Ask HN: Do You Take Protein Suppliments? Any Noticeable Benefits? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Do You Take Protein Suppliments? Any Noticeable Benefits?

15 pointssamrohn13 comments

I'm curious about people's experiences with protein suppliments, especially whey protein. Do you use it regularly? If so, what made you start?

Also, for those who don’t lift weights or engage in intense exercise, do you still take it? Have you noticed any benefits in terms of energy levels, recovery, or general well-being?

Would love to hear different perspectives!

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Whey protein is mostly a convenience supplement to hit macronutrient goals. Calculate your daily protein intake target, then consider your food options to hit that goal. Often it is hard (and boring) to hit that protein goal using only animal protein sources without exceeding your other macro (i.e carbs and fats) or calorie targets. Whey protein offers a convenient, cheap, and healthy way to ensure protein intake is sufficient without consuming too many other calories, which might cause non-lean mass gain. I wouldn’t consider any other “health benefits” to protein supplementation; if they exist, they are tangential. Also consider that whey protein causes some gastrointestinal distress in many folks.

Investigating the Health Implications of Whey Protein Consumption: A Narrative Review of Risks, Adverse Effects, and Associated Health Issues https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10815430/#abstract1

There is pretty much a hard limit on how much protein you need to intake. Often you'll hear one gram per pound of bodyweight as a rule of thumb, but in reality that is actually the ceiling. At the very most you need one gram per pound of lean body mass, not including fat (and most people are at least 15% body fat, even more for women).

Basically, the only way to know if you need a protein supplement is to track your macros. That means logging everything that you eat throughout the day. Personally, I eat lots of meat, and only need a protein shake occasionally. Before I started tracking I way over-indexed on protein. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it was a waste of money (carbs and fats are both cheaper).

Additional protein won't hurt you, but it's not going to increase muscle growth. Especially not without hypertrophic exercise.

I went through a long period of maintaining an intense exercise regimen and intentionally compared my experience without using protein supplements and using them over longish time periods. Personally, I can't say that saw that they made any real difference in any aspect of it. However, bodies differ, and YMMV.

My suspicion is that if your diet is otherwise appropriate and healthy, these supplements won't matter.

I have a morning shake with a scoop and a half of Optimum Nutrition Protein[1] and 2 tablespoons of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides[2].

I'm not sure I've noticed any benefits, but like the other commenter mentioned, it keeps me satiated until lunch.

A couple other experiments (among *many):

- Lithium oratate did nothing for me. If anything, it slightly depressed my mood. I don't have depression.

- Supplementing with good quality fish oil and magnesium daily has made pretty noticeable differences.

Currently, this is Sports Research Triple Strength Fish Oil. It has the right mix of whatever oils -- I'd need to go look in my notes to elaborate. Most off the shelf pills (including Kirkland) are inadequate in quality.

For magnesium, I am currently taking Doctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium Glycinate Lysinate.

Advice welcomed from the peanut gallery.

1. https://www.optimumnutrition.com/en-us/protein

2. https://www.vitalproteins.com/products/collagen-peptides

Protein supplements, like all supplements, are for when you're falling short of your nutritional goals after accounting for your normal food intake. If you're getting enough protein through meals, then there is no need. Many people who lift weights try to achieve about 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight, which can be a lot. Protein supplements make that number easier to hit. Beyond that, there is little to no evidence that getting protein via a supplement is better or worse than through food sources. It is simply more convenient.

Anecdata, but I've often found a 30 g whey protein shake administered every 3-4 hours to be incredibly satiating and useful for weight loss. It's about twice as expensive as my other options for protein, but the convenience can't be beat.

Be careful with responses. People paying for a product likely tend to (unconsciously) overstate the benefits to justify their continued use and purchases. Do a google scholar search for blinded studies on whey protein consumption.

Used to but now only for cakes and similar.

It's not really needed and it's much more preferable to get some solid food. It's not hard consuming another 20g of protein with solid food.

Feel like the sweeteners mess up my digestion. Are useful to get some protein after a workout - in everyday rather eat some almonds & less processed food..

Creatine and whey.

Creatine because it gives me more energy during exerrcises.

Whey to complement protein intake during busy days.

I don't think HN is the right place for such broad, open-ended health questions that don't have anything to do with tech or hacking at all.

There's so much information available across the internet on this, both expert and in forums.

He probably read

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43556350

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