Whey - How to Use Protein Powder For Optimal Fitness Results

You’ve undoubtedly heard of whey protein and the many fitness benefits it offers.

But, like most, you probably wonder what makes whey so effective and how you should take it for the best results. 

To that end, we’ve put together this resource for you. In it, we’ll go over whey, what it is, what makes it beneficial, and how to add the product to your diet.

What is Whey Protein?

Whey powder is a type of fitness supplement that offers a concentrated dose of protein. There are three primary forms:

• Whey concentrate - the most popular option with roughly 80% protein by weight (1)
• Whey isolate - the more refined option with 90% protein by weight (1)
• Whey hydrolysate - a form of whey where protein bonds are broken into shorter chains thanks to a process called hydrolysis.

The great thing about whey supplements is that they offer a concentrated protein dose, allowing you to reach your daily goals more easily.

What is Protein, And What Makes It Essential to Us?

Proteins are organic molecules that consist of amino acids - the building blocks of life. Once we consume a protein, the body breaks it down and absorbs its building blocks. These then travel to the bloodstream and into the plasma amino acid pool. The storage of amino acids lends building blocks where needed.

Protein’s most notable roles relate to muscle recovery and maintenance, growth, and overall physical development (2, 3). If we don’t consume enough protein, we don’t recover effectively, our gym performance declines, and we can’t build new muscle.

Protein is also essential for our health. It allows the body to create enzymes, hormones, antibodies, neurotransmitters, and more (4).

How to Take Whey Protein For Optimal Fitness Results

The great news about whey protein is that you don’t need a complicated approach to reap its benefits. Research shows that consuming enough protein each day matters most. So, aim for around 0.8 to one gram of protein per pound of body weight (3).

Aside from that, you should try to have four equal protein doses throughout the day (5). For example, if you need to consume 160 grams of protein daily, try having it in four equal doses of 40 grams. Morning, noon, afternoon, and evening are great times to have your protein. Doing so will provide your body with a steady stream of amino acids to support recovery, growth, and health. 

As for the best time to take whey, we recommend having a scoop in the morning or after training. Your body needs large amounts of amino acids at both times, and whey offers fast-digesting quality protein to meet your needs (6). You can also have your whey at both times, especially on hectic days when you struggle to have enough protein from foods.

What’s excellent about whey protein is that you can have it in many ways. For example, you can mix it with water or milk, shake it, and drink it on the go. Alternatively, you can use it for recipes like:

• Pancakes
• Muffins
• Oatmeal bars
• Ice cream
• Pie
• Chocolate balls
• Smoothies
• Brownies

Sources:

1 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3905294/
2 - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19927027/
3 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5852756
4 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5872778/
5 - https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-018-0215-1
6 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4924180/