Do we need protein powder to gain muscle?

[Lital_The_Best]

To give you a straight answer: NO. Not at all. Its not "needed" by any means. Protein powders are SUPPLEMENTS and therefore SUPPLEMENT and ASSIST you in building muscle but its not needed. I haven't touched supplements in YEARS and have built a leaner, stronger body in every way. My protein comes from dairy, eggs, nut butters, nuts, legumes, beans with a plant based diet. I also have been vegetarian for about a year and now I am going to start adding some fish into my diet and maybe meat about once a a week or on a bi-weekly basis.

I have experimented with protein powders and it has helped a lot but I have also made lots of gains without it and I personally prefer not to take it since it makes me feel bloated. I advise you also do research on protein powders are any supplements if you decide to take them. A lot of the time the claims on these protein powders and supplements are highly exaggerated.

[bg7]

1) starches are carbohydrates. I don't know what she means by "carbs and starches." Perhaps she means starches and other complex carbs.
2) Muscles are basically protein (actin and myosin). Protein synthesis occurs from assembling very long chains of amino acids. Your body gets these amino acids from two sources - i) you ingest proteins in your diet (which are digested to individual amino acids) and ii) your body makes some amino acids. Your body cannot not make about 8 or so (I can't remember) "essential" amino acids - they have to be eaten, i.e. you have to eat protein to build muscle.
3) building muscle requires energy (from carbs) and requires amino acids (with some of those amino acids only coming from eating proteins)
4) do you need to eat protein powders? No. But you do not protein, and they are one easy source..

[hooligan]

Originally Posted by aquamarin

My female friend trains for fitness /body contests and says to grow muscle you need starch and carbs (good ones) and not protein powders. She advise me to eat brown rice, oatmeal and sweet potatoes. This is something new to me.... Any thoughts?

www.liftbigeatbig.com

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Good luck. Some parting words to live by: "Eat for the size you want, not for the size you have."

[Hivemind31]

Originally Posted by Ringo1

So is protein powder a good way to add protein or not?

I'm curious because just about every gym I go to - someone is hawking protein powder.

I'm definitely not a body builder just a regular gym goer. Maybe I'm better off just having some lean chicken when I get home???

Yes, it's a good way to add protein. Food is better, but depending on how much protein you require for whatever your goal happens to be, sometimes it's difficult to eat that much. Maybe you don't have the time, or simply suck at cooking meat. Maybe you're vegetarian. Maybe you just get sick of eating meat.

Protein powder is great, but it's a supplement. Don't try to REPLACE food with it, simply add on to it on occasion.