Whey Protein

[Iamsuperman]

I've been working out for 3 years now and have refined my program and diet to a good degree. I have made some good gains in that time however i think it's time i started looking into a protein shake.

Whey appears to be the optimal choice, but i find it difficult to research because all the sites speaking about it are sponsored by a whey company or are a whey company site.

What negative side effects come from taking whey protein shakes (assuming i don't overdose)?

[Erin Pavlina]

All I remember is at the Tony Robbins seminar that Steve and I went to he said that whey was toxic and it was illegal to dump it in the sewers so they put it in food instead because no one had passed a law yet saying they couldn't. I know a lot of people swear by whey. I have never looked into Tony's claim however, but if you find something that discusses it let me know.

[Zukin]

Whey can have lots of beneficial side effects, according to the Life Extension Foundation. Of course, they aren't completely neutral since they sell protein supplements, but they have a good summary of some relevant research:

Unlocking the Secrets to Health & Fitness

[Uplift]

I eat tons of whey. So do plenty of people who are extremely healthy, extremely fit, and extremely strong. I haven't noticed any bad side effects and am fifty one. Don't get ripped off though, all the top supplement companies get it from only a couple of sources, dribble on, and slug a fortune. You can get it from the suppliers. I get top quality unflavoured Whey Protein Concentrate WPC, really cheap from a place called Protein Direct.

[silicon toad2000]

I regularly read articles on this website
http://www.australianmuscle.com.au/
they have some good articles in the supplement information section.
I haven't looked into whey protien myself but that website is not bad.

[escapee]

Found a very negative article about Whey protein with vested interest on hemp protein ( amino acid and EFAs) . Again I'm just sharing info here .

The Protein Scandal Report...

Here’s what's happening... Mass consumption of whey powder contributes to a condition called intestinal toxemia. This kills anabolism, muscle gains and really shortchanges bodybuilder’s results.

Sure when people starting using whey, they might experience what seems to be an increase in muscle mass. But, that’s an illusion. Everybody’s chasing the poundage on the scale. “Oh, I’m up five pounds. I’m up ten pounds.” But, when you actually look closely at the quality of the physique, it reveals the truth.

Ask yourself... Is that ten pounds of muscle? Is it ten pounds of water? Or worse, is it ten pounds of intestinal sludge? And usually that’s what it is. Most of your whey protein is going to be deposited in your intestinal tract... that ain’t in your muscles, where you want it.

Every weightlifter knows they need amino acids to repair muscle cells and create growth. Hemp protein contains all the essential amino acids and essential fatty acids necessary to get you as big as you want. No other single plant source has the essential amino acids in such an easily digestible form.

Whey power

Please share it should you find any negative news about hemp ..

There is some discussion about the above article on ABC forum

[Uplift]

Nah, that photo is totally bogus and misleading, thats a classic case of growth hormone power. Professional bodybuilders develop massive block jaws and heads, as well as the huge distended guts. It's one of the main problems in professional bodybuilding, and has been since growth hormone's rise. Check out the naturals, who eat pretty much the same diets, without the drugs. Half the size, no bloated guts. The truth is, protein consumption costs bodybuilders a fortune, and they are always on the look out for cheaper, superior proteins. Its a weird sport today, where, as the photo shows, people will consume anything, and go through anything to get muscle. Vegetable proteins have done the rounds, the marketers have tried, and would love it if the stuff was as good as milk, egg and whey proteins. The profits would be huge. As crazy as it is, bodybuilders would eat dried dog poop if they found it produced muscle. Some die in the quest. They are the ultimate test of what builds muscle.

The quote, 'This kills anabolism, muscle gains and really shortchanges bodybuilder’s results', and the blurb that follows it is hilarious. They are ridiculously huge, and like Coleman, Yates and others, ridiculously strong, at dangerous, ridiculously low fat levels. Unless you have trained a lot, the implications of the fat levels will be lost to you. Some top powerlifters eating tons of whey are also high ranked bodybuilders.

