Help picking out protein powder and probiotics

[violetenvy]

Hi!! I had a doctor's appointment today and found out my protein level is low. She suggested Ensure or protein powder shakes. Just thinking about Ensure makes me want to gag... I tried drinking it last year when I had problems with protein levels then and couldn't stand it. Just wondering what kinds of the powders some of you guys had good luck with and that taste good! I don't need to gain weight or muscle or anything just need to boost my protein level as much as I can!

She also suggested a probiotic.... anyone know of any good ones?

Thanks!!!

 

[EthanPSU]

I drink this everyday, not sure if Whey protein is the same tho...

http://www.amazon.com/Optimum-Nutrition-100-Double-Chocolate/dp/B005JMSD9E

It tastes very good with milk. Just like chocolate milk almost.

 

[lisakuney]

Hi!! I had a doctor's appointment today and found out my protein level is low. She suggested Ensure or protein powder shakes. Just thinking about Ensure makes me want to gag... I tried drinking it last year when I had problems with protein levels then and couldn't stand it. Just wondering what kinds of the powders some of you guys had good luck with and that taste good! I don't need to gain weight or muscle or anything just need to boost my protein level as much as I can!

She also suggested a probiotic.... anyone know of any good ones?

Thanks!!!

I buy the Muscle Milk chocolate powder in the huge tub at Sam's Club. It tastes awesome, almost like regular chocolate milk, and has 16 grams of protein in a single scoop/serving.

 

[David]

This is what I use: http://www.amazon.com/Vega-All-In-O...WFWU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338341552&sr=8-1 -- wicked expensive but pretty darn high quality. And it is dairy/soy/gluten free with no sugar added as at least one of those often cause people with IBD problems.

With that said, if your protein levels are low be sure to discuss monitoring your magnesium and vitamin B6 levels with your doctor as both are involved in protein synthesis and metabolism. Most won't test for vitamin B6 so a quality complex B vitamin is often a good idea and usually needed by people with Crohn's Disease anyway.

 

[violetenvy]

Thanks guys for the suggestions! I'm going to look into all those.

David- My magnesium (along with my potassium) was low last week but they have both improved with taking supplements and they are testing again next week to make sure the levels are still holding up. Interesting though.. So the low protein might be worsened by low magnesium? The doctor said it was just from absorption issues.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[bangarang]

This is what I use: http://www.amazon.com/Vega-All-In-O...WFWU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338341552&sr=8-1 -- wicked expensive but pretty darn high quality. And it is dairy/soy/gluten free with no sugar added as at least one of those often cause people with IBD problems.
.

Indeed Vega is a great brand, just wondering have you tried the knockoff? Pretty much same ingredients only difference I found instead of absorbic acid, Now Foods brand uses Organic Amla Extract for Vitamin C.

http://www.amazon.com/Now-Foods-Who...BKBS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338402815&sr=8-1

 

[David]

Actually, now that I read it a little more carefully, I think I got that backwards. My apologies:

We determined concentrations of magnesium, total protein, albumin, and globulin in more than 74 000 serum specimens from patients and noted a direct linear relationship between the concentration of magnesium in serum and the concentrations of total protein, albumin, and globulin in serum. Albumin and magnesium concentrations are linearly related at high and low albumin concentrations; within the reference interval, however, the magnesium concentration is independent of the albumin concentration. Linear regression analysis suggests that 25% of the total serum magnesium is bound to albumin and 8% to globulins.

http://www.clinchem.org/content/31/2/244.full.pdf

Please accept my apologies.

 

[David]

Indeed Vega is a great brand, just wondering have you tried the knockoff? Pretty much same ingredients only difference I found instead of absorbic acid, Now Foods brand uses Organic Amla Extract for Vitamin C.

I have not. Everything is the same otherwise? It's dairy/gluten/soy free?

 

[bangarang]

To the OP, if you dont go for the all in one supplement like Vega, or Now Foods another but separate options:

For protein:
http://www.truenutrition.com/

You can customize your own protein, they have bunch of different type of proteins and add the flavors you want. I usually just get plain rice protein or hemp and mix it with almond/coconut milk and cinnamon so I cant really say if the flavors are good but definitely the best bang your buck place to go for protein powders.

For probiotics:
Best I've found so far, tho its newer product so probably won't find much about it. You definitely don't want to cheap out with probiotics alot of cheap brands are already dead or least most of them before you even open the bottle.

http://www.iherb.com/HealthForce-Nu...orce-The-Ultimate-Probiotic-80-g-Powder/42222

150 Billion Probiotics per serving(which I think is the highest per serving out there today), dairy free, 100% vegan.
Also contains Marshmallow Root which is good for crohns/uc.

If you never bought from iherb before use coupon CEB988 to save $5.

Or you can make your own water kefir, which is probably the cheapest option for probiotics. This video shows how to make water kefir
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMgmotQiHew

 

[bangarang]

I have not. Everything is the same otherwise? It's dairy/gluten/soy free?

Yup,

http://www.nowfoods.com/Supplements...Dietary-Whole-Food-Meal-Supplement/072996.htm

Thats the list of ingredients, but they only have natural and berry flavors. No chocolate yet. Here they say 28 servings but in other packages it says 14 which gives you same amount of vitamins per serving like vega. Just depends if someone wants to use 1 or 2 scoops.

 

[dare651]

I drink this everyday, not sure if Whey protein is the same tho...

http://www.amazon.com/Optimum-Nutrition-100-Double-Chocolate/dp/B005JMSD9E

It tastes very good with milk. Just like chocolate milk almost.

Thank you for this. I like the review. I think I'll be sifting to this protein drink after I've finished with my current drink.