Anyone new to the world of supplements and workout routines has difficulty getting to know what products are better than others. Some people even have difficulty figuring out if they should be even using some supplement to boost their muscle building.
Protein is the building block of our muscular mass. Hence, to increase muscles, we need as much protein as possible; this is why most bodybuilders eat eggs, chicken, and meat, as all of these are a good source of protein. But eating an increased amount of meat or eggs is still not good enough, and people need another source to boost their muscle-building process.
These sources could be supplements, protein pills, or protein powders. For a novice, or beginners, these terms are very foreign, and they often have difficulty deciding what to choose. As the options are endless, everyone needs a thorough guide to introduce them to the best options.
It is also advised that people should know the difference between protein pills and protein powders. You will get to know their benefits, drawbacks, and use in this article.
Why does a person working out require an excessive amount of protein?
As reported earlier, a person looking to build muscles need vast amounts of protein in their body to help with the syntheses of their powers. Protein pills and protein powders can help you gain all the essential and required amino acids for muscle development’s natural process.
Everyone has a different opinion about the required dose of protein needed to start up the muscle-building process, especially if coupled with working out. But the protein amount should be around 0.36g per pound of the person’s weight each day.
Keep in mind, protein supplements alone cannot miraculously make your body fit and lean. They would be quite useless without the help of exercises and workout routines.
How does the muscle growth in our bodies occur?
Whenever we workout, exert excessive forces on our muscles, our muscle fibers tear apart. After this, your muscles need to heal and recover, during which they also increase in volume. To gain more volume, our body needs an abundance of amino acids to form the protein necessary for muscle growth.
Our body could never have enough protein for muscle building from the diet we take, which is why we need protein supplements in the shape of pills or powders. The pills and powders are a source of protein, but how are they made?
The source behind protein pills and protein powders:
Every company or brand producing protein pills and protein powders differs in its source of protein. The same goes for the common meat or dairy products extracting the protein from milk, eggs, chicken, or liver while other use casein or whey.
Nowadays, the most common sources of protein in supplemental pills are casein and whey. Most athletes and bodybuilders prefer using the whey pills over any other as it has a quicker effect if compared.
Whey is digested in our body very quickly and is readily available in the bloodstream after its absorption. It also is a good source of leucine, an essential amino acid required for muscle growth.
If ever in doubt which protein pill to prefer over the others, try the one with the essential amino acids and the one that comes with vitamins and minerals for our body. The added nutrients can bring the perfect environment needed for muscle growth.
What is the amount of protein present in pills and powders?
The difference in the amount of protein gained after protein pills or powders is quite huge. You can earn around 25 grams of protein by ingesting only one scoop of protein powder, whereas; you will only achieve a 2 grams increase in protein level after taking one pill.
The difference between the protein pills and powders:
As we have figured out, protein pills and powder are two separate things, and everyone has their preference while choosing between both. They are mostly similar as they have the same sources. Pills are also absorbed in blood as fast as protein powders as the capsule dissolves as soon as ingested.
They are both a protein source, and the most known difference between them is the amount of protein you get from one dose of each. As stated earlier, protein powders provide far more protein than pills. To gain an equal amount of protein from the pills, you cannot start munching on the pills; taking ten pills at once is not recommended.
When made in protein shakes, protein powders offer an abundant amount of proteins and calories that help the people in bulking cycling need extra calories. The pills cannot do this job as the only thing they provide is protein.
People looking to build muscle and reduce weight also opt for shakes as a replacement for a meal in a day. As you can use the protein powder with milk and fruits, one glass of shake with one scoop of powder goes a long way.
Since we have talked about how efficient the powder is in its usage, we also need to discuss all the pills’ advantages.
The pills have absolutely no taste; the same cannot be said for the powder. You can just put the pill at the back of your tongue and swallow it dry or with water. It is also way more convenient to use as it requires no time for preparation, and you do not need to carry large containers everywhere. It is easy to be taken to the gym as compared to the heavy boxes of protein powders.
What are the advantages of using protein pills or powders?
The pills and the powders can both be added to your bodybuilding cycle. You can also use powders for the bulking cycles to provide the extra calories required for gaining weight and muscles.
It is said that both pills and powder help in reducing inflammation, provide better immunity, and decrease bad cholesterol from our body. They also lower your blood pressure and make your diabetes better. Antioxidants levels in our body are also increased with their usage.
Are there any disadvantages of using protein powders and pills?
Most bodybuilders are already on protein-rich diets and are taking enough protein to help with the muscle growth that adding the pills or powders at times produce no change. The extra protein is useless to our body.
The protein pills especially provide you with way less protein than protein-enriched food: milk, eggs, or meat. They also can harm our livers if taken in large amounts. One should only take whey protein 30g at a time and never more. The excess use of the pills or powders damages the livers and the digestive system, and kidneys. It can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and other symptoms like pain, cramps, and bloating.
How to use protein pills and powders in your daily life?
Protein pills and protein powders can provide you the essential amino acids needed for protein formation or muscle growth, but on their own, they cannot replace your everyday meals, and you should keep that in mind at all times. Do not skip on a meal; instead, take the pills and powder alongside them to gain high energy levels at the same time.
It can work well for your exercise routine if you exercise 2 hours after taking the pills or powder as in those 2 hours your body would have digested the pills or powder protein and it can provide you with all the energy it gained from them. It will also help the recovery process for the muscles and repair them faster.
Protein pills or powders cannot magically make you thin if not coupled with working out and reducing the calorie intake. If you learn anything from this article, it must be that protein helps to gain muscle mass, not reduce weight.
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Wilbur is a fitness fanatic who has been writing about his experiences for over ten years. He started his own publications on topics such as bodybuilding, Steroids, SARMs, and Fitness, and he doesn’t claim to know everything – what he talks about is something he’s done himself. From anabolic steroids to peptides, to HGH, SARMs, and supplements, Wilbur has tried it all at some point in his life and can relate to the experience.
