0:00:15 > 0:00:17I'm training to run a marathon and it's going to be tough.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20So, I need to be as fit and strong as possible.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22A lot of people have told me about the need to take
0:00:22 > 0:00:23protein supplements.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25Not just to build up my muscle,
0:00:25 > 0:00:28but to help my muscles repair as quickly as they can.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30So, do I take supplements or not?
0:00:35 > 0:00:37I want to be fitter, I want to be more athletic.
0:00:37 > 0:00:38I want to be stronger.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48It's a multibillion-dollar industry.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00Anything with protein written on it will sell.
0:01:07 > 0:01:08Work out, take protein,
0:01:08 > 0:01:11don't eat carbohydrates, you will look like an Adonis.
0:01:11 > 0:01:12That was my thinking.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18# You can't get enough! #
0:01:19 > 0:01:22The amount of protein supplements people have been buying
0:01:22 > 0:01:24has been growing massively in the last few years.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27I get what it does, it builds and repairs muscle.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30But some dieticians argue that people just aren't taking it right.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39- Ali?- Hi, how you doing?- Hi. Good to see you.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41Nice to put a name to the face, how you doing?
0:01:41 > 0:01:45- Thanks for having us here.- Yeah. - So, how's work going for you, then?
0:01:45 > 0:01:48You know, the 9-5 life, I guess. Started in September.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51To be honest, at the beginning, it was overwhelming
0:01:51 > 0:01:54just going from university to working day in, day out, 9-5.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56But plenty of banter going around.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59So, you know, it's just a nice place to be, really.
0:01:59 > 0:02:05So, talk to me about what made you start wanting to bulk so quickly?
0:02:05 > 0:02:07I've always thought in the back of my head
0:02:07 > 0:02:09that I need to put on some weight at some point.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11My mum's always harking on to me, she's like,
0:02:11 > 0:02:13every time I go home, "Oh, Ali, you're really thin.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15"You're not eating," this, that. You know what?
0:02:15 > 0:02:17I need to put on a little bit of weight now.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20My friends were a big factor when it came to going to the gym.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22And I'd seen that they'd had some good results.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25And they were taking protein, so, for me, it was, like,
0:02:25 > 0:02:27I'm going all in.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29Like, I'm not just going to join the gym.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31I'm not just going to start running,
0:02:31 > 0:02:34I'm not just going to start doing one day of badminton a week.
0:02:34 > 0:02:35I'm going all in.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37You bought the biggest bag possible.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40Yeah, I threw the kitchen sink at it. Literally, yeah.
0:02:40 > 0:02:41The biggest bag possible.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45So, how much protein are you taking every day?
0:02:45 > 0:02:50I'm taking about, sort of, 50-60g or so in the morning.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53Um, with breakfast. Just as a protein shake in the morning.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57And then, after my workout in the evening, erm...
0:02:57 > 0:03:01So, basically, two protein shakes a day, about 50-60g each.
0:03:01 > 0:03:06So, about 100 or so grams. That's just in protein powder, then.
0:03:06 > 0:03:11But then, also what I did was I went from eating 2-3 meals a day
0:03:11 > 0:03:15to, sort of, four/sometimes even five meals a day.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20So, around 120g of protein supplements a day,
0:03:20 > 0:03:23costing around £60 a month.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25But how does he know that's the right amount for him?
0:03:39 > 0:03:42You said this is just an experiment for you. Are lots of people
0:03:42 > 0:03:45you know also experimenting with protein like this?
0:03:45 > 0:03:46If I'm honest,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49I wouldn't say anyone really knows how much they should be taking.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51It's just word-of-mouth, really.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53You see how much your friend's taking,
0:03:53 > 0:03:54you'll take roughly that much.
0:03:54 > 0:03:59I want my mental perception of myself to be better.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03People that I speak to, 100, 150g isn't massive.
0:04:03 > 0:04:04It's pretty much the norm.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06But I know people who are taking way more.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10And I ask them, "Why are you taking so much more?" And they're like...
0:04:10 > 0:04:11"No idea!"
0:04:11 > 0:04:14I think definitely the protein is making a difference.
