WHEY PROTEIN, A MUST BUY?

THE POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES OF WHEY PROTEIN

Dear weightlifters and gym rats,

Yes I am back again to provide you with more insights regarding supplement use and its effects! This time it will get a little more intense as I will be presenting you guys with a debate. Prior to getting into this debate, the importance of whey protein must be acknowledged. Unlike other muscle building supplements, whey protein supplements can actually be seen as ‘natural food products’. How is this possible? Well, it is because these powders that you purchase at stores are made up of natural ingredients such as milk, cheese, and eggs. Derivations from these natural foods, and nothing more, can only form a product that is essentially natural. Furthermore, the importance of protein is more valuable due to the fact that it is the building block, or the primary factor in gaining muscle mass.

With these knowledge in mind, we now examine the true effects of whey protein. Can whey protein actually help us other than through the placebo effect (power of suggestion)? Or are they just additional products that are unnecessary with risk of long-term health issues? These questions can be answered through the debate between potential positive and negative effects whey protein supplements impose on human bodies.

The positives

·         Derived completely from natural dairy products

·         Allows quicker muscle growth with shorter resting period

·         Valuable source of protein without masses of fat or carbohydrates

·         Promotes great quality and quantity (gram for gram of protein) source of protein

·         Convenient use

Wow, so whey protein is a must-buy right? Well......

The negatives

·         May cause harm to lactose intolerant consumers

·         May cause harm to consumers with certain allergies

·         Told to be related to kidney and liver issues

·         May be linked to Type 1 diabetes

·         Over consumption may lead to organ damage and kidney stones

·         Excessive use may lead to Osteoporosis, bones weaken causing more risk to injuries and breaking of them

·         Long-term use may lead to dependence

  Personally, I side with those who favour the use of whey protein. Yes, the reason why is because most of the negative symptoms whey protein can impose on human body are referring to only certain types of people. These may include people who are lactose intolerant, have dairy allergies, and Type 1 diabetic. The rest of the negative effects should worry only those who are taking whey protein excessively. As a number of researches have shown, organ and kidney damages, and Osteoporosis, are consequences of not following the products’ instructions and overtaking them. As for building dependence on these products, I do not think this will be a big issue as long as you stay motivated and develop self-efficacy in the sense that it is YOU and the hard work you put in that results in muscles, not the supplements.

  To sum up, consumers will also find this product very convenient since it takes short amount of time to mix the powder with water, milk, etc. compared to cooking high protein meals, for example chicken breasts and fish. Also comparatively, the gram for gram servings of protein it provides cost less money than buying enough amount of chicken breasts in order to intake the same grams of protein, further enhancing the convenience of whey protein. Therefore, whey protein can be seen as natural supplement that assists you in a healthy way to build muscles.