Protein Powder????

[Drama Llama]

We have never done protein powder in our family.  My kids eat a ton, and they usually gravitate towards things that have a lot of protein, so I've always figured they were getting enough protein, so adding something highly processed to their diet didn't seem necessary.

But now my teenager is asking.  And I feel like I need more information and not just a reflexive no.  If I decide it's OK, I might put some in his stocking.

So, if you do or don't do protein powder why?  And which ones do you choose?  Would you let a 15 year old use it?  

[plansrme]

For 2 years, I had 3 high school baseball players living here. They ate and practiced and worked out and downed enough protein powder to stock a GNC store. My actual son (1 of the 3) is a snob about protein power, and he sneered at anything that had a lot of sugar in it. Other than that, it is a matter of finding one with a flavor and texture you can tolerate. Each of my 3 preferred a different flavor and brand. Because of course they did. The one non-negotiable, I gather, is that it must be mixed in a blender bottle, a plastic bottle with a slinky thing inside that mixes everything when it is shaken. Otherwise, it refuses to dissolve. So that is what I would suggest--a blender bottle with some samples or small containers (although I don't remember GNC having samples, which I always thought they should) or maybe a gift card.

[Garga]

My son asked about protein powder and I did a cursory search on the internet spending, oh, maybe 3 whole minutes on it. I found out that they’re not recommended because so many of them have so many sugars in them. 

But plansrme is saying that you can find some without a lot of sugar, so maybe there’s hope yet. 

[Grace Hopper]

I like the Sprouts store brand of vegan pea protein powder. Mild flavor and pretty clean. 

[Drama Llama]

1 minute ago, Grace Hopper said:

pretty clean. 

What makes a protein powder "clean"?  

[YaelAldrich]

6 minutes ago, BandH said:

What makes a protein powder "clean"?  

No or not much sugar. If using sweeteners, they are natural ones like stevia or monk fruit. No artificial flavors. No added stuff like carrageenan. 

[Grace Hopper]

6 minutes ago, BandH said:

What makes a protein powder "clean"?  

Not a lot of additives. The pea protein is dairy free. Mostly natural flavorings. 

[Drama Llama]

1 minute ago, YaelAldrich said:

No or not much sugar. If using sweeteners, they are natural ones like stevia or monk fruit. No artificial flavors. No added stuff like carrageenan. 

I guess I thought "clean" mean whole foods.  I don't understand how a protein powder, which is ultra processed, can be clean.  

 

[Grace Hopper]

2 minutes ago, BandH said:

I guess I thought "clean" mean whole foods.  I don't understand how a protein powder, which is ultra processed, can be clean.  

 

Well clean is a broad term. So yeah, foods in their natural state are clean. But the term is also used for products that contain no additives such as excess sugar, fat, salt, preservatives, or synthetic foods. 
 

 

[Drama Llama]

What do people think of as a benefit for protein powder, for someone who isn't underweight, has no dietary restrictions, and eats plenty of whole food protein?

Like what would be the benefits of putting protein powder in his morning smoothie, as opposed to Greek yogurt and serving some scrambled eggs on the side.  

Or having it for a snack instead of a bowl of edamame?  
 

Kid thinks it will make him look more muscular, he sees the older boys on his team with these big muscles and wants to look like that. But honestly, I think they're just further along in puberty.  

[mathnerd]

For my sport playing son, I prefer to buy an organic vegan protein powder without artificial sweeteners or sugar substitutes. I don't have a problem with natural sugars added to the powder, but would like to avoid artificial sweeteners, stevia and erythritol. I also avoid those that contain brown rice based protein (my personal discomfort about arsenic in brown rice) and choose those based on nuts and seeds. There are a few but they may be slightly gritty, which does not matter to me as I put it in smoothies with berries, bananas, superfood powders and other good stuff and my Vitamix does a pretty good task of homogenizing the smoothie.

https://orgain.com/products/organic-simple-plant-protein-powder?variant=32734855233645

https://www.bobsredmill.com/shop/nutritional-boosters/almond-protein-powder.html#nutritional-info

https://www.bobsredmill.com/shop/nutritional-boosters/hemp-protein-powder.html#nutritional-info

https://www.nowfoods.com/products/sports-nutrition/pea-protein-organic-powder

 

[gardenmom5]

I did a lot of research and the Gold Standard Whey protein was well rated.  It tasted good and had good texture.

