Protein Supplements – All that you need to know

Protein Supplements are dietary supplements that usually body builders and athletes take in order to replace meals, enhance their body weight, promote weight loss or to improve their performance in athletics. Before one shifts to protein supplements, gaining knowledge about the various advantages and disadvantages of the same are paramount for effective and efficient utilization of the same.

Protein Supplements – The Advantages

1. Improved rate of nutritional intake
Protein supplements provide the body with the required amount of protein intake and other benefits arising out of the consumption of other natural sources, in a form that allows the body for quicker absorption of the target nutrients than otherwise. This helps in improving shortfall in percentage composition at short notice.

 2. Quick recovery

Protein supplements, often found in various energy, health bars, certain chocolates, drinks etc, are primarily aimed at improving the rate of recovery of muscles or increasing protein count when required. For example when an individual is recovering from a body damaging illness, protein supplements help increase the rate of recovery of the body and muscles.

3. Attaining the “dream physique”

Protein supplements are mostly used as supplement dietary intake for people going to the gym. The protein intake for the purpose of body building help buff up muscles in the body coupled with proper gym training to move another step closer to attaining that dream physique everyone dreams of.

  4. Appetite suppressant

Whey protein, another nutritional supplement, when used causes an increase in the production of cholecystokinin (CKC) which is the hormone responsible for control of appetite in a body. In beneficial contrast, protein helps control this hormone more effectively. The body requires more energy to digest protein than others which causes an increase in the metabolism rate of the body, helping in burning out calories.

 

 5. Multiple use

Why just use protein to build a fabulous body or to increase body metabolism? You can cook with protein supplements for that added effect and a high nutritional meal.

Protein Supplements – The Disadvantages

1. Lack of other nutrients

Protein supplements are targeted more to increase the amount of protein content in the body. But this is not balanced since these supplements do not provide a significant intake of other nutrients which are equally essential for the body. Whole foods always provide a much better and balanced intake than such supplements.

2. Unsustainable use

Protein and other supplement intake may be fine to use in the short run but there cannot be sustained use of them since the body runs the risk of developing other nutritional deficiencies arising due to an unbalanced intake of nutrients arising out of the fact of supplements being heavy on only protein.

3. Health problems

The continued use of protein coupled with a high protein diet runs the risk of various health problems cropping up such as obesity, high cholesterol, increased risk of heart attacks and kidney complications.

4. Contamination issues

Ingredients used to produce protein supplements would ideally include cadmium, mercury, lead or arsenic, either of which is extremely harmful when used continuously and for a prolonged period of time.

5. Cause of obesity

Protein supplements when taken produce additional energy in the body, which if not used, then directly results in people putting on weight. An individual requires 0.9 gms of protein per pound of an individual’s body weight. An excess intake would require that additional effort in the gym or playground.