Best Protein Supplements 2018 Edition – Muscle Up and Bust Through Your Plateaus with These Anabolic Stacks

When you say “protein,” a bodybuilder or bodybuilding enthusiast’s face lights up. In the competitive bodybuilding supplement industry, it’s no secret – protein is one of the keys in muscle-building and recovery after a tough workout at the gym. Every year, manufacturers bombard customers with a plethora of sales pitches. Well, the best protein supplements for 2018 offer you the best formulations money can buy.

This guide will give you the lowdown on this year’s top-ranked protein supplements. We’re certain these bodybuilding products will give you the fastest return on your hard-earned investment.

Quick List: Best Protein Supplements 2018 Edition

The best protein supplements 2018 feature clean and transparent formulas which emphasize muscle growth, recovery, and anabolism. Extra doses of key ingredients such as calcium and iron also set these protein powders apart from the rest of the field. Moreover, the best protein supplements 2018 are the epitome of efficacy and quality.

More on these later, but for now here is a quick list of the best protein supplements 2018:

Or, read on to learn about the secrets behind these top-notch protein supplement formulas we proclaimed the Best Protein Supplements – 2018 Edition.

Protein Supplement Developments in 2018

Way back during the Golden Era of Bodybuilding, protein supplements weren’t a household name. In fact, you could’ve gotten by with egg whites and Rheo H. Blair’s Protein Powder. Selecting a protein supplement was as easy as one-two-three.

That is no longer the case in 2018. The market is more diverse than ever. If you go to your local bodybuilding supplement store, there are literally hundreds of protein supplements on the shelves. As a customer, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle.

It doesn’t get any easier: today’s protein supplements resort to a heap of fancy ingredients (additional BCAA content, creatine inclusion, etc.) so they can lure consumers away from competitors. They’ll even tap big-name endorsers to promote their products.

Protein supplements in 2018 may be diverse, but one thing remains: this macronutrient is key in terms of increasing muscle mass and promoting an anabolic environment, among other things.

To help us whittle the field down, we should look into the benefits you can reap from today’s protein supplements.

What Protein Supplement Benefits Do Customers Want in 2018?

Muscle Mass

The best protein supplements for 2018 should help you pack on impressive muscle mass.

One of the main reasons why bodybuilding enthusiasts consume protein supplements is because they want to increase muscle mass. Even during the Golden Era of Bodybuilding, protein was one of the primary – if not primary- muscle-building ingredient. The trend continues in 2018.

When you combine these supplements with regular exercise and sound nutrition, great things happen. According to the January 2015 issue of Sports Medicine (via NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov), “Protein supplementation may enhance muscle mass and performance when the training stimulus is adequate (e.g., frequency, volume, duration) and dietary intake is consistent with recommendations for physically active individuals.” Long story short, if you’re into pumping iron at the gym, protein powders should help you muscle up. Believe it or not, even endurance athletes can benefit from consuming protein supplements.

If you’re into intense exercise, you need more protein than the average consumer. Studies reveal athletes – especially strength-trained athletes – have a maximum recommended protein intake (RDI) of 2.0 g/kg/day. On the other hand, average healthy adults need only 0.8 g/kg/day.  Simply put, athletes need more protein than the average individual because the demands of their training make it necessary. Along with dietary protein intake, supplementary protein fit the bill perfectly.

Recovery

Cranking out reps at the gym consistently takes a toll on your muscles and body. A grueling strength training session at the gym results in muscle fiber trauma (muscle injury or damage). To offset this and to ensure there is optimum muscle growth, the rate of muscle protein synthesis must be greater than that of muscle protein breakdown.

“In theory, protein-supplement-facilitated improvements in net protein balance may promote muscle remodeling and speed the recovery of muscle function, which, in turn, could improve the quality of subsequent training/performance demands,” per the July 11, 2o17 issue of Nutrients (via NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov).

With this in mind, chugging on a protein shake (around 30 grams or so) after an intense workout should help you make the transition from a catabolic (muscle breakdown) state to an anabolic (muscle growth) one. Plus, it should help you recover faster so you can conquer your subsequent workouts. People live a frenetic lifestyle these days, so recovery is of utmost importance.

Fat Loss

Nowadays, fitness experts bombard consumers with many different diets and nutrition plans – Mediterranean Diet, Keto Diet, and intermittent fasting, to name a few. The key takeaway: trying to lean out has never been a fad. Whether they want to do so for health-related reasons or vanity (perhaps both), many individuals have always wanted to torch fat. Protein supplements can help you do that in this day and age.