My dr wanted me to use a brown rice protein powder instead.  I add frozen fruit, water, and blend it.  About the consistency of a milkshake - do at least I can give myself a treat.    I feel better for the reasons I avoid dairy, but the other tastes better and I prefer animal protein to plant protein.

[Amy in NH]

It's a good way to get enough protein when actively building muscle; increasing protein intake improves muscle mass when doing muscle building exercises like weight lifting, and should be ingested within 30 minutes of the workout for maximum benefit.  Whey-based powders cause stomach upset for a lot of people, but pea-based protein is gentler on the digestive system.  I like Orgain Chocolate, but the vanilla is yucky imo.  Sometimes I use it to make protein muffins or other baked goods.  I mix it with yogurt, banana, flax & chia seeds, a little olive oil, and a bunch of ice and water in my ninja blender cup - it is difficult to get it to mix thoroughly otherwise.

Edited December 7, 2022 by Amy in NH

[wathe]

1 hour ago, BandH said:

What do people think of as a benefit for protein powder, for someone who isn't underweight, has no dietary restrictions, and eats plenty of whole food protein?

Like what would be the benefits of putting protein powder in his morning smoothie, as opposed to Greek yogurt and serving some scrambled eggs on the side.  

Or having it for a snack instead of a bowl of edamame?  
 

Kid thinks it will make him look more muscular, he sees the older boys on his team with these big muscles and wants to look like that. But honestly, I think they're just further along in puberty.  

There isn't one. Protein powder will not make one iota of difference for a kid who eats well otherwise, including enough protein-rich foods.

Legit indications for protein powder: a way to supplement protein for people who actually can't get enough protein from actual food.  Which isn't very many people (perhaps the elitest of elite athletes, or frail elderly who have trouble eating, etc)

IME,  protein powder is a way to part you from your money.  As is pretty much the entire nutritional supplement $$$$$ industry.  It's predatory. There are a very few limited exceptions ie vitamin D in northern climates.

That said, protein powder is also not likely to do him any physical harm.  It might make him feel like he fits in with the group.  

(I do have concerns about it being a stepping stone to other performance enhancing "supplements", and then to actual performance enhancing substances.  I have similar concerns about energy drinks.  But that's not what you are asking about here)

 

[chocolate-chip chooky]

My answer pretty much mirrors @wathe 

My concern is that it could be a small step in a dangerous direction. 

Perhaps a visit with a sports dietitian could be a good idea? I've done this with one daughter, and the sports dietitian looked at a food diary and an exercise diary and then came up with a meal plan to ensure that all macros and micros were adequately covered for the level of exercise.

As an aside, our dietitian had us add nutmeal to certain foods to increase both protein and calories. Protein powders were never suggested.

[Grace Hopper]

I have to avoid dairy and I use it (instead of something like yogurt) in meal replacement smoothies. I also blend in flax and chia and a doctor recommended fiber supplement as part of a plan for my gut issues. 
 

Sounds like your ds wants it for entirely different reasons. 

[Katy]

The general rule for muscle building is 1-2 grams of protein per pound of desired body weight. That can be a large volume of whole foods. It can make it difficult to get the protein spread out enough to make it more absorbable. Though I’m not certain the research on protein synthesis is that reliable. 

A powder can both be used in shakes for snacks and it can be used in recipes in lieu of flour. So if a kid wants pancakes they can mix protein powder, egg whites, and a pinch of baking powder.  There are a million other recipes too. 

The idea of adding more protein when growing, for adults over 40, anyone wanting to gain or maintain muscle volume while losing weight, or anyone struggling with wound healing has a ton of science. Unfortunately protein also seems to disproportionately increase insulin too so it’s probably not great for long term health unless you keep overall calories pretty low. There are plenty of ripped men with low body fat who have heart attacks. Some people try and get around this with yearly or quarterly fasts or low protein diets, but the research there (low protein for longevity) is pretty small in humans. It’s all speculative at this point IMO.

[Carrie12345]

I buy just about any grocery store protein powder that’s on sale. No additional “body building supplements” included, just basic whey or pea protein products. 

It’s primarily for ds, now 15, who is underweight. I don’t find it any worse than the Pediasure doctors recommended when he was younger. He usually forgets it’s there though.

I also use it, and other high protein products, when I’m actively trying to build muscle. I can only eat so much chicken! I also keep individual boxed shakes on hand for when I forget to eat breakfast before running out the door near lunchtime.