0:04:14 > 0:04:19Like, it has to be, because... Well, it better be because I paid money!
0:04:19 > 0:04:22Are people needlessly just buying into a trend?
0:04:22 > 0:04:26Or are people actually doing themselves some harm?
0:04:26 > 0:04:27We need a scientist.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36What the protein is doing is when we digest and absorb it,
0:04:36 > 0:04:39it's broken down into its amino acids.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42Them amino acids will do two things,
0:04:42 > 0:04:46will stimulate the muscle to grow, but will also provide them
0:04:46 > 0:04:50actual building blocks to actually be incorporated in the muscle.
0:04:50 > 0:04:51To grow new muscle tissue.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55We know that as an athlete or anyone involved in training,
0:04:55 > 0:04:58we'd probably need a little more protein than a regular person.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02The best way, in my opinion, to do this, is by food.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04But the supplements can be a convenience
0:05:04 > 0:05:06if you're not able to do it.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08It's a multibillion-dollar industry.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12And because of that, a lot of people are being advised to take it,
0:05:12 > 0:05:13not because they need it,
0:05:13 > 0:05:16but because there's a fast buck to be made upon it.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19And just because you've got a celebrity who may have lost
0:05:19 > 0:05:21a little bit of weight or gained a bit of muscle mass,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24this doesn't suddenly turn them into an expert.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27They may have got rid of a cold but they're not a doctor.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31So, these celebrities often try and push it for an ulterior motive.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35And my concern is initially that we're taking away hard-earned money
0:05:35 > 0:05:38from people and wasting the money.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40We've brought Ali to Liverpool
0:05:40 > 0:05:42to see if his supplement regime is working.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45So, we're putting him on something called a DEXA scanner,
0:05:45 > 0:05:48which counts how much of Ali's body is muscle.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50Height is 184.1.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03You're going to lie down again and this is one that's going to measure
0:06:03 > 0:06:04your resting metabolic rate,
0:06:04 > 0:06:07so we can calculate your energy expenditure.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11The world of the selfie.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16Now, Ali's going to go cold turkey on protein supplements
0:06:16 > 0:06:17for six weeks.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21Instead, Prof Close has asked him to eat a similar amount of food
0:06:21 > 0:06:23but crucially, spread out throughout the day.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26People think that you can take a protein supplement
0:06:26 > 0:06:29and suddenly, you'll look like this competition bodybuilder,
0:06:29 > 0:06:32or this Men's Health cover model.
0:06:32 > 0:06:33Couldn't be further from the truth.
0:06:33 > 0:06:38To get that increase in muscle mass involves really hard training,
0:06:38 > 0:06:40consistent training.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42A really good diet and a consistent diet,
0:06:42 > 0:06:45and thinking that you're going to do it from a supplement,
0:06:45 > 0:06:46you're just kidding yourself.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Meanwhile, across the other side of Liverpool,
0:06:48 > 0:06:51we're in a BodyPump class to chat with some women
0:06:51 > 0:06:54about how popular protein supplements are with them.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09It seems to be really common now, more and more people,
0:07:09 > 0:07:12more and more women taking protein supplements.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14- Have you guys noticed that? - Yeah, it's everywhere.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16Everywhere that you look!
0:07:16 > 0:07:19Even if you walk around the gym, you can see the vending machine
0:07:19 > 0:07:22downstairs that has ready-made protein shakes for you to take.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24Yeah, people take them all the time.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26There's loads of, like, everyday products
0:07:26 > 0:07:28that they're putting added protein into now.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30Like, protein Weetabix and protein pasta.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34I just think it's a trendy thing to try and push extra protein
0:07:34 > 0:07:35into every item of your diet.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37Oh, yeah, definitely, it's everywhere.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40I mean, even on the ads, it's all about protein.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42I think it's a bit ridiculous because
0:07:42 > 0:07:44I don't think you should have added supplements in your diet,
0:07:44 > 0:07:47but I think if you do go to the gym a lot, you will need it.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49But I don't think you should have it as, like,
0:07:49 > 0:07:51a supplement for something else.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56- Use it as a supplement, not a replacement?- Yeah, exactly.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59I think a lot of the times, it's a case of all the gear and no idea!
