Protein is the building blocks of muscle, which is why it is essential for body builders and for individuals who want to maintain muscle while training or doing sports.

It would be difficult to eat food that would contain the required amount of protein, as you would need to eat a lot of food. Protein supplements are nutrient dense, and contains more nutrition, especially protein, per serving.

However, Protein is expensive – and it is big business!

Gym supplement companies may be understating protein content on their labels, which means that you may be paying more for less protein.

For food high in muscle building proteins, please read “Eat to grow muscle”

Lucky, the supplements have been tested to see if they comply with legal requirements of labeling.

• For protein less than 10g/100g of supplement, the margin error is ±2 g
• For protein more than 10g/100g of supplement, the margin error is ±25%

It is fair to say that manufacturers cannot predict the quality of the protein from their sources, I would think it is impossible, and they have to go by what their suppliers claims. However, with so much money being invested in getting these products out there, they should have their products tested and labeling adjusted.

Here is a list of branded protein / bulking supplements and their protein content so that you may check to see if you are getting what you really pay for.

Remember that these figures should be taken in context of price, what else has been added to the supplements, and if the percentage is really relevant to the actual amount consumed per serving (Is 1g relevant even if it is 10%, for example).

However, it should also be questioned that if the protein is grossly understated, what else is understated or exaggerated.

One solution to this confusion and uncertainty is to cover your bases. Instead of taking one brand, take 2 or 3 similar products from different manufacturers during the day, or throughout the week.

I wouldn’t recommend blending them together in one serving, just take a different product at different times of the day, and mix them up.