Bill:
Great question! Tell you what, if you want to have some fun ask your local gym guru what's the best protein supplement on the market? I'll bet he'll immediately say whey protein. If he takes the bait hit him with a second question. Ask him what whey is made off? I'll bet he has no idea.

A few years ago I too became curious why the majority of protein supplements include whey as their main ingredient. I did some research and the findings were very quite interesting.

Whey protein is cheese waist. That's right it's the byproduct of making cheese. When cheese is made from milk it produces a white chalky substance known as whey. Years ago cheese manufacturers dumped it in rivers streams and all over the country side trying to get rid of it. They even used it on dirt roads to help keep the dust down during dry spells. Eventually the Environmental Protection Agency got wind of these environmentally unsound practices and forced cheese companies to find a better solution to disposing of the whey.

As manufactures took a closer look at what they were getting rid of they realized whey protein could be a valuable cash cow if marketed to the right groups of people. The rest is history. Whey was introduced to the fitness industry and soon became the most popular protein supplement on the market and the cheese companies found a new way to make cash.

With that said I believe whey protein is a good product. It's loaded with amino acids that help build and repair muscle. I also believe it's incredibly popular because marketing geniuses have made it sound like the next best thing since sliced bread. Whatever the case may be I think your best bet is not limit yourself to one protein supplement or another. Try alternating several products to keep your body guessing. You may also want to consider a product that is made of a combination of proteins such as egg protein or casein.

Remember the best way to get your recommended level of protein is from foods such as eggs, chicken, lean beef or fish. However it's a good idea to have a protein supplement around at all times to insure you are getting enough.

Chris Antonio is a personal trainer and former world-class weightlifter. He has been lifting for more than 25 years and has trained a wide variety of clients ranging from All-American athletes to the average person trying to get into shape. To send a question to the Ask the Trainer column, email Chris at Askthetrainer@antoniostraining.com or check out AntoniosTraining.com for training tips, news and inspirational stories.

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