Based upon our research, tests, tasting and reviews, combined with customer feedback and industry knowledge regarding sales volumes, here is a list of our opinion of the best protein shakes available in the UK in 2011:

1. AST VP2 – 100% whey isolate, mixes easily, tastes great, over 90% protein, zero lactose and used daily by several of the staff at Promart Supplements. Unbiased university double blind studies undertaken in the USA show that supplementing with VP2, compared to a standard protein shake results in significant additional increases in muscle mass and strength compared to a standard protein shake. I agree with the findings.
2. Allmax Isoflex – a blend of whey isolate and hydrolysed whey isolate make this protein powder our most successful new product of 2011. It tastes great, is very high in BCAAs, lactose free, mixes easily and is a real contender for the top spot.
3. CNP Pro Peptide – By now I’m presuming everyone knows the benefits of Pro Peptide, but for people who don’t, Pro-Peptide is a fast and slow digesting blend of micellar casein, whey concentrate, egg albumen, etc. which means that it helps your body maintain a positive nitrogen balance, meaning that your body stays in an anabolic muscle building state for much longer between meals, compared with standard whey protein. Pro peptide is therefore a great protein shake to drink before bed and also between meals.
4. USN Pure Protein IGF-1 – An extremely popular premium protein blend manufactured by USN, originally from South Africa. Pure Protein IGF-1 consists of a precise mixture of whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, calcium caseinate, egg albumen and soy protein isolate supplying your muscles with everything they need for growth. Pure protein tastes great and mixes well
5. Massive Nutrition Colossal Whey – This is another new product, from a new manufacturer, which offers a lower priced whey protein concentrate / isolate blend at low cost. Colossal Whey is low in carbs and fats, mixes really easily and tastes very nice. This product is formulated for maximum bio-availability and ease of digestion and has received some very good feedback from our customers.

We only stock the best brands of supplements in the world, which is why all of the top 5 protein shakes above are available from our store with free next day delivery.

ON 100% Whey doesn’t make the top 5 list because despite it being a good protein powder, it is over priced, with better products costing less. You should know that a lot of the big companies around the world who supply supplements have affiliations with the brands they promote as being the best, where they either own the brands or get discounted wholesale prices on them for promoting them. For example, Monster Supplements own PhD, who win all of their supplements awards. Anyway, the point we are trying to make is that our top 5 list above is based on our own opinions only and is there to help our customers make the right choice.

Regards,

Brian, Promart Supplements

If you are trying to pack on some extra muscle mass, but getting nowhere, then why not try copying what some of the guys have done from Promart Supplements? Some simple changes to your diet and training and you will see quicker size and strength gains than ever.

1. Increase your daily protein intake to at least 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight per day, using a quality whey protein powder such as Allmax Isoflex – Whey Isolate
2. Add a small sprinkle of sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds (high in protein and good fats) to your protein shakes 2-3 times per day (using blender)
3. Increase carbohydrates in your diet by eating more noodles, pasta, rice, potatoes, rice cakes, spaghetti, bread, etc.
4. For supper, have 2 slices of wholemeal toast with peanut butter and a pint of semi skimmed milk before bed
5. Go to the gym 2 or 3 times per week, no more


Lift Heavy Free Weights For Bigger Muscles

6. Lift extra heavy weights for 5 sets of 5 reps on two big exercises, such as squats, deadlifts, bench press, barbell rows, dips, pullups, etc., followed by 2 sets of 5 reps on two assistance exercises, such as triceps extensions, close grip presses, standing barbell curls, calf raise, shrugs, pulldowns, etc.
7. Use perfect form, warm up for each exercise, then lift with maximum power, using minimum effort on the negative phase of each rep. Form MUST be perfect, or you will get injured, resulting in you losing all the hard earned muscle you gained to start with.

You should be able to increase weight for about 6-8 weeks with the above power lifting style training tips. Aim for 5% extra weight per week. After 6-8 weeks, you will be more than ready to go back to slower, more emphasised reps, as it can take its toll training as above. You may gain a little bit of fat, but it’s worth it for the extra muscle size and strength. Once you go back to bodybuilding, you can cut your carbs a bit and maybe add a bit of early morning cardio to show all the new muscle.

