There are several protein powders for men out there to choose from. When you decide to buy the right protein powder to meet your needs, the variety of brands, flavors, and composition can be quite overwhelming. To help you out with that we have this article on the six best protein powders for men right here just for you.
Protein powders are concentrated sources of proteins from animal or plant foods, such as dairy, eggs rice, or peas. They are of three major forms.
Concentrates: Extracting protein from whole food using heat and acid or enzymes leads to the formation of protein concentrates. They usually supply 60–80% protein, with the remaining 20–40% composed of fat and carbs.
Isolates: An additional filtering process removes more fat and carbs, further concentrating the protein to form isolates. Protein isolate powders contain about 90–95% protein.
Hydrolysates: Further heating with acid or enzymes is done, produces protein hydrolysates. Your body and muscles absorb protein hydrolysates more quickly.
Why do you need them?
A scoop (20-30 grams) of any protein powder have around 120-130 calories. Thus, the main purpose of taking protein powders is to get the extra boost in proteins that can’t be acquired from your usual daily meals. Protein powders for men are very common among people who work out often. In order to build muscles fast, protein powders can be of great help. Some use them for losing weight too.
In the case of vegans, they might sometimes lack adequate amounts of proteins from their diet. With the aid of protein powders, they can fill the missing nutritional blanks.
The 10 best protein powders for men
1. Whey protein powder
Whey protein is the most popular protein products out there. It’s a milk-based protein that gets digested and absorbed by our body quickly. They contain all nine amino acids essential for good health. Whey proteins are particularly high in the amino acid leucine which stimulated the processes in your body involved in building muscles.
As a result of the same amino acid, whey protein promotes the synthesis of muscles in your body. Whey protein supplements significantly increase muscle size and strength when combined with proper training. In addition to all these, it prevents loss of spare lean muscles when you are aiming for weight loss. These benefits make it the perfect choice for bodybuilders.
Myfitfuel Mff Whey Protein 80 is one premium whey protein powder with 140.1 calories per serving. It contains 23.5 gm (Dry Basis) And 21.7 gm (As Is Basis) of protein, 4.6 gm carbs, 5.2 gm BCAA, 3.6 gm glutamine and 0 gm added sugar and fats in every 32.8 gm serving (1 scoop).
There are many fake whey proteins in the market too. Here’s an article to help you to know if a whey protein powder is real or fake.
2. Casein proteins powders
Casein protein is another milk-based protein powder for men. It has all the needful amino acids present in it. Unlike whey protein, casein protein does not get digested quickly. Your body diegests and absorbs it at a much slower rate.
Since it is absorbed slowly it does not promote muscle synthesis. Instead, casein proteins prevents muscle breakdown. Thus, indirectly it helps in building muscles too has it prevents them from breakdown during rest hours. According to studies, consuming 20-30 grams of casein protein before bed decreases muscle protein breakdown and support muscle building.
Dymatize Elite Casein Protein is an ideal casein protein powder with 120 calories per serving. It contains 1.5 gm total fats, 20 mg cholestrol, 100mg sodium, 2g carbs and 25 gm protein in every serving of 33 gm.
3. Whey-Casein blend protein powders
This type of protein powders combines the fast and slow-digesting properties of whey and casein protein powder. With the help of such protein powders, you can get the best of both the proteins taken individually. You’ll get a spike in the muscle building as well as be able to prevent them from a breakdown at the same time.
Whey-casein blend is as effective as normal casein protein powders in case of muscle breakdown prevention. But when it comes to the spike in muscle synthesis, the whey-casein blend is not as effective as a pure whey protein powder.
PROCEL® PRO-HYDRO® Hydrolyzed Whey Protein Isolate Powder with Hydrolyzed Micellar Casein is a decent whey-casein blend protein powder with 120 calories per serving. It contains 25 gm proteins, 2.5 gm carbs, 1 gm dietary fiber, 0.5 gm sugars, 1 gm total fats and 100 mg sodium in each serving of 32 gm.
4. Pea protein powders
Like the milk-based protein powders for men, pea protein powder also contain all the essential amino acids in them. But they are present in much lower amounts in pea protein than in milk-based ones. It is a complete plant-based protein. Thus, it is a great alternative to milk-based protein powders for vegans and people with dairy allergies. Consumption of pea protein powders along with proper training can give you good results too.
True Supplements Pure Pea Protein Isolate has about 110 calories per serving. It contains 24 gm protein, 1 gm carbs, 0 gm sugar, 0.72 gm dietary fibers and 1.2 total fats in each serving of 30 gm.
5. Rice protein powder
Rice protein powders are another plant-based alternative to milk-based protein powders. Similar to pea protein powders, they too lack amino acid amounts. Although they are not as effective in muscle synthesis, rice protein powders can still help you build muscles to satisfying limits.
