Everyone, athlete or not, needs sufficient protein. The more active you are, and the greater your athletic ambitions, the more important protein becomes, whether it’s from your food or from a protein powder or supplement. While every type of athlete—from ultra runner to Crossfitter—must meet their needs, the role of protein varies slightly for each. Not all protein powders are born equal and there are a number of points to consider when deciding upon the best whey protein. For endurance athletes, protein rebuilds muscles that have been cannibalized over long durations. For strength and power athletes, the primary role of protein is aiding muscle recovery by rebuilding broken-down muscles, facilitating hypertrophy, and correlating changes in body mass and strength. Hammer offers the best protein powder for women and for men, from beginners to pros, regardless of dietary requirements, flavor preferences, or sport type. If you engage in aerobic exercise beyond two or three hours, some degree of muscle cannibalisation is inevitable. At these durations, upwards of 10% of your hourly caloric needs are met by protein. While some of that can be supplemented in your fuel, it can never be entirely avoided. In order to prevent muscle wasting, loss of power, unfavorable changes in body index, and reduced immune system function, sufficient protein must be consumed – a good whey protein powder can help with this. Unfortunately, this is an aspect of fueling and muscle recovery that many endurance athletes neglect. Given the historical emphasis on carbohydrate consumption for exercise performance, and the abundance of carb-only (often more like “sugar-only”) fuels, far too many people see their strength, performance, and body composition decline as their volume climbs. This is far from an acceptable outcome, but if properly addressed with a quality whey protein powder the body will rebuild what was lost while simultaneously strengthening the muscles you stressed. If not, a breakdown will occur. Strength training, on the other hand, is all about breaking down muscles and rebuilding them to be bigger and stronger than before. Athletes who strength train are generally attentive to their protein needs and tend to know the value of a good whey protein powder, but can inadvertently overconsume while neglecting the importance of bioavailability. That’s because, as a rule, the human body can only process 30-35 grams of protein at a time. Instead of consuming unrealistic quantities of protein, athletes should instead pay keen attention to the quality of their protein sources, only settling for the very best whey protein products.
Cheap whey protein concentrates, full of casein and dairy fat, can have bioavailability as low as 70, while pure whey protein isolates—like that found in Hammer’s whey protein isolate—boast a score of nearly double that of cheap whey proteins, at a massive 135. That means that, of the protein you ingest, your body can essentially do twice as much with it when you use the best whey protein.What's the right protein for me?
Additionally, whey protein isolate is virtually lactose-free (97%), which makes it suitable for all but the most sensitive of diets. Whey protein isolate is also derived from hormone- and antibiotic-free, grass-fed cows, so not only do protein shakes, bars and supplements containing whey protein isolate offer the most absorbable protein around, they also come from the cleanest of sources.
However, if you prefer non-animal sources of protein, or cannot tolerate milk products at all, Hammer Vegan Protein is the perfect fit. The blend of plant-based sources, while not as quickly absorbed as whey protein, combines to make an amino acid profile far superior to other vegan protein powders and supplements.
Regardless of the source, make sure you meet your protein needs. Remember, like any food, it’s not just “total grams” but the quality of the source that matters. That’s why we make our proteins—and everything else—to be the best whey protein you can find on the planet. We know you deserve it.
![[WP24] Whey Protein Powder (Unflavored, 24 Servings)](/web/image/product.product/3859/image_256)
![[WV24] Whey Protein Powder (Vanilla, 24 Servings)](/web/image/product.product/3853/image_256)