Few Q's about different shakes.

[Pauly420]

Well for the past year and a half since i started lifting ive been pounding muscle milk or cytogainer pre/post-workout and sometimes at bedtime. What i found was heavy anal leakage and discomfort every day. Once i stopped doing the shakes it went away and im back to being 100%. Are there any protein supplements that maybe is more natural for the body to digest? Or should i just stick to plain old food, steaks and tuna/fish/chicken for my protein?

[ironmaiden708]

You can try different brands and see if it helps. Try brands that are more or less just pure protein and skip all that other junk that is added to try and enhance the flavor. But if all else fails sticking to alternative protein sources will be fine. Cottage Cheese, Provolone Cheese, Ham, Tujrkey, Chicken, Fish, etc.

[Jungledoc]

Ironmaiden--is it possible to consume so much protein in a short period of time that you just exceed your body's ability to absorb it? What the OP is describing brings to mind malabsorbtion syndromes. I'd be curious if just a bit less of the same shakes did the same thing, or corrected the problem.

[brook011]

That sounds like a digestion problem. What else is in the diet? Any supplements?

[Ironman]

Your body will just let protein you can't use pass. It can give you the craps. Having to much sugar alcohol can do that too. So if you have a lot more protein than you can use at one time, especially in liquid form, and lots of sugar alcohols that sweeten the shakes, you could end up having it bad enough to where it leaks out your butt.

It will probably give you gas too.

[ironmaiden708]

Ironmaiden--is it possible to consume so much protein in a short period of time that you just exceed your body's ability to absorb it? What the OP is describing brings to mind malabsorbtion syndromes. I'd be curious if just a bit less of the same shakes did the same thing, or corrected the problem.

Yes, it's a very easy thing to do, anybody who takes vitamins or even goes on a high protein diet will exceed the bodies ability to absorb it and will be excreted.

[TheHeb]

For post workout I like Chocolate Milk. It's got whey, casein, and plenty of glucose. I think it's starting to catch on with college football programs as a post-workout recovery drink. Sometimes I like to dump some whey powder in there, to bump up the total from about 8 grams to 20-28. Plus it's really tasty. If you can tolerate lactose it shouldn't give you too many problems.

[TimD]

Chocolate milk starting to catch on??? We were using it post workout 40 years ago.
Tim

[Pauly420]

As far as my diet is concerned i mostly eat a light breakfast, usually a multi-grain bar, special-k cereal and peanut butter/wheat crackers right before lunch. Lunch usually consists of salads, mostly spinach, chicken and mushrooms. Sometimes i throw some steak in there. Pre-workout i usually eat pasta with steak or chicken and post workout the same. I can mix it up with fish and shrimp once in a while.

Supplements well I started out with nothing and still had the problem so its not that. Now I take fish oil 3 times daily, a high energy multivitamin every morning, melatonin and Dopamine 30 minutes before bed.

I started out with the heavy calorie/protein content shakes, cytogainer. They ran 53g protein and 600ish calories each. Then later on i moved down to Muscle Milk, has like 36g protein and 300 calories (less fat). I drank one 1 hour pre-workout, and one right after then i mixed up some casein/argenine/glutamine before bedtime.

Honestly since ive stopped using the shakes (about a week ago) I havent really noticed any decrease in energy, size, or lifting power. I find myself eating alot more than i used to and being able to go harder at the gym since my a.$s isnt hurting the whole time.

I think ill give the post workout (M-W-F) chocolate milk / a little whey protein for a while and see how i hold up.

[brook011]

Check the arginine intake. Shouldn't be more than 6000mg per day or it will cause what you're talking about.

[Pauly420]

well the argenine, glutamine and casein were all brought into play months after the problem started. The problem just intensified when i added those in. Same with the fish oil and such. Really just the cytogainer or muscle milk alone did it to me.

I just got done lifting and drank a tall glass of 1% chocolate milk, and i have to say it sure the hell beats the taste of any shakes ive drank...lol

[brook011]

You kidding me? Muscle Milk + 1 1/2 cups ice + skim milk = treat for me.

[TheHeb]

Chocolate milk starting to catch on??? We were using it post workout 40 years ago.
Tim

Sorry Tim, I didn't mean that people are just now starting to use it, but I think that it's becoming more prevalent to the mainstream. This is just my observation, and I could be wrong, but ask most casual lifters/athletes what they drink after a workout and they'll probably tell you "Gatorade/muscle milk/protein concoction." I bet chocolate milk is not a very common answer.

[TimD]

That's the whole point. 40 years ago, the supplement industry really wasn't much. For protein shakes, the base was milk, chocolate or regular, and knox gelatine. Toss in some raw egg or whateer and there you had it The protein powders available at the time tasted like chalk, and weren't popular. Now, my gosh, supplements are a billion dollar industry, and lots to choose from, but frankly, for the average rereational lifter, good old milk (chocolate being probably less fatty than regular) will work fine.
Tim