As long as you’re aware that it’s JUST protein powder and no other weird -teins in there, it’s highly unlikely to be any more harmful than whatever other trendy drink or snack kids might think is cool to have every day.

[BlsdMama]

My body has a hard time utilizing protein. This is the supplement I’ve used: Ancient Nutrition & Heal  in a Meal. Heal wouldn’t be appropriate in this instance. 

Edited December 7, 2022 by BlsdMama

[cintinative]

Ultimate Muscle Protein by Beverly International. Lots of great flavors, low sugar, tastes great.

[73349]

For a teen who wants to build muscle, I'd buy him some weights if he didn't have them sooner than protein powder. The body can only use so much protein, and more than that can stress the kidneys.

(My DS14 does consume nutrition supplement shakes/powders, but that's to prevent weight loss from a medical condition.)

[GoVanGogh]

I drink protein smoothies several times a week. I use a vegan one from Lifetime gym, which can be purchased online without a membership. I wouldn’t have an issue with my teenager using once a day as long as they were eating healthy. I do think a protein smoothies is good for post-workout recovery. 

[Clemsondana]

My teen boy uses it all the time, and my younger teen girl does some, too.  We use Less Naked Whey - it's the Naked Whey (plain protein powder) plus sugar and either vanilla or chocolate.  We usually use vanilla since it can be added to almost any fruit, and if they really want chocolate they can add syrup.  We also use PB Fit peanut powder as a protein powder.  One kid likes it mixed with bananas and milk.  Both kids eat plenty, and well, but like a lot of athletes they sometimes need more calories, or calories on the go. It's also been recommended as something to drink after a workout.  We dump the indgredients in a mason jar, screw on the blender blade, and then mix it until smooth using the blender.  

[plansrme]

12 hours ago, BandH said:

What do people think of as a benefit for protein powder, for someone who isn't underweight, has no dietary restrictions, and eats plenty of whole food protein?

Like what would be the benefits of putting protein powder in his morning smoothie, as opposed to Greek yogurt and serving some scrambled eggs on the side.  

Or having it for a snack instead of a bowl of edamame?  
 

Kid thinks it will make him look more muscular, he sees the older boys on his team with these big muscles and wants to look like that. But honestly, I think they're just further along in puberty.  

My son was lifting so much, and in school or practice for so much of every day, that he could not consume enough protein to sustain the muscle growth to which he aspired (and that he eventually attained). There were just not enough opportunities to eat real food, although he did as much as he could. For instance, he got up early every morning before school and scrambled 6 (yes, 6) eggs for himself, or he would make these nasty protein pancakes that tasted like concrete to me. He worked with a very knowledgeable trainer, who trains multiple MLB players, to figure out what he needed to eat. He also just did not have enough of an appetite to consume the kind of protein he needed in real food. But he was also lifting, heavy, 4 times a week. The older boys on your son's team are probably just older, but they are probably also lifting and eating more. My son really zeroed in on what he wanted and how to get there when he was about 15, and he had a different body by the time he was 17. You and I wouldn't look at him and think he was really muscular, because he is not a body builder, but other athletes and coaches see it immediately. 

[Moonhawk]

We use Jarrow Whey Protein. It has no artificial sweeteners or flavors, 1g sugar in a 24g scoop serving. They have flavor versions available but we were looking for as "clean" as possible. This only has the whey and sunflower lecithin. Compared to other unflavored ones we've tried, it has a neutral taste that is doable [to us] without an strong aftertaste. 

[Corraleno]

DS uses protein powder because he trains 5-7 days/week and he's so busy that he often can't get enough protein just from eating whole foods. He especially needs something high protein when he gets back from practice in the morning and has very little time to shower, get dressed, and head to class, so he makes a giant smoothie with soy milk, protein powder, peanut butter, banana, greens, and a mix of chia, flax, and hemp seeds.

I use protein powder because a green protein smoothie is a quick and easy way to get protein and veg for breakfast without having to cook. It's important to spread protein throughout the day, and I don't like to eat a big heavy breakfast, so a smoothie is both light and high protein. I use soy milk, banana, chia and flax seeds, matcha powder for antioxidants and a little caffeine, protein powder, at least half a bag of mixed baby kale/chard/spinach, and ice.

