Since my writeup on protein powders is taking way longer than I thought, mainly because there is just so much to cover that I don’t know where to start… and as I get my content organised, I thought that for now, I’d just share the various protein supplements (protein powders, meal replacements, ready-to-drink packets) that I’ve personally bought, consumed, or maybe just tasted throughout my years of weight training… so that you know that when I talk about taste or quality or price of a protein supplement… and when I pass judgement - I DO KNOW a thing or two of what I’m talking about.
Anyone out there tried as many different supps as I have?
NEXT PROTEINS
Designer Protein - Chocolate, Vanilla Praline, Strawberry, French Vanilla
Designer Protein with GlycerLEAN - Malted Muscles, ChocoLATS
BSN
Syntha-6 - Chocolate
GNC
100% Whey Protein - Chocolate, Vanilla
Mega Whey - Chocolate, Vanilla
Mega MRP - Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry
Muscletech
Meso-Tech MRP - Strawberry, Chocolate
American Bodybuilding (ABB)
Pure Pro Ready To Drink
Weider
Muscle Builder - Chocolate, Vanilla
Cytodyne
Methoxy-Pro
EAS
Myoplex Original MRPs
Myoplex Deluxe MRPs - chocolate Fudge, Mocha Latte, Chocolate Mint
Simply Whey - Chocolate, Strawberry
Myoplex RTD (Ready-to-Drink) - Chocolate
Optimum Nutrition
100% Whey Gold Standard - Chocolate, Vanilla
And the winners are…
Most economical : Optimum Nutrition’s 100% Whey Gold Standard
Most expensive : Myoplex Deluxe MRPs
Most foul tasting : Cytodyne’s Methoxy Pro
Most best tasting : BSN’s Syntha-6
Most useless (hardly saw results) : The entire GNC range
Most effective (quick results) : MesoTech MRPs
Just remember that these are my own opinions and results are based on my own experience.
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DM, can you explain further on MesoTech MRPs and what you meant by it being most effective ie what kind of quick results did you witness?
will bookmark this for future reference when i run out of my durian meal.
:)
Best tasting is Syntha-6?! I thought Optimum Nutrition is already fantastic, I had a friend who said he won’t mind drining ON’s (with milk) all day long :)
Meso Tech to me also is the most efective, my bro and friend (both hard gainers) gained 3kg and 2kg of mass respectively after the first box.
I’ve tried Weider too, will not go back to that route.
Will look for Syntha-6 this Sunday. Thanks for the write-up.
dc8585: I consumed one sachet of Meso-Tech MRP everyday for 20 days, replacing my usual evening meal (approx 4 - 5pm), and at the end of the 20 days - There was a pretty significant and noticeable difference in muscle size and gains. It was very obvious, especially on my upper body.
Read all about Meso-Tech HERE.
If money is not an issue for you, and it’s fast results you want - I believe you should go for the BSN Stacks or the Nitro-tech + Cell-Tech combo. You could talk to the guys at EGOnutritions on this.
sharil: Yes, Syntha-6 (chocolate flavour) was amazing… it had all the milkiness and creaminess and everything else nice WITHOUT having to add milk. I imagine the taste and experience to be out of this world if you were to mix it with milk + ice cubes in a blender. Amazing.
The Weider range of sports supplements is old school.. and was pretty much the one who started it all and made the sports supplement industry what it is today. However, I feel that with the competition, there are now far better options out there today.
I have been using the GNC product all this while (the pro performance)
I am not sure it is good or bad as i never use other brand before. I am waiting for my current tub to finish of to try another brand.
So DM, which is most economical and effective, surely there is a middle ground some where……….
Muscle Jedi: Easy… Optimum Nutrition’s 100% Whey. In fact.. I think its pretty much ’staple food’ for most bodybuilders here. Economical and excellent quality protein. Its nothing FANCY, but it gets the job done. Its what I’m currently on… and almost everyone else I know too, is on it.
hi DM, im not a serious body builder. my gold is to tone up n build some muscles n get rid of those fats. im not taking any protein supplement from any of the brands u listed above but i take the Amway protein powder everytime after my workout (free weight training by myself)…my question is will tat protein powder help in building up muscles? or its just enaf for our daily protein needs?
aik: Well, a protein shake after your workout is always beneficial. But then again.. you don’t really need a protein powder to see results.. you could do fine simply by bumping up your protein intake with eggs, tuna, chicken, fish, etc. Its just that most people opt for a protein shake because it can sometimes be cheaper, taste better, and is a convenient way to increase your protein intake (just add water, and mix - easy!).
