Best protein powders for muscle gain?

Timothy Lopez34 said:I'm wondering if anyone knows about this manufacturer. I found some info on other forums, but it feels more like blatant advertising than an actual review. I'm torn between this brand and either Optimum Nutrition supplements or 100% whey.

Your indecision is a bit strange. You're basically choosing between Sci-mentor Mass Gainer 5000, Optimum Nutrition supplements, or just any random whey protein.

First, let's get things straight. The first two are gainers, right? And the third option is just any whey protein or what? Send a link.

It’s weird to be stuck between a gainer and whey. They aren't even the same thing. You need to decide if you want a gainer or whey first, then pick which specific one you want from that category.

I don't know how much you actually know about supplements... Look, I'm no expert, but I'll try to break it down. Gainers can be tricky because they are loaded with carbs. You'll put on weight fast, but is it muscle? Who knows. It's mostly just "pure sugar." On the other hand, whey is mostly pure protein—usually over 80%—with minimal carbs. Some even have extra BCAAs and glutamine added. You can look those up online; they're vital for muscle growth. To keep it simple: if you want to bulk up as fast as possible and don't care about the quality of the weight, go with a gainer. If you want high-quality muscle mass, stick to whey.

As for whey advice, I use Gold Standard Whey from NBA. Price-wise, it's not overpriced compared to brands like Wyder or Optimum, and it's great. They even have 2lb tubs for around $25. It's worth noting they don't use aspartame, which is good. The taste is fine, and it dissolves perfectly in water without that annoying foam you have to wait ten minutes to settle with other proteins. Plus, it has added BCAAs and glutamine. If I were ordering again, I'd probably wait a month to group an order with some guys from another forum to snag a 10-20% discount based on volume. Usually, when you spend decent money, you get a little something extra—sometimes a shirt, sometimes people have scored a bag of glutamine. Seriously, they're solid. Check out the supplement boards on bodybuilding.com; everyone seems to vouch for them.

Has anyone here actually tried the ProV60 from MuscleTech lately? I'm curious to hear what you guys think—how does it actually stack up against other proteins on the market?

Alex Long8 said:It feels a little weird to me how you're hesitating—like, choosing between Optimum Nutrition supplements or just some random whey.

First off, let's clear things up: those first two options are gainers, right? And the third one is just any whey protein or what? Give me a link.

The indecision between a gainer and whey strikes me as odd because they are two completely different beasts. You really have to decide if you want a gainer or whey first, and then you can start agonizing over which specific brand of that category you want.

I don't know how much you know about supplements... I mean, look, I'm no expert or anything, but I'll try to break it down... Gainers are tricky because they are loaded with carbohydrates. You'll definitely put on weight fast, but the question is how much of that is actually muscle mass, you know? Because it's basically what people call "pure sugar"... whereas with whey, it's mostly, like, over 80% pure protein with just a few carbs + some versions even have extra BCAAs and glutamine added in. There's tons of info on that online, go read up on it; those stuff are super important for muscle growth... Not to ramble too much, but here's my takeaway: if you want to bulk up as quickly and heavily as possible and you don't care how much of it is muscle, grab a gainer. But if you want to build quality muscle mass, definitely go with whey.

As for advice on whey, I personally take Gold Standard Whey from the NBA. Regarding the price, they aren't too expensive compared to others, like MuscleTech or Optimum, and they are great. They even have bulk sizes that cost around $35 or so. It's worth noting they don't contain aspartame, which is definitely bad for you. The flavor isn't bad, the solubility in water is excellent—none of that foam you have to wait 10 minutes for to settle like with some other proteins—and they have added BCAAs and glutamine. If I were to pick them and wanted to wait about a month before buying, I'd probably order with a group of guys from another forum because we might get a 10% to 20% discount depending on how much we buy together. It's worth mentioning you often get a little gift when you spend big money; sometimes a T-shirt, sometimes someone gets a pound of glutamine, seriously... I'm telling you, they are awesome, just check out the bodybuilding forums under NBA supplements and you'll see everyone raving about them.

I've started hitting the gym again after a year-long break, aiming to bulk up in a steady, controlled way. But I'm having trouble eating as much food as I used to, so I started thinking about protein supplements. This Gold Standard Whey looks good to me, but I'm not sure if I should use it every single day or just on training days. I only make it to the gym twice a week since I'm a high school senior dealing with final exams right now, so I'm wondering if I should drink this shake every day regardless of whether I worked out or not. Can you explain a bit? 🙂

And how effective is it actually for gaining weight? If that can be explained somehow. 😁

Whey - You need to be slamming this within 45 minutes of finishing your workout, meaning you should get it down as soon as you hit the locker room. And listen, don't overcomplicate it: drink it strictly post-workout and mix it with water, not milk. Seriously, I’m losing my mind here—how many times do we have to go over this same exact thing?

