Although whey protein powders are usually consumed only by body builders looking to bulk up in mass, there’s growing evidence that drinking protein shakes can improve anyone’s general health and lead to a longer life. Many health guys like Mark Apple or Jay Robb have been advocating protein for a long time. Just as omega 3 fatty acids and fish oil are becoming increasingly popular, protein supplements are becoming more widely acknowledged as a great addition to the average American’s diet due to a deficiency in quality proteine 1kg. In fact, a recent study conducted in Italy indicates that protein powder could lead to living ten years.
This study was performed on animal subjects, but the researchers believe that the same positive benefits would cross over to human beings. Why might you ask? Well, protein is a necessary nutrient which helps build muscle tissue, improve balance, and overall health. This is very true given the fact that many people, especially the elderly, are suffering from a lack of protein or consuming bad quality protein such as fast food burgers. With the elderly, consuming protein powder would boost the heart, lungs, help repair muscle, help prevent falls, and increase recovery from injuries.
In this particular study, Dr. Nisoli from Brescia University gave older mice water with the building elements of protein: amino acids. Those mice given this protein shake lived on average 80 days longer than the control group of mice who only got regular water. In human terms, this would equate to about ten years of additional life! This is a truly amazing and simple way for just about anyone to help boost their health and increase their lifespan. Protein powders are very inexpensive and have almost zero side effects. The only caveat is that consuming too much protein can lead to indigestion, but you would quickly notice if you’re consuming too much protein. Also, you should be cautious if you are allergic to whey, casein, lactose, or eggs as most protein powders are derived from one or more of those elements.
Now, which protein powder should you buy? This can be a very difficult question since if you step into a health store, you will find literally dozens of different brands offering what appear to be the same product. To be honest, most brands are exactly the same using the same manufacturer but simply branding their protein powder differently.
Generally, the really cheap and inexpensive brands are not very good. However, that does not mean you need to buy the most expensive brands either. Instead, you should be looking particularly at the ingredients to make sure that the protein powder is made without sugar (or as little as possible), contains a high amount of protein, low amount of carbs, and no artificial chemicals or flavors. Basically, you want protein only and little or nothing of anything else. This is not soda after all.
I have personally been drinking Jay Robb’s whey protein powders after a trainer friend of mine recommended them. These powders have zero artificial flavors, zero sugar, and made from quality protein sources so I trust them. But, the most important thing is that you start now. You can worry about moving to higher quality products if you do not have the money right now and want to just see if you notice any benefits. Note, that you may not notice any significant changes for a few months though. But this is your life we are talking about here. I want you to give it some time and reap the fruit of your labor.