How Does Protein Powder Help Your Body: A Quick Guide

The human body is an extremely complex system and needs a lot of different types of nutrients to perform a multitude of functions it performs. But like any system, there is a basic function that drives all the other complex functions and provides support to it as well.

Well, breaking down amino acids to provide us different kinds of nutrition is one such function in our body. Protein is the source of amino acids in our body, hence protein is also known as the building block of life.

When we consume protein, our body works together to break it down to amino acids which are then used for building muscles, various repair functions, the building of enzymes, hormones, etc. As we age, our body tends to lose muscle mass and slow down on most repair functions and we start to require more and more protein to help keep up with aging.

However, adults tend to consume very less protein in their traditional diet due to loss of appetite, busy schedules, etc. This is where protein powder swoops in as a lifesaver.

Protein powder, a nutritional supplement has begun to take over the world. Protein powder contains a powdered form of protein derived from various sources such as soybeans, peas, rice, potatoes, eggs, milk, etc. These provide more quantity per serving than traditional food and are easily digested in our body to reach our muscles faster.

They have a variety of benefits and are generally very popular with people who are unable to consume the required amount of protein via the traditional diet systems. Let us take a look at some of the ways Protein powder helps us:
1. Weight loss and Management

Protein powders help deliver a concentrated volume of protein to our body in a faster and more efficient manner. We have already discussed that our body breaks down the protein into amino acids to use as nutrition for the various body processes. When our body gets the right amount of protein, our metabolism becomes efficient hence preventing the accumulation of body fats aiding in weight loss and loss of belly fat. Studies have shown that people consuming protein powder lose 30% more belly fat while compared to those who didn’t while staying on similar diet patterns.
2. Increase in Muscle mass

We need protein to gain and improve our muscle mass and protein powders are a great way to do just that. Protein powders are a great hit with bodybuilders, athletes for being an easy and reliant way to build up their muscles. Protein powders are easy to consume and take less time to digest. The supplement is found to be effective in both men and women. Studies have confirmed that people consuming protein powder improve their muscle mass at a faster rate.

3. Rehab Strength

Athletes, bodybuilders or anyone undergoing resistance training, heavy exercise regime needs a lot of protein in their body to give them the strength to repair any muscle tear or similar injuries they may sustain during training. Proteins play an extremely vital role in helping the body with muscle repair, skin repair, etc. However, it is difficult for people who are in training to have protein-rich diets without gaining weight as those diets contain other elements as well. Protein powders are a great way to absorb as much as protein possible in the body without having to consume calorie-rich content. Protein powder taken after a workout is found to be very effective for this.
4. Nutrition

In our fast-paced life, we often neglect our essential functions such as proper sleep, eating cycle, nutritious balanced diet, etc. As a result, we start suffering from issues like slow metabolism, weakness, fatigue, and loss of stamina. Protein powders help us ensure that we do not compromise on our protein intake while going about our life. Protein powder also helps us with better metabolism, stamina so that our body can function and absorb/break down other nutrients consumed in traditional diet forms as well.
5. Diet Management

Protein powder is also used in addition to other fat loss supplements for effective diet and weight loss management. Specifically for people looking to gain better control over what they consume, Protein powders work as a watchdog. Consuming protein powder during breakfast helps a person absorb more protein content early in the day thus helping them begin the day with better metabolism, energized muscles, etc.

People who consumed protein powder gain as less as 9% of their weight while compared to 23% in the case of people who did not. This goes to show protein powder is a very efficient tool for diet management.

Also since the body is getting the requisite amount of protein, the tendency to snack or eat infrequent meals in between the proper meals reduces. Studies show that people show a reduction in weight gain during diets while consuming protein powder.
Conclusion

Protein powder has been a very popular nutritional supplement for a long time and it has proved itself also in many cases. It can be used as a positive reinforcement for our growth in a lot of ways. However, we need to be very careful while choosing the type of protein powder, dosages, method of intake, etc so that we do not overdo it and harm ourselves.

Since protein powders are manufactured by private companies and contain many other added substances, kindly check the label before consuming it. In case of doubt, one should always consult a physician or a subject matter expert. It is however very sure that if used well protein powder can help us lead a healthy and balanced life.