Jonathan Miller7 said:Whey - You take it within 45 minutes of finishing your workout, meaning basically right away once you're done. And you drink it strictly after training—only then—mixed with water, not milk. Honestly, I have to wonder how many times we've already covered this exact topic?

But why skip the milk if the label says it's an option and would actually bump up the calorie count?

Kenneth Martinez3 said:Why not just mix it with milk if they claim you can? It would definitely bump up the calorie count, right?

Look, you *can* mix it with milk, sure, but you're missing the whole point. The entire reason you buy whey protein is for fast absorption so it hits your muscles quickly. If you're just looking to jack up the calories, you aren't really using the product for what it was designed to do.

I drink my whey with water after training, mixed with some glucose—you know, that cheap stuff you find at CVS for a couple of bucks, some carb powder or whatever😁. If I don't have glucose, I'll just go with dried raisins or maybe a plain bagel. Personally, post-workout I'll throw in a scoop of whey along with two bagels from a local bakery for $0.67 or about 100 grams of raisins. I skip the pure glucose because I'm on Accutane for acne; I try to avoid extra junk, so cutting out that concentrated sugar seems like the smart move.

As for the whey itself... look, if you've got the cash, you can buy whatever you want.

For breakfast, I usually do this: oatmeal, low-fat milk, half a scoop of whey, and two boiled eggs.

And since I can't stand the thought of a "fasting" meal, for dinner I just make a shake: 250 grams of low-fat cottage cheese, half a scoop of whey, a bit of water, and hit it with a blender until it's like yogurt. It actually tastes pretty good.

At night, you really need a "slow" protein. In terms of food, cottage cheese is king, but for powders, you want casein. With that MusclePharm brand, it's thisslow release stuff. It's good to have that before bed.

But let's be real: you can't live off powders. Whey is mostly there to replace a meal right after training when your muscles need it most. It means you don't have to lug chicken breasts around the gym; you just shake up some powder, glucose, or whatever mix you prefer in some water, knock it back, and you're done.
Besides that one shake, you still need at least four solid, real meals a day.

Kenneth Martinez3 said:I’m back at the gym after a year off, trying to put on some decent weight in a controlled way. The issue is, I can't seem to eat nearly as much as I used to, so I've started looking into protein supplements. This Gold Standard Whey looks like a solid option, but I’m stuck on the timing. Do I need to take it every single day, or just on training days? Since I'm a high school senior currently buried under studying for my SATs, I only make it to the gym twice a week. Should I be drinking this daily regardless of whether I actually worked out? Any insights? 🙂

And how effective is it actually for gaining weight? If anyone can explain that, I'm all ears. 😁

I’ve seen some protein tubs where the label suggests four servings a day. I honestly thought nobody actually followed that advice—who has the time or the stomach for that kind of nonsense? Then I stumbled onto another forum and saw some guy complaining about his health issues or whatever. Turns out, he’s drinking four shakes a day just because the label told him to. Is anyone actually following those instructions blindly?☕

We need to find whoever is responsible for putting labels like that on things and throw them in Guantanamo Bay.

You can mix it with milk if you want, but don't even think about doing that right after a workout. Seriously, not after training. Mandatory. In the water.

Check out this link. The site is actually top-tier. They have a forum too, and their articles are solid—you can definitely pick up some smart stuff if you read them.
www.building-body.com

Another edit. 😁 :

Twice a week is cutting it way too close. It’s not impossible to get a workout in, but it's a massive uphill battle because you're trying to cram biceps, triceps, chest, shoulders, back, and legs into just two sessions. I don't get how you can't squeeze in at least one more day.
Look, I’m balancing classes and a job every single weekday from 4 to 9 PM, plus I hit the gym four times a week—sometimes between lectures or whenever I can squeeze it in, including one day on the weekend. Are you seriously telling me you can't just head straight to the gym after school before going home? It isn't that deep. Just throw on some sneakers and a T-shirt and go. It's no different than prepping for a PE class. If you really can't manage to fit in one more session, what about just buying a couple of dumbbells and hitting arms and shoulders at home? I mostly use dumbbells for those muscle groups myself. There are plenty of effective exercises out there if you actually bother to look.

Regarding the ingredients in MusclePharm;

Buddy, I hear people suggest taking a "break" from certain supplements after a while because of those idiots out there.
Does that advice apply to this specific product, or is it only relevant when dealing with pure creatine?

neontinker5 said:Given how the ingredients in MusclePharm from MusclePharm work;

Buddy, people usually take a break from it after a while because of the creatine.
Does that apply to this product too, or just when you're taking pure creatine?

creatine 🤣 they mean creatine

you don't need a break 🙂

If you're just using it for a bulk or maintenance phase, taking a break is probably a good idea. But if your plan involves consistent daily intake of around 5-10 grams, there's really no need to pause. Just don't go overboard with it.

stormylynx96 said:Has anyone here tried the ProV60 from MuscleTech? What’s the consensus on how it stacks up against other proteins on the market?

