What are the Benefits and Nutritional Effects of Protein Powders?

People often use protein powders to ensure they get enough protein in their diet. While most people can meet their protein needs through food alone, others like athletes, people on a restricted diet, and older adults need protein powder supplements to fulfill their requirements.

A protein supplement is vital to increase one’s protein intake. But it is different from conventional food. You can mix protein powders into your drinks, shakes, or other meals.

How Do Protein Powders Work?

Protein powders provide ample amino acids that the body can absorb easily. According to researchers, the intake of protein powder often increases the levels of amino acids in the bloodstream. It further triggers a significant response for proper muscle synthesis.

Benefits of Protein Powder

Here are the notable benefits of including protein powder in your diet:

1. Helps to Build Muscle

Protein powders are now a staple in the health routines of fitness enthusiasts and athletes. It is a vital part of athletes’ diet and also key for building and preserving muscular tissues.

Weight lifters and athletes need to exceed their general protein intake. According to research, athletes who perform intense training need twice the daily suggested amount of protein. It ranges from 1.4 to 2.0 g per kg of your body weight. So, they have to eat more protein.

Thanks to protein powders, it is easier to consume a sufficient amount of protein in the form of bars, shakes, and liquids. A few scoops of protein powder may make a difference in your muscle development.

2. Speeds up the Post-workout Recovery

Besides its contribution to muscle growth, consuming protein powders may help in restoring damaged tissues and muscles after intense workouts.

According to studies, having protein supplements after intense workouts can reduce muscle damage. It also helps improve both muscle protein synthesis and muscle performance. This protein breaks down into amino acids used by muscles after a workout.

Due to this, athletes often have protein powders for speeding up healing after workout sessions. Besides its restoring properties, the higher protein intake may offer muscles better rebuild time while making them grow faster.

3. Boosts Your Metabolism

Having a sufficient amount of protein can increase your metabolic rate. It also enhances the thermic effect of food (TEF). So, the metabolic rate may increase by 15–30% compared to 0–3% for fats and 5–10% for carbohydrates.

Metabolism depends on the chemical reactions that keep the human body working properly. However, the metabolic rate is determined by the number of calories burned by the body.

Plus, the high-protein diet, along with intense workouts, can speed up the metabolism rate. Hence, muscles will burn more calories compared to fat. Therefore, you must add high protein drinks or powders to your diet.

4. Increases Feelings of Fullness

Having protein-rich food and protein powders can help you feel fuller for longer. The fullness can regulate your portion sizes. So, you indulge in less overeating or snacking. Moreover, it is easier to control hunger pangs. So, you can easily manage the cravings for having unhealthy snacks or stop overeating.

5. Sheds Body Fat

According to Gavin Van De Walle, MS, RD, a review of nine studies claims that obese people who consumed protein powder were able to shed more weight. They even acquired more muscle mass compared to people who didn’t.

Furthermore, the same review stated that whey protein users showed notable improvement in blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. Such weight loss benefits are due to protein’s ability to reduce appetite while making you feel fuller throughout the day.

Conclusion

Since there are many options to pick from, protein powders have become a popular supplement among athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Besides the promising results of protein powders, you need to know your nutritional requirements. So, consult a nutritionist before adding protein powder to your diet.

Also, Read this: How to Select the Best Protein Powders for Kids