Whey protein for follicles

[Carissamarie08]

Thought this was an interesting article. :)

http://www.livestrong.com/article/556089-whey-protein-for-follicles/

[clairenewcastle]

I've actually been considering buying whey protein recently for I'm really a veggie at heart and struggle to eat meat, only doing so to ensure I get adequate amounts of protein.

My local health food shop sells whey protein relatively cheaply in powder form so I think I might add it to porridge or to yogurt.

[PeacenQuietGal]

That was interesting - I did not know of the matabolism that occurs in hair follicles, or how to support it specifically.

Thanks for sharing, and I will probably go back and enjoy snooping around some more on that site :)

[Carissamarie08]

It is a very informative site.

[PinkyCat]

I completely agree with this. When I drink whey protein shakes my hair grows a mile-a-minute. It truly is amazing. Then I give it a rest for a couple weeks and start again. Instant growth spurt.

[Perelka74]

I think I might try it , I need some growth .

[Amber_Maiden]

Anyone know what the vegan equivalent would be?

[PinkyCat]

Anyone know what the vegan equivalent would be?

There are 100% soy protein shakes. I've tried them. But they just don't have the same effect as the whey for some reason. Maybe there's something closer out there?

[Perelka74]

How much protein do you guys think is need it per day to get maximum growth?

[Amber_Maiden]

There are 100% soy protein shakes. I've tried them. But they just don't have the same effect as the whey for some reason. Maybe there's something closer out there?

yeah, I've tried those... Haven't had the same effects as whey either... hmmmm

[rock007junkie]

Pinkycat: I've been drinking Whey protein shakes and I noticed the growth spurt right away. I thought it was my imagination. They are truly great!!!

[Carissamarie08]

I know I will be trying it..we shall see!

[malin_798]

Ooh, this is definitely worth trying :D Maybe add some of the chocolate flavoured to my smoothies... :D Thanks for the tip!

[Carissamarie08]

Indeed! :)

[blondie9912]

Wow, that sounds amazing! Who else has gotten results from using it? How much did you consume daily? How much faster did your hair grow? I'm intrigued!

[bunzfan]

They do work i took my cue from pinkycat and the growth i got in two weeks was about a inch. I add fruit to mine to make it taste better. I should start them again but they are so expensive about £18 for a small tin :(

[blondie9912]

That's like 4x my regular growth! Wow! I'm super excited to try these

Has anyone in Canada or the US tried these? One health/supplement store that I would be looking at getting some protein powder from is GNC, does anyone have any recommendations?

[Amber_Maiden]

That's like 4x my regular growth! Wow! I'm super excited to try these

Has anyone in Canada or the US tried these? One health/supplement store that I would be looking at getting some protein powder from is GNC, does anyone have any recommendations?

I did, a very long time ago- when I was a triathlete. I got a mix from the grocery store, the cheapest they had.

[cheetahfast]

Hmmm, I want to try.

I'm not sure though...I think this can make people breakout, kinda like biotin.
I think I read it somewhere, I'm not 100% sure so don't take my word for it...off to google!

[Carissamarie08]

im sure anything can make people break out depending on someones skin type and sensitivity...but who knows

[Carissamarie08]

im going to bump this up. for the heck of it.

[rock007junkie]

Hmmm, I want to try.

I'm not sure though...I think this can make people breakout, kinda like biotin.
I think I read it somewhere, I'm not 100% sure so don't take my word for it...off to google!

I've been drinking them for a while and haven't seen this effect.

[Perelka74]

That's like 4x my regular growth! Wow! I'm super excited to try these

Has anyone in Canada or the US tried these? One health/supplement store that I would be looking at getting some protein powder from is GNC, does anyone have any recommendations?


I get mine at wal-mart , make sure you get the lean protein , some of this drinks are to gain weight and are very high in calories the one I buy is 10 dollars from Jillian Michaels with 100 calories per serving and 15 g of protein , I add frozen fruit and water , great smoothie with low calories and lots of protein. It makes 14 shakes .

[pelicano]

Oh how interesting! My husband has been taking whey for a few months and his hair has got thicker/grows faster. We didn't know why, and it looks like it could be the whey! I wish I could take it myself, but it really made me feel bloated.

[clairenewcastle]

I bought some whey protein today so I'll report back on how it's working.

[Jesabel]

I'm going to buy some after this long weekend, hopefully i'll see results!

[Rockferry]

Hmm, I think I'll try this.

[blondie9912]

I think I'll pick some up this weekend :D Thanks for the idea!

[Carissamarie08]

Awesome to see people are going to try this..I still am needing to go out and buy some!

[MonaMayfair]

I was drinking these a few years ago to get more protein into my diet (I'd had to give up tofu because I'd just been diagnosed with hypothyroid - meaning I had to avoid soya products)

I didn't notice any change in growth rate and I took the whey protein for months. It's interesting it works for other people though.

[blondie9912]

How long do you think it would take to tell if this worked or not for you? A month?

[PinkyCat]

How long do you think it would take to tell if this worked or not for you? A month?

Couple weeks for me.

[Perelka74]

Couple weeks for me.

how much protein do you take?

[leslissocool]

I take about 100 g of protein a day. I drink whey protein drinks along with a lot of lean protein. My hair grows quite fast.

If you don't have enough iron and protein, your hair tends to not grow as fast. A sign of being anemic is hair loss, and many people who are actually anemic need a lot more protein than people who aren't. If I go under 70 grams of protein, my hair doesn't grow and when I have my period, I over-bleed and my anemia gets worse.

This article is quite dead on regarding that. Whey is a good fast acting protein, soy is not. However if your hair is not growing because of protein deficit, soy could do the trick! I drink whey because I need to put muscle on, and soy doesn't give me any muscle mass.

[PinkyCat]

Two shakes per day - one in the morning after my workout, one before dinner when I get home from work.

[Perelka74]

I take about 100 g of protein a day. I drink whey protein drinks along with a lot of lean protein. My hair grows quite fast.

If you don't have enough iron and protein, your hair tends to not grow as fast. A sign of being anemic is hair loss, and many people who are actually anemic need a lot more protein than people who aren't. If I go under 70 grams of protein, my hair doesn't grow and when I have my period, I over-bleed and my anemia gets worse.

This article is quite dead on regarding that. Whey is a good fast acting protein, soy is not. However if your hair is not growing because of protein deficit, soy could do the trick! I drink whey because I need to put muscle on, and soy doesn't give me any muscle mass.


100 g wow that is a lot , I think I am lucky if I get 70 , need to up it I guess

[Perelka74]

Two shakes per day - one in the morning after my workout, one before dinner when I get home from work.


Thank you , I will up my intake and maybe watch my hair grow

[leslissocool]

100 g wow that is a lot , I think I am lucky if I get 70 , need to up it I guess

With the shakes it's easier to get up into the 100's for me, I also drink 2 a day ( about 56 g of protein comes from the shakes alone). I drink also one right after I work out, it helps with building lean muscle and recovery.

Working out also makes your hair grow faster, yoga did that for me since I was really stressed, it grew ridiculously one month, I think there's a pic of it in my album.

[sfgirl]

I take about 100 g of protein a day. I drink whey protein drinks along with a lot of lean protein. My hair grows quite fast.

If you don't have enough iron and protein, your hair tends to not grow as fast. A sign of being anemic is hair loss, and many people who are actually anemic need a lot more protein than people who aren't. If I go under 70 grams of protein, my hair doesn't grow and when I have my period, I over-bleed and my anemia gets worse.

This article is quite dead on regarding that. Whey is a good fast acting protein, soy is not. However if your hair is not growing because of protein deficit, soy could do the trick! I drink whey because I need to put muscle on, and soy doesn't give me any muscle mass.

I don't think I have anemia, but I do have a lot of those symptoms. I had to start birth control when I was 13 because my periods were so heavy I'd start fainting, and when I tried to be vegetarian when I was fifteen I got sick from iron deficiency. (I wasn't really doing it right either, but I was young)
I don't eat that healthy because I'm stuck with dorm food, but I think I'm going to try to up my intake of protein and see how it affects my hair growth. :)

[Lissandria]

I have been drinking whey protein shakes for a couple of weeks and have noticed how quickly my roots have come through. Im going to keep at it :)

[PinkyCat]

Just a tiny tip:
If the shakes upset your tummy a little (like they do mine) it helps to eat a few peices of crystalized ginger after. Love my ginger candy! :)

[Fairlight63]

Lets have some name dropping :)
What brands are you taking & where did you buy it at?
How much protein does it have in one serving?

[PinkyCat]

Mine is Jay Robb, or Rob Bobb or something - someone who I've never heard of - but it was the only whey protein shake at the Green Planet Grocery this time. 25g of protein per scoop, chocolate, no artificial anything. Not tasty, not terrible. As someone (I can't remember who) said in the Ewwww thread, I "Fear Factor" it down.

ETA: It's Jay Robb.

[longNred]

I use my own whey. Since I make my own yogurt weekly, I strain it through cheesecloth for a few hours or overnight (depending on how thick I want it) and save the liquid that is drained out (the whey). I then use this in other various recipes - to replace the water or milk in all my bread recipes, or I add it directly to soups/stews and even my daily green smoothies. I've heard of doing rinses w/ the whey also, but I haven't tried that yet. I have never used the powdered supplement version of whey.

[pelicano]

My husband has the Solgar vanilla flavoured one. He complains about the taste, but I think it's OK with a little stevia added.

[Perelka74]

I make mine into smoothie , scoop of vanilla protein with water and frozen fruit ( some days peaches , some day blueberries , strawberries or any other fruit - I freeze my own during summer mths it last me all winter ) they are nice and think and taste great .

[leslissocool]

Mine is called body Fortress advance whey protein from Walmart. It's not terrible, I use it because it helps me with muscle recovery and it has BCAAA's and a bunch of other stuff...

[bunzfan]

For anyone wanting to try this in the u.k Holland and Barrett has a special offer on the big tubs normally £30 are down to £17:D

[PinkyCat]

On March 25th I trimmed my hair and then measured it - 33 inches.

Today, April 27, measured again - 34 inches! I have been drinking my shakes all month on a more consistant basis - and I gained an entire inch!

[Kizuna]

This seems interesting! I had no idea that whey could be good for your hair..... I'm tempted to try now, and we've got it at home all ready. :)

[pelicano]

Since I read this thread and realised that it might be the whey protein that is thickening up OH's hair, I've had a look through it. I can't see any new growth, ie little hairs. But it looks so much thicker. So I think the individual strands must be quicker, as well as it growing a little faster (he's had to start having it cut every 4 weeks rather than every 5).

[leslissocool]

On March 25th I trimmed my hair and then measured it - 33 inches.

Today, April 27, measured again - 34 inches! I have been drinking my shakes all month on a more consistant basis - and I gained an entire inch!

Yay! :cheese:!

I replaced breakfast with a 180 calorie protein shake + fruit (strawberries) and have lost 3 lb even though I am lifting weights mostly! I saw you drank two, I usually drink them only after my workout, so I drank one for breakfast. So far so good! I'll post my next hair picture soon, I've been doing this for now 28 days.

[MsBubbles]

I was drinking these a few years ago to get more protein into my diet (I'd had to give up tofu because I'd just been diagnosed with hypothyroid - meaning I had to avoid soya products)


Me too. After seeing this thread I am now on the hunt for soy-free whey protein mixes. I will report back here if I find one. Also, I'm wheat-free for other reasons, so that all probably means I will have to make my own from scratch :rolleyes:.

I'm recovering from a bad shed and still have sparse growth so I hope something like this helps. After reading the article the OP linked to, I will make a conscious effort to step up my protein intake, although the talk of the hair follicle needing glycogen had me wondering. I thought to boost glycogen stores, you should eat starchy carbs at least as well as protein? I've never heard of protein alone building glycogen.

ETA: here's one (http://proteinfactory.com/shop/soy-free-whey-protein/), MonaMayfair. I think I've seen these in Walmart here (your Asda?).

