If you walk into a health food store, you will most likely see tons of different protein powders and bars, typically advertised using pictures of muscle-bound men and women. There is a clear message is there: If you want to go from ordinary to extraordinary in terms of your fitness and muscle mass you need to incorporate some protein supplements into your regimen.  It does make some sense.  Protein is the building block for muscles, so increasing protein consumption would lead to even bigger muscles, yes? Lots of people are on the quest for the best protein supplement and we hear about whey protein supplements. Let's take a look at some of the information about these increasingly popular health food purchases.

Are you on a quest for a whey protein supplement or the best protein supplements in the marketplace? Recently, scientist have put these supplements through a number of stringent tests. The results of these tests haven't lived up to many of the promises. Two studies from Sports Medicine, a scientific journal, give the results. In one study, six inactive women and men as well as seven well trained athletes went on a 13 day diet that contained an incredible 2.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (that works out to about 218 grams for a 200 lb person). These subjects did not gain weight any faster than when they were eating only 0.86 grams of protein per kg of body weight. A study that was done earlier on12 novice bodybuilders, all male, came up with a similar result. During the four weeks of intense training, the individuals who got 2.6 grams of protein for each kg of body weight per day didn't gain either muscle or strength faster than the individual who only got 1.4 grams of protein per kg of body weight. A similar 10 week study of 33 men also did not show a difference in muscle strength among those who drank a protein supplement and those who did not.

After a review of these studies, a prominent doctor came to the conclusion that while it is crucial for an athlete to get enough protein, consuming massive amounts of protein doesn't contribute to increased muscle growth.

Feel free to have some whey protein supplement or other protein supplements like bars from time to time.  It won't do any harm as long as you keep it in moderation. But there is a possibility to overdo it. A report in the Clinical Pharmacy journal reports that too much protein could cause stomach problems, dehydration, gout, loss of calcium, and even liver or kidney damage. Unfortunately there's not a super clean demarkation between what amounts are safe and what would be dangerous.  But doctors do tend to agree that regardless of whether you are a weightlifter or a writer, it's better to get protein from a good diet versus a supplement.  So you can stop the quest for the best protein supplement!