Do You NEED Protein Powder To Build Muscle? | Protein Powders Explained!
#proteinpowder #buildmuscle #protein #musclegrowth
Is protein powder necessary to build muscle? First of all, protein powders are one of the most used supplements in the fitness industries and usually the first supplements that beginner lifters have questions about. The main question beginners have are "Is protein powder necessary to build muscle?" or "Do I need protein powder build muscle?"
The answer to this question is in the detail. Do you NEED protein powder to build muscle? No! You definitely do not...BUT protein powders can be quite convenient for delivering protein if you struggle to get your protein from food or if you have a protein intake that you need to reach.
I think everyone knows that to build muscle you need an external stimulus in the form of resistance training and adequate protein intake. Falling short of either of these simply won’t maximize the amount of strength and muscle you can build. Here some considerations for when you may want to use it and when it’s applicable:
1. First of all protein powders are insanely convenient and that would really be the number one reason to use them. There’s not much to it. You just scoop out the amount, place it in a shaker cup or a blender and there you have it. This is great if you feel hungry after a workout but not hungry enough to cook yourself an actual meal. Or maybe you don’t have much of an appetite to eat 5 meals a day but you have a protein goal you want to reach. Again, a high quality protein powder delivers exactly that and nothing more.Now one thing to be careful of is protein spiking. This is essentially when a company intentionally but secretly, lowers their protein quality so that they can cut costs. Essentially protein spiking is when amino acids like Taurine or Glycine flood the bulk of your amino acid profile. Doing this replaces a lot of amino acids that actually are crucial and essential for muscle and tissue growth. Going with reputable companies or avoiding companies that use “proprietary” blends is probably the best way to avoid a product with amino spiking.
2. The second reason for using protein powder is that you’re getting a complete protein source that’s also fast absorbing. Now what do I mean by that? Well there are 20 amino acids that are involved in protein synthesis and 11 can be produced in your body. These are termed non-essential because our bodies can synthesize them. The other 9 need to be obtained through our food sources, such as chicken, red meat, fish and even some plant sources. Amino Acids like Leucine for instance, are instrumental when it comes to building muscle and you can get that easily through whey protein. And again, this is why protein spiking is a problem. When a company loads up their amino acid profile with cheap amino acids, it replaces the concentration of certain amino acids that you need.
3. Reason number 3: You’re on a caloric deficit and you are trying to maximize your protein intake. Utilizing protein shakes as a means to hit your protein goal while being on a deficit is an excellent way to ensure that you are getting the amount of protein you need. It’s not a meal replacement by any means, and there is an upper limit to how much muscle your body can synthesize a day so at some point, there are diminishing benefits from consuming more protein. A good range to follow for protein intake is between 0.7g to 1.2g per pound of body weight.
With all this said, I think lot of people, ironically, tend to disassociate protein powders from what they really are…which is just protein. It’s not different than what you would get from a food source, like chicken or steak.
Maybe it’s a product of good marketing. I mean, when you look at a container of protein, it’s got that nice matte black finish to the container. It’s got a muscular person on it. It’s got a nice shiny, good looking font. And all these subconscious factors change your way of thinking of protein powder as something you could use into something you think you NEED. That’s completely untrue. Protein powders and supplements are the least important parts of your diet. But I know so many people that treat them as meal replacements. In doing so, you end up losing out on foods that not only contribute to a well balanced diet, but also micronutrients and vitamins.
So to sum it up, do you need protein to build muscle. 100% percent yes. Do you need protein powder to build muscle? No. Protein powders are a great, convenient way of hitting your daily protein intake but they are not necessary and should not be considered as meal replacements. And with this information, it’s up to you to decide if the cost and convenience of supplements like protein powder are worth it in your diet.
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