Everything You Could Possibly Want To Know About Protein Powder

Projected to swell to $21bn globally by 2025, the protein supplement market is a growth industry. Shots of “gunpowder” are downed by pro athletes, massive dudes at your local gym and, increasingly, normal guys who play a bit of sport or want to get fit or be in better shape.

But do protein powders actually work? And even if they do work, do you need to take them? In which case, what type is best? Whey, casein or plant-based? Concentrate, isolate or hydrolysed? When should you take them? And how much should you take?

You can write a scientific journal on this stuff, and indeed scientists – not bro ones – do. We’ve tried to keep it as brief, understandable and unarguable as we can. The science isn’t always 100 percent conclusive, as it often isn’t, but that’s what comments sections are for. Digest this meaty protein powder guide though and you’ll definitely know what supp.

Do Protein Powders Work?

There’s more scientific proof for the efficacy of protein powders than you can shake a shaker at. Among others, a 2007 study in the journal Amino Acids (more on those later) showed that subjects who consumed whey protein before and after lifting weights increased size and strength over 10 weeks more than participants who took a placebo.

At the same time though, protein powders are not magic. “I haven’t seen any compelling evidence at all that protein powders are better for muscle gain than food is,” says Kamal Patel, director of examine.com, an independent website that assesses nutrition and supplement research. “It’s simply a matter of convenience and people liking to make shakes more and more as the years go by.”

Onboarding pretty much any quality protein source after your workout will do much the same trick. Most studies compare protein powders to other powders, carbs or placebos, not food. And protein powders can also work out more expensive than food. Funny, that.