When trying to maximise your potential at the gym, it helps to be equipped with all the information you need to use gym powder effectively. In this guide, we will get into a few tips and tricks around the use of protein powder, and explain which exercises, diets, and dosages will complement this versatile supplement most. On top of this, we will delve into the differences between the gym powder types and discover which are best suited for specific goals.
At Prime Growth Nutrition, we are passionate about assisting our customers on their fitness journeys and arming them with the tools and knowledge necessary to make major progress. Whether you consider yourself to be a gym veteran or you are just getting started, this brief guide will no doubt have something for you!
Why Gym Powder Is Such A Useful Workout Tool
If you have been putting in the hours at the gym, working to get stronger, gain muscle mass, get faster, or whatever your goals may be, it is essential to have a good understanding of what you want to achieve. This way, you are able to pick out pieces of information that are most applicable to you. Whatever your goals might be, it is crucial to put the same emphasis on your effort in the kitchen, to guarantee that you are eating the right food, and using the correct supplements, to support your exercise routine. If little or no energy is placed into this department, you could find that your results are slightly disappointing.
When we say the ‘right’ food, we are talking about protein, which happens to be the most important energy source for your muscles to repair and rebuild themselves post-workout. Protein isn’t just incredibly useful for recovery and packing on muscle, it also helps a number of vital processes throughout the body, including satiety, or feeling full for longer, which should assist you in avoiding any unnecessary or unhealthy snacking throughout the day.
Of course, you can change up your diet to match your protein requirements, but for many people, it is extremely tough to consume enough protein to support a heavy training workload. Additionally, most people struggle to eat the amount of food required for this job – not to mention that it can become quite expensive when purchasing large amounts of protein-rich foods.
This is where gym powder comes in, protein shakes can help you meet or exceed your daily protein requirements with ease, without needing to expend too much time or energy on cooking multiple meals a day. They are extremely simple to make and quick to consume, meaning you can drink them on your way to work, university, or the next gym session. Life can get very busy at times, and for many fitness enthusiasts, a quick, tasty drink is a more realistic solution to meeting daily protein intake requirements.
Dosages And When To Use Gym Powder
There is a fair amount of debate about when one should consume protein powder, and there are valid arguments from both sides. Many people believe that it is optimal to drink a protein shake before your workout, as your body has more time to process the protein within and can immediately get to work repairing your system once the gym session is over. However, the evidence seems to be in favour of drinking your protein shake post-workout, which floods your bloodstream with amino acids – these essential proteins then move quickly to repair microtears and form new muscle tissue.
The amount of protein one should take is a little easier to calculate. Most serving suggestions recommend around 30g of gym powder per meal (with 3-4 meals per day), and for good reason. It has been shown that this amount achieves a happy medium between initiating muscle protein synthesis and post-workout recovery. One could take more if you are working out multiple times per day, however, it is advisable not to take much more than this. Consuming excessive amounts of protein can eventually cause weight gain, as your body isn’t able to process all of it adequately.
As always, we will offer a small disclaimer before continuing further with the guide. We recommend checking in with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplemental routines, especially if you have preexisting conditions that could cause issues down the line. Additionally, supplements are not designed to replace a healthy diet or exercise, they are intended to supplement and aid these crucial practices. At Prime Growth Nutrition, we feel it is essential to view fitness from a holistic perspective and avoid any confusion around the use of our supplements and products.
What Are The Different Kinds Of Gym Powder And What Do They Excel At?
There are four main forms of protein that are widely used across the globe, these four are whey concentrate, isolate, hydrolysate, and micellar casein. Let’s have a quick look at each of these kinds and explain what they are most effective for.
1.Whey Concentrate – Concentrate is seen to be the simplest form of whey and also happens to be the most popular as it tends to be more budget-friendly. It is the form of protein that can be absorbed into your bloodstream quickest, and it also features the highest levels of leucine, which is an incredibly important amino acid – it helps by providing muscles with energy during a workout and building muscle mass. However, it includes more lactose and fat than its counterparts, so if you are sensitive to dairy products or your main goal is weight loss, it may not be the perfect choice for you.
