Milk, the starting product from which Whey is extracted from; is made of two proteins and they are Casein and Whey. Whey protein consists of 9 essential amino acids and because of this is often deemed a complete protein. Three forms of Whey protein can be purchased: Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey Protein Isolate, and Whey Protein Hydrolysate.

How much protein required for muscle protein synthesis, when used in conjunction with a resistance exercise regime, is variable depending on intensity, deficit/metabolic use of energy, and carbohydrate availability. However, if isolating just the protein intake aspect – as a general rule of thumb – you are on average aiming for 1g per pound or 2.2g per kilogram of body weight.

In conjunction with a diet rich in protein, good fats, and moderate carbohydrates outside of training, most individuals undertaking physical training aim to have a protein shake after training has finished. This is due to the depletion compromise, when you are tearing muscle during training and creating that inflammatory profile of muscle tissue and fascia engorging, putting the nutrients in while the blood flow is heavily focused in these areas is a great way to drive recovery. This is why people usually aim to put their nutrients needed for recovery around the end of the training.

BCAA’s or Branched Chain Amino Acids are the amino acids Leucine, Valine, and Isoleucine, and they are involved in muscle protein synthesis. They form part of the essential amino acids that create a complete protein.  It has been hypothesized and researched for decades that their use, when isolated alone, may help to hinder muscle degradation during exercise and speed up recovery in the attempt to avoid DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) for 24-72 hr post-exercise.

Amino acids are organic compounds found in dietary sources and are often regarded as the building blocks of protein, the Lego pieces that form a structure that creates a specific purpose in the body. They can be used not just in the building of proteins but also in the synthesis of specific hormones and neurotransmitters. Amino acids are classified as either essential or non-essential.  Non-essential amino acids can be synthesized from the conversion of the essential amino acids; whilst essential amino acids must come from our diet. There are 20 amino acids required for healthy human functions  however only 9 are classified as essential as the rest can be made through conversion.

This is entirely up to you; diet should always come first before supplementation and not vice-versa.  Are you getting enough protein in your daily diet? Enough micronutrients from your fruit and vegetables, fiber etc? Once this is as good as it can be, and you are concerned you might be missing specific elements needed for best results, then you can look into adding in a protein source to help fill in the gaps. Usually, this is seen in the use of a multivitamin and protein to supplement the lifestyle, where these tiny factors that are hard to measure in the diet can be taken care of[NC1] .

Building strength comes from consistency in both training and diet. Resistance training is the best method for building strength and muscle, as this helps to tear or purposefully induce damage to the muscle and then repair in the recovery stage after training with diet and rest. This process of damage and recovery is called ‘Hypertrophy’. Hypertrophy is the mechanism of recovery post damage where the body repairs damaged muscle fibers by fusing them, this then increases both the density and size of the muscle. Tools required for this recovery and repair come from our diet, hormones, and rest.

The method of burning fat has been debated for decades upon decades and is seen as the calling card for fad diets and drastic weight loss schemes. From just a biochemical perspective the method in which the body uses fat for fuel, (i.e. ‘Burning fat’) is achieved when the body is in a deficit rather than a surplus of caloric energy input. This is the calories in versus calories out ‘exchange rate’. There are variables to it with some health conditions, but fundamentally when you exert more energy than you can store; your body will call upon stores of fats and proteins to convert into energy and fuel our movements and functions.

Caffeine is a stimulant that affects the central nervous system and the brain, it is readily available after absorption of 5-30 minutes post intake.  Caffeine may increase mental alertness,  breathing, and heart rate. Most adults reach for a cup of coffee each morning to help “wake up”; this is how caffeine works in this regard. For this reason, it is why many people who train often search for high caffeine as a motivational tool to get them to the gym and training hard.  However, the alertness only lasts so long and there is often a comedown effect from caffeine that is often noted as the “fatigue crash”.