For example, if you are taking a multivitamin and mineral supplement to improve the nutrient density of your diet, why would you want a “cheap” one made with low-grade, indigestible, inabsorbable, ineffective, and possibly harmful ingredients?  If you knew you were getting a product that truly improved your health and physiology, why wouldn’t you pay a little more for a complete formulation based on solid scientific studies?  If you can’t come up with a good answer to these questions, it might be time to spend a few extra dollars on quality nutritional supplements.

Perhaps you are in the know and you follow my line of thinking when it comes to vitamin and mineral supplements.  How about protein supplements?  Are you willing to fork out hard-earned money to buy a low quality protein supplement?  Why use a protein supplement made from dehydrated egg or soy powder when you would be better off eating fresh eggs or tofu (okay, I know some of you might say ixnay on the tofu scramble’)?  Why would you spend $2-$4 on a 300-700 Calorie “protein bar” made with indigestible sugar alcohols, fillers, and largely unusable denatured proteins, when you could enjoy a delicious bone fide candy bar for less than $1?  Some common grocery store candy bars actually contain a fair amount of protein, less than 300 Calories, and have recognizable ingredients like sugar, salt, peanuts, etc.  Don’t get me wrong here; I am not a candy advocate.  I am simply pointing out the fact that all products billed as protein supplements are not necessarily healthful.

That doesn’t mean you should throw out the baby with the bathwater.  There are some good protein supplements with science-based formulations out there but they are few and far between.  Sure, amino acids (AAs) are the same no matter which protein source they are derived from, but all proteins supplements do not contain the same AA profile and protein composition.  For example, the physiological impact of colostrum, whey concentrate and whey isolate is far more beneficial to humans than other protein sources.  While protein supplements made with soy, casein, or egg are less expensive, scientific research has clearly demonstrated that you need to consume more of them to achieve the same physiological benefits.  You might think using a greater quantity of these inferior quality supplements is okay but if your body doesn’t use them for muscle growth, repair, recovery or energy, you are going to end up wearing the extra calories as fat.

You can find my favorite protein supplements (and other science-based nutritional products) on my Web site at HealthBuilding.com.  I only sell products from companies that I have worked with very closely.  Meanwhile, here are some of the things you should look for in a quality protein supplement:

- Carefully treated whey proteins – An important part of quality whey protein is how it is processed.  Poor processing (by heat and pH changes) will cause whey protein fractions to be denatured and less bioactive.  I recommend whey proteins that are cold filtered.  Special filtering also helps to remove sugar, lactose, and sodium, rendering a product which is more healthful and easily digested.

- Glutamine and colostrum peptides – L-glutamine and colostrum are powerful anticatabolic and immune factors.  Keeping your immune system up and catabolism down are critical for health and athletic performance.

- Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) – BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) are AAs that have been shown to increase muscle protein synthesis as well as mental and physical performance.

Over the course of my career as an exercise physiologist I have seen athletes (professional and amateur), fitness enthusiasts, and even couch potatoes benefit from high quality protein supplements.  If you have never used one, you are in for a pleasant surprise.  You stand to improve your muscle strength, lean body mass, performance, recovery, and overall health.  Yes, it will cost you a little bit more than you are currently spending on protein but you’re worth it – A healthy body is an investment you can’t afford to go without!

© – This material is copyrighted and may not be copied, reproduced, or adapted without the express permission of Dr. William L. Elliott, Ph.D. (HealthBuilding.com)