0:07:59 > 0:08:01They just...
0:08:01 > 0:08:03They buy these shakes, they drink them and have no idea why,
0:08:03 > 0:08:05but they think it's a great idea.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07Yeah, they think they're just going to end up
0:08:07 > 0:08:09- the place where they want to be. - I will...!
0:08:09 > 0:08:10Yeah, take loads of protein.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15Ellie's taking us training near Liverpool's waterfront.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32My average week, like, I might do some boxing,
0:08:32 > 0:08:36I might do some BodyPump. Maybe spin, maybe go for a run in the sun.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38And then I'll always make sure I have one rest day,
0:08:38 > 0:08:39so that I can repair.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42I think people are just getting on the protein trend.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44And then it will be something else next week or something.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46So, you think it's almost like a fashion?
0:08:46 > 0:08:48Yeah, I think it is a fashion, definitely.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50Because everything's got protein in it now.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52Like, protein cookies, protein pancakes.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55Everything that's seen as bad it's got protein in it,
0:08:55 > 0:08:58so it's seen as better because it's got protein in it.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00I don't know why, but...
0:09:00 > 0:09:03What type of stuff have you seen on Instagram, of celebrities, you know,
0:09:03 > 0:09:05pushing protein, what have you seen?
0:09:05 > 0:09:09Well, I've just seen loads of celebrities posting pictures
0:09:09 > 0:09:11of weird protein shakes and being like,
0:09:11 > 0:09:15"Oh, this is my new protein that I use."
0:09:15 > 0:09:18And then post the link to it and then a discount or something,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21so it makes you want to get it more, because it's a discount.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24I think that women do feel the pressure more because people,
0:09:24 > 0:09:27like, post things with unrealistic expectations.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31So, girls who are quite vulnerable see them and then kind of assume,
0:09:31 > 0:09:33"Oh, I need to be like that."
0:09:33 > 0:09:35I've got a good head and I'm not trapped in a false reality,
0:09:35 > 0:09:37so I know what's real and what's not.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39Just cos a celebrity is saying do something
0:09:39 > 0:09:40doesn't mean you should do it.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43So, I kind of just...do my own thing.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Protein is now the fastest growing food supplement in the UK
0:09:47 > 0:09:51and though we get it delivered in shiny bottles to our doors,
0:09:51 > 0:09:53it's warehouses like this up and down the country
0:09:53 > 0:09:55that's where it's coming from.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07Trevor runs one of the UK's largest protein companies.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09I can remember being in college.
0:10:09 > 0:10:10And always looking round
0:10:10 > 0:10:13every single sports nutrition website to get my protein
0:10:13 > 0:10:16I used to take myself for the cheapest possible prices.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21Erm, when I did that, the lads in the rugby team got onto it, too.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24So, they'd be asking me to get them their protein.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27Then the PE teachers in school would ask me to get them.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29When I went to university,
0:10:29 > 0:10:33rugby teams from both the redbrick university and John Moores
0:10:33 > 0:10:36asking me to get their protein too, and it just grew and grew.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38I'd like to say we're the biggest retailer
0:10:38 > 0:10:40in the north-west of England.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42And possibly one of the biggest in the UK.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45Are you one of the country's protein kings, then?
0:10:45 > 0:10:48- I... - HE LAUGHS
0:10:48 > 0:10:50I'd never refer to myself as that, though.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55But we do sell quite a few tubs or two, yeah.
0:10:57 > 0:10:58What are the main problems you see,
0:10:58 > 0:11:02mistakes do you see out of how people take protein?
0:11:02 > 0:11:05We always recommend protein and everything I sell,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08they're supplements to a diet, they're not an existing diet.
0:11:08 > 0:11:13Protein is there to supplement your diet, not be a base of a diet.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17It's when you use it as a base of a diet with no other foods,
0:11:17 > 0:11:19vitamins, minerals, greens for example,
0:11:19 > 0:11:21that's when you can encounter problems.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23But do you feel bad selling it to them,
0:11:23 > 0:11:27when you know so many of them are taking it incorrectly?