As hard evidence, the March 27, 2008 issue of Nutrition & Metabolism (via NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov) says, “A whey protein supplement increases fat loss and spares lean muscle in obese subjects.” The study used Prolibra™, a whey peptide fraction supplement. The researchers concluded it helped the subjects increase muscle mass and lose fat. We’re certain even non-obese individuals who want to lean out will benefit from protein supplementation, especially in conjunction with healthy nutrition and regular exercise.

Daily Protein Requirements

Meeting one’s daily protein requirements can be a massive challenge in 2018 and beyond. The culprit: people’s busy lifestyles. Busyness may get in the way of your fit lifestyle. More specifically, getting your recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein can be a daunting challenge. According to former Harvard Health Men’s Watch executive editor Daniel Pendick, “The RDA for protein is a modest 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.” So, if you weigh 70 kilograms, you need 56 grams of protein daily. If you eat five times a day, that amounts to a little more than 10 grams of protein per meal and snack.

If you’re an active individual or athlete, you need more. Some experts even argue bodybuildres and professional athletes need 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight at the most. Regardless of your demographic, protein supplements help complement consumption of dietary protein (beef, chicken, fish, tofu, eggs, turkey, etc.). Drinking a protein shake between meals is a convenient way of doing so.

Long-Term Health

The booming fitness industry in 2018 is a clear indication many people want to live long, healthy lives. You see many gyms sprouting in your local neighborhood. You also see your office cafeteria serving healthier meals. Protein supplements help you achieve long-term health. Let’s rattle off their key benefits:

• Protein supplements – particularly whey protein (a rich source of beta-lactaglobulin, alpha lactalbumin, and immunoglobulins) – help boost the immune system
• Whey protein helps increase glutathione levels. This is a powerful antioxidant which helps keep free radicals at bay.
• Many protein supplements are solid sources of calcium. This mineral helps regulate blood pressure levels, boost cardiovascular function, and strengthen bones.
• Some studies reveal protein supplements help keep cholesterol levels in check. That translates to better heart health.

Long story short, consuming protein supplements help complement your exercise and nutrition programs. When you become consistent in these departments, your health will improve.

Convenience

Perhaps the biggest allure of protein supplements for today’s consumers is convenience. Sure, you can’t pass up on more protein for more muscle mass. When you include convenience in the bigger scheme of things, protein supplements are a certified gold mine.

For instance, if you need a protein fix between meals, a protein shake or protein bar should do the trick. Eating a pork chop or chicken breast to help you meet your daily protein requirement is great, but nothing beats the convenience protein supplements offer.

Best Kinds of Protein Supplements for 2018

Whey Protein

Supplementing with whey protein in tandem with hard training at the gym ought to pay enormous dividends.

If there’s one protein supplement which has stood the test of time, it’s whey protein. Whey comprises 20 percent of cow’s milk. It’s a fast-absorbing kind of protein. The body typically absorbs eight to 10 grams of whey in an hour.

Because of its fast absorption prowess, whey protein is ideal after a tough workout at the gym. Once you finish your last rep, you’re in a catabolic (muscle breakdown) state. Protein supplementation within 30 minutes or so ensures you make the crucial transition to an anabolic (muscle-building) state.

Whey is also a solid source of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), especially leucine (the BCAA which helps kickstart the muscle protein synthesis process). BCAAs are essential amino acids. This means the body doesn’t synthesize them. One must obtain them from whole foods and supplements. Whey protein supplementation is a great way of getting your much-needed BCAA fix.

There are three types of whey protein:

• Whey protein concentrate (WPC): The whey protein concentrate (WPC) supplements you see in your bodybuilding store shelves usually boast of 70 to 85 percent protein. They have higher carb, lactose, fat, and cholesterol content that their whey protein isolate (WPI) counterparts. However, WPC has better immune-boosting properties. Plus, it tastes better and costs less.
• Whey protein isolate (WPI): Whey protein isolate (WPI) is usually 90 to 95 percent protein. If you want a protein supplement which is excellent for muscling up and leaning out, WPI is your best bet. It also has virtually no carb, lactose, fat, and cholesterol because of the extra microfiltration process it undergoes. As a result, WPI is typically more expensive than WPC.
• Hydrolyzed whey protein: This is the end product of a process called enzymatic hydrolysis. Hydrolyzed whey features smaller protein peptides which have ultra-fast absorption properties. Because of the extra enzymatic hydrolysis process, this type of whey is the most expensive on the market.