So in the end, it's easy, get some average, or better still, below average guy, and base his nutrition around the recommended vegetable protein, and produce a Mr Olympia. You'll be rich.

[escapee]

Lol , i guess i 'll continue to stick with the organic egg.

[ginkgo]

In old days they would curdle the milk and get curds and whey and hence that nursery rhyme (how does it go?). The cheese was sold and the whey was given to the pigs and so was called "pig slop." I promoted a whey beverage back in 1984 as an alternative than milk since it is still better than milk.

What are you doing to supplement your your lead and aluminum intake? According to Dr Fuhrman (MD) people get whey [way] too much protein and the excess is killing them with cerebrovascular accidents and myocardial infarctions (what MDs call strokes and heart attacks). See this site for more on that and him, HYPERTENSION

College textbooks on nutrition say that protein deficiency is rare in the world and does not exist in this part of the world. Also a lot of bodybuilding supplements (I have Arnold Schw. Enycl. of Bodybuilding) have a lot more carbs like 2,000 mg since the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn.

[escapee]

I think the missing link to a high protein diet is the heat sensitive essential fatty acids, just look at the traditional inuit who eat raw seafood which contain undamaged EFAs. They dont event get scurvy (Vitamin C) not to even mention myocardial infarctions or heart disease. Now do you see a problem with modern processed food that must remove the important EFAs for higher shelf life?

Those unrefined nuts and seed oils are probably our solution if we arent ready to consume raw egg ( like Uplift did ) and raw meat.

The Straight Dope: Traditionally Eskimos ate only meat and fish. Why didn't they get scurvy?

Low fat diet is dead ..... is dead......
Volek: High-Carb, Low-Fat Diet Useless To Health Apart From Weight Loss

Low carbohydrate diets outperform low fat diets on just about every risk factor you can measure. This includes standard and emerging markers such as lipid markers, inflammatory markers, vascular markers, metabolic and hormonal markers, etc. The one notable exception is LDL cholesterol. Low fat diets tend to be better at
lowering LDL cholesterol.

However, low fat diets create a type of small LDL cholesterol that is not so healthy. So even though low fat diets can reduce LDL cholesterol levels, the quality of the LDL can be impaired. Furthermore, low fat diets tend to worsen several of the risk factors that low carbohydrate diets improve like glucose, insulin, triglycerides and HDL cholesterol.

The potential problem with low fat/high carbohydrate diets is that they can exacerbate the features associated with metabolic syndrome, unless you also exercise or lose weight as part of the low fat diet. High carbohydrate diets increase triglycerides, lower HDL-cholesterol, and lead to greater fluctuations in glucose and insulin. There is also an emerging concept that carbohydrates tend to be more pro-inflammatory. To some extent the over-emphasis on carbohydrates explains why we have seen such an increase in diabetes.

Beware if you are one of those fat vegans and vegetarians .. your risk is as high as those who are fat SAD omnivores .

[chornak]

hmm I've been taking whey for a while and this is the first time I've heard negative comments on it.

[Iamsuperman]

Originally Posted by Erin Pavlina

I know a lot of people swear by whey.

I have many friends and muscle builders who love the stuff, but when you ask them if it's doing anything harmful to their body they just give you a blank stare as if they'd never thought of that before. They seem to put a lot of trust into it without examining the implications for themselves.

I've read from a couple sources that it whey increases bone density. I've also read that ingesting a lot of animal protein is like pouring acid on your bones.

How could whey increase bone density if it is basically pure animal protein?

[Uplift]

It's like most things, there's tons of evidence for and against. Originally whey had extremely positive reports, particularly in boosting immunity, muscle growth and repair, assimilation, and speed of delivery. I remember a lot of the original stuff came about because of aids, and whey was virtually the only thing that would help aids patients, and their immunity. How many cases of death by whey poisoning, whey consumption. If half the 'research' was true, you would think there would be heaps, considering the tons of the stuff that is consumed daily, and has been for years. Bodybuilders aside, some awesomely healthy and fit athletes and people consume whey. But then, what would they know?