0:11:27 > 0:11:29We can...
0:11:29 > 0:11:30We can advise the best way we can.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35I actually believe this industry should be regulated a lot more.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37I believe people should have qualifications.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40There's no point taking sports nutrition or protein supplements
0:11:40 > 0:11:43if your diet isn't on point first.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45- If you think of it like a pyramid. - Yeah.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48Diet, training, then your supplements and sports nutrition.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52Whereas some people have that the wrong way round, unfortunately.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58As I mentioned, I'm running the London Marathon.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01Some of the advice is to build up the amount of miles you do
0:12:01 > 0:12:04and never do the full 26 until race day.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06And also to take one of these,
0:12:06 > 0:12:08a protein shake to help your muscles recover
0:12:08 > 0:12:10as soon as you finish training.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Right now, I'm up to 16 or 17 miles
0:12:13 > 0:12:16compared to the two or three that I started out with.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18But how much of this is too much?
0:12:18 > 0:12:19And can it be dangerous?
0:12:26 > 0:12:30Have you heard about anyone who's had any really bad side-effects
0:12:30 > 0:12:33or health problems through taking too much protein?
0:12:33 > 0:12:36Too much? Personally, no.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40But when I used to do my studies with nutrition,
0:12:40 > 0:12:43it can be possible to have an effect on the kidneys.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45But it's very rare that you hear about it.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49I also think it's down to the person and how they metabolise the protein.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52So, I mean, everyone is made up differently.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55You know, you might be able to digest it a lot better than I can.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58But I think you have to listen to your body while you're taking it.
0:12:58 > 0:12:59If you respond well, then carry on.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01If you don't, then you know you will get side...
0:13:01 > 0:13:03If you know something is wrong, you're going to go to
0:13:03 > 0:13:06the doctor, aren't you? And they're going to test.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08But personally, I have never known it to happen.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10Would you say that the people in this gym,
0:13:10 > 0:13:12most of them take some form of protein?
0:13:12 > 0:13:15Yeah, I would say about 95%.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18You do get the odd one who's a bit sceptical about it.
0:13:19 > 0:13:20But, you know, they soon...
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Once they see other people taking it, they take it as well.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25- Do you take protein?- I do, yes.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27I definitely recommend if you weight train,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30your body is in demand for more protein to help recovery.
0:13:30 > 0:13:35How much of the gym's kind of business model is based on
0:13:35 > 0:13:37shifting supplements as well?
0:13:37 > 0:13:39- Is it a big bit?- I would say so.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42- About 60% of it.- Wow.
0:13:42 > 0:13:43Yeah, I'd say so.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45It works hand in hand, it's like...
0:13:45 > 0:13:48You know, gym, protein, it goes together!
0:13:49 > 0:13:51It does, yeah. It's a big industry.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Anything with "protein" written on it will sell.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Although it's pretty difficult to cause major health problems
0:13:58 > 0:14:00by taking too much synthetic protein,
0:14:00 > 0:14:04we've come to the gym to meet one man who took it to the extreme.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12- Joe.- Hello, mate.- Hi, mate. - Yeah, good to see you.
0:14:12 > 0:14:13Good to see you, you all right?
0:14:13 > 0:14:17- A couple of years ago, you wanted to get big.- Yes, so, I mean,
0:14:17 > 0:14:22the thing was that I'd always been, I suppose, fairly lean.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25And I wanted to put on a lot of muscle.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27You see these guys in the gym with huge muscles,
0:14:27 > 0:14:29and you read the fitness magazines and it says, OK,
0:14:29 > 0:14:33the thing I need to do is take loads of protein supplements.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36So, that's what I started doing, I basically upped my protein
0:14:36 > 0:14:40in my daily diet to probably about 250g a day.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Now, I think it you're recommended to take about 45-50g a day
0:14:43 > 0:14:44for an adult male.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47I thought that would translate into muscle.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50And the main thing is, because this is what it tells you,
0:14:50 > 0:14:52I suppose, in fitness magazines and stuff like that.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54Protein, protein, protein.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56Then one day last year,
0:14:56 > 0:15:00I woke up in the morning and couldn't stand up straight.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04I just had this crippling pain in my side.