Casein Protein

Casein protein is the dominant protein in cow’s milk (80 percent). Because of its bigger size, it has slower absorption properties than whey. The body normally absorbs casein protein within seven to eight hours after consumption. Bodybuilding enthusiasts consume casein protein an hour or so before bedtime (enough sleep also increases human growth hormone levels for a more anabolic environment).

Fitness experts argue hardgainers (individuals who have a tough time putting on muscle mass) can benefit from consuming casein protein. There are many hardgainers nowadays. It’s not just an issue of genetics. These individuals may also have higher stress hormone (cortisol) levels than others. This impedes muscle growth in a big way. If you’re a busy modern-day hardgainer, casein protein supplementation can help you muscle up.

• Micellar casein is your best bet in terms of casein protein supplementation. It has approximately 90 percent undenatured protein. It is also a solid source of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and glutamine. Micellar casein also has a slower absorption rate than calcium caseinate.

 Milk Protein

Milk protein is a combination of casein (80 percent) and whey protein (20 percent). Simply put, if you want to reap the benefits of slow- and fast-absorbing protein, milk protein is the way to go. It helps you recover fast and remain in an anabolic state longer.

Consumers in 2018 may find it hard to choose between whey and casein protein. In that case, why not get the best of both worlds and try milk protein for a change? Customers have become more finicky than ever.

According to Dr. Stuart Phillips of McMaster University in Canada, consuming milk following a bout of strength training “promoted greater gains in muscle protein than drinking the equivalent amount of a soy beverage.” He also concluded the men who did strength training and drank milk afterward during a 12-week period put on an average of 3.9 kilograms of muscle mass compared to those who did the same exercise program but consumed a soy beverage instead (an average of 2.8 kilograms of muscle mass).

The milk drinkers also lost more fat (5.5 percent) than the soy beverage drinkers (1.5 percent). Finally, Phillips concluded milk consumption is also “an effective post-workout rehydration aid.” Milk protein not only dates back to the Golden Era of Bodybuilding, but it figures to earn a permanent spot in customers’ supplement stacks for the foreseeable future.

Pea Protein

Pea protein’s l-arginine content should help increase your muscle pumps.

Vegetarianism is still popular in 2018. There are also individuals who have lactose issues. One effective alternative for these demographics is pea protein, one of the best plant-based and most hypoallergenic protein supplements on the market.

One 30-gram serving of pea protein yields 23 grams of protein, seven grams of carbohydrates, and 0.3 grams of fats. Plus, it has 400 IU of vitamin D, five IU of vitamin E, 200 IU of vitamin A, five micrograms of vitamin K, and six grams of fiber. Pea protein is also a solid source of eight essential amino acids (except methionine).

This type of protein is also rich in l-arginine, the alpha amino acid and nitric oxide precursor which helps increase blood flow, muscle pumps, and vasodilation. Increased nitric oxide levels also help stabilize blood pressure levels and improve nutrient uptake.

If you want to thicken your muscles, pea protein is the way to go. “Supplementation with pea protein promoted a greater increase of muscle thickness as compared to placebo and especially for people starting or returning to muscular strengthening,” per the January 21, 2015 issue of the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (via NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov).

Plus, pea protein also helps shore up cardiovascular function, ramp up fat loss, and promote healthy blood sugar levels. Pea protein is truly one of the most versatile supplements you’ll ever try.

Best Protein Supplements 2018 Edition

#1: Jay Robb Whey Protein

Jay Robb Whey Protein has made headlines in the bodybuilding supplement industry for several decades, and with good reason – its 25 grams of protein per 30-gram scoop is merely the proverbial tip of the iceberg. Another impressive feature of this supplement is its clean ingredient profile – the manufacturer relies on stevia (a natural sweetener which helps regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels) instead of the usual synthetic sucralose (Splenda).

Jay Robb Whey Protein also takes pride in being “The Best-Tasting Protein on the Planet,” per its official website. That claim may be somewhat of a stretch, but there’s no denying this product is easy on your taste buds. Put everything together, you get a simple, clean, and tasty protein formula which should resonate with many consumers in 2018 and beyond.

Full ingredient list: calories 110, calories from fat 0, total fat 0 g, saturated fat 0 g, trans fat 0 g, cholesterol 0 g, sodium 150 mg, potassium 390 mg, total carbohydrate 1 g, dietary fiber 0 g, sugars 0 g, protein 25 g, vitamin A 0 IU, vitamin C 0 mg, vitamin C 0 mg, calcium 30 mg, iron 0 mg

#2: Transparent Labs ProteinSeries 100% Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate

The manufacturer claims it sourced Transparent Labs ProteinSeries 100% Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate from grass-fed American cows. “Made from naturally-fed, hormone-free cow whey and clean of artificial sweeteners, food dyes, gluten, and preservatives, Transparent Labs 100% Gras-Fed Whey Protein Isolate is one of the cleanest proteins on the market. It’s perfect for post-workout recovery and hitting daily protein goals,” per its official website.