2.Whey Isolate – Whey Isolate protein supplements start off in exactly the same way that concentrates do. The only real difference between them is that whey isolate gym powder has undergone further processing to achieve a higher degree of purity and remove a lot of the lactose and fat present in concentrate alternatives. After the additional processing, certain isolated protein powders can be as pure as 98%, compared to 80% purity of most concentrate powders. This means that there are far fewer carbohydrates and fats present in these protein supplements, making them perfect for those who want enhanced muscle definition or whose main focus is losing weight.
3.Whey Hydrolysate – These proteins come from either whey concentrate or isolate and have undergone even more processing. By this we mean that the whey has been partially hydrolysed with the help of certain enzymes that break the amino acids into smaller fragments – this helps with faster digestion and absorption. These products tend to be slightly more expensive as a result of the thorough processing they undergo. It has been shown that these products are excellent for recovery and consuming them around an hour after a workout can prepare your muscles for the next intense session.
4.Casein – Casein-based gym powder has been created with a different purpose in mind. It technically isn’t a byproduct of whey, as it originates from another part of cow’s milk. Casein is a slow-digesting protein which can work wonders for muscle protein synthesis over prolonged periods. The most commonly utilised form of casein is micellar casein, which has a remarkably slow release and is absorbed by the body over a period of hours. About 90% of casein is denatured protein, which is rich in minerals and branched chain amino acids (or BCAAs). Typically, it is taken just before going to sleep, to support muscle synthesis overnight.
There are other, lesser-known forms of protein that can still be used to great effect. The four mentioned above are simply the most popular and widely used amongst fitness enthusiasts and gym goers. Here are a few other options to look out for:
- Soy protein
- Rice protein
- Hemp protein
- Egg protein
- Pea protein
A Few Gym Powder Supplements From Our Online Store
Now that you are armed with some of the information you will need to make an informed decision about the kind of gym powder that best suits you, let’s get into a few fantastic offerings from our Prime Growth online shop:
NPL 100% Whey Isolate
For those of you who are familiar with Nutritional Performance Labs, you will know that they consistently release some of the most ground-breaking supplements on the market, and this product is no different. It is a single source pure whey protein isolate that has undergone intense purification through cold temperature cross-flow microfiltration that ensures the essential micro-fractions are retained.
Basically, this is about as pure as it gets. It features impressive amounts of BCAAs and a healthy dose of lactoferrin, immunoglobulins, and glycomacropeptides that provide your body with all the tools it needs for efficient muscle recovery and repair. With virtually zero carbs and extremely low levels of sugar and lactose, this whey isolate protein formula will surely help you make gains like never before!
Nutritech Casein Slow Release 6HRS+
If you have been searching for the perfect casein-based supplement, this formula from Nutritech is certainly worth your consideration. It is a slow-release protein that takes between 6 – 8 hours to fully digest. In these hours, your system has plenty of time to soak in the complete amino acid complex, as well as the varied BCAA profile, and glutamine.
This excellent formula should be a game-changer in terms of recovery and have you waking up feeling ready for the world and the next workout. As we mentioned earlier, casein proteins should be ingested just before bed, to give your body enough time to absorb the many beneficial ingredients.
MuscleTech Nitrotech 100% Gold Whey
MuscleTech never fails to impress with their research-driven supplements and products, and this whey formula has plenty to offer any gym goer. The Gold Whey is a combination of whey isolate and concentrate, in order to receive the best of both worlds. This unique combination facilitates superior absorption, enhanced digestion, and improved mixability.
Every scoop includes a whopping 24g of premium protein, as well as 5.5g of BCAAs and 4g of glutamine to top it all off. Similar to NPL 100% Whey Isolate, it utilises an advanced cold microfiltration process that ensures that you are receiving a supplement of the highest purity. If you weren’t already convinced, this product has won multiple awards for its delicious flavour profile!
Gym Powder: In Conclusion
We hope that we have taught you a thing or two about the incredibly useful nature of protein powders, and what they can be used for. If you have been on the fence about whether or not they are worth your while, take this as an indication to try these products and find out for yourself.
At Prime Growth Nutrition, you have one of the largest selections of supplements and fitness formulas in South Africa, to set you on a course to success. We encourage you to check out our full range of supplements, as we are certain that we have something for everyone in our extensive selection.