0:15:04 > 0:15:05Literally bent double all day
0:15:05 > 0:15:08and the pain was just increasing all day.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10Got the train home, went straight into the emergency room,
0:15:10 > 0:15:13spent a few hours there in and out with doctors.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16They scanned me and told me that I had kidney stones.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20So, I was 28 at the time, and that's not usual.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24Your body can only process so much of one thing.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27But when you put too much into it, your body needs to get rid of it
0:15:27 > 0:15:30or in my case, is unable to get rid of it.
0:15:30 > 0:15:36At the time, you were taking up to 200g of protein supplements a day.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40Were you addicted to protein?
0:15:40 > 0:15:45I'm not sure I was addicted to the substance of powdered protein.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48Definitely addicted to the idea.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50I zealously thought,
0:15:50 > 0:15:55I absolutely religiously thought that work out, take protein,
0:15:55 > 0:15:57don't eat carbohydrates, you will look like an Adonis.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59That was my thinking and I ignored everything
0:15:59 > 0:16:01everyone else was saying to me.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03My mum, my mates, people down the gym, I just thought,
0:16:03 > 0:16:05"You don't know what you're talking about."
0:16:08 > 0:16:10Given everything that's happened,
0:16:10 > 0:16:12why have you still got a protein shake in your hand?
0:16:13 > 0:16:15It's part of the culture.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18Like, going to the gym and training and working out,
0:16:18 > 0:16:20thinking, "Yeah, I'm going to put on muscle,
0:16:20 > 0:16:23"yeah, I'm going to cut down," depending on the time of year it is.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25It's part of my life.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27What amazed me about meeting Joe
0:16:27 > 0:16:31is that despite all the hospital problems, the kidney stones,
0:16:31 > 0:16:34the sickness, he's still taking protein.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37He literally can't get away from the supplements.
0:16:43 > 0:16:48I actually don't think many people would harm themselves
0:16:48 > 0:16:49by taking too much protein.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53We have actually got quite a wide margin for error.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57I actually think the amount you would need to cause kidney problems
0:16:57 > 0:17:02is probably far in excess of what even most gym-goers will be taking.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08But what about if your job means you really do need to be big?
0:17:08 > 0:17:10Say, a professional bodybuilder, for example.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35- Scott?- Yes, mate, how you doing? - Hi, mate, Rick.
0:17:35 > 0:17:36- Good to meet you.- You too, mate.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38This is my off-season or bulking,
0:17:38 > 0:17:40depending if you're competing or not.
0:17:40 > 0:17:41So, yeah, basically,
0:17:41 > 0:17:45it's just the time I try and put as much size on as possible.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48Right, so talk me through how you're building up your size.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50Talk me through the numbers of protein a day.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53So, the main thing is, like you said, my food intake.
0:17:53 > 0:17:58So, at the moment, I'm probably on about 5-6,000 calories a day.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03Hitting...5-600g of carbs a day.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06About 250-300g of protein.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09It's quite a lot of food you've got to get in to put the size on.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12- So, 300g of protein.- Yes.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14How much of that's coming from supplements?
0:18:14 > 0:18:17Erm, I'd say the majority of it is through food but like I said,
0:18:17 > 0:18:20with the amount of food I've got to get in,
0:18:20 > 0:18:21it's not really possible to get that,
0:18:21 > 0:18:23even without using supplements.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26So, I do use quite a lot of protein powders and mass gainers
0:18:26 > 0:18:28and stuff like that.
0:18:28 > 0:18:33Hmm, I'd say about 150g, maybe a bit more. Depending if...
0:18:33 > 0:18:36Because if I can fit it in, I'll have an extra shake on top of
0:18:36 > 0:18:38what I've already planned and stuff like that.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41I think about 150g through supplements.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43So, that's quite a lot of protein.
0:18:43 > 0:18:48Do you feel as if you need to take that to be able to do your job?
0:18:48 > 0:18:50Erm, yeah.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52I think, especially, like you say, I'm at the extreme end
0:18:52 > 0:18:54with the bodybuilding side, so I really need...
