6 Ways Protein Powder Is Awesome for You

Your body needs dietary protein to properly function. Companies have created many products to help you meet this daily need. A September 2018 paper in Frontiers in Nutrition stated that protein powder sales approach 5 billion dollars annually. Consumers rarely report side effects; in fact, protein powder remains one of the safest supplements. It also has numerous health benefits.

​Read more:​ Protein Powder Pros & Cons

Health regulators have increasingly tracked the safety of supplements. To address their concerns, a report in the May 2017 edition of Food and Chemical Toxicology extensively tested protein powder using laboratory and animal protocols. The scientists found no evidence of physiological toxicity or genetic mutation in any of their experiments. Studies testing infants have found similar results.

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Some authors have speculated that excess protein intake may negatively affect your skeletal system. Yet, a January 2018 report in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition failed to find this effect. These researchers had women dramatically increase their protein intake each day for six months. Relative to controls, the scientists saw no change in bone mineral density or body mass.

​Read more:​ How to Build Bone Mass

Many nutritional supplements damage your internal organs in certain quantities. Thus, researchers remain concerned about the possible impact of protein powder on organ health. The authors of a February 2018 article in the Journal of Exercise Physiology closely followed the health of bodybuilders using protein powder. They showed that organ function remained normal during the two-year testing period. In fact, no bodybuilder reported a side effect.

​Read more:​ Diet Plan for Beginner Bodybuilders

This positive safety profile of protein powder allows you several benefits. For example, increasing your intake of protein powder can make you feel more alert. An October 2015 paper in the Open Biomedical Engineering Journal looked at the effect of taking protein powder right before 30 minutes of exercise. The results showed that whey intake increased exercise capacity and decreased fatigue.

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Doing resistance exercises like weightlifting breaks down your muscle tissue. Protein power may help you recover. A July 2017 report in Nutrients tested this hypothesis in healthy men. Compared to controls, participants receiving pure whey showed more muscle growth and greater recovery. Interestingly, men who used whey both before and after sleeping healed best. Thus, protein powder can help you heal multiple times during recovery.

Protein powder may even help you age better. The authors of a March 2018 article in BMC Geriatrics tested protein powder in older men with obesity. This study showed that protein supplementation increased muscle mass and decreased symptoms of disease. Interestingly, this effect occurred even in men already getting adequate protein. Thus, experts may have set the recommended daily amount of protein too low. However, be sure to speak with your doctor before changing your diet.