[ticktockclok]

Take it in moderation. For one, its too expensive to have it five times a day, and probably isn't good if you're seeking longevity. If you're going to have one serving/day, have it after a workout. Two servings/day- before and after workout. Three servings/day- before and after workout, first thing after waking up. I take it just once, and occasionally twice a day.

And have it with milk or soymilk. With water, its nasty for the most part.

[ageofz]

Originally Posted by ticktockclok

...And have it with milk or soymilk. With water, its nasty for the most part.

Haha thats why you fill the glass about 6 oz of water, and chug it

[Matthew Shea]

Originally Posted by Iamsuperman

How could whey increase bone density if it is basically pure animal protein?

I was just reading of a study the other day that stated weight lifting by itself can increase bone density. I can't cite the source, but if it's true, perhaps the increased bone density referred to here was due to the lifting, not the whey. Or perhaps the increased muscle mass from the whey contributed to performance improvements in the participants' lifting that then, as a side effect, led to bone density increases.

[Iamsuperman]

Originally Posted by Matthew Shea

I was just reading of a study the other day that stated weight lifting by itself can increase bone density.

Yes I'm certain that's true, I've read it from numerous sources.

Originally Posted by Matthew Shea

perhaps the increased bone density referred to here was due to the lifting, not the whey

Good point because I've heard whey promoters use the increased bone density as one of the listed benefits.

[Matthew Shea]

From the promoters' point of view, you could justify what they're saying with the logic that a) weight lifting increases bone density b) our product is designed to increase weight lifting performance and so c) using our product will promote higher bone density.

It's shady for certain, but justifyable nonetheless. Perhaps the FDA or some such agency will step in and lay down the law about making an unsupported health claim.

[bigadam]

Wow! I'm amazed at the incredible volume of misinformation in reply to the OPs question. That conditon of the body builder pictured is not the result of whey protein but "growth hormone" steroids and the condition is actually called GH gut. Be careful when you read (or post) an article or opinion from someone that has a financial interest in denouncing something.

Here is an article about the "dangers" of whey protein from a third party source (read it if you want, but I'll give you a hint: there aren't any) -

Whey Proteins

If you want to add muscle to your frame, there are few things better for you than a pre and post workout shake comprised of whey protein and proper carbs to speed the whey protein to muscle cells. I encourage you to check out the book The Abs Diet for great whey shake recipes.

Finally, whey protein does not have to be expensive. You can get a big bag of it from Costco and other retailers.

[Iamsuperman]

Originally Posted by bigadam

Finally, whey protein does not have to be expensive. You can get a big bag of it from Costco and other retailers.

Is one well advice to buy the less expensive whey? Would the quality reflect the price?

[bigadam]

Not at all. Most top selling brands will contain good quality whey. Including those sold by Costco, Sam's Club, etc. One good one is Optimum Whey. Inexpensive and high quality.

[Keith]

Originally Posted by ginkgo

In old days they would curdle the milk and get curds and whey and hence that nursery rhyme (how does it go?). The cheese was sold and the whey was given to the pigs and so was called "pig slop."

Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and whey. Along came a spider, sat down beside her and frightened miss muffet away.

Note that Miss Muffet had no problem eating the whey. In fact, we still eat curds and whey today but now it's known by the name "cottage cheese".

[Iamsuperman]

Originally Posted by Erin Pavlina

All I remember is at the Tony Robbins seminar that Steve and I went to he said that whey was toxic and it was illegal to dump it in the sewers so they put it in food instead because no one had passed a law yet saying they couldn't.

Here's a link that describes Tony's story a little, although it's not very in depth.

Allergy Hotline Columns - Whey

It basically says that whey was dumped because it was a by-product of cheese making. They stopped dumping it after someone did a chemical analysis.

[John Hill]

I'm not trying to sell you whey protein but after bodybuilding for 20 years I have written an extensive article on protein shakes in the health and fitness section of my site. The link is below.

John