0:18:54 > 0:18:57For the weight I'm putting on, I need that extra protein.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59Alongside the personal training as well,
0:18:59 > 0:19:03I don't always get the chance to sit down and have a meal.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06So, it's a lot easier for me to go back there, or if I'm at home,
0:19:06 > 0:19:07just make a shake.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09Get that down me and carry on with my day.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13So, what is your daily protein regime, then?
0:19:13 > 0:19:14Erm, I can show you, if you like.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21Flipping heck, mate. Do you sell it out your boot?
0:19:26 > 0:19:29- Who does all this for you? - Erm, my girlfriend, to be honest.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33She does pretty much all my food prep and my protein shakes.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Unless I'm not with her, but yes, she does pretty much everything!
0:19:42 > 0:19:47Katie, talk me through your daily routine with Scott's protein.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49Erm, normally in the morning when I get up,
0:19:49 > 0:19:52I'll do my shake before I go.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54Obviously, he has the first one with his porridge and stuff,
0:19:54 > 0:19:57and his oats. So, that would have already been weighed out for him.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59And depending on what time he's got a client,
0:19:59 > 0:20:02I'll probably do a shake before I leave for work.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04Which will be his first mass gainer, to have with his first meal.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07How much of your time do you spend
0:20:07 > 0:20:11- making protein shakes and drinks and meals?- Erm...
0:20:12 > 0:20:13About, I don't know...
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Normally, I get home from work, or we'll go to the gym,
0:20:16 > 0:20:20I'll train and do the last shake after he trains, come home.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23And then I'll do meal prep for the following day.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26Why doesn't Scott make his own protein shakes?
0:20:26 > 0:20:28- SHE LAUGHS - Cos he's lazy.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30No, I'm joking! I like to do it.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33I support him in his goal and his long-term goal is that
0:20:33 > 0:20:35he wants to get on stage, he wants to look good
0:20:35 > 0:20:37and he wants to compete and he wants to win.
0:20:37 > 0:20:38He doesn't want to come second place.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41So, by getting the meals in, by getting the protein in,
0:20:41 > 0:20:43I help him get to where he wants to be.
0:20:43 > 0:20:44And that's me supporting him in what he does,
0:20:44 > 0:20:46so that's why he doesn't make them himself.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48And because he is lazy as well!
0:20:49 > 0:20:51- Am I allowed to smile? - You can do whatever you want.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53Oh, OK, I'll smile, then! Oh, that's fine then.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56I thought I wasn't allowed to smile. That's why.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01So, I think we've seen that shakes, bars and supplements can work.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04It's just you've got to use them alongside the right food as well.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07And somewhere that's renowned for its food-first approach
0:21:07 > 0:21:10and absolutely nailing it are these guys, here at England Rugby.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36You guys are massive! You must take loads of supplements, don't you?
0:21:36 > 0:21:38- No, not quite. Always food first.- Yeah?
0:21:38 > 0:21:42So, yeah, after training, we sort of have a policy at England
0:21:42 > 0:21:44that always food before the protein shakes.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46So, we try and stay away from the supplements
0:21:46 > 0:21:47and we get the naturals in first.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50But I've just been eating with you guys, you've got a chef.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54How can the average person actually get that type of protein into them?
0:21:54 > 0:21:57Sure, so I think the main thing to focus on is just being prepared.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00We have to cook for ourselves in the evening, so as a house,
0:22:00 > 0:22:04we sort of try and get prepared for what we're going to cook.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06So, we all go to the supermarket, we choose what we want to eat.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08We try and get a lot of colours in our food.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11So, a post-it on the wall in the lunch hall will say,
0:22:11 > 0:22:12have sort of rainbows.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14We're looking at peppers, like, spinach,
0:22:14 > 0:22:16just getting lots of different colours in our meals.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25We focus on the food-first approach,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28but then we do have certain basic supplementation that we'd use.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30But that would be secondary in nature
0:22:30 > 0:22:34and it's on a convenience measure over the food itself.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36So, if timing for us is...