[my2cats1]

"Greens First" Dream Protein also has no soy or hormones. It mixes well without a blender and tastes pretty good. 20 grams per serving; chocolate or vanilla.

http://www.greensfirst.com/gf_content2_2011.asp?node=16

[CocoBean]

I was drinking these a few years ago to get more protein into my diet (I'd had to give up tofu because I'd just been diagnosed with hypothyroid - meaning I had to avoid soya products)

I didn't notice any change in growth rate and I took the whey protein for months. It's interesting it works for other people though.
Hey, I have the same issue, hypothyroid, and had to stop eating all soy products, including soy protein powder. I used to use a whey protein powder from Trader Joes, but it doesn't digest very well for me. I have heard that ProSerum is from grass fed cows, and much better, so I just ordered it. Costs a little more, but for me, it's worth it. I've used cheap whey protein powders and my stomach suffers. It can be found on Amazon. And if it helps hair growth, even better!!
I do protein smoothies with fresh/frozen fruit every day, and usually add organic yogurt, organic collagen gelatin (protein), and nutritional brewers yeast.

[Indigostreams]

Anyone know what the vegan equivalent would be?

I know a vegan who has beautiful, healthy hair, and she drinks a brown rice protein powder drink, with green food added to it everyday. I've also heard that hemp protein is very good for you.

[Carissamarie08]

Awesome! For the people noticing growth!

[MonaMayfair]

Hey, I have the same issue, hypothyroid, and had to stop eating all soy products, including soy protein powder. I used to use a whey protein powder from Trader Joes, but it doesn't digest very well for me. I have heard that ProSerum is from grass fed cows, and much better, so I just ordered it. Costs a little more, but for me, it's worth it. I've used cheap whey protein powders and my stomach suffers. It can be found on Amazon. And if it helps hair growth, even better!!
I do protein smoothies with fresh/frozen fruit every day, and usually add organic yogurt, organic collagen gelatin (protein), and nutritional brewers yeast.

You know, after reading this thread I've decided to re-try this! I wasn't thinking about my hair when I was taking the protein drinks before, and I didn't notice any difference, but it can't hurt to try again for the nutritional benefits.
I'm pretty certain I don't get enough protein in my diet at the moment.
CocoBean, I don't remember having trouble digesting the drinks before, but I know I didn't like the taste, sort of synthetic. I'll try a different flavor next time.
Isn't it a pain to have to give up soy products! I used to live on tofu!

[GeoJ]

I'm so tempted to go out and buy more whey protein now! I do have some now, but it feels gritty in my smoothies if I stir it in, and it makes my smoothies foamy if I use the blender to mix it in (I absolutely hate a foamy smoothie).

For a while now I've been using soy protein, but now I am not sure I should still have it. My hair has stopped growing and been shedding aggressively again. My bloodwork showed my ferritin is too low for good hair growth (and I read somewhere that soy protein interferes with iron absorption).

Off to search for a better quality whey protein!

[pelicano]

I used to use a whey protein powder from Trader Joes, but it doesn't digest very well for me. I have heard that ProSerum is from grass fed cows, and much better, so I just ordered it. Costs a little more, but for me, it's worth it. I've used cheap whey protein powders and my stomach suffers.

Oh that's a thought - I can't take whey protein, as it makes really bloated and uncomfortable. I hadn't though to try a grass fed version (so expensive, but might be worth a go). I think Dr Mercola might do one that I can get hold of in the UK...

[rock007junkie]

Since I read this thread and realised that it might be the whey protein that is thickening up OH's hair, I've had a look through it. I can't see any new growth, ie little hairs. But it looks so much thicker. So I think the individual strands must be quicker, as well as it growing a little faster (he's had to start having it cut every 4 weeks rather than every 5).

You may be unto something here. I've been wnoticing the same with my hair. Thought it might be because I've been taking better care of my hair since I started hanging around here. The new hairs are definitely thicker. I love these shakes. They have been a part of my breakfast for a while now.

[longhairedleah]

very interesting! I'm gonna have to go out and get some whey protein now! Never thought I would, but this sounds like a good idea :)

[MsBubbles]

"Greens First" Dream Protein also has no soy or hormones. It mixes well without a blender and tastes pretty good. 20 grams per serving; chocolate or vanilla.

http://www.greensfirst.com/gf_content2_2011.asp?node=16

Hey thanks for the link & info! I went to look at some in the supermarket earlier today, just to see what was available retail. I picked one up that said "No soy protein!" on it. I turned it over to the allergy warnings section and saw: "Contains: Soy". LOL. There was one that seemed like it'd be ok but it was $25. I will have to wait a day or two to pay for that one.

[bunzfan]

For anyone interested in doing this Holland & Barrett are doing a 300g tub for £12 :shocked:

[Arniky]

good diet and its absorption by body is important

[MonaMayfair]

Hey thanks for the link & info! I went to look at some in the supermarket earlier today, just to see what was available retail. I picked one up that said "No soy protein!" on it. I turned it over to the allergy warnings section and saw: "Contains: Soy". LOL. There was one that seemed like it'd be ok but it was $25. I will have to wait a day or two to pay for that one.

The soy thing is so annoying, because it's in so many products. I always have to read the small print on everything. My eyesight's ok, but seriously, you need to use a magnifying glass on some packaging to discover the hidden ingredients!

[clairenewcastle]

I've been taking protein powder for just over one month now. With interesting results.......

I started off taking whey protein powder which gave me nausea, weight loss (which may have been due to my lack of appetite admittedly) and half an inch of hair growth inside a fortnight.

After two weeks I couldn't stand feeling so sick so binned the whey protein powder and started using soya protein powder.

After a fortnight of taking it I've had no more nausea, some more weight loss and a quarter inch of hair growth.

In my experience protein powder does increase hair growth so I'll be taking it from now on.

[MsBubbles]

The soy thing is so annoying, because it's in so many products. I always have to read the small print on everything. My eyesight's ok, but seriously, you need to use a magnifying glass on some packaging to discover the hidden ingredients!

LOL. Very true. I have basically discovered that I can probably eat a grand total of three processed/packaged food items in the supermarket! But I suppose it's not all that bad, since it's forcing me to eat fresh whole foods all the time. Here in the US, they are legally obligated to mention (in bold, I think?) if a product contains soy, or soy derivatives. So that really helps. Hmm. Maybe I should start a soy-free thread. Maybe there already is one.

So by the time I find a whey protein product I can use (no soy, no wheat, no rice), it's going to be so basic it probably won't be edible :).

[jojo]

I ordered some from www.myprotein.com it arrived today a huge bag of it, I got the banoffee one its full whey and no soy, so all good and its actually quite tasty and filling. In the past ive had stomach cramps with protein drinks but i did use the soya ones before. Ive had a little bloating but no pains. My hair is around 32" so we will see how much growth I get, actually quite excited! :D

[Lorisal]

I bought a 2 lb. container of chocolate whey protein powder to try and it tastes and smells horrible. :nono:
I have tried blending it with a banana. It masked the smell and taste just a little bit, but it still tastes bad. I am just glad that I did not waste money on a 5 lb. container.

[PinkyCat]

I'm going to agree that they are FAR from yummy. But boy do they work!

[Tigermama]

I just got the Pure Protein brand powder. It has 2.5 grams of fat and 25 g protein per serving. Perfect breakfast and or after school smoothie. I love it with almond milk and ice cube, so filling and delicious. I like the taste alot and i really noticed a growth spurt from the last round, which was J. Robb brand. I cut 1.5 inches just over a month ago and my hair seems longer than ever now. I just hit belly button, that has never happened before!

[jojo]

I love the taste of them, but you could always blend some fruit or maybe some peanut butter in them. For those of you seeing growth (HOORA!) how long did it take for you to notice?

[MonaMayfair]

I ordered some from www.myprotein.com it arrived today a huge bag of it, I got the banoffee one its full whey and no soy, so all good and its actually quite tasty and filling. In the past ive had stomach cramps with protein drinks but i did use the soya ones before. Ive had a little bloating but no pains. My hair is around 32" so we will see how much growth I get, actually quite excited! :D


Jojo I looked at that website, but couldn't see anything that didn't have soy lecithin in it. Which one did you get?

[Stagecoach]

Me too. After seeing this thread I am now on the hunt for soy-free whey protein mixes. I will report back here if I find one. Also, I'm wheat-free for other reasons, so that all probably means I will have to make my own from scratch :rolleyes:.


Do you have a Fresh Market, or Whole Foods near you? They would carry it. I use the Fresh Market store brand and it has very few ingredients.

Whey protein concentrate, Whey protein isolate, natural chocolate and vanilla flavors, xanthan gum, Stevia, luo han guo fruit extract.

[PinkyCat]

I love the taste of them, but you could always blend some fruit or maybe some peanut butter in them. For those of you seeing growth (HOORA!) how long did it take for you to notice?

After the first week! My grays were coming in much faster than normal - then at the end of the month I did a measure - 1 inch as opposed to my normal .5 inch. I couldn't believe it.

[MsBubbles]

Do you have a Fresh Market, or Whole Foods near you? They would carry it. I use the Fresh Market store brand and it has very few ingredients.


No! For some reason, even though I live in an enormously built-up suburb with every possible store there could be, I don't have either one of these, nor Earth Fare. :( There are some of these stores elsewhere in the Atlanta area but frankly, I can't afford the gas! I will be going out of town in a few weeks though to a place that does have all these stores, but I can't wait :).

I even checked my local tiny health food store, but they were more into vegetarian protein, so it was full of soy, wheat and rice ingredients. I am going to check Walmart later, even though I swore I'd never buy anything there ever again, and perhaps Target.

I really would rather not buy stuff online if I can help it (barring sparkly hair decor/utensils).

[MonaMayfair]

No! For some reason, even though I live in an enormously built-up suburb with every possible store there could be, I don't have either one of these, nor Earth Fare. :( There are some of these stores elsewhere in the Atlanta area but frankly, I can't afford the gas! I will be going out of town in a few weeks though to a place that does have all these stores, but I can't wait :).

I even checked my local tiny health food store, but they were more into vegetarian protein, so it was full of soy, wheat and rice ingredients. I am going to check Walmart later, even though I swore I'd never buy anything there ever again, and perhaps Target.

I really would rather not buy stuff online if I can help it (barring sparkly hair decor/utensils).

I was looking in the health food shop this morning and all the different kinds of whey protein had soy in them - really annoying!

[Foxy_Booker]

The powder I use is called Whey Gourmet which comes in a few different flavours from GNC like reeses peanut butter cup and vanilla icecream. I got the cookies and cream flavoured one and it is honestly the best thing I ever tasted, just like the chocolate bar but in milk shake form. I want to eat it for every meal its so yummy but it was quite expensive so I don't know if I would buy it again but it makes dieting so easy when its so tasty. For one serving its 120 calories and 21g of protein so its really low in calories as well. I'm really excited to hear its good for hair growing as well :)

[jojo]

Jojo I looked at that website, but couldn't see anything that didn't have soy lecithin in it. Which one did you get?

the first one in the list, the ingredients say nothing about soy, i get cramps whe i enat soy nothing so far....

[jojo]

After the first week! My grays were coming in much faster than normal - then at the end of the month I did a measure - 1 inch as opposed to my normal .5 inch. I couldn't believe it.

brilliant! i live in hope! i cannot digest too much meat so this is ideal solution for me!

[MsBubbles]

Well I may be having a face palm moment here. I just spent an embarrassing amount on Natural Vanilla Flavor whey protein powder by Naturally Preferred. No soy or wheat or rice as far as I can tell. :)

But today out of curiosity, I logged how much protein I ate over the course of the day. I eat basically a paleo type diet, so at dinner now I have already gotten 78g of protein with all the nuts, cheese, meat & eggs I've eaten. So now I'm thinking the protein powder might be overkill :p. Perhaps those who saw incredible gains didn't eat as much protein as I do over the course of a day and the extra kick with the shake gave their hair a growth boost? Or is there something specific about the whey protein in particular that is doing it? Hmm.

