Protein Powder For Men Over 50 (The Good, The Bad And The Ugly)

Protein powder for men over 50(the good, the bad and the ugly)

Thumbnail says “waste of money” picture of me holding a scoop of protein powder with dollar bills flying away in the background

There are three groups of people that require more protein than average, those who are recovering from an injury or surgery, older adults and people who are hard training or very active.

Most of us in the fit and fifty crew are in both of those last two categories.

We all know protein plays a role in protecting our muscle mass as we age, but the importance of protein goes far beyond this.

60% of our body is made up of water, 20% is made from protein, and it’s in every cell of our body, with it being necessary for things like immune system function and digestion.

Protein has been shown to improve satiety and help us lose excess body fat. So getting enough is a must.

But is protein powder the best way to do this, or is it just a waste of money?

They did a study on a group of overweight men with an average age of 47. They compared the feeling of fullness and satiety between a normal protein intake, which they defined as 14% of total daily calories. To a high protein group that had 25% of their daily calories being protein.

They found that this increase in protein cut cravings by 60 %.

Reducing food cravings goes a long way in helping us stick to a calorie-reduced meal plan.

One of the ways protein does this is by reducing the hunger hormone ghrelin (grr-el-in). In a 2,006 study, they found that consuming a high protein breakfast when compared to a breakfast high in carbohydrates had not only a greater reduction in ghrelin, but it digested slower as well.

The first study I mention used real food. The second study used a mix of yogurt and whey protein isolate.

If you look at enough studies, you will see that a protein supplement can help to improve satiety, but that doesn’t make it the best choice.

Most people can easily get enough protein through food,if to eat, it only makes sense to eat food and not drink it.

I’m talking about all protein sources here, not just meats, but eggs, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, and even whole grains contain dietary protein. The absorbability varies, but it all counts toward your daily protein intake.

In addition to this, you have other nutrients that you need, and they are found in high protein food like, vitamins, minerals, fats and in the case of non-meat sources, fibre, an often neglected and essential nutrient.

The most significant advantage of a protein supplement is convenience. What we don’t want to do is sacrifice quality for convenience, and we’re at risk of this because protein powders are considered a dietary supplement and isn’t regulated the same way as food or medicine.

Which could have us purchasing a product that doesn’t contain what it’s supposed to, or it may have additional ingredients other than what’s on the label.

To offset this risk, reputable companies arrange for independent third-party testing to ensure accuracy and safety.

In addition to looking for independent testing, I would recommend going for as high a protein content per serving as possible. This will be found in a protein isolate.

Again it's important to check the label as sometimes they will blend a protein isolate with a protein concentrate which has less protein and more of the things we don’t want, like in the case of whey protein, lactose. Which is a milk sugar, and when we take protein powder, we want protein, not sugar. If you’re lactose intolerant, you may want to go with a plant source of protein.

To get a complete protein with all the essential amino acids, it’s best to blend 2 or more plant sources.

I would recommend you find one that’s blended with pea protein as it’s high in branch chain amino acids which are needed to maximally stimulate muscle protein synthesis.

I briefly want to talk about hydrolyzed protein powders. These contain protein that has been pre-digested which sounds kind of gross, but it makes it easier to absorb. So for those who get an upset stomach from protein, this could be beneficial.

[johnf]

Great video. I'm 66, I workout fasted, then I have a protein shake (Sunwarrior) about an hour after my workout in the morning. I usually have a lunch with eggs as my main protein source. After dinner I have plain Greek yogurt and mix chocolate protein powder as my dessert.

[bryanacred]

Thank you for all the hard work to put these together Lawrence. It is appreciated. Blessings.

[albertorozco]

I'm 38 and find your channel with great information for any age. Keep up the great work.

[miamidolphinsfan]

Hey Laurence, getting protein in my daily numbers is the hardest part of my macros. I tend to drink a shake at night just to hit that number....I try to start out most days with 3 whole eggs and a protein bar (pro max cookies n cream) and a couple of pieces of dry toast.

[TopFitnessStrategies]

Awesome stuff my friend! I tell my clients all the time to NOT depend on powder protein too much. LOVED how you shared what the label said about "whey protein SUPPLEMENT" ! Great video! Thanks!

[ADPNC]

Love the info. Hate the bowtie. Thanks for sharing

[Trekopolis]

Hey buddy, enjoy your content. Thanks for doing what you do. I was an obsessed workout person since I saw the first Rocky movie back in the day. For a birthday my brother bought me the Rocky album vinyl soundtrack and I used to work out to the music in our garage at home. I wore that record out! Fast-forward 40+ years and I NEED to start working out again so I can build lean muscle and burn calories so your videos are an inspiration to get me motivated. We shall see! ;)

[emcmanamna]

Thank you. Good info, glad I found your channel!

[chrisolson]

Really excellent research. Thank You.

[charlesr]

Thank you for another great, informative video.

[FitnessAndLongevityWithHan]

I’m 53 and I consume protein powder daily. Without it, recovery takes longer and strength is never quite at 100%. Getting protein for multiple food sources is important but whey protein is table stakes to optimize muscle development and maintenance. 💪🏼

[fitnessuniverse]

Actually, this is good video..
A bit lower amount of protein intake recommendation at my opinion (maybe for "average" men, even for them that doesnt apply), but for lifters and ones that have demands I would say 50% at least or, lets say, 1.5 to 2g per kg (and even more then that=.
I will continue to watch your videos, good info in them...:)

[davidjones]

Excellent and interesting as always sir 💪🤘

[amazingmikemed]

Just a correction: fiber is not an essential nutrient. Fiber is a carbohydrate and there are no essential carbohydrates; your liver makes all the glucose the body requires. Essential in terms of nutrition means the body can not make it, this has lead to confusion over fiber because it is believed you need it in your diet which is wrong. 50% of carbs (no matter which ones) in the diet is getting too close towards turning into type 2 diabetes; especially for the over 50's.

[maskedmotorsdiy]

Defeating the hunger hormone Ghrelin is the #1 key to improving nutrition, imho. Thank you for mentioning Ghrelin. I eat avocados to defeat Ghrelin, works great. Twelve hours later, still no hunger pangs. When you control your body's hunger urges, you are truly in the driver's seat and that's not easy to do since Ghrelin is like a little devil on the shoulder, whispering Bad Food Decisions in your ear.

[TheAyatollahofNofappollah]

Thanks! I will try only the isolates for a while.

[thehuntersfamily]

I gave up protien supplements entirely when I did the math on $/gram...At 85g protein for less than $US 2.00, the big can of sardines from the local target blows away every supplement.
yay real food.

[jimmynich]

Protein shakes are good to have just before bed when you don't want to be eating much and lying on it while digesting. Much better to be getting protein from food as much as possible, I always buy meat from a local butcher rather than supermarket where they inject it with a load of water to pump the weight up. Best to get carbs in fiber as much as possible rather than sugar or starch, people remember the different types of protein but forget there's 3 types of carbs as well.

[FitandFormula]

Do you use protein powders? If so when do you take them?

[truthbetold]

I am 260 pounds so yeah i kind of need my protein power mix with egg whites to get to my goal. But a shake will not replace whole food and will not cut appetite.