Best protein powders for muscle gain?

feralbison4 · 2008-01-23T11:47:39+00:00

Richard Bennett44 said: I want to jump in on this topic. I'm trying to pack on some muscle mass— 🙂 I hit the gym four times a week and picked up some Whey prot…

stormylynx96 Member

19 messages
joined Sep 2010

#1561 · Feb 22, 2010

Alex Long8 said:Listen, man, that Labrador proV60 stuff? It looks like it's pure casein. The label says it’s best to take it right before bed, so I just went with that and didn't bother looking any deeper.
You should really do a quick Google search on the difference between whey and casein; you'll see the difference immediately. Basically, what you have there isn't meant for post-workout recovery.
After you hit the gym, you need whey. Personally, I swear by Microsoft.
It’s easy on the wallet, mixes super smooth, tastes great, and the protein ratio is solid—you get 24g per 30g scoop. Plus, it doesn't use aspartame, which is a sweetener I absolutely can't stand. As for how it sits in your stomach? Totally fine. I usually deal with some pretty bad digestive issues from certain protein powders, but this one hasn't caused me any trouble at all. The flavor is spot on, too.
If you want to be extra, you can probably hunt down a discount if you order from them.
Link:

They even have larger tubs available.

Thanks for the tip!
👍

Alex Long8 Member

21 messages
joined Aug 2007

#1562 · Feb 22, 2010

Microsoft has its own shop over in Los Angeles, right near that intersection by the old depot area, I can't quite recall the exact street name.😁
If you go with Microsoft, you can actually snag a 20% discount if you team up with that crew from the other forum—we usually place massive bulk orders together to trigger the savings. At 2.2 kg, it works out to about $107 which is a steal. Plus, they sometimes throw in freebies when you're dropping that kind of cash, like a t-shirt or some vitamins... things like that.

Alex Long8 Member

21 messages
joined Aug 2007

#1563 · Feb 22, 2010

Scott Chase, when are you planning on grabbing that Isolate from Microsoft? I’m probably going back to those ones from the other forum in a month or two. Honestly, just grab one tub to save 20%—you might even score a freebie. I heard someone once snagged a whole kilo of glutamine for free; that would be like hitting the jackpot for me.

stormylynx96 Member

19 messages
joined Sep 2010

#1564 · Feb 22, 2010

Alex Long8 said:Microsoft actually has their own shop over in downtown Chicago, right near the intersection of Michigan Ave and... I can't remember the exact cross street, maybe near one of those big transit hubs.😁
If you end up going with Microsoft, you can actually snag a 20% discount if you group up with the crew from that other forum where we all place massive bulk orders together. Getting 2.2 kg works out to be $107 which is honestly a steal. Plus, they sometimes throw in freebies when you're dropping that kind of cash—like a t-shirt or some vitamins or something...

Look, I'm not entirely sure where that specific spot is located (I'm all the way out in California 😁), so I'd probably just have it shipped to me.
Listen, if the product is as good as you say it is, I'd definitely consider grabbing some, but I'll have to wait until next month since I'm still pretty stocked up on my Labrador supply.

Scott Chase Newcomer

6 messages
joined Oct 2013

#1565 · Feb 22, 2010

Honestly, 😁 I haven't the slightest clue... I've got a whole pound of this on hand since I picked it up recently 🙂

Scott Chase Newcomer

6 messages
joined Oct 2013

#1566 · Feb 22, 2010

Alex Long8 said:Scott Chase, when are you actually planning on grabbing that isolate from Microsoft? Personally, I’ll probably stick with these guys from the other forum for another month or two. Honestly, just grab a bulk tub to save 20%; you might even score a freebie. One guy once scored 1kg of glutamine, which would have felt like hitting the jackpot for me.

😲 By the way... is that glutamine actually any good? Especially since they seem to be handing it out by the barrel.

Alex Long8 Member

21 messages
joined Aug 2007

#1567 · Feb 22, 2010

Scott Chase said:😲 Honestly, I don't care... though, what's the deal with that glutamine? Why are they handing it out in bulk? xD

It’s fine. Everything they give away is actually decent. The catch is they aren't just being generous; they’re clearing out stock that's nearing its expiration date. Maybe it's got a month left on it, but you can still use it over the next few months—that's what the label says, right? It's not going to spoil overnight. But if they can't sell it, it's a loss. They'd rather get rid of it.
It's the same thing with milk. I'm pretty sure that's how it works at places like Kroger. If they have milk where the packaging says it's expired, they might just repackage it and send it back out. Same thing here—once it hits the store shelves, it isn't going back to the warehouse. Sometimes they just hand it out when they have too much leftover before the next shipment arrives...
So yeah, you could get anything. Personally, I'm just hoping for a t-shirt next time I grab something.