MyFitFuel Vegan Greens Plant Brown Rice Protein is an ideal rice protein powder with 137.1 calories per serving. It consists of 28.4 gm (dry basis) and 26.5 gm (as Is basis) proteins, 2 gm carbs, 4.7 gm BCAA, 4.4 gm glutamine, and 1.5 gm total fats in each serving of 35 gm.
6. Egg Protein powder
Eggs are an excellent source of high-quality protein. Of all whole foods, eggs have the highest protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score.
These protein powders made only from the protein-rich egg whites. This of course makes it an excellent source of proteins but after the removal of the high-fat yolk, you might experience less feeling of fullness. Being an animal product, eggs are a complete source of protein with all the essential amino acids packed in it.
Egg protein powders can be the perfect choice for men who prefer animal-based proteins and have dairy allergies.
HealthyHey Nutrition Egg White Protein is a popular egg-based protein powder with 113 calories per serving. It contains 24 gm protein, 1.2 gm carbs, 371 mg sodium, 335 mg potassium, 26.7 mg calcium, and 0 gm fats in every serving of 33 gm.
7. Soy protein powder
Soy protein powder is another popular plant based protein powder. It’s a complete protein but is low in a few key amino acids needed for building muscles. Though it is not as effective as whey and casein ones, soy protein powder stimulates muscle synthesis well enough.
The problem with soy proteins is that it contain compounds called phytoestrogens. As per studies, these compounds lower testosterone levels in men. this makes many men avoid soy proteins in the fear of losing their hard-earned gains. Thus, many don’t consider it as an ideal protein powder for men.
Profoods Soy Protein Isolate is an ideal soy protein with around 115 calories per serving. It contains 27 gm protein and less than 1 gm total fats in every serving of 30 gm.
8. Hemp Protein powder
This type of protein powder is another plant-based supplement that is considerably new in the market. Hemp is related to marijuana in a way but it only contains small amounts of the psychoactive component THC.
Hemp is not a complete protein as it has very low levels of the amino acid lysine and leucine. But to make up for that it is rich in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and several other amino acids. One of its best traits is that your body can digest and absorb this protein very easily.
9. Mixed plant protein powder
For vegans looking for good protein powders for men, this is an excellent choice. Mixed plant protein powders contain a blend of plant-based proteins like brown rice, pea, hemp, etc. Such protein powders are rich in fibres. As a result, they tend to get digested at a much slower rate. But the slow rate of digestion is not a problem to be concerned about. This actually limits the amino acids your body can use right after your workouts.
The enzyme-supplemented powder is close to whey protein in terms of the speed at which amino acids appear in the blood after consumption.
HealthyHey Organic Raw Pea & Brown Rice Protein Isolate is one such mixed plant-based protein powder. This product is a mix of pea and brown rice with 39.03 calories per serving. It contains 8 gm protein, 0.83 gm carbs, 0.45 gm dietary fibers, and 0.413 gm total fats in each serving of 10 gm.
10. Collagen protein powders
Collagen is a protein that can be found almost anywhere in our body: bones, skin, blood vessels, tendons, etc. Even though it is not the first choice for many men when it comes to muscle building, it is surprisingly helpful for older men. It is seen that collagen protein powders don’t help much in muscle building in younger men. But when it comes to older adults who have a low intake of dietary proteins, promising results in muscle strength and size can be noticed.
Collagen has other useful benefits like it promotes better hair, nail, and skin growth in your body. Intake of collagen increases elasticity and moisture of your skin
Kayos Collagen Peptides is a popular collagen protein powder with 41.6 calories per serving. It contains 10 gm proteins, 0.4 gm carbs, 1500 mg glucosamine, and 1000 methylcobalamin in each serving of 12 gm.
Which one is right for you?
After going through the composition of the best protein powder for men, one thing is clear. Choosing the right protein powder depends on your preferences. Whey and casein protein powders are the most tempting ones in the list. But if you can’t tolerate dairy products, you can go for the egg-based or the plant-based alternatives.
There are several supplement products available in the market. But not all of them are worth buying. Here is a list of 5 overrated supplements that are an absolute waste of money
Some points to remember
- If you are an active person, consuming protein powders is a good choice if you want to build more muscles. But if are a regular person with minimal exercise, you shouldn’t try protein powders unless you happen to be a hard gainer.
- While protein powders are helpful in building muscles, it is not compulsory for you to have them. Some people still stick to non-protein powder diets to keep their nutrition levels up to mark.
We hope this article was helpful to you. If you think we have missed out on anything, please let us know in the comments below.