Whey Protein For Weight Gain

Who Should Use Casein Protein

You should use casein protein if:

• You want a late night protein
• You need sustained release throughout the day
• Youre not just using protein powder after workouts
• You want to support better gut health and avoid digestive distress

Casein is well regarded for its 7-hour protein accretion. It supports the long-term health and recovery of your muscles, even if youre not eating additional meals in the meantime.

The limitations are clear, though: it doesnt work as well after exercise, it doesnt blend as well as whey with other ingredients, and it limits appetite which can be a problem for weight gain. Its also more expensive than whey and has worse mixability in any fluid, which really shows up in lower-quality products.

Casein is perfect for weight gain when its combined with other foods to support long-term energy and protein levels. Especially in the evening, where it contributes to better sleep quality and recovery.

Best Protein Powder For Weight Gain For Competitive Sports

When it comes to competitive sports, its especially important to know whats going into your body.

Gold Standard Gainer is banned substance tested, so you can be assured its acceptable to take if youre involved in competition.

This powder contains complete dairy proteins from mainly isolates and oat, pea and potato carbohydrates. Included fats come from flax, chia & MCTs for added benefits.

If you need a protein powder for weight gain that gives you a good source of carbs and proteins, but is tested to ensure you can use it in competitive sports, this is a great pick.

You’re Buying A Whey Protein Concentrate

Now there’s nothing wrong with whey protein concentrate. However, if you’re lactose intolerant, making this your top protein powder source won’t be doing a body good. You could be building up inflammation in your body by consuming a food your body can’t process. Inflammation leads to a host of issues, from skin problems to mood regulation struggles. Weight gain is another side effect of high levels of inflammation. If you must stick to dairy-based protein powder, at least consider a whey protein isolate. It has a much lower amount of milk solids and sugars that give those suffering from a lactose intolerance bloating and inflammation. In an ideal world, you should probably switch to The Best Vegan Protein Powders for Your Muscle-Building Needs.

Also Check: Do Protein Shakes Help Build Muscle

Ways Protein Powder Can Cause Weight Gain

What sounds more enticing: prepping, seasoning, and cooking a raw chicken breast in the oven for 30 minutes or opening a bag, scooping some protein powder into a shaker bottle, and sipping? Regardless of your preference , you can’t deny that using a powder to get your protein is incredibly easy.

But just because using protein powder is convenient doesn’t mean that it’s free of drawbacks. If you’re making these protein powder mistakes, you may even gain weight. Read on to discover the protein habits that may be behind your recent weight gain, and for more, don’t miss 10 Best Protein Powders For Weight Loss In 2020, According To RDs.

Whey Protein For Weight Gain

Written byNicole Pabalan, freelance writer and dietetic intern at Oregon Health Sciences University. Reviewed/edited by Katie Dodd, MS, RDN, CSG, LD, FAND

Whey protein is often added to foods or drinks for older adults to stop unintended weight loss, promote muscle health, and promote healthy weight gain. This article reviews what you need to know about whey protein for weight gain.

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What Is Whey Protein

Whey is a protein derived from dairy foods and is sold as a protein powder supplement.

One reason whey protein is the most popular protein supplement on the market is that it is a complete protein source, says Kelly Jones, RD, a dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics.

Complete proteins contain all nine essential amino acids your body needs to function normally. There are around 20 amino acids, but these nine can’t be produced by the body itself, meaning you have to get them through your diet.

Medical term: Amino acids are components of proteins that play a role in digestive, hormone, and brain function.

In addition to being a complete protein, whey is also rich in leucine. Leucine is an amino acid known to help build and repair muscles, which is why many athletes tend to opt for whey protein supplements over other protein powders, Cassetty says.

While you can find leucine in some plant-based protein supplements, these supplements are less likely to be complete protein sources.

Here is a nutritional breakdown of your daily value of calories, protein, fat, and carbs in one serving 30 grams of whey protein.

Whey Protein Side Effects

Whey protein is generally safe, but people with certain sensitivities may experience some side effects, like:

• Digestive issues like indigestion or bloating
• Unintentional weight gain
• Acne, due to it being a dairy product
• Low-level exposure to heavy metals, like cadmium or BPA

Supplements are not regulated by the FDA, meaning it is up to the manufacturers to evaluate the safety of the product. For this reason, it’s important to be choosy and informed when it comes to picking a whey protein supplement.

“I highly recommend only purchasing whey protein products that are third-party tested,” says Jones. This means an organization has independently tested the products in a supplement to make sure they are safe.

General advice: An easy way to tell if a food is regulated is to make sure the label says “nutrition facts” instead of “supplement facts,” Jones says.

