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Humble beginnings -

Back in the day, protein supplements were the reserve of professional athletes. Those big tubs at the back of the health food store were off-limits to the average Joe.

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The rise of protein power -

In recent years, however, there has been somewhat of a protein revolution, with more and more people consuming protein supplements in addition to their normal diet.

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Bulking -

Some people take protein supplements, often in the form of a scoop of powder added to milk or to a smoothie, in order to bulk up in the gym.

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Nutrition -

Others, in particular elderly people with smaller appetites, rely on protein powders simply to get their recommended daily intake of nutrients.

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The million-dollar question -

So as protein powders really take off and the supermarket shelves are awash with protein-boasting products, it’s time to ask whether these supplements are actually good for us.

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The facts -

There is no question whatsoever that protein is an essential part of our diet. In fact, it serves many important functions.

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The role of protein -

We need protein in our diet, for example, to help build and repair our muscles, keep our bones strong, and maintain our immune systems.

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Important functions -

Protein also serves the general purpose of keeping our brains, hearts, and skin doing exactly what we need them to do, when we need them to do it.

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Do we all need more? -

Given the important role that protein plays in keeping our bodies healthy, is it a case of "the more the better"? Could we all benefit from consuming more protein?

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Protein-rich foods -

It is helpful to remember that protein is found in many foods that we consume on a daily basis. Eggs, milk, yogurt, fish, lentils, meat, and soya are all rich sources of protein.

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The reality -

Indeed, research suggest that the majority of adults in high-income countries do get at least the daily amount of protein as recommended by the health authorities.

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Looking at the research -

So is there anything really to be gained from turning to those protein shakes? On the whole, the research shows that protein powders do help to build muscle.

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Big but -

There is a caveat though: muscle building only really works if you do some form of resistance training (such as weight machines) after consuming the supplement.

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The bad news -

That is to say, if you chug a protein shake and then sit on the sofa for a few hours, the extra protein in your body will do nothing for you whatsoever (other than likely make you gain weight).

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Comparing studies -

There have been a number of studies in this field, but it is a little difficult to compare them because of the different participant pools.

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Impossible to generalize -

Some studies are conducted with people who are obese, some with elderly people, and others with young gym bunnies. This makes it very hard to generalize.

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Best paper to date - However, one helpful paper published in 2022 brought together the best studies to date. It focused on trials done with healthy adults who were not overweight.

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Results -

As expected, the paper showed that protein powder did make a difference to both lean body mass and lower body strength, provided participants were also doing resistance exercise.

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Results -

Results also showed a slightly heightened ability to do bench presses, but the protein powder made no difference in other strength tests, such as handgrip.

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In summary -

So all in all it would seem that protein powders may help you on your quest to build muscle, but only if you are ready and willing to put in the work.

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Other considerations -

And then there is the problem that many protein powders contain added sugars, flavoring, and vitamins.

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The sugar risk -

High amounts of sugar, such as some protein powders on the shelves contain, could lead to spikes in blood sugar and, of course, weight gain.

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Long-term effects -

We also cannot be sure of the long-term health effects of protein powders. Adding so much protein to our diet is quite a new concept and we don’t know how it affects our hearts and kidneys over time.

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Potential benefits -

Some argue that protein supplements can benefit our bodies in ways other than improving muscle gain.

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Blood pressure and cholesterol -

One meta-analysis of nine trials, for example, showed that protein powders can help stimulate weight loss and improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

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No conclusive evidence -

However, the people in this study were overweight or obese, and we cannot be sure the results would be the same in people of a healthier weight.

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Impact on inflammation -

There has also been a suggestion that extra whey protein could help reduce levels of inflammation in the body.

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More research needed -

Again, however, to reach any reliable conclusion on this potential benefit to protein powders we need to conduct more extensive research.

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All in all -

The ubiquity of protein powders is quite a new thing, and only time will tell who (if anyone) really stands to gain from taking protein supplements.

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Dieticians' advice -

In the meantime, dieticians continue to stress that we should aim to get all our nutrients from whole foods, rather than supplements, wherever possible.

See also: Signs you might be drinking too much water

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