[CocoBean]

You know, after reading this thread I've decided to re-try this! I wasn't thinking about my hair when I was taking the protein drinks before, and I didn't notice any difference, but it can't hurt to try again for the nutritional benefits.
I'm pretty certain I don't get enough protein in my diet at the moment.
CocoBean, I don't remember having trouble digesting the drinks before, but I know I didn't like the taste, sort of synthetic. I'll try a different flavor next time.
Isn't it a pain to have to give up soy products! I used to live on tofu!

Well, I've used lots of different types of protein powders, from soy, hemp, whey, and have been using a real good quality hydrolyzed collagen gelatin for my protein smoothies. I absolutely love it, no issues at all. My ProSerum came in today and I'll starting adding that in too. I use fresh/frozen fruit, banana, organic whole milk yogurt, nutritional brewers yeast, fresh spinach... etc. Yummy!

Been journaling my growth so it will be good to see if it works. Only concern is that I also like to lay upside down rubbing my scalp with jojoba oil before washing to help stimulate the blood in the scalp. This is supposed to help growth too. :)

To avoid the synthetic taste, stay far far away from anything with ingredients you can't pronounce or don't recognize. There are lots of unhealthy chemicals in 'mainstream' or grocery / drug store variety of protein powders. Go to you local health food store, or Trader Joes, Whole Foods, etc.

Happy growing!

[CocoBean]

Vital Whey®: Vanilla Highest Potency Delicious Easy to Mix Natural Vanilla Flavor

15 grams protein, 80 calories

Contains:
Proserum Native Whey protein concentrate, natural vanilla, gum acacia and stevia.

Pretty simple, and from grass fed cows - "The milk for this product is derived from cows that are 100% grass-fed and graze year-round on natural pastures. It is GMO-free, hormone-treatment-free, pesticide and chemical-free and undergoes minimal processing." If you're paleo, and into organic then you'll know that grass fed meat, milk and chickens is the most nutritious for you.

Will try it first time tomorrow!! :)

[MonaMayfair]

the first one in the list, the ingredients say nothing about soy, i get cramps whe i enat soy nothing so far....

Thanks for replying Jojo. Do you mean the one that costs £12.99? It has soy lecithin in the ingredients (but they all seem to have that)

[bunzfan]

The one i got which is strawberry flavour is yummy:beerchug:

[amanda_the_tall]

i got all excited and bought some the other day from walmart. *gag* it does not stir up well, and it's supposed to be chocolate flavor, but it doesn't really taste like it. granted, i'm cheap and the kind i got was only around $9. i didn't think to look at whole foods or trader joes, has anyone tried any at those stores? do they taste decent? reason i'm asking is both of those stores are 30 min away, gas is crazy expensive right now :/ i really do need to keep taking it, otherwise i usually only have one source of protein a day. really need to work on my diet once exams are over!

[jojo]

Thanks for replying Jojo. Do you mean the one that costs £12.99? It has soy lecithin in the ingredients (but they all seem to have that)

I never saw that, aww well its obviously doing something as ive lost 3lbs in 3 days and zero cramps if i make it with water. Ive tried soya shakes and they did zilch for my hair, but this one im growing hairs out of my chin, having to pluck daily. I really think whey is the best one, i will see how it affects my thyroid at my next bloods, but its doing something good with my hormones, feel calmer, sleeping better and its got rid of a cold in half the time and thats just after 3 days using 25g a day!

eta- soya normally gives me bad cramps but nothing to report apart from a little more wind!!!!

[MsBubbles]

Second face palm moment - in addition to realizing I have been eating large amounts of protein from various sources since February when I went mostly Paleo, I also realize I have been already getting 1" hair growth per month anyway, before starting whey protein. I wonder if I'll start getting even more hair growth now?

Anyway, at times when there's too much month at the end of the money, it'll be good to have that protein source on hand until I can buy my meat, fish, cheese and eggs again.

I shook up a glass of my new Naturally Preferred Vanilla whey protein shake this morning and it mixed in beautifully with the milk. It's extremely powdery and not cakey at all. It tasted great! But I can't find it online anywhere, strangely enough!

[PinkyCat]

Tip: instead of stiring, try putting the mix in a container with a lid & shaking until mixed. I find it mixes much better and is barely lumpy, if at all. :)

[amanda_the_tall]

Tip: instead of stiring, try putting the mix in a container with a lid & shaking until mixed. I find it mixes much better and is barely lumpy, if at all. :)

i've tried shaking, i must be doing it wrong because it's still lumpy. i've resorted to just putting it in a blender, that always works. :)

[leslissocool]

Well I may be having a face palm moment here. I just spent an embarrassing amount on Natural Vanilla Flavor whey protein powder by Naturally Preferred. No soy or wheat or rice as far as I can tell. :)

But today out of curiosity, I logged how much protein I ate over the course of the day. I eat basically a paleo type diet, so at dinner now I have already gotten 78g of protein with all the nuts, cheese, meat & eggs I've eaten. So now I'm thinking the protein powder might be overkill :p. Perhaps those who saw incredible gains didn't eat as much protein as I do over the course of a day and the extra kick with the shake gave their hair a growth boost? Or is there something specific about the whey protein in particular that is doing it? Hmm.

It might be that you already get enough protein. I know when I went from 48g to 78 - 80g and did the yoga camel and other upside down poses my hair grew like a weed!

But from my understanding Whey is a fast acting protein. Other than sirloin steak and eggs, the rest of the foods that contain protein (chicken, fish, turkey, nuts) are not fast acting. Meaning it takes a while for your body to break down, and is not absorbed faster. In theory, the faster you absorb it, the faster it goes to your muscles and to your hair. If it takes a while to break down, you don't absorb as much of it.

So while you might have enough protein in your diet, I think you still might see some benefits of whey. Also, recent studies show that Whey actually promotes glutathione , a peptide that helps with liver regeneration and fights cancer. My doctor told me to take reduced glutathion after I gave birth and had liver and kidney failure to recover.

[MonaMayfair]

I never saw that, aww well its obviously doing something as ive lost 3lbs in 3 days and zero cramps if i make it with water. Ive tried soya shakes and they did zilch for my hair, but this one im growing hairs out of my chin, having to pluck daily. I really think whey is the best one, i will see how it affects my thyroid at my next bloods, but its doing something good with my hormones, feel calmer, sleeping better and its got rid of a cold in half the time and thats just after 3 days using 25g a day!

eta- soya normally gives me bad cramps but nothing to report apart from a little more wind!!!!

That all sounds really good! I just don't want to risk the soy because my thyroid is always fluctuating and the hormones cause excessive shedding and really sore itchy scalp. I still eat tofu occasionally, but for something I'd drink everyday I don't want to risk it!

I had awful trouble looking for a multi vitamin with no soya, I must have read the small print on about 20 different bottles before I found one that didn't contain it.

[rock007junkie]

Tip: instead of stiring, try putting the mix in a container with a lid & shaking until mixed. I find it mixes much better and is barely lumpy, if at all. :)

They also sell blender bottles at GNC for (less than $10 I believe). Mine comes out very smooth.

[amanda_the_tall]

They also sell blender bottles at GNC for (less than $10 I believe). Mine comes out very smooth.

now THAT would come in handy! :D

[jojo]

I have a shaker for mine and no lumps either, i do actually feel more alert since taking it!

[MsBubbles]

But from my understanding Whey is a fast acting protein. Other than sirloin steak and eggs, the rest of the foods that contain protein (chicken, fish, turkey, nuts) are not fast acting. Meaning it takes a while for your body to break down, and is not absorbed faster. In theory, the faster you absorb it, the faster it goes to your muscles and to your hair. If it takes a while to break down, you don't absorb as much of it.


Yes, I was wondering about that. I can't stand chicken & turkey though, so I hardly ever eat that. I mostly eat all the stuff that was purported to be so bad 20 years ago (eggs & organic red meat!).

I train for ultra marathons too - just now gearing up for the year, haven't done much training yet this year due to colds, flu, etc.. I remember a few years ago if I drank a protein shake the night before a long event, I would never get muscle cramps, and felt much more energetic the whole day. I believe it was whey protein I was taking back then.

Oh and I didn't mean to sound like I was bragging about my hair growth each month, either...my hair is really thin on the ends so it's not like I'm galloping on to knee length with a glorious mane or anything :).

[MissHair]

The absolute best way of not getting lumps when mixing a protein shake is to mix it with WARM/BOILING water. Never ever use cold water when shaking this drink! After it's all blended, let it cool down in the fridge.

[Mountaingrrl]

I've just started adding this to my diet for muscle repair after an injury; if it helps my hair too, that's an excellent bonus!

[GeoJ]

Thanks CocoBean, for posting about the whey protein from grassfed cows! I've ordered the unflavored one and I am eagerly awaiting it!




Oh and I didn't mean to sound like I was bragging about my hair growth each month, either...my hair is really thin on the ends so it's not like I'm galloping on to knee length with a glorious mane or anything .

I like the imagery from the part I bolded! :)

[sfgirl]

Oh and I didn't mean to sound like I was bragging about my hair growth each month, either...my hair is really thin on the ends so it's not like I'm galloping on to knee length with a glorious mane or anything :).

I think it's perfectly alright to brag. I know I get jealous when people talk about their 5 inch ponytail, but at the end of the day, this is one of the only places most of us CAN brag about hair. Honestly we should have a shameless hair bragging thread. :)

[jojo]

^^totally agree if you cant brag on a long hair forum, hey where can you? i love reading these success stories; keep em coming!

[leslissocool]

Yes, I was wondering about that. I can't stand chicken & turkey though, so I hardly ever eat that. I mostly eat all the stuff that was purported to be so bad 20 years ago (eggs & organic red meat!).

I train for ultra marathons too - just now gearing up for the year, haven't done much training yet this year due to colds, flu, etc.. I remember a few years ago if I drank a protein shake the night before a long event, I would never get muscle cramps, and felt much more energetic the whole day. I believe it was whey protein I was taking back then.

Oh and I didn't mean to sound like I was bragging about my hair growth each month, either...my hair is really thin on the ends so it's not like I'm galloping on to knee length with a glorious mane or anything :).

I used to get really bad cramps too when I danced ballet and ran, but now that I drink the protein drinks for recovery right after a workout I don't get them at all!

I don't crash during the day. Right now, my kids are sleeping and I'm cleaning and running around :lol: I think that the whey really does help.

And I didn't think you bragged at all! I also get an inch of growth or more a month, I do think hair need protein. I also think anemia and protein inake are connected, it seems like the whey protein actually helps me absorb iron better. When I don't drink them, I start to have more symptoms :( I am severely anemic.

I hit 133 g of protein or more a day (133 yesterday). My minimum is 100g, and have been doing it now for almost a year straight. I got blood test done recently, and the test was great! No raised acidity (many seems to believe high protein raises acidity in blood), cholesterol was great, and although I was still slightly anemic it wasn't nearly as bad as I had it before. But out of 133g, I get 56 or more just from shakes, then the rest I get from egg whites, fish and chicken.

I eat a lot :o .

[bunzfan]

I can't drink mine unless its blended it taste much better once its been mixed properly, already i don't feel as tired i think we all all seeing the benefits because it has added vitamins to.

[bunzfan]

Something new to report a week after re starting i got pretty excited last time i was drinking them regularly when my pony tail thickness went up but i didn't think at the time it was the shakes it went from 3.25 to a 4 inch!

I was just these last few months feeling bad that the last 3-4 inches was looking a lot thinner when i woke up this morning and noticed my braid defiantly looked thicker, now its that not something to celebrate i don't what is:cheese:

[LaFlor]

This is so interesting. I have been drinking whey protein shakes on and off (2 a day) for years now for weight loss and working out and I have noticed that my hair seems to grow faster than my friend's. I never attributed it to this though.

Gives me a reason to be more consistent :)

[PinkyCat]

Something new to report a week after re starting i got pretty excited last time i was drinking them regularly when my pony tail thickness went up but i didn't think at the time it was the shakes it went from 3.25 to a 4 inch!