It's primarily a slow-digesting protein, which makes it ideal for right before bed. It seems decent enough, but it's pretty overpriced; you can easily find an equivalent substitute elsewhere.

Kretenin 🤣

Scott Chase said:The main thing is that it's a slow-digesting protein... which makes it ideal right before bed. It seems like a solid option, but man, it’s pretty pricey. You can easily find an equivalent substitute elsewhere.

I get that it costs more than the other brands, but isn't that probably because the quality is actually higher? Plus, it seems to have the highest protein concentration per scoop.
I've been drinking this stuff for about two months now, and honestly, I haven't had any major digestive issues. I did read online that some people end up dealing with nasty bloating or even diarrhea from certain brands.
I usually just have mine after my workout, somewhere in the middle of the day. If you were looking for a high-quality alternative to MuscleTech, which manufacturer would you suggest?

Maybe the quality is slightly higher, but we’re splitting hairs here. For the average gym rat, those tiny details don't actually matter—unless they start getting aggressive and pick up absolute garbage 😁 but honestly, MuscleTech, Optimum Nutrition, or Dymatize are all pretty much in the same ballpark; there shouldn't be much of a distinction. I have a buddy who swears by nothing but Weider and treats everything else like it's trash 🙄
people just love to overthink things that are actually quite simple

Scott Chase said:Is it better? Honestly, maybe. But we’re talking about tiny little technicalities here—the kind of stuff that doesn't really move the needle for most people. I mean, if you're just your average gym rat trying to get through a workout, does any of this even matter? Probably not. It's all just fine-tuning. You only really need to start sweating the small stuff once you actually know what you're doing and realize how much a subpar setup can totally ruin your progress. Until then, why overcomplicate things? 😁 Honestly, if you look at brands like Labrador, Inkorporated, Microsoft, or Dymatize, they’re all basically cut from the same cloth. I don't see why anyone bothers making such a big deal out of the differences between them. It’s all pretty much the same stuff, right? I have this one buddy of mine who is absolutely obsessed—for him, it’s Weider or nothing. Everything else is just garbage in his eyes. Does it really matter which one you pick if they all get the job done? 🙄
People just love to overthink things, don't they? It’s like we have this weird, collective urge to turn the simplest little life moments into some deep, heavy philosophical debate. Why can't we just let things be what they are? Is it because we're bored, or are we just trying too hard to find meaning where there isn't any? I don't know, I guess some people just need that extra layer of complexity to feel like they're actually doing something with their brains.

Oh, come on, let’s be real here—there is absolutely no way I'd be heading out to drop cash on two whole pounds of powder just for that. Who actually does that? It sounds completely ridiculous when you think about it. $17 😁 .
Let's try it this way—based on your experience (and I’m really hoping you’ve got more under your belt than I do). 😁 So, I was thinking about this the other day... if you're looking for that perfect post-workout fuel, what should you actually be reaching for? You know, that window right after you've absolutely crushed it at the gym? It’s such a specific feeling, isn't it? That mix of being totally wiped out but also feeling like you could take on the world if you just had the right nutrients. What do you guys think would be the best move for a follow-up supplement? Something that hits the spot immediately after training? I feel like there are so many options out there now that it's almost overwhelming. Are we talking high-quality whey, maybe something with some fast-acting carbs, or is everyone moving toward those specialized recovery blends these days? I'd love to hear what's actually working for you all. What's the go-to for that immediate post-gym replenishment?

Any of those whey proteins I mentioned above would work fine 😁 but right now I'm using Inkorporate Extreme Whey... next up will be the Isologic from Microsoft 😉

Look, Doc, here’s the deal: that Labrador proV60 stuff looks like casein. It says it's best used before bed, so I just took it at face value without overthinking it.
Do yourself a favor and look up the difference between whey and casein online. You'll realize pretty quickly that what you've got there isn't meant for post-workout.
After training, you need whey. My go-to is Microsoft.
It's affordable, mixes well, tastes decent, and has a high protein content—24g per 30g scoop. Plus, it doesn't use aspartame, which I can't stand. As for how it sits in your stomach? Totally fine. I usually deal with some digestive issues from certain proteins, but this one hasn't caused any trouble. Taste is solid, too.
You can even hunt down a discount if you want to save a few bucks.
Link:

They have larger packs available, too.

And that’s exactly what I said 😁

Scott Chase said:Honestly, any of those whey proteins I listed above will do the job just fine. Is there really a massive difference if you're just looking to hit your macros? Not really. 😁 Right now, I'm running on Inkorpor Extreme Whey, but I've already got my eye on the Isologic from Microsoft for the next round. Honestly, why settle for anything less when you can level up? 😉

Alright, I get it now. Makes sense. 😁
So, I was wondering—where do you guys actually pick up your protein from around here? Like, which specific brands are you hitting up lately? I’m curious about what you’re currently stacking. I just spent way too much time scrolling through the GNC website, but honestly, they don't seem to carry any of the heavy hitters I was looking for. Any tips on where to find the good stuff?