Regards,

Martin

Nutrabolics Hemowhey is an advanced whey protein matrix comprising Ultra filtered high quality instantised whey protein concentrate; and Cross flow microfiltered whey protein isolate. Each serving provides 20g of protein and with 71 servings per tub at just £34.99 with Free Next Day UK Delivery, Hemowhey has to be one of the most cost effective protein powders available in 2011.

Nutrabolics Hemowhey Nutritional Information

Here are the supplement facts for Nutrabolics Hemowhey:

Nutrabolics Hemowhey Review

Benefits of Nutrabolics HemoWhey

1. Multi stage protein matrix
2. Low carbohydrate formula
3. Supports anabolic and anti-catabolic effects
4. Supports protein synthesis and muscle breakdown
5. Tastes very nice
6. Superior amino acid profile
7. mixes easily

Nutrabolics Hemowhey in Chocolate flavour also makes a very good tasting hot chocolate. Warm up 250ml milk, blend in one scoop of whey protein and drink! A tasty 20g of protein before bed!

We are running a special offer discount code on Hemowhey at the moment, giving an additional 10% discount. Simply enter the code ‘hemo10‘ during the checkout process and 10% will be deducted from the price. The reason for the discount is to get the word out about Hemowhey, as in our opinion, it is the most cost effective, high quality, protein supplement available. AST VP2 is our highest quality protein supplement, but it costs more (and is finally back in stock from around 20th April 2011).

Here is the product page for Nutrabolics Hemowhey.

Since the credit crunch, the manufacturing costs in many industries have risen. This year, in 2011, it’s bad news for bodybuilders as the price of whey has increased. This has resulted in an increase in the cost of whey protein supplements.

Reasons for the Whey Protein Price Rises

Our suppliers have informed us of several reasons for the price increases, generally caused by an increase in manufacturing costs. One of our suppliers went into more detail, saying the price increases are caused by the surge in demand for whey, for use in baby food products in China. Whatever the cause, its the bodybuilders, powerlifters, professional sports men, women and athletes who are suffering the higher costs for their protein supplements. To make things worse, the price of whey protein is set to increase significantly more throughout the rest of 2011!

Whey Protein Powder Buying Advice

To save money and get your whey protein cheap, I would urge you to buy in bulk as soon as possible, before the unavoidable price rises. Our most cost effective, high quality whey protein powder is Nutrabolics HemoWhey, which works out at under £0.50 per serving. CNP Whey Protein is also cost effective and is slightly cheaper per serving than HemoWhey, but for the small difference in cost, HemoWhey is worth it for the increased quality, better taste and less froth and bubbles on the top of your protein shake.

Update: Nutrabolics HemoWhey Special Offer Coupon Code

Here is a special offer coupon code for Nutrabolics HemoWhey, which gives an additional 10% discount at checkout: hemo10. We offer Free Next Day Delivery in the UK and I challenge you to find a cheaper price for this product delivered! If you find it cheaper, post a comment below saying where…

Regards,

Promart Supplements

USN Pure Protein IGF-1 Overview

USN Pure Protein IGF-1 is a precise blend of:

1. whey protein isolate
2. concentrate
3. calcium caseinate
4. egg albumen
5. soy protein isolate

Vitamins, minerals, amino acids and essential fats are also included in each serving. Pure Protein IGF-1 is virtually carbohydrate free, which is ideal for those that prefer to obtain carbohydrates from food sources, or to keep carbs to a minimum whilst on a cutting phase for a contest.

Each serving of USN Pure Protein IGF-1 provides:

Each 2 scoop serving of Pure Protein also provides approximately 50% of your RDA of Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, D, E, Niacin, Folic Acid, Pantothenic Acid and Biotin.

Benefits of USN Pure Protein IGF-1

USN Pure Protein IGF-1 Review

USN Pure Protein IGF-1 is the perfect protein supplement for keeping your body in an anabolic environment. The protein blend found in Pure Protein meets your body’s immediate requirements, intermediate requirements and prolonged requirements with Pure Protein’s fast and slow digesting, sustained protein release mechanism.