I was just these last few months feeling bad that the last 3-4 inches was looking a lot thinner when i woke up this morning and noticed my braid defiantly looked thicker, now its that not something to celebrate i don't what is:cheese:

W00T!! :cheese:

[MagicalMystery]

I just started a daily intake of amino acid tablets along with my hair vitamins. It looks like my hair grew 1/2 cm in a week!

[jojo]

I started off with one shake in the morning and now have 2, 25g scoops of whey a day. I started on the 1st May with 32" and just 5 days later I am 32.5". My measurements are accurate as i use a forehead line to start my tape measure from.

I couldn't eat a lot of meat before as I have trouble digesting it. Ive has no negative side effects, no cramps, sickness or anything. Overall I am amazed at how quick this works. For those with thyroid problems like myself, whey helps regulate hormones including thyroxine, although soya can stop full efficiency of synthetic thyroxine, your body should utilise the whey protein in a positive way. I have bloods done every 3 months to keep my eye on them, but for me the side affects (more energy, weight starting to come off properly, skin not as dry- all the horrible side effects of hypothyroidism) of whey outweigh the "possible" co indications of the small soya content, like we are not supposed to eat broccoli or cauliflower for the same reasons, but i eat tons of the stuff and my thyroid function tests have always been spot on! Everybody is different of course

I am just so happy, I normally get between 1/4" and 1/2" a month, so this stuff is gold for me!

[bunzfan]

W00T!! :cheese:


I started off with one shake in the morning and now have 2, 25g scoops of whey a day. I started on the 1st May with 32" and just 5 days later I am 32.5". My measurements are accurate as i use a forehead line to start my tape measure from.

I couldn't eat a lot of meat before as I have trouble digesting it. Ive has no negative side effects, no cramps, sickness or anything. Overall I am amazed at how quick this works. For those with thyroid problems like myself, whey helps regulate hormones including thyroxine, although soya can stop full efficiency of synthetic thyroxine, your body should utilise the whey protein in a positive way. I have bloods done every 3 months to keep my eye on them, but for me the side affects (more energy, weight starting to come off properly, skin not as dry- all the horrible side effects of hypothyroidism) of whey outweigh the "possible" co indications of the small soya content, like we are not supposed to eat broccoli or cauliflower for the same reasons, but i eat tons of the stuff and my thyroid function tests have always been spot on! Everybody is different of course

I am just so happy, I normally get between 1/4" and 1/2" a month, so this stuff is gold for me!

Double woot :joy::joy: its defiantly helping me get over my cold quicker i did notice that they have vitamins in them as well so maybe thats why. Something pretty amazing for me i'm normally a tiny 7 stone and these are helping me put on a bit of weight.

[Carissamarie08]

I started this thread and I still have yet to get on board with this ! I keep forgetting!

[MsBubbles]

i'm normally a tiny 7 stone

Haha. I'm normally a tiny 11 stone.

Anyway, CarissaMarie, I'm glad you did start this thread! I'm loving my new whey powder. I'm supposed to trim this week, so I will use the new length as a starting point, even though I started drinking this stuff last Thursday. I was at 35" then.

[GeoJ]

I just did a dusting to even my ends for measuring, and my length is now 37.75". I plan to measure once a week for a while to see how whey (and more iron) affects my hair growth.

I have had whey protein for two days now. When I got it in the mail it came with a sheet that said I should not mix it with acidic things like fruit juices. I normally always put my protein into my green smoothies (I use orange juice instead of water for the liquid). Protein powder mixed with water tastes gross to me, but I have found that it is really good mixed with hazelnut milk.

I plan to have it in the morning before I take DD to school (I don't have time to eat breakfast until I get back home from dropping her off), and after a workout. That will be twice a day on most days. I'm also working on increasing my ferritin level, so hopefully I'll get at least my old hairgrowth back, if not better.

I'm encouraged by those of you who have posted about getting good growth from whey protein! :)

[jojo]

^^ i just mix mine with water, but its nice with pineapple juice too! anybody getting a little constipated with whey? no biggie, will just continue with fibre gel!

Good luck Geo, this stuff will amaze you, it has me!

[MsBubbles]

anybody getting a little constipated with whey? no biggie, will just continue with fibre gel!!

I usually find a big bowl of mashed cauliflower does the trick! :poot:

[leslissocool]

Double woot :joy::joy: its defiantly helping me get over my cold quicker i did notice that they have vitamins in them as well so maybe thats why. Something pretty amazing for me i'm normally a tiny 7 stone and these are helping me put on a bit of weight.

You can mix them with milk and peanut butter. If you work out, drink it right after your workout and it helps you gain muscle mass. It's really helpful to shape your body! I actually (I just drink it with water, in the morning I put strawberries) lost a lot of weight with them, but gain a lot of mass.

I really think most people actually don't get enough protein in their diets. Specially vegetarian/vegan, which whey/soy protein can really help get their needs. Even you skin uses protein, you'll be noticing changes in it too, mostly because of the Glutathione.

[nerdymomma]

Anyone know what the vegan equivalent would be?

Have you tried Spiru-tein protein powder? I used it for a while during pregnancy when I was having morning sickness issues and problems with dairy. I thought it was pretty good.

I just made some Greek-style strained yogurt for hubby, and I saved the whey. Maybe I can experiment with it and some honey and cocoa powder, or pureed fruit. 'Cause free is good, and making a health drink out of what is essentially a waste product is even better!

[AndreaPetrea]

Does anyone know if milk protein will that have an effect, good or bad, on the hair growth? I have been eating a protein bar almost each day for about ten days (busy practicing days at the academy...), but maybe I should change to whey.

[nerdymomma]

Whey protein IS milk protein, with the casein removed. Scientific mumbo jumbo (http://class.fst.ohio-state.edu/FST822/lecturesab/Milk2.htm).

[jojo]

You can mix them with milk and peanut butter. If you work out, drink it right after your workout and it helps you gain muscle mass. It's really helpful to shape your body! I actually (I just drink it with water, in the morning I put strawberries) lost a lot of weight with them, but gain a lot of mass.

I really think most people actually don't get enough protein in their diets. Specially vegetarian/vegan, which whey/soy protein can really help get their needs. Even you skin uses protein, you'll be noticing changes in it too, mostly because of the Glutathione.
I so agree with this, i know i wasnt as i dont eat a lot of meat,not that im vegetarian just i have a slow digestive system and a lot of meat gives me terrible stomach cramps. Whey is so much easier for my to digest, though it does give me terrible constipation so I am going to get some fibre powder and mix that with it but yes I think my skin looks better and my kinda feels a bit more bulked!

[AndreaPetrea]

Whey protein IS milk protein, with the casein removed. Scientific mumbo jumbo (http://class.fst.ohio-state.edu/FST822/lecturesab/Milk2.htm).

Thank you! I haven't had the time for trying to understand the mumbo jumbo (:D), though. I just read somewhere that sometimes casein without whey was called milk protein.

I just tried a whey protein bar. Yikes, the taste :disgust: I really hope it's worth it!

[BunnyWabbit]

I started taking a lot of protein recently because of doing p90x and wanting to get into really good shape. There are TONS of great recipes and ways to incorporate whey or any other protein into your diet. If you're not finding something that's yummy to you, I suggest checking out shrednation on youtube. Yes they are gear toward fitness, but a total body approach to keeping hair healthy makes a lot of sense to me!

For me the easiest way I started incorporating more protein was in shakes and smoothies. I drink a meal replacement product called Shakeology then add extra protein powder (rice based because DBF is cow dairy intolerant), frozen fruits and skim milk. It's a yummy and fast breakfast. If I'm in work out mode I also add greek yogurt or almond butter.

[leslissocool]

Thank you! I haven't had the time for trying to understand the mumbo jumbo (:D), though. I just read somewhere that sometimes casein without whey was called milk protein.

I just tried a whey protein bar. Yikes, the taste :disgust: I really hope it's worth it!

I wouldn't recommend the bars. They have more fat/ sugar than the powder, and have a lot of calories. Most of those calories come from saturated fats in the bars.

If you want to gain mass (weight), the bars are better for you. That's what they are made for. But if you don't, go for the powder.

[BunnyWabbit]

I wouldn't recommend the bars. They have more fat/ sugar than the powder, and have a lot of calories. Most of those calories come from saturated fats in the bars.

If you want to gain mass (weight), the bars are better for you. That's what they are made for. But if you don't, go for the powder.

That's not necessarily true. There are a lot more protein bars on the market than there were in the past. Many are designed for women and are low in sugar and saturated fat. You have to remember though that protein bars are designed for meal replacements, NOT for a protein supplement. So many bars will have lots of carbs. If you want to loose weight then I would look at the low-carb bars. Luna bars are popular and taste too. I'm a big fan of the Cliff Builder Bars.

[Carissamarie08]

Cliff bars are amazing!

[leslissocool]

That's not necessarily true. There are a lot more protein bars on the market than there were in the past. Many are designed for women and are low in sugar and saturated fat. You have to remember though that protein bars are designed for meal replacements, NOT for a protein supplement. So many bars will have lots of carbs. If you want to loose weight then I would look at the low-carb bars. Luna bars are popular and taste too. I'm a big fan of the Cliff Builder Bars.

Luna bars average about 11g of sugar, while my whey protein powder has 1.

Also, a chocolate Luna bar AND cliff bars average a total of 7g of fat, whey protein powder has 2g.

Luna bars ARE NOT a supposed to be used as meal replacement. Just as protein powder is not supposed to be a meal replacement. It doesn't have enough nutrition on it, and it's WRITTEN in the powders and bars in tiny print. They are supposed to be a supplement, meaning you eat well and add that to your diet, not replace meals with it. the bars were created specifically for muscle building, while the shakes are more for muscle recovery.

Meal replacement are like Shakeology or Herbal Life (or even Muscle Milk). They actually have nutrients other than protein and carbs.

Ask any nutritionist or body builder. You can even google protein powder vs. bars, many websites compare them. Actually, protein bars don't release protein as fast as the powder does so you don't use the bar for muscle recovery at all.

ETA: From the LUNA (http://lunabar.com/products/bars/faq/) website :


LUNA is not a meal replacement bar or a diet bar. LUNA is an organic nutrition bar which provides the nutrition women need to maintain active, healthy lives. It is a delicious, nutritious and convenient snack that satisfies and curbs hunger between meals, helping to prevent high calorie/high fat snack cravings such as potato chips or candy bars.

BTW Cliff bars and Luna bars are made from the same company. This is from the Cliff (http://www.clifbar.com/food/did_you_know/C268) side


Athletes and active people have high energy demands. With a mix of carbohydrates, protein and fiber, CLIF BARs supply working muscles with the energy they need for extended periods of activity. Wholesome and nutrient-dense, CLIF BARs steadily increase blood sugar levels without creating a precipitous “sugar crash.” CLIF BARs help athletes and active people who respect their bodies and the planet to push farther with sustained energy.

Meaning, it gives you energy to dig deeper during strenuous activity. Unlike the protein powder, who doesn't raise blood sugar at all because it's designed for muscle recovery and to be absorbed quickly.


For best results, CLIF BARs should be eaten about one to three hours before exercise along with water to prevent hunger and supply energy to working muscles. During prolonged, lower intensity exercise such as hiking or bike touring, CLIF BARs can be eaten during activity to help satiate hunger and meet carbohydrate demands. CLIF BARs can also be eaten after exercise, as a snack between meals or during a long, busy day to help sustain energy.

For women who are on a diet that are not athletes and not burning a lot of calories, bars are not appropriate. They will make you gain weight. I learned this the hard way, trust me! I gained weight, and I had no idea why until my personal trainer friend told me I was eating the bars, and that I should switched to powder. I stopped gaining weight. I do work out, but not enough to be eating them :o.

