Murf58

I’m turning 54 in 2 months and looking for a convenient way to increase my protein intake. Problem is that for about the last 10 years a number of protein powders (WPI only) I’ve tried cause me stomach issues. Has anyone had that problem and found a good powder? Been thinking of trying a vegan powder but have read online that they generally taste pretty poor and I’m not keen to waste money. Appreciate any advice or experience - thanks.

OldTryGuy

I ENJOY the chocolate versions and add 100% Organic Cacao Powder

ORGAIN >>> https://orgain.com/collections/prote...SAAEgIxP_D_BwE

Brendan Brazier's >>> https://myvega.com/pages/our-story

_ForceD_

Give the plant-based powders a try. I’m not a vegetarian/vegan, but most days I will make a breakfast shake with it…add fruit, veggies, etc…and sometimes the cocoa power or peanut butter for extra flavor. Then another shake for lunch…and that’s plenty to get me through +/- 40 mile rides.

Dan

deacon mark

Personally I would skip all the supplements and concentrate on eating meat, steak, ribeye's, ham, and bacon. You can increase it even more by having cheese and crackers for appetizers. I never was one to take vitamins or anything other the regular plain food. Vitamins really become expensive urine and food digest right into the system. I can speak for you put a ribeye is about as tasty as it gets. My respond may seem a bit like joke or sarcasm but really I am serious.

Hondo Gravel

Plenty of protein smoking meats especially chicken. 20 grams of protein in one smoked drumstick.

Rdmonster69

I have used many different types of protein powders over the years. Other than the specific mass gainers they are all pretty similar in my experience. I would advise using some psyllium fiber and drink lots of water to help with stomach issues. That protein will really bind ya up.

jsilvia

I use Muscle Milk/ Powder form 16oz, milk 2 scoops powder, I use it after my Gym workouts,

andrewclaus

No I don't.

wolfchild

Skip the protein supplements which don't even work and eat more real food. If you eat enough meat, eggs and dairy your body will get more than enough protein.

Carbonfiberboy 

I've been using whey protein of one sort or another ever since my legs started hurting all the time from simple consistent training, maybe 20 years. They never used to, but our ability to assimilate protein into our muscles goes down with age. The cure is to get more protein without getting a lot of calories, which is the issue with most animal proteins. I understand that chicken backs are a good buy and a good source. Otherwise, it's whey.

Like the OP, I've tried many different whey proteins and they were all just fine. I suspect the OP's issue is actually with their intestinal microbiota. So that's the first thing I'd suggest: try taking a heaping teaspoon of inulin in water with a good multi-species probiotic first thing in the morning. Probiotics are unfortunately not cheap. The least expensive good one is probably this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017FMGIGK
I took that one for a long time, worked fine, fixed my wife's digestive issues. There's a lot of buzz about athletic probiotics now, so I'm trying one bottle of this one to see if it seems to do anything: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075MKFCY6
It might take a couple weeks to notice a difference.

Back to the OP's question, there's an outside chance that the digestive issue might relate to the milk's source, so grass-fed might be worth a try. I've used this one, just fine: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M2X4KM2

I'm currently using this one, a bit less expensive but still a WPI: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HOPJ522

I never buy this stuff in less than 5# containers. You can tell that I'm in favor of chocolate flavor.
I'm using Amazon for convenience. You can buy this stuff many places.

But just like BF isn't it, to tell you you're doing it wrong. You gotta laugh.

Wildwood 

Vanilla flavor for me.
Usually in a wonderful cold smoothie of some sort.

Generally I'm the one in the family finishing off the products my wife and son purchase and cannot consume entirely before the next better product or new bag gets bought.

Rdmonster69

Protein supplements do indeed work. If you don't eat alot of good quality protein from natural sources then its a viable alternative. Not everyone has the time or the desire to eat a surplus of protein to build or maintain a certain level of muscle. Also its easier to maintain a good ratio of proteins to carbs and keep calories from poor food choices low. Bodybuilders and athletes have been supplementing with protein drinks for many decades.

Is it absolutely needed ...of course not ....but for some it is a viable alternative to a 6 egg omelet every morning !!

sloppy12

there is nothing better than a six egg omelet in the morning.

GhostRider62

I only go for grass fed, non-gmo, and not denatured. My favorite is

https://www.amazon.com/Factors-Natur...001FXOE1M?th=1

I like this one too

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ie=UTF8&psc=1b.

I went to buy a ribeye yesterday, they were $34/lb. Local farm eggs are only $3/dozen. Whey, Collagen, Egg, milk, half a banana, and some virginal coconut oil is often my lunch if I earned it on the bike.

Rdmonster69

Not gonna disagree esp egg whites. Unfortunately for me I rarely have time to microwave oatmeal before work. Bacon and eggs is for the weekend only !!

Rdmonster69

That's some pricey protein !!

sloppy12

same here. lol I dont even nuke the oats just hot water and go. lol...

GhostRider62

The ribeye? Works out to about 35 cents per gram of protein vs 6 cents for the chocolate Whey I linked

Rdmonster69

I meant the protein powder but I guess its all getting expensive these days. I try not to spend more than 25 bux for a 2 pound jug and switch brands quite a lot just to see what's out there. When my wife brings home Filet Mignon I don't ask ....I just smile and eat Lol.

Clyde1820

Ditto, on the recommendation to get all you can from your normal (natural foods) intake.

But if you need to supplement that, or prefer to have a protein-packed liquid boost now and then, I prefer this one: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey. It can generally be found at GNC, Vitamin Shoppe and other vendors.

Clyde1820

One easy thing to do, with any of these supplement powders is: squeeze a lime or lemon into the serving. It'll add a nice taste, almost no matter which of the "cardboard" tasting powders you happen to choose. (And if you zest all your limes and lemons, you can freeze the zest and have this as an easily-added flavor booster to almost anything.)

CAT7RDR

I supplement protein by adding sardines to my assorted salad regimen.
Agrees with me better than protein powder.

RH Clark

I've studied the food industry too much to trust any supplement powder. The Sardines is a good inexpensive option. Get the packed in water though. Don't go for processed meats either. The WHO lists them on the same scale as plutonium for cancer causing.

tgot 

I had read about the need for increase protein as I age, to maintain muscle mass. I thought, well, I'll just add a scoop of pea protein to my morning routine. I find the whey ones either crazy-sweetened artificially, or else appallingly bad tasting.

Then suddenly had my first bad gout flare-up in years!

It turns out protein powder from peas is high in purines, a no-no for gout as it becomes uric acid.

If you're not a gout sufferer, it may not matter. But I thought I'd share the warning just in case.

Murf58

Thanks all for sharing advice, experience and recommendations - really appreciate it, I have taken all of it on board and made some changes already.
For those that recommended real food, yes I do eat real food and regularly eat steak/eggs/chicken etc - I’ll continue to do so. As in the US, quality meat is very expensive in Australia at the moment though - and I cant see prices dropping significantly in future.
Thanks Carbonfiberboy for the insight that my stomach issues might be a symptom of microbiota imbalance - rather than getting old or simply intolerance (which is where I had been thinking). I’ve got some probiotics so will see how they go (I’ve tried various prebiotics previously but they always seemed to cause me problems). In a stroke of luck, I was talking to the lady in the supplement shop about vegan protein powders and she brought out a box of samples and said I could grab whatever flavours I wanted!
I’m not a fan of sardines but can definitely do salmon - so have picked up a couple of tins for ease of use. Thanks again - had an egg and bacon omelette this morning and will head out for a 30km or so MTB ride very shortly - good times!