Pure Protein IGF-1 also contains ZYMATECH Multiple Enayme Technology (incl. Lactase Enaymes & Fibre) for optimal protein digestion & amino acid uptake, enabling your muscles to use the nutrients optimally for growth.

Pure Protein IGF-1 is fortified with L-glutamine for nitrogen transport & muscle recovery. Pure Protein is extremely low in Carbs & contains a complete vitamin & mineral blend.

Taste: Very good taste and texture, available in Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla flavours.
Cost: Prices vary, but at the time of writing this article, our prices, including delivery are £22.99 and £36.74 for 1Kg, 2.28Kg respectively. Other reputable sites may charge £1-3 less, but at checkout add £5.99 for delivery.
Quality: Pure Protein IGF-1 is a premium quality protein supplement, up there with the likes of BSN Syntha-6 and CNP Pro-Peptide.
Digestibility: No issues reported.

USN Pure Protein IGF-1 Recommended Usage

Add two heaped Pure Protein IGF-1 scoops to 300 – 350ml of cold water in a hand held shaker and shake for 30 seconds. Allow to settle for around 45 seconds before drinking. Have 2-3 Pure Protein IGF-1 servings daily. Pure Protein IGF-1 servings may be halved. TIP: Use a measuring jug and a hand held blender available from the supermarkets, it is much more convenient.

USN Pure Protein IGF-1 – Other Ingredients

Whey protein isolate & concentrate blend, Calcium caseinate, High isoflavone soy protein isolate, Cocoa powder (only in Chocolate and Cappuccino versions), Fructose, MCT (Medium Chain Triglyceride) oil, Stabiliser: cellulose gum, Calcium (from milk source), Egg albumen, Rice starch, Colourant: E124, Red beet powder, (only in Strawberry version) & E133, E104 (only in Pistachio version), Flavourant, Phosphorous (from milk source), Ascorbic acid, Zymatech enzyme blend (mainly Lactase), Non-nutritive sweetener: Sucralose, Niacin, D-Alpha-tocoferol acetate, D-calcium-pantothenate, Pyridoxine-5-phosphate, Riboflavin, Thiamine mononitrate, Retinol, Folic acid, Biotin, Cholecalciferol, Cyanocobalamin.

Conclusion

USN Pure Protein IGF-1 is an excellent source of protein for both men and women who require additional protein in their diets, without adding many calories. This product is therefore perfect for sports men and women who want to improve their physical abilities, or for people trying to lose weight, whilst retaining and improving muscle tone. Further, Pure Protein IGF-1 is extremely popular in extreme sports such as bodybuilding and powerlifting, with hardcore athletes using this product to meet their very high daily protein requirements.

Our CNP Pro Peptide Review may also be of interest.

Regards,

Promart Supplements

For anyone interested in making their own supplements, here is a brief description of how whey protein isolate is manufactured.

1. Fresh milk is pasteurized
2. The casein (curd) and a some of the milk fats are separated out to make cheese
3. The remaining whey in liquid form, goes through a series of filtering processes to separate the lactose (a type of sugar found in milk) from the whey protein
4. The liquid whey is then placed in an ion exchange tower to concentrate and purify the whey protein, without denaturing the whey protein
5. The water is then removed from the whey protein in a drying tower to create a powder.
6. The whey protein isolate powder is then put into tubs with labels for sale.

You can make your own home made liquid whey protein from milk, by simply leaving some milk for 3-4 days in a glass bottle at room temperature. The liquid whey then rises to the top above the curds and can be separated by pouring over a strainer lined with a cheesecloth and collecting in a bowl beneath. Leave it overnight, until the dripping stops, then put in a clean glass jar and place in the fridge and it will be good for 6 months (supposedly). The liquid whey will still contain some lactose, but would that be a bad thing if used as a post workout shake? By the way, it is probably cheaper to buy a standard whey protein concentrate powder, than to try and make your own liquid whey, if comparing the cost per gram of protein.

Regards,

Brian, Promart Supplements

Cytosport Background

Tasty Pre, During & Post Workout Shake

Cytosport are a popular supplements brand, who were established in 1998 by Greg Pickett and his son Mike. Cytosport are huge, especially in America, where they have a 14,000m² manufacturing facility. To visualise the size of their factory, it is roughly the same area as two Wembley football pitches!

