I was recently away for the weekend with some friends and I was amazed at how many times they mentioned the need for their protein shake.
This isn’t the first time I’ve noticed this strange addiction among my circle of friends and guys at the gym, so I wonder how common it actually is?What’s even funnier is that during my weekend observations, none of these guys in question would be classified as “huge”. They are for the most part average guys with a couple maybe having a slight above average muscle mass, yet two mega drums of protein shake mix were sitting at arms reach behind the kitchen counter.
Protein addiction would totally be a psychological addiction with users feeling like they would waste away without their several times a day hit, which just isn’t true. Last year the sports supplement market raked in over 2.95 billion dollars and I would imagine the bulk of this would be from some type of protein supplements.
I very rarely use protein supplements. Perhaps I’ll buy one if I miss a meal on a rare occasion, but I never use them as part of my bodybuilding strategy. I instead rely on whole foods like lentils and rice, chicken, lean beef, tuna, salmon, eggs, greek yogurt, and nuts. I’m not one to brag, but I have built up nice lean muscle mass, which I frequently get compliments on, without supplements.
I’m not saying that protein supplements are bad or not useful, but I am questioning some people’s dependance on them and the almost addictive behavior they seem to create in some. The average person doesn’t need all that protein, in fact, consuming less protein actually makes your body more efficient in using the protein you do consume.
Unless a person is going to devote his/her life to a “bodybuilder’s” lifestyle, there is no need to consume the amount of protein a professional bodybuilder would have to consume. My advice to protein supplement addicts would be to wean yourself off the shake and consume healthy, whole food protein sources instead.
Do you think protein supplement addiction is becoming more common?
Well…. eating 100 gr of protein is way more than I would consume naturally without using a protein shake… I’m with Ann above, they are very helpful for vegetarians…especially those of us who are runners or who are working out regularly
Any protein ingested beyond the amount your body requires will take you in the wrong direction in the long run. Besides the extra stress placed on the body to process protein beyond the amount it requires, that excess protein provides a double whammy because it ends up being converted to stored body fat. I’ve been following the Zone diet and lifestyle for about 17 years. The eating plan for the Zone is based on eating the amount of protein required to maintain (or build, if you’re trying to) your current muscle mass at your current level of activity. I’ve experienced quite an impressive increase in my lean body mass (LBM) in the 17 years I’ve been eating this way. BTW, I eat just shy of 100 grams of protein daily to support my 114 pounds of LBM. My activities each week include 60 min strength training sessions 3 X a week, 45 min yoga sessions 5 X a week and either hiking or walking almost daily.
I use a protein shake typically when I’m really busy, have to get to work right away (it’s something I can consume while proofreading a job), and have no time or energy to spare. Or when I’m sick. I actually discovered the old soy-based SlimFast shakes (no longer available for many years) when I was dealing with a flu and had no appetite, but now I use a really good meal replacement based on soy (I’m practically vegan and allergic to eggs/dairy) with 16 grams protein and 6 grams fiber and which can be used in juice (I can drink almond/soy/rice milk but am too traumatized by being forced to gag on dairy milk as a child…) Wish I had it when I could hardly eat anything for months during an illness a few years ago, 3 of those per day would have made quite a difference and might have kept me out of the hospital (and thus out of debt). I do not recommend “the sickness diet”,
Whole foods and lentils are great..
With the protein shakes, I’d say in part it really depends on what types of protein shakes your taking. You want to ensure they have the appropriate blend of protein to carbs and other nutritional, organic, or Healthy ingredients…
Ok dear I also take protein but i am addicted to it but I take it regularly as everyone says that it is good for overall health. It is useful in weight loss, stop hair fall and many more…………
What’s quite interesting is that i’ve learned in a minor I was following that for normal muscle gain it isnt necessary to eat or supplement yourself with extra protein because of the high protein content of our western diet. Only if you wanna be like mr. universe than you might wanna drink some shakes.
I am drinking a lot of Ensure shakes, or any brand I can find on sale because it is expensive.
I wouldn’t say I am addicted, but when I just can’t stand to eat another “healthy” meal this is a really fast to drink substitute and it digests faster than solid food.
Well, I’m literally in the middle of drinking a protein shake as I read this, so maybe I’m biased. I’m quite certain it’s a stretch to say someone is “addicted” to anything, but I’ll assume you’re using it in the more casual sense, rather than as it would be used when referring to a drug or alcohol addiction. I guess I can’t speak for most people, but the reason I drink protein shakes (probably one every other day) is because I am vegetarian and don’t consume a lot of dairy. It’s definitely a “quick fix” and I could obviously pay closer attention to my diet to make sure I consume enough protein through “real food”, but frankly I just don’t. The shake is a good way to make sure I get 1/3 of my day’s protein without a lot of effort.
I think this is a half-sibling to the “health halo” effect and my coworker’s obsession with her vitamins and herbal supplements. I guess there are some people who might actually need protein supplements–people such as Olympic athletes–but I think it’s most likely that the vast majority of us, especially in the U.S., get plenty of protein.