New protein = DOMS?

[MAG]

Recently I purchased a protein powder which was on a certain limited-time deals site - one that is made in New Zealand and free of many fillers found in typical protein powders.

 

Since then, I've been plagued by muscle soreness, while my other nutrition and training has not changed at all. I've even increased my intake from 1.5-3 scoops per day to 4 per day in the hopes that it will make a difference - no improvement. I know some of the "fillers" in protein powder are actually useful BCAAs or creatine, but even taking an increased dosage of these doesn't seem to do the trick.

 

Could it be that I'm missing some other important nutrient, or is it more likely that this protein is just shit? The ingredients are:

Whey protein

Natural flavour

Milk flavour

Lecithin

Stevia
~24g protein per serve

 

My previous powders have included Inner Armour blue and MP's Arnie whey - not exactly top-of-the-line protein.

 

I won't name the manufacturer, but I would be interested if anyone else can, having experienced similar issues, or even happened upon a protein powder that caused this effect.

[FellowshipOfTheRon]

dam i hate stevia .. as i recall, one such protein sweetened by stevia had given me terrible diahorea etc. body just wasn't absorbing any of that, wonder if its affecting you similarly?

[Dinahlady]

I don't see how protein would cause those issues but it is possible. Is there anything else at all you've changed? Have you increased the weight in your workouts? Not had extended time off training for longer than usual? If you've been training with a new program for x number of weeks it can start to get challenging/catch up to you after several weeks. Other stress or change like work/life? 

I guess to confirm this you'll have to buy some of your old protein and test out your theory and see if the soreness disappears?

[fng]

whats the glutamine content of the old stuff ?

[MAG]

whats the glutamine content of the old stuff ?

 

Can't find the quantity for either, though Inner Armour claim "OVER 5g BCAAs + GLUTAMINE", while Iron Whey simply list it in its ingredients. But you may definitely be onto something - it's included in almost every protein powder I've used before, while being absent from this one.

 

Just in the interests of being a human lab rat, I might experiment with supplementing glutamine in addition to my current powder and see if that fixes things.

 

Thanks for the help!

[MAG]

I don't see how protein would cause those issues but it is possible. Is there anything else at all you've changed? Have you increased the weight in your workouts? Not had extended time off training for longer than usual? If you've been training with a new program for x number of weeks it can start to get challenging/catch up to you after several weeks. Other stress or change like work/life? 

I guess to confirm this you'll have to buy some of your old protein and test out your theory and see if the soreness disappears?

 

Honestly, I don't really see how the protein itself would either. The only thing that made it not seem like a stupid question was that other proteins have very large ingredients lists compared to this, and the site labdoor.com tests and ranks proteins based on "highest quality".

 

The weights have been steadily increasing in Madcow - I'm up to my eighth week, after the initial four weeks of sub-max weight - but I've never been hit with such an extreme amount of muscle soreness all over the body outside of starting weight training after a long time off.

 

I'll have to try buying some old stuff to compare - I'll do that and try supplementing glutamine and let you know how I get on.

[GyzzBrah]

Jesus christ it's just protein. Dont buy fking iron whey or go by what the label says about recovery etc. Sounds like your just having a few shit days is all. Take a few days off and ofcourse you will be sore your increasing the weights. With the high frequency your body will acclimatise in just over a week, but only if you push harder. Otherwise you will regress and keep being sore. I felt mad doms on my 1st week of wookies stuff, then after that I was fine. If you want glutamine get the cheap 500g bag from shotgun, not those shiny label bs.

[Pseudonym]

the site labdoor.com tests and ranks proteins based on "highest quality".

Interesting site. Thanks for the link.

[Dinahlady]

I'd say it's more likely to be the program/recovery/overall food intake perhaps. How have you calculated your daily calorie needs? 

[MAG]

I'd say it's more likely to be the program/recovery/overall food intake perhaps. How have you calculated your daily calorie needs? 

 

Using this calculator, recommended by a helpful board member 

http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced

 

TDEE calculates as 3632, I'm averaging about 4100 per day over the last four weeks. Couple that and my muscle soreness with the fact that my lifts are actually going down while I'm on a weekly progression, and you've got one confused lad.

 

For instance, the last week I was using the old protein I pulled 9x180kg - the best I've been able to do since is 7x180kg (when I was aiming for 10).

 

Regarding recovery, I'm working out the same number of days, but haven't been playing basketball three times per week - I would think I have a better capacity for recovery now than I did a month or two ago.

 

I know it's far fetched, and I'm not saying that it's definitely the protein, but just wondered if anyone else had experienced a similar effect. Today is (monthly) payday, so it's time now to try out the glutamine and a different powder. Thanks for your suggestions, and I'll let you know how I get on!