Whey protein may also interact with certain medications, reducing the body’s ability to absorb some drugs. These include:

• Albendazole: a medication for certain parasites like tapeworms
• Alendronate: an osteoporosis medication
• Some antibiotics like Cipro and Penetrex

Important: Do not consistently substitute whey protein for whole foods. “If you’re always reaching for whey powders instead of real food, you’ll be missing out on the essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that also support fitness, muscle repair, and overall health,” says Jones.

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Body Fortress Super Advanced Whey Highlights

At a glance, the Body Fortress Super Advanced Whey checks all the main boxes required of a reliable protein supplement. It contains a decent amount of protein, calories, and a small amount of creatine in each serving.

The modest price is also an attractive feature at only $33.88 for a five-pound tub on Amazon, Body Fortress offers a nearly unmatched price-per-scoop of whey. Before you commit, lets have a look at who this product might be best for.

What Is Mass Gainer And What Does It Do

Mass gainers are supplements that are created specifically to enhance weight gain. Gainers are typically loaded with protein, carbohydrates, and a variety of other ingredients. Mass gainers typically contain a mix of protein sources such as whey, casein, egg, beef protein isolate, and milk protein isolate. Maltodextrin, a simple and fast acting carbohydrate source derived from modified form of corn starch, is commonly used in mass gainers. Higher quality gainers will derive carbohydrates from natural sources such as sweet potatoes, yams, oats, such as those found in Swolverines Clean Carbs, with added fruit and vegetable blends.

Read Also: Plant Based Sources Of Protein

Tips For Increasing Your Calories

Along with incorporating protein powders into your diet, here are some other tips for increasing your calories to promote weight gain:

• Make high-calorie shakes. Blend protein powder with ingredients like whole-fat milk, Greek yogurt, fruit, oats, and peanut butter to make a high-calorie shake.
• Snack more. Separate your meals with high-calorie snacks like full-fat cottage cheese or Greek yogurt, high-protein trail mix, and protein bars.
• Eat more fat. Increase the fat in your diet by choosing fattier cuts of meats and whole-fat dairy products instead of their leaner counterparts and eating more healthy sources of fat such as avocado, eggs, nuts, and olive oil.
• Fortify your diet. Where appropriate, add high-calorie foods to foods you already enjoy eating. For example, mix peanut butter in your oatmeal, add cheese to sandwiches, soups, and pasta, or melt butter over potatoes and rice or add it to soups and casseroles.
• Drink your calories. If you struggle with a poor appetite, try drinking more of your calories since calories in liquid form tend to be less filling than calories from solid foods. Pre-mixed nutrition shakes like Ensure can be a convenient way to increase your calories and promote weight gain .

While not everyone may be able to due to physical limitations or a health condition, aim to incorporate some resistance training so that most of your weight gain comes from gains in muscle rather than fat.

How To Choose The Right Protein Powder For Gaining Weight

To further help you find the best protein powder for gaining weight, we have come up with a few pointers you should keep in mind:

If you are a fitness enthusiast, you may need the best protein powder for women to meet your requirements, whether its gaining muscle or losing weight. Opt for one that is easy to blend with other foods or consider one based on its flavor. When choosing one, ensure it does not contain artificial ingredients and preservatives and make sure it is gluten-free. Furthermore, before zeroing in on a suitable choice, it is crucial you consult a doctor or a dietician to confirm if it suits your dietary needs.

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Crazy Nutrition Mass Gainer

Crazy Nutritions Mass Gainer is a whole-food formula designed to help you bulk up, increase gains, help with workout muscle recovery, and replace meals with delicious chocolate and vanilla flavored shakes.

Mass Gainer contains zero garbage fillers. Each shake delivers 100 grams of low-glycemic carbs, 695 calories, 50 grams of protein, and zero maltodextrin. The formula is also low in natural sugars, gluten-free, and contains added DIGEZYME® to help prevent bloating.

If youre sick of constantly eating broccoli and rice to bulk up, and/or if you just dont tend to gain muscle mass from eating traditional foods then this formula will likely work wonders for your mass game.

Whey Protein And Weight Loss

If you’re trying to avoid weight gain, or lose weight, including more whey protein in your diet might help. According to Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, protein tends to make people feel more full for longer, for fewer calories. In fact, a January 2015 article published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that whey protein increases blood levels of several hormones that are related to satiety, or the feeling of fullness.

Higher protein diets may also help to maintain lean muscle mass if you’re eating to lose weight. That might be helpful for your metabolism. The results of a small research study published in the May 2017 issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research showed that men who used a whey protein supplement along with a calorie-restricted diet lost weight but maintained more muscle than men who used a carbohydrate-based supplement.

