Food supplements (protein powder)

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  • #7982
    Avatar photoVincent
    Participant

    Any idea where to get food supplements such as protein powder and sports vitamins?

    I was thinking maybe Decathlon? Since they’ve got it over in Belgium. I’ve read there are two Decathlon establishments in Chengdu, at which one is my best shot? Or are they just selling sports gear and equipment?

    Thanks!

    #12017
    Avatar photoBrendan
    Moderator

    I’ve yet to figure this one out myself Vincent. I did pass through the Decathlon out by the High Tech Zone last week, but didn’t see any protein powders, but then I wasn’t really looking for it in there.

    I still haven’t seen anything but Whey Concentrates here so far, and all at insane prices. I’ve seen some greens and fibre supplements, but these are of lesser quality, and higher price, which ironically seems to be the rule.

    This is all extremely important to me, and if I can’t find a good source I will definitely get around to shipping a quantity of essentials over here. I’ll post on here if I find something, just as I’ll let it be known if I get to the point where I’m about to order.

    Easy to see why the Chinese population is less than muscular!!

    #12018
    Avatar photoBrendan
    Moderator

    Essential Oils is another one too, so if you see anything within the realm of supplementation yourself, give a shout here. There are others interested too.

    #12019
    Avatar photoVincent
    Participant

    Charlie suggested maybe Watsons, have u been there?

    Whey protein is basically all I need for now, where did u see it?

    Thanks!

    Btw send me a pm please when you’re about to order, most likely I’ll need some stuff too, so we can split the shipping costs (if you’re ok with that). Although I think it could take about a month to deliver.

    #12020
    Avatar photoBrendan
    Moderator

    Watsons sell Whey Concentrates, but I’d always advise against these as a protein source. Unless it’s an isolate/hydrolysate, it’s not worth the money. Worse still, almost all Whey powders I’ve seen have Casein Caseinate added, which is essentially useless.

    I’ve only been in Chengdu for a few weeks, so I’ve yet to settle fully. Once I do I will look into the supplement issue with some depth. I’m considering ordering sufficient quantity to formulate a food supplement myself, either here, or in LA (with a partner). This will contain Whey Isolates, Psyllium, Organic Greens, Fruit extracts, and the possible addition of other micro-nutrients.

    I’ve been bodybuilding for several years now, so nutrition remains paramount. There’s always substitution available, but it’s been proving difficult to maintain optimum nutrition since I’ve been here, and that’s not something I want to continue suffering for too much longer!

    I’ll keep you posted for sure. What’s your story? Maybe PM me.

    #12023
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster

    I bought some whey protein at Watsons a few weeks ago, but then I am a total newbie when it comes to the contents and efficacy of this particular supplement. I trust what hzwerks says though, considering his experience in this area. If you want to ship from abroad that sounds like a great idea and I’d be happy to split the costs with you guys.

    #12026
    Avatar photoMarco
    Member

    Most gyms sell a small range of food supplements, albeit for inflated prices. You can check out the KG and Megafit gyms if you have money to spend.

    A bigger size watsons sells a wide variety of powders and vitamin tablets, so you’re bound to find sonething that suits you. The one I picked up contains 8g of protein for 9g of powder and was about 350 kuai

    Protein powder gives you what you expect from it. Extra protein you’re not getting from a natural source. So I see no reason to advise against protein powder as a protein source, unless you mean to say it shouldn’t be a replacement, but just an supplement.

    If you were talking about the effectiveness of whey protein concentrate as a bodybuilding supplement, that’s another story entirely as there are as many theories as there are supplements…

    #12027
    Avatar photoVincent
    Participant

    Just came back from Decathlon, too bad they didn’t have any so I went over to Watsons to get some temporary protein powder.

    I’m sure it’s not the best like hzwerks discribed, but better than nothing I guess. With a price of just under 300 kuai for 400gr it’s definately overpriced like you said.

    I’m not a bodybuilder myself, just been lifting weights and watching my food for about 6 years now. Don’t use a nutrition schedule or anything like that, it’s just a hobby to balance out the weekend beers :).

    Keep us updated about your findings!