When you scan the supplement facts, you’ll wholeheartedly agree with the manufacturer. This protein supplement has zero sugars and no filler content. What’s more is its 28 grams of protein per 33.05-gram scoop represents a gaudy 88 percent protein-by-weight ratio. You simply cannot find grass-fed protein supplements which offer you more and boast of a clean ingredient profile to boot. Transparent Labs ProteinSeries 100% Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate is truly one of a kind.

Full ingredient list: calories 112, calories from fat 0, total fat 0 g, saturated fat 0 g, trans fat 0 g, cholesterol 5.5 mg, sodium 221 mg, total carbohydrates 0 g, dietary fiber 0 g, sugars 0 g, protein 28 g, calcium 2% DV

#3: SFH PURE Whey Protein

SFH Pure Whey protein is a top-notch grass-fed protein product which has been a staple in Labdoor.com’s protein supplement rankings. “PURE Whey is derived from grass-fed, free-range cows which are not treated with bovine growth hormones. Our whey is a natural source of amino acids needed on a daily basis by the body,” per its official website.

SFH PURE Whey (23 grams of protein per serving) may not have as much protein as Jay Robb Whey Protein and Transparent Labs ProteinSeries 100% Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate, but its clean ingredient profile speaks massive volumes. Many protein supplements taint their formulas with fillers such as sucralose and the like. On the other hand, SFH PURE Whey is clean, grass-fed whey protein at its best.

Full ingredient list: calories 110, calories from fat 10, total fat 1 g, saturated fat 0.5 g, total carbohydrates 3 g, cholesterol 25 mg, protein 23 g, calcium 110 mg, sodium 40 mg, potassium 135 mg

#4: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Plant

Vegans and vegetarians alike will rejoice: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Plant is here. This plant-based protein supplement packs 24 grams of protein per 38-gram scoop from organic pea protein, brown rice protein, and organic sacha inchi protein.

This product has “a complete profile of essential amino acids to support muscle recovery. Each serving also serves as an excellent source of vitamin B12 and includes a gluten-free complex of ancient grains and pomegranate powder,” per its official website.

When you consume a plant-based protein, you get more than just protein: you feed your body with nutrients which boost long-term health. That’s the beauty of Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Plant.

Full ingredient list: total fat 3 g, saturated fat 0.5 g, sodium 210 mg, total carbohydrate 7 g, dietary fiber 2 g, total sugars 1 g, protein 24 g, calcium 100 mg, iron 4.6 mg, potassium 220 mg, vitamin C 90 mg, vitamin B12 0.6 mcg

#5: NutraBio Muscle Matrix

If you’ve been searching long and hard for a powerful and effective blended protein supplement, look no further: NutraBio Muscle Matrix should be right up your alley. The manufacturer hails this product as its “Complete Protein Matrix” which provides “four hours of amino acid delivery to muscles,” per its official website.

NutraBio Muscle Matrix’s 25 grams of protein per 31.89-gram scoop harnesses the powers of whey protein isolate and micellar casein to increase anabolism for hours. This product has an impressive amino acid profile which helps maintain a positive nitrogen balance, increase muscle protein synthesis (MPS), and ramp up muscle growth.

As an added bonus, it also has a solid 40 percent of the daily value for calcium for stronger bones and improved cardiovascular function. Simply put, NutraBio Muscle Matrix is one protein supplement which should give you a fast return on your investment.

Full ingredient list: calories 120, calories from fat 5, total fat 0.5 g, cholesterol 10 mg, total carbohydrate 2 g, sugars <1 g, protein 25 g, calcium 395 mg, iron 371 mcg, phosphorus 173 mg, magnesium 13 mg, sodium 95 mg, potassium 130 mg

Conclusion on the Best Protein Supplements of 2018

When it comes to bodybuilding and fitness, protein never goes out of style. The same holds true in 2018 – you need protein not just to muscle up, but to also achieve your overall fitness goals and boost long-term health. The best protein supplements 2018 give you clean and effective formulations which give you the best bang for your buck.

Including any of these top-notch protein supplements in your stack is a wise decision. However, you can also check out our other full protein supplement reviews which break down other noteworthy products you may want to consider.