The benefits of these huge brands are that they control the manufacturing process in-house from start to finish, so they know exactly what is in their products. They are also amongst the market leaders when it comes to pioneering new processes for the production of the best supplements, as they re-invest their profits into research. Smaller companies who outsource production have no control over quality and have to settle for what is available.

Cytosport Muscle Milk

Cytosport provide a large range of products, and Muscle Milk is possibly the most popular, closely followed by Monster Milk and Cytogainer. Cytosport Muscle Milk is the perfect shake for before, during and after high intensity anaerobic exercise such as bodybuilding. Here is the nutritional information, along with additional statistics regarding other attributes of this product.

Okay, so you are getting into bodybuilding and want to gain as much muscle as you can, as quick as possible, right? That means that you need to eat 6 or more high protein meals per day, which is a big task for anyone. You can use meal replacement powders such as CNP Pro MR, Nutrabolics Fighters Food, or Dymatize Elite for up to three of your daily meals, but what about the rest?

Nutritional Requirements For Muscular Growth

First of all, you should work out your daily nutritional requirements, using our macronutrient calculator. If you eat six meals per day, divide the totals by six and you have your nutritional requirements per meal. Assuming you use three meal replacements per day, then for your other three meals, you could easily reach your requirements by topping up your protein consumption by supplementing these meals with a whey protein shake.

Bodybuilders’ Typical Daily Diet Using Protein Supplements

If you use lots of protein supplements, your diet would look like this:

• 7am: Porridge + Whey Protein Shake
• 9:30am: Meal Replacement, banana, apple
• 12pm: Salad Sandwich in Wholemeal Bread + Whey Protein Shake
• 2:30pm: Meal Replacement, banana
• 5:30pm: Evening Meal + Whey Protein Shake
• 8pm: Meal Replacement + Wholemeal Toast with Peanut Butter

Bodybuilders’ Typical Daily Diet Without Supplements

If you don’t want to use supplements, then here are some easy meal options which are high protein and suitable for bodybuilding:

• 7am:
  • Boiled or Scrambled Eggs on Wholemeal Toast¹
  • Porridge + Semi Skimmed Milk
• 9:30am: Packet of Noodles, 600ml of semi skimmed milk
• 12pm:
  • Tuna, Chicken, Turkey, Beef, Extra Lean Corned Beef or Ham salad sandwich in wholemeal bread
  • Jacket Potato with Cheese & Beans, Cottage Cheese or Tuna
• 2:30pm: Same as 12pm
• 5:30pm: Evening Meal²
• 8pm: 600ml of semi skimmed milk + wholemeal toast with peanut butter³

Notes:
¹ Egg yolks and egg whites contain similar amounts of protein, but the yolks contain most of the fat, with the whites being virtually fat free. Depending upon your nutritional requirements, you could therefore either have 8 egg whites, 4 whole eggs or a combination. By the way, cooked eggs are nearly twice as absorbable as raw eggs, so make sure you cook them for best results and also to avoid salmonella. Similar to the eggs, consume as much or as little toast as required to meet your nutritional requirements.
² Your evening meal should contain a good source of protein, such as fish, poultry, lean meat, etc. If it doesn’t, then drink 600ml of semi skimmed milk with your meal (roughly 1 pint), for an additional 20g of protein.
³ milk contains micellar casein which is a slow digesting protein and combining this with low GI slow digesting food like peanut butter on toast helps keep your muscles fed with amino acids for longer dduring the night, avoiding muscle loss while you sleep.

Normal Food vs Protein Supplements – Conclusion

To meet your nutritional requirements supplements aren’t required. Regular food provides everything you need. However, your diet will include less protein, but much more sugars and fats, compared with a diet that includes protein supplements. For example, a pint of milk provides roughly 270 calories, 19g of protein, 28g of sugar and 9g of fat. Comparing that to 1 scoop of whey protein in 200ml of water, which provides 100 calories, 23g protein, 2g sugar and 0g fat, you can immediately see the difference. The main effects upon your progression as a bodybuilder if you don’t use protein supplements are as follows:

1. Less anabolic environment for gaining muscle, due to lesser, lower quality protein intake, so results will be slower and limited
2. More likely to hold body fat, unless additional cardio is performed, 3-4 days per week

My Advice

My advice… at least get some whey protein, it works out at around £0.35 per serving, so is cheaper than any regular food per gram of protein, whilst being made from milk. If you don’t like the idea of using supplements, then don’t worry about whey protein, it is basically skimmed milk, but without the sugar or micellar casein (other form of protein in milk).

