Protein Shakes

More and more people are looking for information on protein shakes either to lose weight or to enhance their physical performance. They have been on the market for a while now and in stores like GNC or other health food stores. There are benefits to drinking protein shakes even if you are not someone who works out hours a day everyday. Protein shakes are good for healthy people that are pretty active in their lifestyle, running, yoga, etc. According to a WebMD article on protein shakes they are "Safe for people who are healthy and fit, protein shakes are used mainly by athletes who need nourishment right after their workouts, says Jose Antonio, chief executive officer and co-founder of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN). 'Most people can't make a meal immediately post-workout', he says. 'So these ready-to-drink shakes are really your best alternative'." [1]
There are people out there who think that protein shakes will make you lose weight. There are calories in protein therefore comsuming too much protein can make weight loss hard. There are some companies that claim protein shakes alone can help you lose weight but there is no evidence according to Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D, writer for Mayo Clinic.com. [2]
There are benefits for taking these protein shakes, they help the body recover from an intense workout by restoring the glycogen in your body which is often used up during workouts.
According to WebMD even people who only work out 3 or 4 times a week can benefit from these. Having the protein shake after a run can help repair the muscle from the damage that is done during a workout.
What is in a Protein Shake?
Protein shakes can vary in the contents. They can range from 100% protein to having carbohydrates and fats added in. Protein shakes can also contain: Casein, Milk, Whey, Egg and Soy. Depending on how much you work out and what you are aiming for with your body determines what type of protein shake is good for your body. According to Jose Antonio, chief executive officer and co-founder of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), "If your goal is to lose body fat, change to a protein shake that's mainly protein, has fewer carbohydrates, and only a little bit of fat, such as Slim-Fast. 'Make sure the product is more than 50% protein if your goal is body fat loss', Antonio says. " [3]
For the middle range people out there, between endurance folks and body builders, a popular protein shake is Muscle Milk, which contains milk proteins as well as carbohydrates and fats.
People often ask why do they need to drink protein shakes right after they work out if they are getting "enough" protein during the day. Protein in the building block for our body, for some people its hard to get all the protein you need in one day, that's why these shakes are also helpful!



1 and 3. Kathleen M. Zelman MPH, RD, LD January 25, 2008
Protein Shakes , WEBMD August 2, 2009
www.webmd.com/a-zguides/proteinshakes
2. Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. April 19, 2008
Expert Answers Mayo Clinic August 2, 2009
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/protein-shakes/AN01332