it with water!!! 🙂
I think I finally figured out why I hated mixing it with water at first—I used cold water and it was just a disaster.. 🤔 Now I've tried using lukewarm water instead, and it's almost like having it with milk, just a bit thinner... 🥳

velvetraven said:Some manufacturers don't use aspartame (Optimum Nutrition). If you check the labels, there’s actually quite a wide variety out there. Besides, you're probably eating or drinking aspartame in most diet products and even in Mars, Inc. gum—so cutting it out of your diet entirely is easier said than done.

Right, though besides those gums, I noticed it's in all the Orbit ones too—just happened to look up the ingredients.
But... what kind of price range are we talking about for that Optimum Nutrition protein?
I've been using Inkospor lately, and while people say it isn't exactly cheap (500g/ $46), if it really is that high quality, maybe it's worth it—especially if I just mix it with dextrose after my workouts.😛 .. So, if anyone has a better suggestion, feel free to chime in—thanks.😉

rapiddriver11 said:I mixed it with water!!! 🙂
And I think I finally figured out why it tasted so revolting the first time—turns out I used ice-cold water, which was an absolute disaster... 🤔 Now that I've switched to lukewarm water, it’s almost like drinking milk, just a bit thinner... 🥳

I realized the same thing early on, and now I'm going through my supply like crazy 🙂

I thought I should weigh in on this discussion as well... personally, I consume a serving of Optimum Nutrition protein about 45 minutes prior to my workout sessions, followed by another serving immediately afterward, and on days when I am not heading to the gym, I typically have a shake before retiring for the night. My training schedule generally consists of three sessions per week, though occasionally I might train every other day, or perhaps two days in a row followed by a two-day rest period, depending entirely upon my availability and various professional obligations... To be perfectly honest, I find myself somewhat perplexed by this frequent mention of glucose among the members here, as no one has ever seen fit to suggest it to me until now. Since I transitioned from merely consuming protein after my workouts to incorporating it beforehand as well, I have certainly begun to notice tangible results, feeling as though I possess significantly more strength and vitality during my lifting sessions... I would be most interested to hear your thoughts regarding this specific choice of protein—which seems to be quite highly regarded by everyone at my local gym—as well as my current timing and consumption methods.

Protein is great. There's an old saying that basically goes, "you get what you pay for" when it comes to whey. If your budget allows for it, honestly, go ahead and have some both in the morning and right before you hit the gym. Also, definitely toss some glucose into your PWM after your workout. It’s incredibly useful and practically costs nothing.
Just don't bother with whey at night—even if that Weider stuff isn't 100% pure whey, most of it still works that way—because it digests way too fast. For your nighttime snack, stick to cottage cheese. I've said it a thousand times, but it takes hours to break down, unlike whey which disappears in minutes.

Jesse Martinez23 said:Yeah, well—besides those specific brands, Orbit stuff has it too; I happened to glance at the labels earlier.
but anyway... what kind of price range are we actually looking at for that Optimum Nutrition protein?
I personally stick to Inkospor—and sure, people say it isn't exactly budget-friendly (500g for $46)—but if the quality is truly that high, I figure it’s worth the investment if I just toss it with some dextrose right after my workout😛 .. so, if you have a better suggestion, lay it on me—thanks.😉

Mars, Inc. is the company behind Orbit, Extra, Hubba Bubba, and Winterfresh. 😁 And yeah, all of them contain aspartame.

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard runs about $83 for 900 grams, or maybe around 500 for 2.5kg (check the exact numbers over at www.supplementstore.com/www.proteinwarehouse.com). Honestly, I was thinking about giving Inkospor a shot once I burn through my current stash of Optimum Nutrition, since most of the guys on this forum swear by it—so let's see how it plays out...

Roger Richardson61 said:Protein supplementation is certainly beneficial. As a general rule, one might say that "the quality of your whey is directly proportional to the size of your budget." If you aren't concerned about the expense, consuming it both in the morning and prior to your training sessions is advisable. Furthermore, I would strongly suggest adding glucose to your PWM strictly after your workout; it provides significant utility and is remarkably inexpensive...
Regarding your evening routine, I wouldn't recommend whey protein—even though that specific brand isn't pure whey, its primary component remains the same—because it digests far too quickly in the stomach. Instead, I have mentioned countless times that cottage cheese is the superior choice for nighttime, as it requires hours rather than minutes to break down...

Thanks for the advice; I will definitely give the glucose a try since I have nothing to lose and it really is quite cheap. As for the cottage cheese, I'll have to see about that, because until I reach a Big Mac menu level of physique, I'll just keep washing my meals down with a glass of protein 🙂🙂😂 and call that true fitness 👍

I find myself contemplating another rather significant question regarding our nutritional protocols: is it actually beneficial to periodically cease protein supplementation to allow the body to "reset" or "purify" itself, and if so, what would be the appropriate duration for such a hiatus? My own intuition suggests that there shouldn't be any direct harmful consequences from continuous use, yet I cannot help but wonder if we might be placing an undue burden on the kidneys or the liver beyond what is strictly necessary... perhaps there is some merit to stepping back occasionally?

Hey,

I’ve been scrolling through the last few pages of this thread, and honestly, my best advice is to go hunt for answers on a dedicated fitness forum. If you head over to a specialized community site, they’ll have detailed breakdowns of everything you're struggling with—just make sure you read the FAQ first so you actually understand the answers. Most of you guys are flying blind here; it would be a massive help if you at least learned the basics of nutrition, training, and recovery (it's all in the FAQ).

Regarding supplements: they matter, but they aren't the holy grail. Supplements are just that—additions. Their whole purpose is to fill in the gaps when you can't get enough nutrients from your regular food (for example, athletes need more vitamins and minerals than the average person because their bodies burn through them faster, so they take stronger multivitamins; the same logic applies to protein, etc.).

For your average gym-goer, it’s plenty to just balance your diet based on your goals (bulking, cutting, whatever). Also, keep in mind that body types vary. What works for one guy won't work for everyone else. The trick is finding what works for YOU. And obviously, you have to fit it into your actual life—you aren't going to hit the gym seven days a week if you're working a 12-hour shift in construction.

Maybe the most important tip: find something you actually enjoy doing, something that makes you look forward to the next session. For some, it's lifting; for others, it's cycling...

And to answer the question:

Is it good to stop taking protein occasionally to let the body "cleanse," and after how long? I don't think there are any harmful side effects, though maybe it puts a bit more strain on the kidneys or liver than usual?

Protein is one of the three essential macronutrients found in basically every food (though some amounts are negligible), so you can't really avoid it. Plus, it's the only macronutrient that your body doesn't store like fat or carbs (which turn into glucose). I'm assuming you're mostly asking about protein shakes... generally, a high-protein diet isn't recommended for people with kidney issues (and we're talking total protein intake from all sources, not just the powder), but if your kidneys are healthy, feel free to take it every single day without a break. One thing I'd definitely recommend alongside a high-protein diet is drinking tons of water—that's solid advice for anyone, really—because it basically flushes your system. I'd also add that you need enough fiber (like veggies, say green salad), because anyone who has tried a high-protein diet with zero fiber knows the struggle in the bathroom, haha.

That's all from me. Good luck hitting those goals, everyone. 🙂

Quick question for those of you currently using whey from brands like Optimum Nutrition or Dymatize—specifically the guys like Ethan Garcia8 or Jesse Martinez23—are you opting for the Protein 95 blend or sticking strictly to the standard whey protein? The price point and packaging seem identical to me, but there’s a noticeable gap when you look at the actual protein concentration, the carb count, and the fat content per serving. I'm trying to weigh if that extra density is worth it.