Regards,

Martin, Promart Supplements

Athletes need to follow strict diets to be the best in their class. However, different diets and different training programmes are required for different events. For example, a 100m sprinter needs maximum speed and strength, so would follow a high protein diet and a 100m sprinter training programme including high intensity exercise. For endurance, marathon runners do not carry as much muscle so require a similar diet, but with less protein. A marathon training programme for novices would usually be a 26 week programme leading up to the race, running for increasing times, typically 5 times per week, up until 2 weeks before the race, when running times would be reduced, to allow full recovery for the race. Below are typical diets for various events:

100m Sprinter Diet

A 100m sprinters’ diet should be very similar to a bodybuilding diet, i.e. 6-8 meals per day with each meal containing an equal amount of protein and calories, to keep the body anabolic and to regulate insulin levels to reduce body fat. Protein shakes are an absolute must for sprinters and I do not believe that the supposed chicken nugget diet of Usain Bolt is anything other than a distraction for his rival sprinters. Tip: Five days before a race, cut out caffeine, then on the day of the race, have a caffeinated drink 4 hours before racing and another before the race.

Marathon Diet

A marathon runners’ diet needs to be fairly high in protein, but very high in carbs which provide the optimum energy source for your training. Consuming at least 5-6 meals per day would allow enough calories and nutrients to be absorbed by the body for marathon running. Each meal should contain a large amount og low GI carbs, such as brown rice, wholewheat pasta, wholegrain bread, oats, potatoes, etc. for sustained energy release. During exercise, sugary drinks, such as CNP Pro Napalm provide immediate energy, which is essential to avoid the body starting to use fat stores as energy which is a less efficient process and reduces performance. Including milk, eggs, poultry, nuts, seeds and meat in your diet will boost protein intake, but a protein powder can also be used if necessary.

Custom Event Diet

There is a pattern here. The perfect athletes diet is high protein and split over 6-8 meals per day. Each meal should be low GI, low fat and including some fruit and veg. Depending upon the event, between 0.75g (marathon runners) and 1.5g (sprinters) of protein should be included in the daily diet. Most other events will fall somewhere between a marathon and a sprint in terms of physical activity, so protein intake should be somewhere between 0.75g and 1.5g per day for most events.

Protein supplements are expensive to buy for most people, so it makes sense for people to use them optimally and efficiently, so here are some tips:

1. Consume at least 1g of protein per pound of body weight per day, split evenly over 6 meals, spread out evenly during the day
2. Eat a high protein diet, including milk, fish, eggs, poultry, lean meat, etc.
3. When meals contain hardly any protein, supplement with a high quality fast and slow releasing protein supplement, such as CNP Pro Peptide
4. When meals contain some protein, but not enough, top them up with protein shakes, typically a whey protein concentrate powder, as it is cheapest and provides good results.
5. Always consume a post workout shake, such as CNP Pro Recover, which is a high GI, protein powder, which can be digested super quickly, due to it’s pre-digested form as a whey hydrolysate. A cheaper alternative, which also works well is a pint of skimmed milk which provides 19g of protein, 25g sugars and virtually zero fat, making it a good second choice.
6. Remember that a bodybuilding diets’ main objective is to keep the body in an anabolic state to allow more muscle to be gained, without consuming so many calories that you also get fat, i.e. ‘Stay Hungry’. As long as your diet is varied and includes plenty of fruit, veg and animal protein and you also achieve a calorific surplus and consume adequate protein throughout the day, then in combination with a high intensity progressive training programme utilising multiple joint compound movements, you are going to get bigger and stronger quickly and progressively.
7. Avoid consuming more than 35-50g of protein per meal, i.e. more for bigger individuals, less for smaller. Anything over and above your body’s ability for digestion will be used as energy, stored as body fat, or excreted, which is a waste of money.