Exercising regularly and eating right are great ways to stay in shape, but there is another route: protein shakes or supplements.
Commercial protein supplements can consist of several things, including whey, casein, soy, egg albumin, goat or cow milk and more.  These supplements also come in several different forms such as isolates (a pure protein source), concentrates (not as pure as the isolate form), hydrolysates (which are chemically digested resulting in a product that is quickly absorbed) and blends (a combination of various protein sources and purity levels). Supplements can be in the form of ready-to-drink shakes, bars, bites, oats and gels and powders, and come in a variety of flavors.
Overall, proteins provide a great benefit on physical activity and health.  In one study, 33 percent of healthy male U.S. Marines consuming these proteins were found to have fewer total medical visits.  There were also 28 percent fewer visits due to infections, 37 percent fewer visits due to muscular or joint problems and 83 percent fewer visits from heat exhaustion.  It has also been noted that protein, in the right mixtures, can help to reduce blood pressure in people who are categorized as overweight.
However, it is also important to point out the ingredients of many of these mixes.  Because of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), protein supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  This means that supplement manufacturers do not need to register these products with the FDA, and, therefore, do not need their approval before producing or selling dietary supplements.  Because of this lack of information made available, it could lead to instances of contamination, such as a case in 2010 when two protein supplements contains unwanted levels of lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic.
Ronald Zaleski, Biology major at UW-La Crosse, commented, “I choose not to use protein shakes or supplements because I don’t know what it is in them.  I would rather stick to running and eating the right foods then messing with chemicals that I do not have enough information on.”
The recommended daily intake of protein is around 0.75 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, which estimates to an average of 45 to 56 grams a day.  However, overdosing on protein intakes can cause of large buildup of toxins in the body.  When one’s kidneys are working to remove these, they can lose a large amount of water, leading to high levels of dehydration, causing weakness, dizziness, bad breath and other health problems.
Protein supplements for healthy, noncompetitive adults in recreational sports are usually not required.  If one is an active individual, using protein supplements will hurt more than help due to the large excess of calories added.  Athletes and vegetarians are different, however, as their lifestyle may require these extra supplements.  Athletes, especially those who train with weights and burn large amounts of calories from cardiovascular and aerobic training, may require additional supplements.  However, this extra protein can always be easily obtained through a proper diet, thereby removing the need for supplements.