    #12028
    Avatar photoBrendan
    Moderator

    The only decent brand I’ve seen so far is Prolab, but again this was concentrates, priced at 750 kuai for a 5lb tub! So even if we’re generous and call it 80% protein, that starts to look wonky if you do the math on a nutritional stand-point.

    And yes, the debate has been all over the shop on whey since it first appeared. Many factors to consider, not least the sheer wealth of biased ‘clinical’ study that’s transposed in high profile marketing campaigns. Muscle tech, BSN, Gaspari, and many more have turned supplementation into a multi billion dollar industry. The reality is, you and I can formulate or replicate just about everything they produce, for a fraction of the cost. Most supplements are nothing more than hype, and none of them out stand solid and consistent whole food nutrition.

    As for the efficacy of Whey Concentrates… There is a potent chain of aminos to be derived from them, but two major flaws exist. The first is the high lactose content that no gimmick addition to the formula will cure. The Whey will clot your digestive system, and not only diminish it’s own return, but that of all other consumed nutrients. The second, which applies to all Whey, is that the aminos present are oxidized in approximately 60 minutes or less, so that expensive supplement you just chugged is already heading for the flush! Whey Isolates are themselves only valid as a supplement to your breakfast upon waking, as a post workout insulin mimicking protein hit (closely followed by a meal!), or as a means to keep your nitrogen levels elevated during dieting.

    The solution that no one ever wants to hear, is to learn nutrition and feed your body accordingly. Be consistent, cut out what’s not working for you, and save the money you’d otherwise drop on a product you don’t really need. I’ve seen more guys than I care to remember do themselves more harm by consuming pill after potion after pill, while thinking they could skip out on the basics.

    End of rant!

    #12031
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster

    Tell the 40-eggs-per-day story, haha.

    What’s the end game though, order quality supplements from overseas? I don’t even know where to search anymore.

    #12033
    Avatar photoVincent
    Participant

    Your rant makes me want to read “Burn the fat, Feed the muscle”. I’ve had that book for a couple of years now and never managed to finish it.

    #12034
    Avatar photoBrendan
    Moderator

    If you can find a copy of Dr. Robert Colgan’s ‘Optimum Sports Nutrition’, that book will set you up for life! It’s out of print now, but it’s one of the purest books on nutrition ever written.

    I will arrange a decent supply within the next few weeks once I’m settled, so if you guys hang tight we’ll figure something out.

    #12035
    Avatar photoMalachi
    Member

    I’ve been in Chengdu for about 3 months now, and after seeing the prices for whey-only here I didn’t feel so bad about paying for shipping. I finally broke down and ordered some protein powder from the US this weekend (Nitrean from AtLargeNutrition).

    #12377
    Avatar photoJames W
    Member

    Try fueled.cn.com

    I have been ordering from them and they have a wide range of products.

    Cheers!

    #12378
    Avatar photoRay
    Participant

    @HZ: sounds like you know your stuff man. From what I’ve been told: to build any new muscle at all, you need a minimum of 135 gm of protein a day. A scop of decent whey protein isolate should contain at least 20 to 25 gm of protein. The brand i used to buy here worked out at about 8 kuai a scop (roughly the same as a litre of low fat milk which has about 25 gm of protein). So you can see its seriously expensive to get protein here. Then i use the old formula of “ideal body weight”. Mine is roughly 195 pounds, so therefore i need 195 grams of protein. Again, expensive. I try to get other sources (the old 6 egg omelette is pretty good, but i’m still pretty protein deficient.

    @ James W : can you get protein sent into China? I thought there might be restrictions or hassles with this. GNC in the states also has a good range of stuff.

    Some of you cats know your stuff. Enjoy your workouts!

