CANADIAN PHYSIQUE ALLIANCE July/August SUMMER ISSUE | Seite 108

THE
PERFECT
PROTEIN
Protein powder is a supplement that
allows for people who may have trouble
getting in their required amount of daily
protein from whole food sources. The
most popular protein powder source we
see in the industry is whey. Whey comes
from the process undergone when
cheese is made. There is a by-product
from this process that is very high in
protein but also includes la high amount
of lactose, fat and cholesterol. This
product is then filtrated and the pure
protein is able to be extracted and turned
into a powder. After this, it is purchased
by the many supplement companies we
know today. The powder is then flavored,
enriched with other nutrients, and
packaged in a nice fancy tub.
Now that we see what protein powder is
and where it comes from, let’s take one
step back and see why it is so popularly
used. Protein is what creates and repairs
new tissue in your body. When we fatigue
our muscles through exercise, your body
seeks protein in order to repair the
damaged tissue. Specifically for athletes
who compete in physique sports, it is
crucial to have a high protein diet in order
to maximize the process of building
muscle. But is protein powder needed for
this or is just a high protein diet enough?
The answer is that you do not NEED protein
powder; you just need to intake enough
protein in a day for your specific goals. Think
about all the top bodybuilder’s that have
been around since the late 1800’s all the way
until the latter half of the 1900’s. Many of
these men like Eugene Sandow, Steve
Reeves and even strength athlete’s like Louis
Cyr have been able to build amazing
physiques with enormous strength without
protein powder. Even when protein powder
first hit the market, it was not widely used as
it is today. Many times individuals invest
hundreds of dollars on supplements and
cheap out on the most important things;
things like real food.