Protein Supplements: Pros and Cons

Abstract

To provide a comprehensive analysis of the literature examining the pros and cons of protein supplementation, various articles on protein supplementation were obtained from Google Scholar, PubMed, and National Center for Biotechnology Information. Over the past few years, protein supplementation has become commonplace for gym-goers as well as for the public. A large segment of the general population relies on protein supplementation for meal replacement, weight reduction, and purported health benefits. These protein supplements have varying pros and cons associated with them, which are often overlooked by the public. This review aims to assimilate existing studies and form a consensus regarding the benefits and disadvantages of protein supplementation. The purported health benefits of protein supplementation have led to overuse by both adults and adolescents. Although the pros and cons of protein supplementation is a widely debated topic, not many studies have been conducted regarding the same. The few studies that exist either provide insufficient evidence or have not employed proper conditions for the conduct of the tests. It should be considered that protein supplements are processed materials and often do not contain other essential nutrients required for the sustenance of a healthy lifestyle. It is suggested that the required protein intake should be obtained from natural food sources and protein supplementation should be resorted to only if sufficient protein is not available in the normal diet.

Comparative Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Concentrated, Hydrolyzed, and Isolated Whey Protein Supplementation on Body Composition of Physical Activity Practitioners

“…Its intrinsic characteristics, such as absorption rate, amino acid profile, hormonal response, and antioxidant potential, have a direct effect on muscle gain [42,43]. Thus, the daily dose ingested becomes a determining factor for hypertrophy [16].…”

“…In our analysis, the establishment of a single standard recommendation for WP users has two direct consequences: possible occurrence of health damage as a result of overdose (a situation not reported by any of RCTs included in this review) and lack of adequacy to the individual protein demand. An orientation established only in gross weight WP values does not consider the physical characteristics of each athlete [15,16,17]. For this reason, aiming at better adequacy, some reviews stipulate daily protein intake values based on the individual’s body composition.…”

“…Although it is a consensus that, compared to the general population, the daily protein recommendation dose for athletes is higher than that estimated by the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) [14], its exact values are frequently reviewed. Each year, new predictions for different sports are proposed, based on primary studies conducted with physically active specific population groups [15,16].…”

“…In addition to the type of mechanical effort performed, another determining factor for the improvement of anthropometric markers is the food choice for this population. Criteria such as origin, quality, digestibility, purity, and protein content of the diet, for example, are directly related to the type of supplemented protein [10,11,15,16,17]. Moreover, it has been established that factors such as the content of serum solids, chemical and protein composition, functional properties, and mechanisms of functionality (solubility, gelling, foam stability, hydration, diffusion, adsorption, among others) are sensibly different between WPC and WPI [18].…”

The Tendency of Individuals Actively Involving in Exercise in Private Sports Centers to Use Nutritional Supplements

“…Bu artış protein alımının daha hızlı kas kazanımı sağladığı inancına sahip olunmasından ve kullanım kolaylığı nedeni ile protein içerikli besinlerin yerine tercih edilmelerinden kaynaklanmaktadır. 36 Katılımcılar BDÜ'leri kas yapmaktan ziyade beslenmedeki yetersizlikleri tamamlamak amacıyla kullanmaktadır. Bu sebeple en yaygın kullanılan BDÜ vitamin-minerallerdir, ardından protein tozu gelmektedir.…”