    #12380
    Avatar photoJames W
    Member

    @tigerkuma… it all depends on your goals, but if you are looking to build muscle, you are going to need a lot more than 135g of protein a day. Someone who is 195 pounds for example should be taking in at least 290+ grams of protein. Also, keep in mind that not all protein is created equal. The protein you get from chicken is far from the protein that you find in milk. Likewise, todays protein powders are formulated specifically to benefit those who exercise. For example: I take a protein isolate post workout as it is absorbed by the body very fast… which is perfect as your body needs nutrients ASAP after a workout. However, at night just before bed I take casein protein, which is a slow release protein and keeps my body fueled throughout the 8-9 hours I am asleep (the body builds muscle while you sleep, not in the gym). Lastly, you have to know that muscle growth is not controlled by the level of protein one takes; rather it is the growth demand caused by intense training or stress that will ultimately determine how much protein one should take in.

    There are a lot of ways to order supplements from abroad into China. I prefer to order from an online retailer like Fueled.cn.com as they have already done the importing for me. No need to pay expensive shipping charges and wait 2-3 weeks for my order to arrive.

    #12381
    Avatar photoRay
    Participant

    @james W: yeah you know your stuff man. I mean 135 gm is absolute minimum, but 290+ that sounds kinda excessive and expensive for me. My brother used to protein pack (or load) straight after workouts, with 200 – 300 grams. Like they say, he had very expensive urine!

    I do alot of cardio (much involuntary: i have to bike about 2 hours a day to get to work) and in the hot summer i shed weight easily (i’m 189 cm and weigh 80 kgs) so it’s always a challenge, but lean and mean is good too! Thanks for your info man!

    #12383
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster

    @tigerkuma good sources of protein are eggs, chicken, and tuna. Milk is good for putting on weight but be careful because too much and you’ll get fat. A few months ago I experimented with drinking milk in daily fruit shakes. I put on a lot of weight but also picked up some fat which I’m still working off.

    @James thanks for the fueled.cn.com link!

    #12384
    Avatar photoBrendan
    Moderator

    I won’t drone on again here, but just a quick one for tigerkuma as I know you’ve been training for a while…

    If you’re doing that much cardio, you need to be ensuring an intake of complex carbs from early on in the day, then shift your nutrient consumption to protein in the latter part of the day. Starting your morning with oats and 4 scrambled eggs would set you up for a good 4 hours, then at lunch you could take in some brown rice and chicken, along with some veggies. Same meal again (brown rice and protein) late afternoon, and finally a protein only meal in the evening. Im just brushing over here, but the carbs would help keep you full, provide ample energy, and reduce the need for protein. Sugar shouldn’t be in your diet, nor any breads. Keep your fluid intake up at at least 4-6 liters daily (no sodas!), and don’t be afraid of using good oils in quantity (grape seed, rice bran, olive, walnut, etc). The more consistent you are, the more it pays off.

    @James… Firstly, ‘Hi!’… Are you bodybuilding? Where do you train?

    I often find myself debating protein supplementation with lifters, because they’re so sold on the branding. A quality Hydrolysate definitely has a place post workout, but beyond that there is little need for supplementation in place of a little effort. Casein is an inferior protein of little value, and even the superior miceller casein can aggravate the stomach. A quality egg protein (ie: Optimum Nutrition) is great, but it usually runs a little under $50 per 2lb tub retail.

    I’d much sooner quick fry a small cut of beef before sleeping. Low carb protein hit that won’t mess with you hormonally whilst sleeping.

    I’m interested to see what this site is offering. I’ll be checking that out.

    #12389
    Avatar photoRay
    Participant

    @ HZ: dude, i see why they put “expert” next to your name> You know your stuff. Actually, my diet is not far off what you recommend. The 4 litres of water is no problem as i’m also scoffing green tea during classes. I find that i need 5 meals a day, just cos i get so hungry. You mention essential oils: what do you know about fish oils? i just read that in a study guys taking fish oils supps recorded between 10-20% increased muscle growth (one problem with all these studies is that another invariably arises contradicting or questioning the first one).

    Oh yeah, one thing about water: alot of chinese online claiming that bottled water here is more impure than boiling tap water. I hear scarey shit about bottled water here. man, if you care about what you out in your body, living here in China can keep you wake at night with worry….Thanks for your tips. Any of you guys got any other tips, lets share them….

    Oh yeah, checked out that fuled.cn site. One cool thing is that they accept bank transfers, which is awesome, if, like me, you have a useless chinese debit card….

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