[cfreya]

I'm going to Holland and Barrett now to get some whey powder, inspired by all of your super fast growth, only one thing I am worried about is it going to make me gain weight? I am not working out at the moment because of exams, I plan to start in 2 weeks when exams are over but as long as I calorie count it should be fine yes? Would love quicker growth but don't wanna be obese with long hair lol

[Kizuna]

I wrote almost a month ago in the threas saying I was tempted to start. it turned out we didn't have whey at home (which I thought we had). But now it's been purchased again and I'm ready to start. I've tasted it and work wonderfully when mixed with milk but I didn't like it mixed with water. I've got a question though. How much do all of you drink each day? I've been taking a glass after training at the gym, but I haven't started to use it every day yet.

[bunzfan]

My hair grew a inch last week i went from 27 inches to 28 :D:

[spookyghost]

I started taking a lot of protein recently because of doing p90x and wanting to get into really good shape. There are TONS of great recipes and ways to incorporate whey or any other protein into your diet. If you're not finding something that's yummy to you, I suggest checking out shrednation on youtube. Yes they are gear toward fitness, but a total body approach to keeping hair healthy makes a lot of sense to me!

For me the easiest way I started incorporating more protein was in shakes and smoothies. I drink a meal replacement product called Shakeology then add extra protein powder (rice based because DBF is cow dairy intolerant), frozen fruits and skim milk. It's a yummy and fast breakfast. If I'm in work out mode I also add greek yogurt or almond butter.


Im doing P90X too-today was plyo. I have always worked out in one way or the other-insanity, crossfit, lifting. And I have alway taken whey protein. However, I always forget to take it! Drives me crazy. I told dh to please remind me right after I work out. So Im not consistent with it. Well now that I know it helps hair growth I will hopefully remember better. I want muscles and long hair-is that wrong? :lol:

[leslissocool]

I'm going to Holland and Barrett now to get some whey powder, inspired by all of your super fast growth, only one thing I am worried about is it going to make me gain weight? I am not working out at the moment because of exams, I plan to start in 2 weeks when exams are over but as long as I calorie count it should be fine yes? Would love quicker growth but don't wanna be obese with long hair lol

You can drink it as a mid-day snack, you won't gain weight. Try to get the powder that gives you a 1 scoop option, mine is about 140 cal with one scoop. Also check how much sugar it has, go for one that has very little sugar (mine has 1g).

[Kaelee]

Oh my gosh I'm so going to try this!

[HuggyBear]

I have just started drinking protein shakes in the last couple weeks. I don't drink them every day, too expensive for me. Usually, I drink them after my workouts 4 days a week. Currently, I am using Jay Robb's Whey Protein Chocolate mixed with unsweetened almond milk and 1/2 frozen banana. Yummy!

[CastaDiva]

I started drinking whey protein shakes two weeks ago, and I gained 1/2 cm, ( there is five 1/2 cm in an inch) in length the first week:) So happy with the result!

[spookyghost]

I really hope this works for me;) You know how something can work for some people and not others. This would be great because I already use it after my workouts-which I do six days a week. So I will make sure Im consistent and hopefully my hair will thank me!

[bunzfan]

Something i noticed just the other day my april growth picture my hair is half way down my jumper i.e waist and 3 weeks later its near the bottom of my jumper (see now avatar pic) the bottom is hip. I haven't been doing anything different just drinking these 1-2 times a day and i'm still trimming as well.

[cfreya]

You can drink it as a mid-day snack, you won't gain weight. Try to get the powder that gives you a 1 scoop option, mine is about 140 cal with one scoop. Also check how much sugar it has, go for one that has very little sugar (mine has 1g).

Thank you the one that was on special offer has 2g so I will keep an eye on it:)

[Silverbrumby]

I'm in for this experiment. I live in the county of hippies (yes I'm one to) so getting whey protein is a snap. I actually love it so win win.

Will keep everyone posted if I get any results.

[Amapola]

Interesting thread. I raise dairy goats, so I have my own milk, I make cheese and of course that means whey.

As a cheese maker I'm always trying to find ways to use more whey. I bake it in breads, add it to soups and stews or to anything that calls for liquid to be added... gravy, cakes etc.

I don't know if there are any forum members who live near me, but if so I would be happy to share my whey.

And I guess I may as well not see if I'm getting more growth... since I am already consuming whey... :)

[BrightEyes]

I'm going to try this. I have whey protein powder that I try to drink after working out, but I haven't been consistent. Now I'm going to try to drink some every day. It'll be fun to see if it helps with my hair growth.

[swearnsue]

I want to try whey protein but I really like my Spiru-Tein so I'm mixing a little of both in the blender. The whey protein is just pure protein unlike the Spriu-Tein that has vitamins and other goodies, go the whey is a good addition to boost the protein and reduce the carbs.

[jojo]

any updates? i trimmed back to 31" last week due to blinking thin ends, now nice and thick! I am still on 2 a day the first one I mix with porridge and have for my breakfast and then I have my final one mid afternoon. I shall be measuring again end of June!

hope your all having great results!!

[swearnsue]

No updates really, still drink one shake a day, skipping a day here and there. I no longer measure my hair but I can see roots coming in pretty fast. I think the whey helps with satistying my hunger better than a breakfast of cereal.

[Topaz]

I have a question, I hope it's not a dumb one. :o

But I've just started walking for exercise, starting slowly at one mile daily due to arthritic knees, ankles, back, neck, etc. and working my way up to increased distances and speed as the muscles supporting my knees, back, etc. (hopefully) strengthen.

Will the whey powder help with strengthening muscles if I'm only brisly walking, or is it mostly for more intense workouts? Sorry, I'm a newbie to this kind of thing and I really don't know.

If I can use it to improve my results from walking PLUS make my hair grow faster, wow, that's a total win/win scenario for me. Again, sorry if it's a dumb question, but I thank you so very much in advance for any answers.

[swearnsue]

Topaz, from what I read about whey protein it is good for muscles after any kind of exercise. It doesn't matter how much exercise you do, if your muscles get tired, then the whey is good for them. It is also supposed to help with the post-exercise soreness! If Tony Parker walked a mile he probably wouldn't need any whey protein but if I walked a half a mile I would need whey protein, gatorade and chocolate to recover!

[AndreaPetrea]

I wouldn't recommend the bars. They have more fat/ sugar than the powder, and have a lot of calories. Most of those calories come from saturated fats in the bars.

If you want to gain mass (weight), the bars are better for you. That's what they are made for. But if you don't, go for the powder.

Oh man, I'm so late! Sorry!

Yeah, I saw that they were a bit like candy bars, lol. They replaced some of my daily chocolate :laugh: :o I got bars because I needed something quick and easy for when I was stuck in a practicing room (I play the piano). It was only afterwards that I discovered this thread.

Also, I thought that I wouldn't mind gaining some weight, since I've always been on the skinny side. Now that I have some fat here and there, though, I don't know... It's a strange feeling :disgust:

[Topaz]

Yesterday at the grocery store I bought some Muscle Milk in the chocolate flavor. Mixed with water, it tastes wonderful, just like rich chocolate milk.

One scoop is 150 calories, total fat 6g, total sugars 2g, total protein 16g.

Today is my first day of taking it. I used one scoop mixed with water at breakfast, and I'll have another one as a mid-afternoon snack.

Does that usage sound about right? Is Muscle Milk a good one, or should I look for something else? :confused:

[leslissocool]

Yesterday at the grocery store I bought some Muscle Milk in the chocolate flavor. Mixed with water, it tastes wonderful, just like rich chocolate milk.

One scoop is 150 calories, total fat 6g, total sugars 2g, total protein 16g.

Today is my first day of taking it. I used one scoop mixed with water at breakfast, and I'll have another one as a mid-afternoon snack.

Does that usage sound about right? Is Muscle Milk a good one, or should I look for something else? :confused:

I absolutely love muscle milk's taste. It's a bit out of my budget (I get one that's 1/2 the price, and I buy a can every 2-3 weeks) but my friends who are fitness instructors take muscle milk after their work outs and love it. I think it's the best tasting one.

[MsBubbles]

I was a bit of a failure at logging my progress. Sorry. Anyway, I think - because I wasn't paying attention to dates and I don't know if I'm measuring my hair consistently - that I was already getting 1" growth (i.e. length gains on the ends) each month. On May 3rd I was at 35" after a trim. Last Thursday 24th, after 3 weeks, I was at 36". I cut it back again to 35". I ran out of the powder so I have to go get some later tonight. I love that stuff. So perhaps this means I now get 1" growth every 3 weeks instead of every 4?

Most days I only had 1 serving of the whey protein.

Again, I already eat loads of protein in my diet because I don't eat any wheat, grains, legumes, rice or anything with soy in it any more. This drastically cuts down my options, and meat, fish, eggs, cheese, nuts, fruit & veg are all the most filling. I think this is why my hair is growing so fast.

Either that or I am hopeless at measuring my own hair correctly. But I take a measure each time reaching behind my back (I'm at hip so it's not much of a stretch any more) about three times, plus I also look at the tape measure dangling behind me in the bathroom mirror, with my bum squashed up against the counter top so it pulls the tape measure straight. Same measurements.

[Topaz]

Leslissocool said:


I absolutely love muscle milk's taste. It's a bit out of my budget (I get one that's 1/2 the price, and I buy a can every 2-3 weeks) but my friends who are fitness instructors take muscle milk after their work outs and love it. I think it's the best tasting one.

May I ask which one you buy, and where? If I can cut the price, I will happily do it!

[leslissocool]

Leslissocool said:

May I ask which one you buy, and where? If I can cut the price, I will happily do it!

I buy the Body Fortress one at Walmart, for $14 bucks 13 2 scoop servings (52g). It's got recovery formula (not all of them are, this one is) so it does have creatine, Taurine and L-glutamine, which I take after a workout to recover. They also sell whey isolate for $20 which is purer protein, less lactose and fat, but you won't get the immune boosting side effects that blends offer, neither do you get the muscle recovery ones. But it should help you burn more fat, and it should be absorbed by the body really quickly. I stick with the one with BCAAs and recovery, but that's something worth looking into, specially for people who can't have Soy they might want to get whey Isolate.

It doesn't taste nearly as good as the Muscle Milk, and the blend (not the isolate one, the one I get) has soy in it. The upside is they have a ton of flavors, strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, peanut butter chocolate or the one I am drinking now, cookies and cream. Because it's a recovery formula, it has Taurnine which gets stuck in the bottom of the glass :disgust: but I need that, since I lift heavy weights... I just put strawberries in it and hope for the best...

[Topaz]

Hmmm, maybe I'll try Body Fortress next time. Although my Muscle Milk was 'only' $16. I can't remember the weight of the container or how many total servings, so maybe the Body Fortress is bigger and a better deal?

Thank you for the information! I will definitely check the BF out! :)

[leslissocool]

BF is twice as much, it's about 2lb container while the other I think it's only a one pound. I know BF lasts me a lot longer.

I found some places online that's way cheaper, but you have to buy a lot of it.

[blondie9912]

I'm using some "REVOLUTION" something something blah blah blah brand (can't remember the name exactly, all I know is it has revolution in it, if anyone is interested I can check :)). I've just started P90X, so hopefully the exercise/whey protein 6 days a week will make my hair grow. Mine was very pricey, it comes with a scoop which is one serving of the powder, and there are 60 servings per 2kg container, and it was $60. Tastes wonderful though, and has no added sugar! The flavour is Vanilla Cream, and it's sweetened with stevia leaf/plant. I believe it has something like 35g of protein per serving.

[Jing]

I finally found a brand with no sweeteners or flavouring added! I don't like the idea of drinking "cookies and cream" anything that's supposed to be for my health.

ETA: I fully expect it to be disgusting. :p That's fine.

[swearnsue]

I finally found a brand with no sweeteners or flavouring added! I don't like the idea of drinking "cookies and cream" anything that's supposed to be for my health.

ETA: I fully expect it to be disgusting. :p That's fine.

May I ask what brand and where you found it? I prefer to add my own flavorings even if I have to add sugar. I'd rather do it myself, sort of like cooking from scratch I guess.

[BrightEyes]

I am drinking my protein shake right now. I need to be better at remembering to drink one every day.

I have Dymatize Elite Whey Protein Isolate in rich chocolate. It's so yummy:D

[Bene]

I'd love to try this but I'm lactose intolerant, and from what I've read, I should avoid it. Gonna look for some alternatives.

