It really depends on what you are looking for out of a supplement. Are you trying to build mass? Use as an on the go food supplement or other reasons. Fats are not ideal, however, a certain amount of fat in your diet is not bad given that you are not sitting around and not working out. Protein supplements just give your muscles that extra bit of protein for the healing process after you rip your muscles. When you are working out your muscles soak that stuff up. The fats that are in these supplements is usually worked off during the exercise. You can't expect to get straight protein from a powder without some fat. There are plenty of foods out there as well that are naturally lean with plenty of protein. Try tuna. Almost zero fat in the more high end species. yellow fin and albacore.
I take whey proten and have for a while using multiple brands and flavors. Fats have never been an issue with my lifestyle and fitness regiment. If you use the supplements the right way you can't go wrong. If you have anything else for me let me know. I hope this answered your question.
PTB

You did answer my question,,, thank you very much for your time.
Go Irish

I agree with what has been said about protein supplements and powders. I don't take them myself. I prefer organic real food: Chicken breast, egg whites, fish, lean pork, etc.

As for fat, essential fatty acids are called that for a reason! Our body needs to take in fat. Our brains are largely made of fat! Our joints benefit greatly from EFA supplements, and or fish and raw nuts.

It's just that the american diet is usually too high in that bad fats- those solid at room temp... especially hydrgenated one! Read your labels! If it says partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, put it back on the shelf and back away slowly! :)

Regarding Creatine...

I will bare witness to the fact that several of my patients/training clients over the years, have tried creatine. Most of them tried it for 6 months. 10 of them that I could convince to do so had kidney function studies done before and after, then after again. 7 of those 10 had changes in their results, and didn't like those changes. 3 showed no change. So those 7 stopped using it, and got retested 6 months later. All 7 who went back and retested, tested back to where they started in the very begining 6 months after stopping.

That leads me to believe that the side effects, which may not affect all people, appear to go away relatively quickly... but it's still not worth the risk to me.

But, those are just 10 people, and there was no placebo double blind controled study. There could have been a multitude of variables that I or they could not or did not factor in...

It still leaves me with the same conclusion about supplements: chose them carefully. I prefer real, whole, organic food, plus a multi, Glucoseamine Sulfate, Gogi juice (another story entirely), and EFAs... and nothing else contrived. That's just my opinion...


Dr. Jen
www.fireagility.com



This message was edited by DrJen on 3-14-08 @ 7:16 AM

Dr, Jen,
About the egg whites, for a while I use to eat only the whites (egg white omelette's), but I read several articles in health magazine and found out all of the great essential b-vitamins are in the yolk.

Interesting tidbit about the goji, the chinese have used it for thousands of years in soups. My mom makes it with a whole chicken with the fat trimmed off, dried red dates, ginger, dried mushrooms, and dried goji berries. Be sure to skim the fat on the sides of the pot as it boils. If you are sick of the usually carrot, onion,celery and chicken soup, give it a try.

As for protein powders, they are very convenient. A good post workout shake for me would include 2 scoops of whey protein (40 g), a banana, skim or low fat milk,a little peanut butter, and some strawberries or blueberries.
They are high in calories, so be mindful if you are trying to do a cut. If you working out pretty good, no big deal for me.

Balance it out lean meats and eggs( I eat 2-3 whole eggs a day cooked in canola or olive oil.

I agree that whole eggs have nutritional value. I egg whol eggs, but for me, I am not trying to get cut... or more cut.

There is a book called eat fat lose weight, but Anne louise gittleman. she goes on for a whoel chapter on whole eggs. I think she knows what she is talking about. It's a good read- on essential fatty acids...

Just more information.
Dr. Jen Milus, DC
www.fireagility.com

GNC has a protein powder with 60 grams of protein with only 1 gram of fat, unless you get the chocolate one it has 2 grams of fat. but anyways, i take it everyday. 3 scoops=60 grams of protein. i take about 9 scoops per day. 3 in the morning, 3 before my workout and 3 after my workout. i would give you the name, but i left it at home. im at the library right now. but just check it out. Its a GNC its called Super Whey protein or sumthing. but it carries alot of protein.

Yea, but how much sugar does it have??

it only has a couple of grams per scoop. so if you take the maximum 3 serving its about 18 grams of sugar throught out the day

Thats pretty d*mn good! Its hard to find a decent protein supplement out there that has all the bells and whistles minus the sugars, so looks like you found yourself a winner. How much does it run you $$? Thanks, I may have to get it!

If you think you need it, Hemp protein is the best.  I've been vegan for over 10 years and do not have a problem with enough protein.  I work out and can get huge.  Just eat and you'll get the protein.