Protein supplements!

Aimee Tinkham

Hi all!! I’ve been using protein supplements for about 8 years. However, until recently, never thought about absorbable protein and whether I’m getting that in my shakes. Devin and I were talking about the new shakes and bars available in the lobby and he mentioned it. It got me thinking...how can we tell if our choice of supplement is best? Also what are some of the better choices at a reasonable price point? But the most important thing (😂😂) do they taste good?

Sawyer Paull-Baird

Hey Aimee-

Did you see @Chris Eskin 's recent post on this? There is some good information there.

I really like the website labdoor.com when evaluating supplement options. They are an independent lab that analyzes products for label accuracy, purity, value, projected efficacy etc. and rank them. Generally speaking, without over-analyzing things too much, if you choose a product that is highly rated from this site, I would say you're doing just fine with your protein choice. This resource takes a lot of the heavy lifting and thinking out of the question you pose, so I would go there and look for an option that looks good to you based off of their higher rated options. I would recommend looking at their "Quality Rankings" view as that sorts by the "score" given based on the lab testing.

As an aside, Examine.com is another wonderful resource on supplements. If you're ever wondering what the consensus is on the effectiveness of a given supplement for various outcomes, this website is where I would recommend you go to find answers. They do a very good job of summarizing the consensus of the body of literature on a HUGE variety of supplements, and presenting it in a succinct way.

Zach Ottman

Hi @Aimee Tinkham!

Awesome questions, it can be extremely difficult finding an effective protein supplement with all of the different brands and competing information out there. One resource I really like is labdoor.com, a website that rates and reviews different supplements. Labdoor is a great way to find out whether your supplements have been tested and regulated by some sort of governing body or independent agency. Most of the highly-ranked supplements on their site have been tested for harmful or banned ingredients, so you don't have to worry about cross-contamination or harmful chemicals.

If you'd rather buy protein in-store, you can't go wrong with the Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey. It's available almost anywhere (GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, Walmart, etc.), has a good nutrient profile and, most importantly, is available in a ton of great tasting flavors! And it's not bad as far as pricing goes, right around $30.00 per tub I believe.

I hope this was at least a little helpful!

Mike Stack

Thanks @Sawyer Paull-Baird and @Zach Ottman! Great suggestions. @Aimee Tinkham, we have a knowledge base video on the forum that also explain more about this topic. Please click on the link below and us know if you have any other questions:

What Are Good Protein Bars and Shakes?

Aimee Tinkham

Thanks everyone! All the information was super helpful! So many options! A little overwhelming but I’m grateful for the choices lol