Protein Supplements: Are They Really So Important?

Protein supplements or dietary supplements have become synonymous with weight training, and vice versa, and are widely viewed as a means of supporting muscle growth.

As a simple statement this is very much a fact; protein supplements DO help your muscles recover from resistance training, but alot of vague and misleading views and ideas still surround their use. Of course, this is a blog, it's a means of expressing MY views on this matter, and I would hope that the ideas tackled and discussed are simply a way of raising the issue, not viewed as the 'definitive answer'. BUT, as hard as it is to truly discuss protein supplements, I feel it's time to take the matter head on in a way I feel it just hasn't been covered yet...

Do athletes and young gym users really need protein supplements?

I beleive that protein supplements are used too much, especially by my peers. At 21, I am heading into the prime of my life and my health has never been as stable as it is right now. I regularly train at my local gym, here in the UK, around four times a week, and I run regularly to gain all my cardio - and as a result I use supplements very much contextually to my performance. If I've had a long workout session and don't have enough substantial protein available from other means (such as eggs or chicken for instance) I will take a protein shake to cover the minimum needed to let my muscles recover and develop.
The problem surrounding these products is that simply taking a protein shake or a pill-based supplement will grant you the body of an adonis and everyone will fight to the death to be your friend. No sales-respecting protein supplement company would promote their product with someone who doesnt have over-sized arms and bulging pecs - because the idea of a muscular body is an incredibly attractive one in a social climate that dictates that everyone is going to choke to death on a Big Mac as a 25-stone 30 year-old.
Most personal trainers and sports nutritionists would say that eating six to seven smaller meals a day is much better for you, simply because your constantly providing your body with enough energy and substance to keep you going, whilst at the same time sating the mental contagion of hunger. But keeping to this dietary routine can be hell for a young person, as you are either working regualrly or are studying/working together. In a world ruled by the almighty dolllar, one of these two lifestyle choices is held by most young people, which makes keeping to six or seven small meals a problem; it's simply finding the time to keep the process going.
And so a young person, frustrated by body fat, exhaustion and general discomfort with their self-image sees another ripped gym user swigging a protein shake and thinks "Hey, that could be the answer!". I've been there myself, many times; these products are fueled by a self-sustaining ideology that feeds off image and health hang-ups.

I've never pretended to be a guru on this kind of issue, like most people, my views are based on what I hear and on what I've experienced, and thankfully, I can say I had the foresight to look into supplements before I started using them. But if you havn't then don't feel too bad, most people don't.

The best advice that anyone can offer you at this stage - and this is advice, not sacrosanct law - is that you can get all the protein you need from natural sources like poultry, some fish, milk, and eggs, as well as many others. You can put together a healthy intake of food (I tend to avoid the word 'diet', as it has too many negative connotations) on a fairly reasonable budget, contrary to popular beleif. You don't need protein supplements - no one needs them - but they can help if used as part of an intake an suited to your metabolism as well as a workout program that is tough enough to require a little extra fuel to rebuild your muscles.

Check this blog out for an insightful take on this and other sports nutrition topics: http://msvusportsnutrition.blogspot.com

Any questions, comment or criticisms are always welcome in this environment.

D R-Lincoln