Scott Chase Newcomer

6 messages
joined Oct 2013

#1568 · Feb 22, 2010

Yeah, I get it... 😁 Honestly, I’d love to snag one of those promo tees myself. If anyone happens to have an extra lying around :D They look pretty cool, and I could definitely use them for some casual wear.

Alex Long8 Member

21 messages
joined Aug 2007

#1569 · Feb 22, 2010

stormylynx96, it just occurred to me—you’re from California, right? If you happen to be near Pro Nutrition... they're this American company that makes their own protein. People rave about them. Honestly, I’ve never actually tried it myself, but the word on the street is they're solid, plus the price point is pretty low. They don't really have retail stores anywhere except that specific area, though you can always order through the mail. But if you do that, you might as well just grab the Microsoft version. If you're nearby, though, it’s probably worth the trip.

stormylynx96 Member

19 messages
joined Sep 2010

#1570 · Feb 23, 2010

Alex Long8 said:Hey doc, it just hit me—you’re out in California, right? If you happen to be near Pro-Nutrition... they're this local US brand that makes their own protein powders. People rave about them, though honestly, I've never actually tried them myself. I've just heard great things, and the prices are pretty low, too. They're based right around your area, and since they don't really have retail stores everywhere, you can always just order through the mail. But if you do that, the shipping basically makes it cost the same as getting that Microsoft stuff. Still, if you're nearby, it might be worth the trip.

I actually just spent some time scrolling through their website.
Yeah, they're located near Santa Monica, maybe about 25 miles from where I am. I'm definitely going to look into their pricing (couldn't find a full price list on the site) before I put in my next order. Thanks for the heads-up! 👍

Alex Long8 Member

21 messages
joined Aug 2007

#1571 · Feb 23, 2010

I've got their price list right here. Just shoot me an email via PM and I'll send it over tonight once I'm back home.

Thomas Collins60 Active Member

101 messages
joined Jun 2011

#1572 · Feb 24, 2010

I’m right there with you here😁—I don’t really know much about this stuff either since I haven't read up on it lately, so my question might sound pretty basic
. Basically, I’m looking for some protein powder recommendations—maybe casein, whey, or egg protein?—that I could use as a meal replacement. My daily protein intake is pretty low, so I want to find something I can just whip up and drink instead of a full dinner on those days when I'm busy. I definitely want to avoid anything with high carbs, and I won't be using it post-workout; my meals after training are actually fine. I'm just looking for something for my off-days where I'm not trying to bulk up or pack on extra muscle mass
. Ideally, I’d love something that’s easy to find at a local grocery store like Target or Walmart, tastes good, and actually feels filling enough to count as a meal🙂. But hey, I'm open to other options too if they work
.

Grace Lee5 Newcomer

1 message
joined Sep 2017

#1573 · Feb 24, 2010

Ashley Perez50 said:I'm here too. 😁 I don't really know what I'm talking about here. I haven't read much on this topic, so my post is probably pretty basic.
I need some advice on protein supplements. Someone suggested casein, whey, or maybe egg protein to help me hit my daily goals since my current diet is seriously lacking in protein. I’m thinking about just shaking one up instead of having dinner on days when I can't manage a real meal. I want something with zero carbs—no glycemic spikes. I don't need this after training, since my post-workout meals are fine. This is strictly for those off-days when I'm busy. I'm not trying to bulk up or pack on extra mass; I just want to fix my protein intake.
It would be perfect if I didn't have to jump through hoops just to get my hands on it. Ideally, it’d actually taste good too, and serve as a decent meal replacement. 🙂 I get some less than ideal options too.

Thomas Collins60 Active Member

101 messages
joined Jun 2011

#1574 · Feb 24, 2010

thanks, sounds awesome
Is there maybe a cheaper option out there? Or just how long does one bottle usually last—it says one spoonful, but I can't really tell how many grams are in a spoonful so I can figure out the math😳

Alex Long8 Member

21 messages
joined Aug 2007

#1575 · Feb 24, 2010

Ashley Perez50 said:thanks, sounds great
Is there a cheaper way to go about this? Or how long does a tub actually last? It mentions a spoonful, but I have no idea how many grams are in a spoon, so I can't really figure out my math here.😳

Well, at least you did some homework. You actually know what casein is and all that stuff.
Microsoft is one of the better budget brands out there. If you want to save money, you could either buy a smaller tub or just wait a month or two until I place a bulk order with a group from another forum—we usually snag a 20% discount that way.
It comes with a 30g scoop inside, so you won't have to kill yourself trying to calculate everything.
If you're looking to cut costs even further, you could try taking only half a scoop on days when your protein intake from other sources is already pretty high.
You can also swap the casein for low-fat cottage cheese occasionally. About 200g of cottage cheese is roughly equal to one scoop. The taste is a bit gross, but doing it once or twice a week isn't a bad idea. Plus, you can mix almost anything into cottage cheese to make it edible; there are plenty of recipes out there.