[Ephemeral]

I am also lactose intolerant but just take a couple of Lactaid with my shake.

[leslissocool]

whey protein Isolate has VERY little lactose in it, my lactose intolerant stepson doesn't get sick with it (and he gets sick with everything, even when you use a small bit of butter in a muffin he gets sick).

[Silverbrumby]

Am updates? Positive gains?

[Ephemeral]

whey protein Isolate has VERY little lactose in it, my lactose intolerant stepson doesn't get sick with it (and he gets sick with everything, even when you use a small bit of butter in a muffin he gets sick).

Yep. Didn't realize that whey concentrate would make me sick...ummm, whey is from milk. After the 4th or 5th time I took it and felt horrible afterward, it finally penetrated my dense mind and I have been taking Lactaid ever since. Much better! I am buying whey isolate next time though. And my hair grew 3/4 of an inch last month.

[honeybunnie8]

Interesting!
Anyone know if you can drink eat it when you are lactose intolerant?

[honeybunnie8]

Umm never mind I missed the post right above me! lol
I can't edit yet. sorry.

[Jing]

May I ask what brand and where you found it? I prefer to add my own flavorings even if I have to add sugar. I'd rather do it myself, sort of like cooking from scratch I guess.

Whey-100 from Star Nutrition (I think, the bag says Star Nutrition, but there's no mention of in the product description). It's whey isolate and there are flavoured versions of it as well. I found it on a Swedish website, so that link won't be of any use to you.

[Hypnotica]

As my diet is kind of crappy and I don't get much meat, diary products, eggs or so I decided to go get some protein powder yesterday (don't really need it for hair growth, my hair grows anyway).

I got the WNT Female Protein with proteins from whey, milk and soy. Quite expensive but tastes good (youghurt/raspberry). I mix it with milk just to optimize my intake of vitamins and nutrients.

[Kaelee]

Just picked up some more, mine is unsweetened and 90 cal. a scoop (I sweeten it and mix it with milk so there goes the low cal lol). I started with a different brand, but my friend got sick and I gave it to her, besides I think I might have been allergic to it (can't be sure but I'm trying a different brand.)

Even if my hair doesn't love it, I can tell immediately that my body DOES love it. So I'll keep drinking it.

[Jing]

I tried my whey protein today, and it's actually quite tasty! I only added tap water. It's slightly sweet in that dairy kind of way despite having no sweeteners or flavouring. I hope I get some kind of noticeable benefit from it, because I really wouldn't mind drinking some of this stuff every day.

[swearnsue]

I tried my whey protein today, and it's actually quite tasty! I only added tap water. It's slightly sweet in that dairy kind of way despite having no sweeteners or flavouring. I hope I get some kind of noticeable benefit from it, because I really wouldn't mind drinking some of this stuff every day.

I started drink whey protein shakes about a month ago and I can't tell if it has helped my growth because I no longer measure (got too obsessive!) But it seems like my hair all of a sudden is now down to my shoulders! I can't drink 100% whey though, I add some to my other protein drink. Too much whey seem to give me some indigestion. I hope it works for you!

[firegypsy]

yeah, I've tried those... Haven't had the same effects as whey either... hmmmm

whey very specifically supports the liver. I suspect that's part of what's happening here. most of us could use additional support in that area. It helps the body recycle glutathione which helps the body to get rid of junk it doesn't want more rapidly.

[firegypsy]

whey protein Isolate has VERY little lactose in it, my lactose intolerant stepson doesn't get sick with it (and he gets sick with everything, even when you use a small bit of butter in a muffin he gets sick).


right. whey is a protein, lactose is a sugar. if you really are lactose intolerant this shouldn't be a huge issue. if your problem with dairy is more about the protein-specifically whey rather than casein-this won't be a fun experiment.

that said, there generally shouldn't be any lactose in butter-but there is often casein. when you melt the butter, the white foam? that's casein. Sometimes people can tolerate butter if you skim that off, effectively "clarifying" the butter. Or you can buy it already clarified.

[ingvild]

I just got my hands on some whey protein, primarily for my workouts. ;) Before getting the whey I was already eating decent amounts of protein, though, and a LOT came from dairy. But I had a hard time getting high enough (for my liking. I'm not particularly light, and I lift weights, so I need some!)

This one has 43 g per serving though, and since I mix it with milk one shake adds up to ~53 grams. I got ~1/3 of a 1000 g tub from a friend, strawberry flavour, I'm going to buy chocolate flavour next though. I'll probably buy a giganto tub, 5 kg or so... yep. I just want some gainz. :p

Funnily enough, I trimmed my hair to exactly BSL the day I got my whey protein. So IF it does grow more, I will notice. :)

[Carissamarie08]

Any updates for people??

[leslissocool]

I upped my protein intake recently, it'll be a least two more weeks for an update...

[Tisiloves]

I'm not sure about my hair, but the whey protein certainly makes my muscles ache less.

[Audrey Horne]

I have no idea if it brings anything to my hair :unsure: but I definately have a halo that is way longer now and the new generation of growth... My choco whey has 30g per serving. I usually mix it with milk and sometimes add yogurt too with everything else possible.
Ah, less shed, I think... But it is also summer, so I can't say 100% sure.
Bought it for my muscles, though lol

[MoonLover]

I've been drinking whey shakes for about a month now but not always daily. I had surgery a few weeks ago and I expected my growth stall to continue but my hair finally started to grow again! Though, I can't say if it was just from the whey as I've been having 1-3 smoothies a day in general:

whey+tahini+banana+almond milk
frozen fruits with greens or with juice
and recently hempseeds + chia seeds + banana + almond milk


But I've been having they whey for the longest time and most consistently so I think it must be contributing something.

[Jing]

Until today I've only taken my protein after workouts, so not every day. Since I started, I've noticed that some mornings I only comb out a fraction of my usual morning shed, and twice I've shed half my usual amount when washing my hair. I haven't kept proper track, so I'm not sure whether it's directly tied to the whey. I'm sceptical since supplements don't usually have instant consequences, but since this is protein and not a vitamin/mineral, maybe it's different? Something is certainly affecting my shedding. I also started taking borage oil for my skin shortly before getting my hands on whey protein, so it might be that, but I've been more consistent with the oil than with the whey. If it was a seasonal thing, there shouldn't be such fluctuations.

I guess I should stop the whey for a while and see what happens, and then take it consistently (workout or no) for a while and see what happens. But since I'm drinking this stuff for my muscles as well as for my hair, I wouldn't quit it if it turned out it was not the cause of my decreased shedding anyway.

[CurlyCurves]

I've actually been considering buying whey protein recently for I'm really a veggie at heart and struggle to eat meat, only doing so to ensure I get adequate amounts of protein.

My local health food shop sells whey protein relatively cheaply in powder form so I think I might add it to porridge or to yogurt.

You can get plenty of protein from other sources. I am a vegetarian, and get about 68g of protein a day. Yesterday, I had 128g. And I don't even have an amazing diet.

You don't need loads of protein unless you're working out a LOT. In which case, again, plenty of veggie sources of protein :)

[blondie9912]

I honestly feel like my hair has gotten longer ever since I started working out/taking my supplement about two weeks ago! We will seet at the end of the month when I take my photo if it has actually grown, since I don't measure my hair (too scared of making an error and going insane over supposed hair growth/shrinkage!)

[Topaz]

Mine has grown somewhere between 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch in the two weeks since I started taking the whey protein. I wish my hair were less stubborn about being measured, but oh well. 1/2 to 3/4 is still pretty darned good for 2 weeks and is MUCH better than my usual average of 1/2 inch per month. :D

[firegypsy]

You can get plenty of protein from other sources. I am a vegetarian, and get about 68g of protein a day. Yesterday, I had 128g. And I don't even have an amazing diet.

You don't need loads of protein unless you're working out a LOT. In which case, again, plenty of veggie sources of protein :)

Different people have different requirements. It's always good to listen to your body. I require a LOT of protein even when not working out intensely. I spent several years as a plant based vegan and it wasn't pretty. But others find that it is very health giving, at least for a period of time.

My entire being is better for a higher protein diet. YMMV!

[swearnsue]

Different people have different requirements. It's always good to listen to your body. I require a LOT of protein even when not working out intensely. I spent several years as a plant based vegan and it wasn't pretty. But others find that it is very health giving, at least for a period of time.

My entire being is better for a higher protein diet. YMMV!

I tried my best at being vegan and lasted only 5 months. I agree with it for the sake of the animals but after eating a certain way for 50 years it's just not going to work (for me) to make a drastic change like going vegan. I feel much better when I eat more protein too and I don't work out.

[curlytiff27]

Becareful with the soy especially if you have thyroid issues.

[curlytiff27]

I get a great tasting whey protein off of netrition.com they have really good prices. I get the Optimum Nutrituion brand. It has 120 cals 3 carbs 1 sugar and 23 grams of protein. The vanilla ice cream and extreme milk chocolate are what I have tried and taste pretty good too! i use almond milk to make mine.

[jacqueline101]

I don't know if this has whey in it. I did the slim fast with two percent milk and ate chicken. I don't know something in that diet made my hair grow.

[leslissocool]

You can get plenty of protein from other sources. I am a vegetarian, and get about 68g of protein a day. Yesterday, I had 128g. And I don't even have an amazing diet.

You don't need loads of protein unless you're working out a LOT. In which case, again, plenty of veggie sources of protein :)

If you are anemic, you need B12 and plant base B12 gets absorbes differently. I have 130 g a day (some days up to 200) for years now, and my tests results are great although I am still anemic.

Different people need different things. I was vegetarian for 5 years and my hair fell out even though I ate POUNDS of nuts and tofu. I don't work out much at all :) but I do lift weights, and if you don't get enough protein lifting weights you could cause more damage than good no matter how long you do it.

[Shadow Walker]

Hopefully I can get a length shot taken for comparison shortly, because my results have been.... significant.

[swearnsue]

I'm taking whey protein isolate but it still bothers by stomach if I take the whole scoop. So I've been making smoothies with about 1/3 scoop and that works pretty good. Today I discovered that I can put about a Tbs in my morning coffee and it actually tastes pretty good. My whey is vanilla flavored and I also use milk and sugar in my coffee. Anyway, for those who are looking for a way to get a little extra protein into their diet you can try my coffee idea! Don't worry, it looks a little weird for about 15 seconds but then stirs right in.

[ingvild]

My new whey powder that was supposed to taste like milk chocolate, didn't taste like milk chocolate :p I'm a bit bummed, but I'll keep drinking it; it doesn't taste bad, just not like chocolate. I tried mixing in frozen blueberries today and it was quite decent, actually. I'll try with banana tomorrow.

swearnsue, the coffee idea is good. I drink mine black, though...hmm. I'll give it a try, maybe.

I don't know if my hair has gotten any longer. :p But I think the increased intake of protein has probably helped my workouts. :) Don't know if it's real or placebo effect, but I'll take it.

[swearnsue]

My new whey powder that was supposed to taste like milk chocolate, didn't taste like milk chocolate :p I'm a bit bummed, but I'll keep drinking it; it doesn't taste bad, just not like chocolate. I tried mixing in frozen blueberries today and it was quite decent, actually. I'll try with banana tomorrow.

swearnsue, the coffee idea is good. I drink mine black, though...hmm. I'll give it a try, maybe.

I don't know if my hair has gotten any longer. :p But I think the increased intake of protein has probably helped my workouts. :) Don't know if it's real or placebo effect, but I'll take it.

I always just get vanilla flavor, hard for a company to screw that up. I have cocoa powder that I can add if I want it to be chocolate. I don't know if it's helped my hair either but it seems to be growing just a pinch over 1/2 inch a month.

[CurlyCurves]

Different people have different requirements. It's always good to listen to your body. I require a LOT of protein even when not working out intensely. I spent several years as a plant based vegan and it wasn't pretty. But others find that it is very health giving, at least for a period of time.

My entire being is better for a higher protein diet. YMMV!

