The most preferred protein supplement worldwide is whey protein and very simply put whey protein is a derivative of milk. Whey protein and steroids are as different as chalk and cheese. Forget confusing one for the other but even comparing them scientifically speaking is completely out of question. Anabolic steroids are synthetic drugs that are derivatives of the male hormone testosterone. Like all drugs they have their share of adverse side effects.

Whereas Whey in its natural form is seen when making cottage cheese (Paneer). In cottage cheese the solid part is Casein & the water is Whey. Whey protein supplements are concentrated Whey extracted from the Whey water. An extraction process does not make a substance artificial. Just drinking the whey water directly gives us a very miniscule quantity of protein with a huge dose of Lactose. So to take full advantage of this wonderful protein, it is necessary to take it in supplemental form that uses extraction processes that yield a minimum of 85% protein so that the lactose is minimal & does not cause gastric distress to lactose intolerant individuals.

From the point of view of absorption whey protein is second to none and possesses the highest biological value eclipsing the previous gold standard, which was egg.

Hence consumption of whey protein is downright healthy & needed when you are not meeting your protein requirements.

Anabolic steroids are scheduled drugs that are manufactured by pharmaceutical companies for correcting hormone related sexual dysfunction & increase sperm count in males suffering from low sperm counts. Athletes use them to get an edge in performance as increased levels of testosterone will increase the potential of muscular growth. But this practice of using steroids has its own share of adverse side effects.

So you can see from the above explanation that there is absolutely no basis for people misunderstanding Whey protein for steroids. They are not even in the same class of substances. Whey protein is a Food Supplement & Anabolic steroids are drugs.

There is no such thing as faster results. You must understand that results from exercise are possible only with sound nutrition. If your nutrition has inadequacies then results will always evade you. These short comings can be resolved through proper supplementation. Especially getting the right amount of protein in every meal, everyday is difficult and next to impossible for some… so protein supplementation could spell the difference between results and frustration. If you are committed to a sound eating program and get all your protein requirements from whole foods…then you will get results and there won’t be any need for supplementation.

Creatine has no known side effects. The dosage is 5gms/day. It is present in the body in the form of Creatine phosphate and is involved in regeneration of ATP (The energy source required by muscle to contract.) Research has proven that increasing Creatine stores to supra normal levels through ingestion of Creatine as a supplement enhance the ATP cycle and hence increases the contractile ability of muscles. In short you do get stronger with Creatine. It has been sold OTC for the past 15 years and lots of research has been done to find long term side effects of Creatine supplementation and they all have reported, “No known side-effects.”

That is not true. As long as the person is getting 1.5-2gms/Kg bodyweight of protein everyday from first class sources he will continue to build muscle (Given the fact that he trains intensely and prioritizes rest and recovery.) Protein powders simply make increasing protein easier, more convenient and with less calories. But they become essential in a complete Vegans diet.

There is no such thing as a high protein diet. The moment you start to workout your requirement of protein goes up. Thus a person who is working out must take protein in higher quantities than a sedentary person. A sedentary person requires 0.8gms/Kg of bodyweight and a person working out intensely requires 1.5-2gms/Kg of bodyweight. This simple fact is erroneously confused as an excessively high protein diet which it is not. Increasing protein in a person who has started working-out is just giving him the adequate protein & cannot be termed as an excessively high protein diet.

Yes. You can use a protein shake as a part of your diet, if you are not having adequate amount of dairy products, eggs or meat in your diet. Remember protein shakes derive their protein from natural sources such as milk (Whey and Casein), Egg (Albumin), Soya bean (Soy isolates). Hence these powders can do you no harm. In fact it makes eating healthy easy. It is also a convenient way to increase your protein intake without increasing your caloric intake too much. Complete Vegans will need to supplement their diet with protein shakes that derive their protein from milk as they have complete absence of first class sources of protein. In fact if your diet does not provide you with adequate protein, then it is downright unhealthy to workout intensely without the support of protein supplements, as you will only lose muscle.

First and foremost we must know what comprises a fat burner pill before we pass judgment on its safety. Most popular and leading brands of fat burners contain herbal forms of:

Ephedrine – A sympathomimetic, beta-2 agonist that increases BMR by stimulating the central nervous system, increasing heart rate and body temperature. (Since leading manufacturers of food supplements are all from the US & Ephedrine is banned in many states in the US, now products contain Synephrine instead of Ephedrine. It is claimed to be a good replacement for Ephedrine & is derived from the fruit Bitter Orange or Sour Orange (Citrus Aurantium)) Ephedrine is derived from a herbal source – Ma Huang.

Caffeine – A nervous system stimulant that also has a Lipolytic property which means that it releases fat from adiposities and makes them available to be burnt in the mitochondria of muscle cells. Caffeine is derived from a herbal source – either Guarana or Kola Nut.

Aspirin – A prostaglandin inhibitor. Prostaglandins always try and get the elevated body temperature back to normal and end fat loss via Thermogenesis, hence aspirin by blocking the action of prostaglandins actually extends the effective duration of ephedrine and caffeine. Aspirin or salicylic acid is derived from a herbal source – “White Willow Bark”.

To say that they are unsafe would be incorrect, but they do require responsible usage and unlike supplements like protein powders, they cannot be taken by everyone. People with the following medical conditions should never even consider taking these pills:

Hypertension, History of any kind of cardiac disorder or stroke, Tachycardia or Arrhythmia (Irregular heart beats), People on Mono Amine Oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (Anti depressants), Pregnant or lactating women, Diabetics, people suffering from hyper acidity with a history off or currently suffering from Peptic ulcers.

If you are completely healthy, then you can take them according to the dosage prescribed on the bottle. But please know that these pills only make fat burning efforts more effective. But without fat burning efforts such as a strict low carb- high protein diet and intense workouts, they cannot work. So if you are not committed to your diet and workout then taking these pills would be a waste of money.

Supplements are not necessary to reach your fitness goals. What is necessary is to eat right. But if eating right is a problem then supplements can be a convenient and healthy way of ensuring that the body gets all the nutrients you need to stay healthy and fit. It removes the guesswork out of healthy eating