Protein from food/powder helps in recovery and growth of your muscles. You don’t really need protein supplements, as long as you consume enough protein for your body to grow muscle. No protein, no muscles.
Consuming enough protein is crucial but I recently discovered that taking a suitably potent multi vitamin/mineral supplement is also very important. Better gains and faster recovery are the main benefits.
I guess the simple reason behind this is that if your body does not first have all the important vitamins, minerals and assorted nutrients that it needs, it cannot properly process that expensive protein shake you gleefully down after your workout.
I’ve been using Animal Paks for about 3 weeks and although they are a pain to swallow (11 tables in all, many of them industrial sized!), the results are surprisingly good.
Any experience with Animal Paks or multivitamins/minerals, DM?
Gtan: I just rely on a regular multivitamin and Vitamins C & E every now and then. But if I had the extra cash, I’d DEFINITELY invest in Animal Paks. (Also.. I think they’re more than your average multivitamin!).
Anyway.. here’s the deal. Alot of people are deficient in many areas without realising it. For example, you’re not gonna believe this but I once experienced amazing strength gains in a matter of days simply by supplementing with a Blackmores Zinc tablet everyday (zinc regulates hormones especially in men, testosterone, etc).
Why did I see such improvement? Because I wasnt getting enough of zinc. I wouldnt have noticed anything if I was already getting enough of zinc in the first place from my food. This boils down to healthy eating.. are you meeting your nutritional needs through the food you consume?
What the Animal Pak does is to ensure you’ve got EVERYTHING covered, eliminating the guesswork. Great choice on the Animal Pak.
Thanks. I like the way you say “invest”. It’s true that we invest in these products primarily for optimum health and muscle gain :)
DM: For protein shakes, has anyone tried to just blend 3-4 glasses at one go, then put it the fridge? I’m thinking it would reduce preparing/cleaning time, in scooping, cleaning and blending!!
Time is money, right? And being able to just open the fridge for a swig of protein makes it easier to feel motivated to hit the gym.
But will the protein deterioate or lose some effectiveness?
aw: It depends how long you plan to keep your protein shake in the refrigerator. I can’t find a writeup online to point as a reference, but I very clearly remember reading that a protein shake makes a very conducive environment for bacteria to multiply quickly. As for me, I never pre-mix them and the longest I’ve ever kept a protein shake in the refrigerator is 20 minutes.
Anyway.. protein powders are already so convenient.. just SCOOP - SHAKE - DRINK.
Well, if you still insist on pre-mixing, I wouldn’t keep it in the refrigerator for any longer than 8 hours. If the texture/colour/taste changes.. don’t say I didnt warn you! Heh heh. Cheers!
DM: Bacteria..? That’s a downer. I guess 1 shake at a time then!
I’m using a blender. Do you just use a water bottle to shake, or is there some newfangled shaker specifically for this..? How do you clean the insides of the bottle?
Protein powders are not the easiest to dissolve..
Hey aw, I replied you in an email some time ago… Did you get it?
You did? Oh thanks man. Let me check. I don’t use regular email in comments, I think spam bots can harvest them easily.
aw: I don’t display email adds on my site. They’re only visible to me. Anyway, here’s the reply I sent you:
=========================================
Why do i get the funny feeling that you’re using some sorta weird branded protein powder? What are you currently consuming?
I’ve never had problems with my protein powders. ON’s whey even mixes with a spoon.. though its not that easy. If you’re really having trouble, drop in a cube of ice, close and shake till there’s no tomorrow.
I only use a blender when I wish to get funky with my protein shakes - for example : 2 scoops powder + peanut butter + fruit + ice cubes for an amazing smoothie.
Cleaning? Just dishwashing liquid… hmm.. once again.. what are you consuming that sticks to the insides?
Always remember - put in the liquid first, then only add powder. This will prevent the powder from sticking to the bottom of your shaker if thats your problem.
hi DM, im a beginner in bodybuilding so i hv totally no idea bout which protein supplement tat i should try. could u suggest any tat suitable for someone new like me? from ur post i tot of try the meso tech MRP or how bout muscletech nitrotech?
Hi DM,
Thanks for this nice article. When you say entire GNC range do you include premixed protein shakes they sell (myoplex brand) ? Is myoplex advisable ?
Thanks !
aik: Try BSN’s Syntha-6 if you want the best.
ogami: When I ‘the entire GNC range’, I meant the GNC Pro Performance brand of sports supplements.., and not everything they sell in their store. EAS Myoplez is an amazing product - I’ve tried it and seen good results, but its ridiculously overpriced here in Malaysia, so if I were you, I’d try something else. There are other cheaper, and better options.