0:22:36 > 0:22:38- Say we're on the road, we're a travelling team!- Yeah.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42And we're in Hong Kong and it's not quite the foods that we need,
0:22:42 > 0:22:46or that we're used to, we will look to supplement
0:22:46 > 0:22:48at appropriate times, post-exercise,
0:22:48 > 0:22:50to get the recovery and the replenishments
0:22:50 > 0:22:52that we need in our guys.
0:22:52 > 0:22:53It's interesting, isn't it?
0:22:53 > 0:22:57How the supplement branding tends to drag people into it.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00And the food kind of gets left on the wayside.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04Yeah, it does and I think it's false in nature.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07The best thing people can do is plan their foods, plan their meals.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09but that's arduous, if you're not used to it.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14And with today's world and the way we work and everything,
0:23:14 > 0:23:16looking for time efficiency in what they do,
0:23:16 > 0:23:18it's often the thing that gets looked away from.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24After six weeks off the protein supplements,
0:23:24 > 0:23:27it was time to head back to Liverpool to get Ali's results.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31Would he have lost muscle mass from not taking any supplements
0:23:31 > 0:23:34and still working out, but spreading his meals throughout the day?
0:23:45 > 0:23:46We've got the results.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49And what we've seen is in this six-week period,
0:23:49 > 0:23:52you've actually increased your lean muscle mass by a kilo.
0:23:52 > 0:23:53I was thinking, "You know what?"
0:23:53 > 0:23:56My weight's going to be the same, it's probably gone down.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58I go there and I'd put on an extra kilogram,
0:23:58 > 0:24:00so I was genuinely speechless.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02One of the key things you wanted to do is get more muscle.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04And just by switching,
0:24:04 > 0:24:06taking away the protein shakes and getting you to eat protein
0:24:06 > 0:24:08in a much better manner,
0:24:08 > 0:24:10to eating it regularly throughout the day,
0:24:10 > 0:24:12using a food-first approach,
0:24:12 > 0:24:14you've got that result that you're looking for.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17I didn't expect I'd get results like this just eating food
0:24:17 > 0:24:19and trying to arrange all the meals myself.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22One of the reasons that people go on a high-protein diet
0:24:22 > 0:24:23is to increase their metabolic rate.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26So, actually, they'll be burning more calories at rest.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29So, we wanted to make sure that switching you away from
0:24:29 > 0:24:33protein shakes to food didn't reduce that metabolic rate.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37And it didn't, it actually increased it by 100 kilocals per day.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39So, actually, in any typical day,
0:24:39 > 0:24:41you're going to be burning more energy and long-term,
0:24:41 > 0:24:44that should help to drive them changes in body composition
0:24:44 > 0:24:45that you're looking for.
0:24:45 > 0:24:46I think as a food champion,
0:24:46 > 0:24:50so, somebody who promotes food first, I am quietly happy,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53that we've shown you can get them gains in muscle
0:24:53 > 0:24:56that young people are looking for without having to rely on
0:24:56 > 0:24:59what can be quite expensive supplements.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02So, Ali's actually gained a kilogram of muscle
0:25:02 > 0:25:05by coming off the supplements and working a better diet.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09And now, you know, three weeks after the result,
0:25:09 > 0:25:12- are you back on the supplements? - Yes.
0:25:12 > 0:25:13But why?!
0:25:13 > 0:25:16Erm, there's a few reasons, really.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19So, number one, it's a lot easier to cook a few meals a day
0:25:19 > 0:25:23and then have protein in between, than cook five meals a day.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25I just don't have the time for it with a full-time job.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28And secondly, obviously, there's no really proven health risks
0:25:28 > 0:25:30with using it, especially in moderate amounts.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33If you're using it right, like Graeme taught me at John Moores.
0:25:35 > 0:25:36For most people,
0:25:36 > 0:25:39taking protein supplements like this isn't going to do them any harm.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42But it's clear many are taking it as a substitute
0:25:42 > 0:25:45and not a supplement to food.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47And if you're taking too much
0:25:47 > 0:25:49or you're not taking it at the right time,
0:25:49 > 0:25:51you're probably just wasting your money.