Read more:How to Use Protein Powder For Weight Loss

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Crazy Nutrition 100% Tri

Crazy Nutritions Tri-Protein was designed to deliver 3X muscle growth and recovery through the delivery of 6 high-powered proteins, each specifically chosen to maximize protein synthesis in the human body.

The formulation also includes key digestive enzymes, helps to suppress your appetite for extended periods of time, and ships in a delicious dark chocolate flavor. Each serving packs-in 96 calories and 21 grams of protein.

If youre looking for a serious protein powder, this option should be on your radar.

Choosing The Right Kind Of Whey Protein

If you are trying to lose weight, gain muscle mass and/or develop better muscle tone, its important to choose the right kind of whey protein. Make sure your supplement formula is a clean protein powder.

A clean whey protein powder does not have added sugar, artificial sweeteners, colors, and flavorings. The presence of these synthetic ingredients increases the calories per scoop/serving of the protein powder which might increase your daily calorie intake beyond your set limit for weight loss.

Additionally, choose only fresh, healthy, and clean ingredients for your protein powder mixture. For a protein shake, for example, mix your powder only with water and a handful of fruits that are also low in calories and sugar. Skip the milk if youre working on shedding pounds. You can also mix whey protein powder with oatmeal, yogurt, and pancakes.

However you mix your protein powder, just keep track of the added calories to make sure that youre staying within your daily calorie limit.

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Dont Replace Meals With Protein Shakes

Use protein powders as a supplement to your meals and snacks, rather than a replacement. You should try to gain most of your protein intake from a balanced, nutrient-rich diet. Some high-protein foods include eggs, chicken, yogurt, fish, seeds, nuts, pulses and soy products, such as tofu. As well as providing protein, these foods will also provide countless other essential vitamins and minerals, says Williams.

Whey Protein 360 At Theproteinworkscom Courtesy

Best For: Skinny guys that just want to get the job done

Lured in by a flash sale, I took a leap of faith in pared back branding and went for a simple sack of whey protein . After shaking, mixing, stirring and, at one point, even blending the recommended scoopage into water, lumps bubbled to the top. Not ideal. But, if you are looking for a quick, cost-effective fix post-gym, Protein Works is a straight-forward choice.

Best For: Getting a cocktail of muscle-building ingredients

It’s slightly alarming to drink something with HARDCORE stamped across the top in WordArt, but USNs Muscle Fuel works. Branded as an all-in-one, the powder packs 55g of protein per serving , alongside 5g of creatine, an organic compound that has been linked to improved strength and endurance during workouts. Yes, the flavour is a little American mall in Nowheresville, 1999, but if you want to fire on all cylinders, this may be your best choice.

Best For: Building muscle on a budget

If youre that guy who sneers at MyProtein, youre not my kinda guy. Because although this economical option doesnt taste all that great, its affordable, and easy, and a democratic option for men who arent much concerned with an exact science . Dont expect a god-like nectar. But drink enough of it after successfully crunching at the gym, and you can at least expect god-like arms.

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Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder

The Optimum whey protein powder is considered by many to be the best weight gainer powder that you can get! It has 24 grams of protein and 130 calories per serving. It is also great nutrition for older adults!

This is a great protein powder for making homemade protein shakes. It comes in 4 different sizes and you can choose from chocolate, french vanilla, strawberry, and vanilla to really customize your shake!

Special Mention: Will Whey Protein Make Me Fat

I have heard this lot, especially from beginners. So, heres my answer to does whey protein make you fat?

First of all, let me tell you that if you consume more than you burn, no matter the food, you will get fat. Although there isnt enough scientific research to claim whey protein to promote fat storage, in the absence of daily exercise and workout whey protein can add a little bit of fat to your body. This is partly because whey protein is a fast-digesting protein, a property that leads to increasing in insulin levels in the body after its consumption. A sedentary lifestyle, in such scenario, can certainly make it easy for whey protein to put fat on your body.

In a nutshell, as long as you lead an active lifestyle, whey protein is not gonna make you fat. Infact, it has been proven that whey protein can help subjects build muscle while burning fat.

Liked the article? Do share your views in the comment section below. Be sure not to miss out MyFitFuels newsletter for comprehensive bodybuilding tips. Subscribe now!

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Pure Protein Protein Shake

The Pure Proteins shakes have 30 grams of protein, 140 calories, and less than 1 gram of sugar per serving. On top of that, it has 24 essential vitamins, including vitamin C, D & E. Its made from a milk protein isolate, and produces amazing results for those trying to gain weight!