I am talking as a general rule, for most people. It's one of the things people like to throw at me and other vegetarians. I'm just making the point that we don't, as a general rule, need TONS of protein.

As you said, everyone is different. I am not disputing that. But also, like I said, you can get protein from lots of different, non meat based sources.

If you do better on a meat protein based diet, that is your personal body and not a general rule. The person I quoted mentioned only eating meat (which she said she struggles with) for protein. I was just pointing out she can get more than enough protein from other sources :)

[firegypsy]

agree to disagree. :)

[Silverbrumby]

My bff has been on a strict veg. diet for over 20 years. She has beautiful butt length shining flowing hair.

[Kerrilynn]

Hello all! I just fell upon this topic! I have a mitochondrial disease that affects my muscles and metabolism as well as a rare genetic connective tissue disease (Ehlers Danlos Syndrome) that really affects my muscles and fatigue. I take supplements (under a dr's supervision) as well as Whey Protein. I get mine from the grocery store currently. I get vanilla flavor and make a smoothie out of it. One way I use it with some ice, the protein powder, 2tbsp of cocoa powder, some stevia, green superfood powder (I forget the brand), and 8oz of almond milk. It comes out tasting like a yummy chocolate shake. Another way I do it is with frozen fruit. I use either almond or coconut milk made for drinking, coconut water (GREAT for hydration) or other juice, toss in a banana, some frozen peaches, mangos, and blueberries, with the protein powder and greed superfood powder. Very yummy. It's basically my lunch. I have problems with severe fatigue and muscle weakness and this has made a HUGE difference. I started doing yoga a few times a week and instead of wanting to crash afterwards, I feel pretty good. Still somewhat sore and feeling some muscle fatigue, but it's the normal kind of soreness and fatigue from the workout. I've been doing this for about a yea and my hair has definitely grown!

Other options to get extra protein for vegans are Soy Proteins, Pea protein, hemp protein, and brown rice protein. I personally haven't tried them because I tolerate the whey protein just fine. I prefere Whole Foods 365 brand, but I don't always get a chance to get to whole foods, so stop n stop "equate" brand has been working ok for me, though I found it's a bit "dustier" than the other kind. I also order from Vitacost.com for a lot of my supplements and I really like their BioChem Sports Whey Protein Powder, it comes in the basic vanilla, choc, and strawberry I believe. I really like the Sequal Vega Natural Support mixes, but they are REALLY expensive. Whole foods has single servings for sale for about $1-2 each so that you can try them before buying the big containers, which is awesome, but they are still expensive when you are on a tight budget.

[Astraea]

I really like the Sequal Vega Natural Support mixes, but they are REALLY expensive. Whole foods has single servings for sale for about $1-2 each so that you can try them before buying the big containers, which is awesome, but they are still expensive when you are on a tight budget.

@Kerrilynn - glad whey and yoga are working well for you!

I just bought the Vega 1-svg sample the other day ($2.50+) in chocolate. It's pea protein, savi protein, hemp and brown rice protein, flax and chicory root for fiber and a mix of greens. It has 100cal, 3g fat, 9g carbs (7g fiber) and is dairy, gluten & soy free, on the front and back of the package ; )

I'll see how it goes. Hopefully protein, not only whey only, is the common growth denominator.

[SerinaDaith]

Thank you for posting this! I am still nursing so I am always looking for ways to increase protein without having to eat more meat and I can only have so much cheese and peanut butter each day before I can't take it any more!

[cherry blossom]

To OP and everyone else for the wealth of information shared in this thread..
Thanks on my behalf too - Another nursing mom here, struggling with post partum hairloss. especially with vegetarian diet.
Now, I will add this stuff to my morning smoothie, and hope to save my balding temples..:cheese:

[SerinaDaith]

To OP and everyone else for the wealth of information shared in this thread..
Thanks on my behalf too - Another nursing mom here, struggling with post partum hairloss. especially with vegetarian diet.
Now, I will add this stuff to my morning smoothie, and hope to save my balding temples..:cheese:
Make sure you are still on prenatals if you are nursing!

[Kerrilynn]

Hello all! I just fell upon this topic! I have a mitochondrial disease that affects my muscles and metabolism as well as a rare genetic connective tissue disease (Ehlers Danlos Syndrome) that really affects my muscles and fatigue. I take supplements (under a dr's supervision) as well as Whey Protein. I get mine from the grocery store currently. I get vanilla flavor and make a smoothie out of it. One way I use it with some ice, the protein powder, 2tbsp of cocoa powder, some stevia, green superfood powder (I forget the brand), and 8oz of almond milk. It comes out tasting like a yummy chocolate shake. Another way I do it is with frozen fruit. I use either almond or coconut milk made for drinking, coconut water (GREAT for hydration) or other juice, toss in a banana, some frozen peaches, mangos, and blueberries, with the protein powder and greed superfood powder. Very yummy. It's basically my lunch. I have problems with severe fatigue and muscle weakness and this has made a HUGE difference. I started doing yoga a few times a week and instead of wanting to crash afterwards, I feel pretty good. Still somewhat sore and feeling some muscle fatigue, but it's the normal kind of soreness and fatigue from the workout. I've been doing this for about a yea and my hair has definitely grown!

Other options to get extra protein for vegans are Soy Proteins, Pea protein, hemp protein, and brown rice protein. I personally haven't tried them because I tolerate the whey protein just fine. I prefere Whole Foods 365 brand, but I don't always get a chance to get to whole foods, so stop n stop "equate" brand has been working ok for me, though I found it's a bit "dustier" than the other kind. I also order from Vitacost.com for a lot of my supplements and I really like their BioChem Sports Whey Protein Powder, it comes in the basic vanilla, choc, and strawberry I believe. I really like the Sequal Vega Natural Support mixes, but they are REALLY expensive. Whole foods has single servings for sale for about $1-2 each so that you can try them before buying the big containers, which is awesome, but they are still expensive when you are on a tight budget.

[Kerrilynn]

Oops, my reply posted twice! I don't think I can delete them. Could an admit delete the second one for me?

Astraea, let me know how you like it? Vitacost.com has the Vega line of nutritional powders at a cheaper price than what you would pay for in a store. It's also where I get my CoQ-10, B Complex, and other vitamins and supplements.

[leslissocool]

Make sure you are still on prenatals if you are nursing!

I take prenatal now, my doctor told me to stay on them because they have more iron and I am anemic.

[Avital88]

i started taking whey around 2 weeks ago, my hair is growing really fast!

[skyblue]

This is interesting! I wanted to try protein drinks myself for the extra help with muscle mass I work in produce and some of the product is really heavy and at my age I'm losing a little more muscle mass every year so yeah I may give the whey protein a try and if it helps with hair growth, well then thats a wonderful benefit!!

[swearnsue]

This is interesting! I wanted to try protein drinks myself for the extra help with muscle mass I work in produce and some of the product is really heavy and at my age I'm losing a little more muscle mass every year so yeah I may give the whey protein a try and if it helps with hair growth, well then thats a wonderful benefit!!

Whey protein is supposed to help with muscle soreness too, so after a day of heavy lifting the whey protein should help you feel better and recover your energy level.

[Astraea]

Astraea, let me know how you like it? Vitacost.com has the Vega line of nutritional powders at a cheaper price than what you would pay for in a store. It's also where I get my CoQ-10, B Complex, and other vitamins and supplements.

I definitely will, I'm trying today! The Vega site and Lucky Vitamin has it discounted too but Vitacost also has better shipping:) - so tks for the heads up!

[SurferB]

I'm doing grass fed whey, undenatured protein. It's working wonders for making my hair strong.

[Silverbrumby]

The Whey seemed to help with my energy levels at Disneyland during summer vacation. It was packed. I'm staying on it as I like the flavor and it won't hurt to get more protein.

[bunzfan]

I'm doing my best not to really check my growth but 2 weeks a go it was firmly just waist and now i look to be a inch away from hip on wavy oiled hair , when i say checking i brush my hair because wavy makes it slightly shorter. I have been drinking the Holland & Barrett chocolate one 1-2 times a day.

[skyblue]

Whey protein is supposed to help with muscle soreness too, so after a day of heavy lifting the whey protein should help you feel better and recover your energy level.

Really!!! This is sounding better and better!! Next chance I get I'm off to the health food store!! :cheese:

[Allychan]

I just bought some to drink after my weight training sessions. Gee I hope it does help with the hair growth too, I've still got heaps of damage to grow out and goals to meet:)

[firegypsy]

I'm doing grass fed whey, undenatured protein. It's working wonders for making my hair strong.


that's what I'm using too.

[Wildcat Diva]

that's what I'm using too.
I'll ask, which brand and where'd ya get it?

I just bought a small four pack of the muscle milk, but it's expensive of course. I bought a powder mix from Walgreens, but it's probably cruddy quality. I'll use it up, but that won't take long either.

[firegypsy]

I'll ask, which brand and where'd ya get it?

I just bought a small four pack of the muscle milk, but it's expensive of course. I bought a powder mix from Walgreens, but it's probably cruddy quality. I'll use it up, but that won't take long either.


it's the Designs for Health Paleomeal. It's one of my favorite companies and they did a great job on this one!

http://patient.designsforhealth.com/PaleoMeal-Powder-Vanilla-540

[blaketob]

hmm.. this whole threads really interesting. I'm quite nervous to use it though. For people who don't work out daily and use it do you gain weight? (I'm very weight conscious and I'd hate to start gaining weight). Also do you get stomach aches easily? I have a sensitive digestive system so I'm just being paranoid lol. Other than these concerns, maybe I'll give it a try depending on what people tell me :)

[Wildcat Diva]

it's the Designs for Health Paleomeal. It's one of my favorite companies and they did a great job on this one!

http://patient.designsforhealth.com/PaleoMeal-Powder-Vanilla-540

Looks great! I like the focus on the natural and no hormones for the cows. It looks like about 16 servings for $48, so that's around $3 per serving? Does that seem right?

[firegypsy]

I'd say that's accurate. I think the chocolate comes in a larger size but the vanilla and strawberry that's correct.

[Tia2010]

I add it to my smoothies if I don't want a shake.

Just a warning: Make sure it's clean protein and don't use to much because it can effect your kidneys. A lot of the marketed drinks are filled with mostly sugar,crap and dirty protein..not even worth it!

My son had to go to the emergency room because he was in so much pain and his doc said it was caused from him overdoing the protein! His kidneys were working too hard because of it. So be careful.

[Silverbrumby]

I add it to my smoothies if I don't want a shake.

Just a warning: Make sure it's clean protein and don't use to much because it can effect your kidneys. A lot of the marketed drinks are filled with mostly sugar,crap and dirty protein..not even worth it!

My son had to go to the emergency room because he was in so much pain and his doc said it was caused from him overdoing the protein! His kidneys were working too hard because of it. So be careful.

I only buy organic from a great supermarket near me called "Good Earth". It's a small local place that tries for all the best organic products. $14.95 for a container.

[McFearless]

For those in Canada, well.ca sells whey protein on sale right now for 13$ with free shipping. I've ordered some myself and will post any results I get. I've been cutting my hair frequently lately and would like to get back to waist! Hopefully this gives me a boost.

[CurlyCurves]

hmm.. this whole threads really interesting. I'm quite nervous to use it though. For people who don't work out daily and use it do you gain weight? (I'm very weight conscious and I'd hate to start gaining weight). Also do you get stomach aches easily? I have a sensitive digestive system so I'm just being paranoid lol. Other than these concerns, maybe I'll give it a try depending on what people tell me :)

Surplus calories make you gain weight, not any specific food group ;)

[blaketob]

Lol very good point!

[CurlyCurves]

Lol very good point!

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

[Wildcat Diva]

I add it to my smoothies if I don't want a shake.

Just a warning: Make sure it's clean protein and don't use to much because it can effect your kidneys. A lot of the marketed drinks are filled with mostly sugar,crap and dirty protein..not even worth it!

My son had to go to the emergency room because he was in so much pain and his doc said it was caused from him overdoing the protein! His kidneys were working too hard because of it. So be careful.