My favorite protein powders are Vega Protein Made Simple, because they're plant-based and have minimal ingredients. Vanilla and Toffee are just pea protein, organic sugar, powdered coconut cream, and vanilla or toffee flavor. Chocolate adds cocoa powder, and Strawberry Banana has powdered fruit and some beet powder for color. A lot of protein powders tout no sugar, but they usually replace it with stevia, erythritol, or Sucralose, and I'd rather just have a little bit of organic sugar — the 5g of added sugar in 2 scoops of Vega powder is slightly more than a teaspoon, and that's in a 28 oz smoothie with healthy Omega 3 fats and lots of protein (for comparison, a 12 oz can of coke has 39g of sugar). But if you want zero sugar, Orgain is a good organic/plant-based powder that's widely available and reasonably priced (cheapest at Costco). DS likes the Chocolate Fudge flavor, which is a lot more "chocolatey" than the Vega. (The Vega powders do not have a strong flavor and I don't know how tasty they would be if someone was just adding them to water in a shaker cup, but the toffee flavor in a smoothie with a banana and vanilla soy milk is seriously delicious.)

If you want to make a high protein, whole food smoothie, a cup of soy milk (8g), 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (12g), 2 TBL peanutbutter (8g), 1 TBL of hemp seeds (3g), a banana (1g), and some ice = 32g protein.

[wathe]

I've been ruminating on this overnight.

I think that a consult with a registered dietitian or sports medicine MD is a good idea.

I think that kids get the idea that protein powder is somehow magical, somehow specially performance enhancing.  When really it's a food replacement;  protein powder is not better than actual protein-rich food.  It may be worse than actual food - additives, contaminants etc.

Sports drinks like gatorade are similarly "magical", in that kids get the idea they are somehow specially performance enhancing.  Instead of simple replacements for food and water.

If this were my kids (and it might be in a year or two - my teen athletes are starting down a similar path), I think I would consult a reg dietitian and sports med.  Assign a research project of sports nutrition.  Kid would have to present objective evidence for and against. 

I've already used this strategy in a limited way - had kid research sports drinks: history, marketing, sports nutrition etc.  It was helpful.  (Gatorade is big around here for teen sports, and big in his sport, it has magical qualities ::eyeroll::).

[Drama Llama]

11 hours ago, Katy said:

The general rule for muscle building is 1-2 grams of protein per pound of desired body weight.

Do you have a link that supports that?  Because the sources I trust say more like 1 to 1.5 grams per kg which is a pretty dramatic difference.  That would give him a target of around 100 grams on the high end. 

When I run what he eats in a typical day through a calculator, he's above that. 

 

 

[Drama Llama]

36 minutes ago, wathe said:

I've been ruminating on this overnight.

I think that a consult with a registered dietitian or sports medicine MD is a good idea.

I think, in theory, that's a great idea.  Realistically I'm not going to pay for medical appointments to help me decide about stocking stuffers.  I feel confident that my kid doesn't need protein powder, and that I can meet his needs with whole foods.  I'm just not sure whether protein powder would be another safe way to meet his needs. 

36 minutes ago, wathe said:

I think that kids get the idea that protein powder is somehow magical, somehow specially performance enhancing.  When really it's a food replacement;  protein powder is not better than actual protein-rich food.  It may be worse than actual food - additives, contaminants etc.

Sports drinks like gatorade are similarly "magical", in that kids get the idea they are somehow specially performance enhancing.  Instead of simple replacements for food and water.

If this were my kids (and it might be in a year or two - my teen athletes are starting down a similar path), I think I would consult a reg dietitian and sports med.  Assign a research project of sports nutrition.  Kid would have to present objective evidence for and against. 

I've already used this strategy in a limited way - had kid research sports drinks: history, marketing, sports nutrition etc.  It was helpful.  (Gatorade is big around here for teen sports, and big in his sport, it has magical qualities ::eyeroll::).

I think that works well when you're homeschooling.  My kid has been really overwhelmed by the transition to high school, the increased workload, the increased extracurricular demands, and family stuff.  Homework from me isn't going to help.

[Corraleno]

43 minutes ago, BandH said:

Do you have a link that supports that?  Because the sources I trust say more like 1 to 1.5 grams per kg which is a pretty dramatic difference.  That would give him a target of around 100 grams on the high end. 

When I run what he eats in a typical day through a calculator, he's above that. 

I looked into this for DS a few months ago, and I agree that the research shows 1-1.5g/kg to be plenty for athletes. I think the 1g/lb rule of thumb is generally used by body builders who want to seriously bulk up beyond what's ideal (or even healthy) for a regular athlete. DS is a pretty elite level athlete who trains hard and competes frequently, and he aims for .75g/lb when he's lifting nearly every day.