I’m not the “Sazali Mr. U “, but i have been working out since I was 17years old now I’m 39 that about 20 + years. I started in Penang that move the the US ( HAWAII ) to study for my degrees & “PLAY” - lived there for 8 years the supplement are cheep about 1/3 the prices in M’sia. I had tried most of the brands there even GNC ( Had a GOLD Membership ) wow Right. For me the best thing is not to stick to one brand, because our body gets used to the “Junk” we drink - the best is tho change brands so that our body does not get the same mix every time ( orang kata kadang2 kena tukar cita rasa la) weider’s was good way back then now it kind of “yuck” but it works it does the job, ON’s good haven seen any improvement yet ( fasting La - lost weight hope FAT only ), Nitro Tech the best but $$$ two tubs a month could pay for my Hilux monthly payment - hurts - body or car which one shoud i pick. This is all up to you and what you want in life to get the most out of your workout supplements would help, if low on $ egg the word lots of it, 24 per day would help on making you Fart ( good for meeting the girl of your dreams ) ok have fun & enjoy your workout.
i’m not trying to build all my muscles up hard-core, but my main focus is building up my glutes. i’m trying to tone up the rest of my body. should i expect that a protein shake would be too much for what i need? does protien also help reduce fat? i’m 124lbs, how much protein would i need to see results?
heather: Here’s a simple calculation for the protein intake that an AVERAGE person would need daily –> bodyweight(kg) x 2.2 or for every 1lbs of weight your body requires 1g of protein…
As your weight is 124lbs, it’s probably recommended for you to take in 124g of protein daily although that may varies depending on your goal…
Protein does not reduce fat if you are implying that protein supplements works like slimming pills do… :P
Your goal of having a toned body should consist of a clean diet, ample cardio and weight-lifting workout and a much required 8 hours of rest… (I’m hoping I’m not stating the obvious)
As for protein shakes, I wouldn’t say it is compulsary as it all depends on the food you consume daily as to whether it fulfills your daily protein requirements or not…
Consumption of protein shakes are mainly for people who are unable to take the sufficient amount of protein daily or do not have time or because of convenience….
Imagine a bodybuilder who needs a higher daily protein intake of 400g per day who has to chuck down probably 10 eggs = 60g protein, 5 cans tuna = 100-120g protein, 5 big mcs = 120g, 8 pieces of chicken = approx. 100g just to fulfill his daily requirements…
It would just be a chore to do so everyday… Hence, protein shakes do come in handy for them…
Conclusion is, it’s up to you to decide whether protein shakes are necessary for you or not :)
how long will it take for me to know that the protien im using is effective ,i mean as in muscle gains ,would i have to wait until the full container finishes or not??please im really curious.
heather: I think that everyone can benefit from a protein shake when used as part of a exercise program. Since you’re an average person just like me.. you could just start of with 1 shake a day preferable after your workout. If you find that you need to consume up to 2 shakes a day to meet your daily protein requirements.. you should then look at your diet, cos you should be getting more protein from whole foods and not relying entirely on protein shakes. Will a protein shake help you lose fat? Well, together with a proper exercise plan, it all helps.
osmarr: It’s not the protein shake ALONE that makes you grow - you got to look at everything else you’re doing. Plus, protein is only protein - its not some miracle growth formula. Don’t believe everything you read on the label. I’ve finished entire tubs of protein without seeing or expecting any results - just knowing that I’m providing my body with the adequate nutrition it needs to grow, and let the process take its place. Every individual is different.
oh gosh! thank goodness i chanced upon this write up DM! :D i am considering a few options.. n this has helped cleared things up abit. thanks! saviour!!
how abt Champion? forgot to add… Champion Pure Whey
fitchick: How did it help you? Also.. I’ve never tried Champion Pure Whey. Not that it’s a bad product or anything, but I usually tend to stick to the ones that have been around for awhile and have established a name for their products.
Recently i just bought a whey protein with the brand of Muscletech, it’s totally Whey Isolate(ion exchange 100% whey isolate). Since this is my first time using it, i was wondering do all the whey protein build up a lot of bubble or is just mine. I put like 20g into 400ml water, and when i shake it a way LOADS!!!! of bubble is build up and pretty nasty to drink as it does not contain any sweetener at all just 100% whey protein isolate. The thing that keep me wonder ,is does this bubble thingy here is actually all those protein or its just bubble but those bubble do have those funny whey smell like the water mix with it,cost most of the time i just drink the water and flush away all those bubble. Really need a help with it if not i will be like flushing down my money into the sink with those huge load of bubble
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