Yes, It's good to be careful. I don't think I am able to remember/ afford to do this every day, so no worries for me! We should all be drinking plenty of water though. My husband did Adkins a few years ago and had kidney stones from not drinking enough water with all the protein he was eating. Course it was not whey protein, though.

[SurferB]

hmm.. this whole threads really interesting. I'm quite nervous to use it though. For people who don't work out daily and use it do you gain weight? (I'm very weight conscious and I'd hate to start gaining weight). Also do you get stomach aches easily? I have a sensitive digestive system so I'm just being paranoid lol. Other than these concerns, maybe I'll give it a try depending on what people tell me :)

My significant other has the same issue with his GI tract ever since he was born. He doesn't have an issue with whey from grass fed, range free cows. But, whenever he gets whey shakes from regular stores, he always bloats like a prego lady haha. I suggest doing grass fed whey. It's the cows natural diet, so it's going to be the most healthy for you.

[Silverbrumby]

I have been doing monistat for months now and it's helped with the thickness of each strand and less shedding but did nothing for the growth rate.

And

I've been on whey now for 3 1/2 weeks. Today I had the DH measure my hair and it appears to have grown 3/4 of a inch in that time. My normal rate is 1/2. This might be a fluk or growth spurt. I don't know. BUT I'm over the moon with 3/4 of an inch in less than 4 weeks. I could also see it was longer when down. Happy girl.

Thanks for starting the tread. I never would have tried it without it.

p.s. I've swapped out to Everstrong by L'Oreal and my hair seems to love it. The frizz is almost gone in the photo below. I'm enjoying it while it lasts. OR maybe my hair routine is finally making a difference after a year of trial and error.

[carolinaberry]

So, what were the nutritional supplemental powders you can add to this to make it a meal replacement. I am asking because the shakes I make make me feel so full for so long. I've made myself eat today too, since I know the one I bought (Body Fortress Super Advanced Whey Protein) isn't made to be a replacement, but man I feel over-full.

ETA: I really hope these make me healthier overall. I don't know if my body will "adjust" to them and go back to "normal"...but for the 2 days I've done the shakes, I have completely eliminated snacking (and I am a frequent snacker) and I have replaced 2 servings of soda per day with a shake (so the calories should be balanced out).

[bunzfan]

hmm.. this whole threads really interesting. I'm quite nervous to use it though. For people who don't work out daily and use it do you gain weight? (I'm very weight conscious and I'd hate to start gaining weight). Also do you get stomach aches easily? I have a sensitive digestive system so I'm just being paranoid lol. Other than these concerns, maybe I'll give it a try depending on what people tell me :)

Just to let you know my digestive troubles have actually improved since i started drinking them:D i have been battling crippling stomach pains after food for 12 years.

[leslissocool]

So, what were the nutritional supplemental powders you can add to this to make it a meal replacement. I am asking because the shakes I make make me feel so full for so long. I've made myself eat today too, since I know the one I bought (Body Fortress Super Advanced Whey Protein) isn't made to be a replacement, but man I feel over-full.

ETA: I really hope these make me healthier overall. I don't know if my body will "adjust" to them and go back to "normal"...but for the 2 days I've done the shakes, I have completely eliminated snacking (and I am a frequent snacker) and I have replaced 2 servings of soda per day with a shake (so the calories should be balanced out).

I drink that one, it's so filling mostly because it's on the higher dose side. Do you work out? take it after, it will help with recovery and soreness.

Protein keeps you full! I have to eat a lot of protein or become severely anemic (I take Iron and B12 supplements too), and it does get to the point where you really don't want to eat that much. I suggest you don't put banana or high calorie stuff on it ( milk or things like peanut butter).

For people drinking, remember that for mass gain you add high calorie food. So if you drink it and put a banana and peanut butter in it, you'll gain mass (weight). Mine has that written on the box, people who diet should drink it with fat free milk/ unsweetened almond or coconut milk or just water. I do put berries on mine in the morning, I need the glucose.

[carolinaberry]

I drink that one, it's so filling mostly because it's on the higher dose side. Do you work out? take it after, it will help with recovery and soreness.

Protein keeps you full! I have to eat a lot of protein or become severely anemic (I take Iron and B12 supplements too), and it does get to the point where you really don't want to eat that much. I suggest you don't put banana or high calorie stuff on it ( milk or things like peanut butter).

For people drinking, remember that for mass gain you add high calorie food. So if you drink it and put a banana and peanut butter in it, you'll gain mass (weight). Mine has that written on the box, people who diet should drink it with fat free milk/ unsweetened almond or coconut milk or just water. I do put berries on mine in the morning, I need the glucose.

Thanks...I have just mixed it with fat-free milk-which adds about 90 more calories per serving. Together they are still lower-caloried than a serving of soda, which is what I am replacing. But, didn't someone mention super-food or something you can add in there. Because making myself eat on top of the shakes is uncomfortable.

ETA-I do some strength training (light) and am planning to add some elliptical sessions to that. I can't do high impact.

[MoonLover]

I drink that one, it's so filling mostly because it's on the higher dose side. Do you work out? take it after, it will help with recovery and soreness.

Protein keeps you full! I have to eat a lot of protein or become severely anemic (I take Iron and B12 supplements too), and it does get to the point where you really don't want to eat that much. I suggest you don't put banana or high calorie stuff on it ( milk or things like peanut butter).

For people drinking, remember that for mass gain you add high calorie food. So if you drink it and put a banana and peanut butter in it, you'll gain mass (weight). Mine has that written on the box, people who diet should drink it with fat free milk/ unsweetened almond or coconut milk or just water. I do put berries on mine in the morning, I need the glucose.

I make my whey shakes with almond milk, almond butter and a banana or two. I haven't been working out much but I also haven't gained any weight.

[carolinaberry]

I'm not drinking these for weight loss or hair-growth per se, but I am hoping the added protein will make my hair healthier and help stop the shed I've been experiencing. I do like that it seems it will help stop my snacking, so if I were to lose a few pounds, I wouldn't complain. I just realized that while I do include lean meat in most of the meals I prepare, I eat much smaller portions of meat than anything else. I'm not sure if I'm protein deficient or not, but I figured I would try these and see if I feel better/healthier. It is probably in my head, but I view the liquid protein as being more easily absorbed for some reason.

[Silverbrumby]

I make my whey shakes with almond milk, almond butter and a banana or two. I haven't been working out much but I also haven't gained any weight.

If anything I'm eating less but better quality food since starting the Whey. I feel fuller, more mellow and not carb. frantic which can happen on occasions.

When hiking with a girlfriend I hadn't seen in 3 weeks and she said "Wow, you're hair suddenly looks longer". Not as long as her hip length to die for hair but still, I was doing the happy dance.

[swearnsue]

carolinaberry, I know what you mean about the liquid protein feels like it's easier to digest. I find that I give the larger portions of meat to my husband and the meat I do eat is not always easy to chew so I don't feel like I'm able to absorb all the protein out of it. I don't know if that makes sense? But when I have just a half portion size or less of whey protein I feel like I get more out of it than beef or pork.

[firegypsy]

that's interesting. I'm the opposite. I do much better with meat than with protein shakes.

[AutumnLocks]

I wonder if it is the increased protein intake that helps the growth. I am loosing weight in preparation for weight loss surgery and have ordered some milk and egg protein. Expecting it to be delivered today. When I use the last of the milk and egg I will get some whey to try it out. After reading these other posts I'm looking forward getting started on the protein shakes now!

[leslissocool]

Whey protein is a fast acting protein, it gets digested and absorbed faster. Egg whites are that way too.

meat is very slow to metabolize, it doesn't release the protein until after digestion. It should be in the article linked, but you can look it up online difference between fast acting and low acting protein. Low acting protein has higher fat content, think red meat, turkey, chicken and fish (anything with omega 3 really, and the yellow part of the egg). Fat is slow to break down.

[firegypsy]

yup, and as a fast metabolizer I need the slow to break down stuff. I do best with fatty red meat, no question.

[leslissocool]

yup, and as a fast metabolizer I need the slow to break down stuff. I do best with fatty red meat, no question.

My sons are like that too, which makes really good sense :ponder:, I have a very slow metabolism naturally (it's fast now because of weight lifting and plyo, but when I don't work out I have a very slow one) and I do really good with egg whites. I eat up to 8 of them at the time and can feel the energy instantly. they tend to stick to fatty meats and cheeses.

Off topic, but do you sweat a lot during your sleep?

[firegypsy]

I do not. Dh does. :rolleyes:

My metabolism itself isn't fast, it's more about how I break food down. The best way I've seen it explained is the metabolic typing diet. I am not a huge fan of "diets" but it explained why I feel the way I do when I eat certain things.

If I start my day with carbs or lighter proteins I feel like I'm going to die and I gain weight easily. If I start with heavy proteins I feel amazing, clear and drop weight. I do best low carb anyway, but even in the context of lowish carb I need high fat/high purine meats.

[carolinaberry]

carolinaberry, I know what you mean about the liquid protein feels like it's easier to digest. I find that I give the larger portions of meat to my husband and the meat I do eat is not always easy to chew so I don't feel like I'm able to absorb all the protein out of it. I don't know if that makes sense? But when I have just a half portion size or less of whey protein I feel like I get more out of it than beef or pork.

I have a very sluggish digestive system...so any nutrition I can get that is liquid I feel is helpful.

[bunzfan]

Just to let you know about this, i spoke to a chemist yesterday and she warned to be careful because these drinks make your kidneys and liver work much harder so i'm going to drink 1 again instead of 2 a day.

[firegypsy]

Just to let you know about this, i spoke to a chemist yesterday and she warned to be careful because these drinks make your kidneys and liver work much harder so i'm going to drink 1 again instead of 2 a day.

:confused: whey protein has been used for a long time to help the liver. whey allows the body to recycle glutathione and therefore spare the liver.

[bunzfan]

:confused: whey protein has been used for a long time to help the liver. whey allows the body to recycle glutathione and therefore spare the liver.


Hmm thats strange i think some further research is in order. I just found this http://www.galloinstitute.org/dealing-with-side-effects-of-protein-shake/ maybe she meant if you drink to many of them.

[swearnsue]

I usually take half of any recommended supplement or vitamin. Except vitamin D because my Dr. said I was low in it so I take 2000mg of that. Even my pain meds I cut in half. My SpiruTein and Whey smoothies I don't drink every day but when I make them I use less than the full scoop recommended. It's my theory that almost everything takes energy to digest so I take enough to thrive and keep my immune system strong (and hair growing too of course) but not too much of anything. Something advertised today as being the best food in the world will be found to have problems in 10 years from now. This is what works for me, an older mostly inactive woman. If I was young and in weight training, or pregnant, or recovering from an illness, then things would be different because my needs would be different.

[firegypsy]

That is possible as most things in excess are problematic but wow, that's a terrible article! (nothing against you-you didn't write it!)

[firegypsy]

Something advertised today as being the best food in the world will be found to have problems in 10 years from now.
ain't that the truth!

[SurferB]

Buzfan-- It's also good for the heart. But, with protein, you need more water to get the nitrogen bonds out. That's what she was talking about. Having too much protein can be hard on your kidneys, and bones. You need around the right amount for your activity level, weight, age.

This is why people with dialysis, need to have an exact amount of protein per day or their kidneys could shut down.

[CurlyMopTop]

As far as I know, dialysis is not a condition. It's a treatment for people who have already lost kidney function. It's used as a treatment until a replacement kidney can be found. My mother was on dialysis a couple of different times before she passed away (diabetes). Once when her kidneys failed, then again when the transplanted kidney failed. Definitely no fun. I have to agree that most things are fine in moderation, but anyone with concerns should talk it over with their doctor. :D I also add a scoop of whey protein to my smoothies. I drink one every couple of days or so. I don't work out, but add a scoop to make my smoothie a meal. It's just an easy way for me to make sure I get all of my dark greens every week. :D

[firegypsy]

I don't think surferB was saying it was...just using it as an example.