Thomas Collins60 Active Member

101 messages
joined Jun 2011

#1576 · Feb 24, 2010

I haven't really done a deep dive into all this yet—I just showed up here first without doing much Googling 🙂
Since I'm sticking to a plant-based diet right now, I'm looking for something to swap in
So, if that container from $183 weighs 2260g and I need about 30g per meal, that lasts me roughly 75 days. That's basically two months, which doesn't seem too bad
But here's what I'm wondering: can those 30g actually act as a full meal replacement, or am I still going to feel hungry afterward?

goldenangler4 Newcomer

5 messages
joined May 2008

#1577 · Feb 24, 2010

Ashley Perez50 said:I haven't really done my homework on this yet; I just hopped on here before doing a deep dive on Google. 🙂
My protein powder is running low, which is why I'm hunting for a substitute.
Look, if that tub from $183 is 5 lbs and I need 30g per serving, that lasts me about 75 days. That’s basically two months, so it's not like it's an emergency or anything.
But here’s the real question: can those 30g actually stand in for a full meal, or am I still going to be starving right after?

Personally, I'm starving right after a shake like that. 🙂 But then again... I don't even bother with casein for that reason; I only drink it because I need those 25 to 30 grams of protein per scoop, plain and simple.

Jonathan Miller7 Newcomer

1 message
joined Nov 2008

#1578 · Feb 24, 2010

Ashley Perez50 said:but the real question is, can those 30g actually replace a full meal, or are you just going to be starving right after?

Honestly, you’ll probably be famished afterward, unless you just pass out and go straight to sleep immediately. 😁

If it’s your last meal of the day, try mixing it with some milk and taking a fish oil capsule or whatever else you use for your omega-3s. A spoonful of flaxseed is usually a solid bet too. I used to think olive oil was the way to go, but there are definitely better options out there now.

For my final meal, I’d probably just stick to some tuna and olive oil—just speaking hypothetically, of course.

As for fasting? Forget it. I can't stand it anymore; it's absolutely miserable.

Joseph Wright5 Newcomer

1 message
joined Sep 2009

#1579 · Feb 24, 2010

Jonathan Miller7 said:Well, you'll probably be starving after that—unless you just crash and go straight to sleep right away, I guess.😁

If that’s your last meal, maybe pair it with some milk and toss in a fish oil capsule or whatever else you use for your omega-3s. A spoonful of flaxseed oil is usually my go-to recommendation. I used to think olive oil was the way to go, but honestly, there are much better options out there.

For my final meal? I'd probably roll with some tuna and olive oil—just an example, obviously.

As for fasting... man, I can't even deal with it anymore. It's just gross, so I'm totally over it.

Honestly, I don't get the hate. To me, low-fat cottage cheese is hands down the best cheese out there. Since it isn't super greasy, it doesn't make me feel nauseous at all. I'll eat it plain or just toss a banana in there.
And oats—oatmeal, oat sprouts, oat flour... everything made from oats tastes amazing to me.
Flaxseed oil is pretty solid too; it's easily the tastiest oil out there. I sometimes just drink it straight like juice.

I know, I know—you aren't supposed to argue about taste, but the internet is absolutely flooded with people claiming this stuff tastes terrible. They start getting these weird, irrational fears about it, when in reality, it's so delicious that I actually have to struggle not to eat it by the pound.

Jonathan Miller7 Newcomer

1 message
joined Nov 2008

#1580 · Feb 24, 2010

What part of this isn't clicking? I am honestly getting sick of this vegan cheese—I’ve eaten way too much of it. Even the tuna is starting to lose its charm, and don't even get me started on the smoked turkey; it just doesn't hit like it used to. 😁

I haven't tried pairing the dairy-free stuff with anything else yet, but the idea of mixing it with something sweet sounds absolutely revolting. It’s gotta be savory—like maybe some tuna and cheese melted together or something.

edit: Switched over to Gouda. It’s loaded with fat, sure, but it tastes amazing and packs 25g of protein per 100 grams :P. Not like I’m some guy struggling with weight gain or trying to bulk up or anything... I still need about 20 more pounds of muscle anyway.

Best protein powders for muscle gain?

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