Why We Need Protein and Knowing Your PhD Protein Powder Options 

And how much should I consume?

Every cell in our body contains protein. You need protein in your diet as it’s essential for repairing and rebuilding your body, especially post-exercise muscle. This makes protein a fundamental nutrient to consider in more depth if you’re an active individual. 

Protein is classified as a macronutrient, with ‘macro’ meaning large quantities. To enable muscle growth alongside exercise, we need to provide our bodies with sufficient protein and energy intake. Protein itself only provides about 4kcal of energy per gram, which isn’t much, so this is where your other macronutrients are key, but back to protein, as that’s our focus today!
General recommendations for protein consumption are 0.8g per kg of body weight, which typically equates to around 55g per day for males and 45g per day for females, but how does this differ for active individuals? 

Current protein recommendations for most exercising individuals vary between 1.4-2.0g per kg of body weight, which is quite a large range, and specific needs will depend on exercise type, i.e., endurance, strength, or mixed. For example, there is some evidence suggesting that >3.0g of protein per kg body weight may elicit positive effects on body composition in resistance-trained individuals; however, more evidence is needed to support this greater amount further.  

Although this general 1.4-2.0g per kg body weight range for exercising individuals may seem broad, what is certain is that we should aim for our protein intake to be equally distributed throughout the day in different meals. Research suggests that ideally, for optimal muscle protein synthesis, this should be every 3-4 hours throughout the day. How much exactly per meal is detailed below. 

How much protein per meal?

Recommendations for the optimal protein intake serving to maximise muscle protein synthesis (i.e., building and repairing muscle protein) after exercise are mixed, and depend on factors such as age and recent resistance training stimuli. However, for building or maintaining muscle mass, in general, evidence suggests that to maximise anabolism, protein intake should be targeted at 0.4g per kg of body weight per meal, across approximately 4 meals, to reach 1.6 g per kg of body weight per day.  

For women specifically, research now recommends a daily intake of 1.2-1.5g per kg body weight, consumed across 4-5 meals of 0.3g per kg body weight. Other female-specific considerations suggest post-training protein requirements may be slightly lower in the follicular phase of your menstrual cycle due to higher oestrogen levels. This is because oestrogen is an anabolic hormone, meaning it favours muscle growth.

Why use protein supplements?

In general, protein supplements such as our PHD powders or bars are a convenient way to consume protein on the go, which is one of the major benefits of using protein supplements. This convenience definitely comes into play when we are meant to consume protein as soon as we can post-exercise! 

It has been shown that the timing of protein consumption post-exercise is a key determinant of muscle mass and strength gains, although some acute research has suggested that muscle is sensitive to nutrients (in particular, amino acids) for up to 3 hours post-exercise. Longitudinal training studies demonstrate that increases in muscle strength and size are greatest when protein is consumed immediately post-exercise. Simply put, it’s advised that we should consume protein as quickly as possible during the post-exercise recovery phase. 

A lot of us won’t have access to food rich in protein post-exercise; therefore, having a protein supplement can provide a great alternative to achieving your protein requirements after training. The use of protein supplements is also well evidenced, with a review of 49 research articles demonstrating that overall protein supplements can be used effectively to increase muscle strength (measured by 1RM) and muscle size. 

An additional benefit of consuming protein supplements post-exercise is that a lot of us feel we can’t ‘stomach’ a large meal immediately after exercise; therefore, protein supplements provide an alternative to tide us over until we are ready for our next protein-rich food source.

Which PhD Protein should I choose?

At PhD Nutrition, we pride ourselves on our wide range of protein supplements available, but we also appreciate that sometimes this can feel like too much choice, and this may leave you wondering where to start! So, we thought it would be best to summarise our different ranges and also compare the macronutrient values of our protein powders, to help you identify which of our powders is right for you! 

Smart Protein Range:

Our Smart range is designed to be deliciously versatile and can be used in many formats. So, if you’re someone who likes to bake with protein, add it to your porridge or homemade desserts, this is the range for you! We have 2 smart powders to choose from: 

• The original Smart protein is the perfect macro-friendly option to incorporate into your homemade recipes with optimal levels of specific ingredients, making it an exceptional cooking ingredient. 
• We also have our Smart plant powder as your versatile plant alternative, which can also be used to bake with, and used in the classic drink format.  

Diet Protein Range:

The PhD Diet range is specifically designed to combine protein to build and maintain your lean muscle mass (whilst also keeping you fuller for longer), with fat-burning ingredients such as L-Carnitine, CLA, and green tea extract to support fat loss. Included in the range is: 

• Diet Whey provides protein from multiple sources, giving you a variety of proteins that release into your bloodstream, combined with the fat-burning ingredients listed above.  
• Diet Whey Plant is your plant-based alternative to the classic Diet Whey powder. It still provides the same effective high-protein formula to aid in targeting fat loss and maintaining a lean physique.  

Whey Protein:

Next, we have our PhD Whey Protein. This protein powder is designed for athletes who are serious about performance, recovery, and muscle growth. We have packed 25g of protein per serving, making it easier to reach protein targets during the day and contribute to the growth and maintenance of muscle. PhD Whey Protein also contains 1 billion gut-friendly cultures for added wellbeing and recovery support. 

Clear Whey Protein + Collagen Powder

Finally, we have the newest PhD product – Clear Whey Protein + Collagen Powder. Designed to fuel through intelligent nutrition, this new offering allows you to build muscle mass, reduce fatigue, and provide structural support to skin, bones, muscles, and tendons. It packs in a 25g blend of clear whey protein isolate, collagen, and vitamin C, providing the perfect boost in achieving your daily protein intake.

Protein Powder Comparison table

*Exact macronutrient value will vary slightly depending on flavour of powder 

Take home messages:

1. Regular training means your protein requirements are greater than the general 0.89g per kg of body weight recommendation. 1.2-2.0g per kg of body weight should be consumed in equal amounts throughout the day e.g., 0.4g or 0.3g per kg of body weight per meal, for males and females, respectively. 
2. Timing of protein consumption is key, and ideally, we should aim to consume protein as soon as we can after training, either through food or protein supplementation.
3. At PhD Nutrition, we offer a wide variety of protein supplementation options (the focus of this article was protein powders, but be sure to check out our other protein products too!). These are often a convenient way for you to meet your protein requirements to optimise your training.