If your teen is getting more than 100g of protein per day, he really doesn't need more than that unless he's a really big guy (DS is 6'7" and 225 lbs, so he aims for around 175 g/day). I'd just make sure that the protein is distributed throughout the day (e.g. not just having a bagel for breakfast and a huge dinner with a big steak)  because the body can only use so much protein at one time and more than that is wasted (and possibly bad for kidneys).

If you're looking for stocking stuffers, maybe just throw in a few protein bars like Builder Bars or similar?

Edited December 7, 2022 by Corraleno
big steak, not a bug steak

[Katy]

17 minutes ago, BandH said:

Do you have a link that supports that?  Because the sources I trust say more like 1 to 1.5 grams per kg which is a pretty dramatic difference.  That would give him a target of around 100 grams on the high end. 

When I run what he eats in a typical day through a calculator, he's above that. 

 

 

You’re reading a medical guideline. The one for bodybuilders, trainers & strength athletes is what I quoted and is probably just as much anecdotal bro science as it is medically supported. Mostly because it’s easier to cut fat when you eat more protein, because protein is satiating to most people. 

To back your theory and help justify your no… There is plenty of science to suggest that more animal protein, even isolated protein, isn’t great for you. And that plant protein is good for you. It’s really cheap and easy to cook dried beans in an instant pot or slow cooker. That could provide extra protein that he could eat at any time with any sauce he likes, or maybe hot sauce or salsa in a burrito. He’ll get the benefits of the phytonutrients and prebiotic fiber in addition to the protein. And you can argue that extra animal protein shortens life span but extra beans lengthen it and lower inflammation for faster athletic recovery.

Also your reasoning that supplements are second best to whole food has plenty of science. And if he wants to argue ask why prisoners get so much muscle eating terrible food with low protein content? Exercising multiple times a day is probably more important than food, and before choosing a supplement that may be less than ideal from a health perspective it might be better to spend more time exercising. 

[chocolate-chip chooky]

1 hour ago, BandH said:

I think, in theory, that's a great idea.  Realistically I'm not going to pay for medical appointments to help me decide about stocking stuffers.  I feel confident that my kid doesn't need protein powder, and that I can meet his needs with whole foods.  I'm just not sure whether protein powder would be another safe way to meet his needs. 

I think that works well when you're homeschooling.  My kid has been really overwhelmed by the transition to high school, the increased workload, the increased extracurricular demands, and family stuff.  Homework from me isn't going to help.

I think that @watheand I are on the same page with this.

This may not be just about a stocking stuffer. This could be your son thinking that a powder/supplement/other is a quick and magic way to a different body shape.

I really hope it isn't, but it might be, either now or further down the track, and to me (and it seems @wathe) this is one thing to consider.

Our appointments with a sports dietitian were incredibly valuable.

 

** Just editing to add that I won't keep pressing this. I only mentioned it again in case you missed my first post. Actually, I don't know if you have me on 'ignore', so maybe you won't get this anyway, but I'm posting about this because I care about you and your family.

Edited December 7, 2022 by chocolate-chip chooky

[Selkie]

46 minutes ago, Katy said:

To back your theory and help justify your no… There is plenty of science to suggest that more animal protein, even isolated protein, isn’t great for you. And that plant protein is good for you. It’s really cheap and easy to cook dried beans in an instant pot or slow cooker. That could provide extra protein that he could eat at any time with any sauce he likes, or maybe hot sauce or salsa in a burrito. He’ll get the benefits of the phytonutrients and prebiotic fiber in addition to the protein. And you can argue that extra animal protein shortens life span but extra beans lengthen it and lower inflammation for faster athletic recovery.

Yes, this. Well said.

[Drama Llama]

13 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

I think that @watheand I are on the same page with this.

This may not be just about a stocking stuffer. This could be your son thinking that a powder/supplement/other is a quick and magic way to a different body shape.

I really hope it isn't, but it might be, either now or further down the track, and to me (and it seems @wathe) this is one thing to consider.

Our appointments with a sports dietitian were incredibly valuable.

 

** Just editing to add that I won't keep pressing this. I only mentioned it again in case you missed my first post. Actually, I don't know if you have me on 'ignore', so maybe you won't get this anyway, but I'm posting about this because I care about you and your family.

I don’t have anyone one on ignore.  I never have.

Thank you for your concern.