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Buying guides, price analyses and brand comparisons — built around data, not ads.
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Whey Protein
Whey vs Isolate vs Concentrate
Three types of whey protein dominate UK shelves, but they are not interchangeable. Here is a plain-language breakdown of concentrate, isolate and hydrolysate, what each one is, how they compare on cost, and which one is actually right for you.
What Is Whey Protein?
Whey protein is the most popular sports supplement in the UK, but most people buying it have only a vague idea of what it actually is. Here is a straightforward explanation of where whey comes from, what it does, and whether it is worth buying.
Best Time to Take Whey Protein
The fitness industry loves a rule about protein timing. Drink your shake within 30 minutes of training or the gains disappear. The research tells a more nuanced story. Here is what actually matters about when you take your protein.
Whey Protein Before or After a Workout?
Before or after is one of the most Googled questions in sports nutrition. The answer matters less than most people think, but there is still a sensible default. Here is a straight answer based on what the research actually shows.
Is Whey Protein Good for Weight Loss?
Whey protein is marketed heavily at people building muscle, but its role in fat loss is just as strong. Higher protein diets consistently outperform lower protein diets for fat loss. Here is why whey is one of the most practical tools for hitting those targets.
Does Whey Protein Help Build Muscle?
Whey protein is the most widely sold sports supplement in the world, and muscle building is the main reason people buy it. The research is clear, but the nuance matters. Here is what whey protein actually does, and what it does not do, when it comes to muscle growth.
What Is Clear Whey Protein?
Clear whey is one of the fastest-growing product categories in UK sports nutrition. It looks like a fruit drink, tastes nothing like a traditional protein shake, and delivers a comparable protein hit per serving. Here is exactly what it is and whether it is worth buying.
Plant-based
Vegan Protein
Whey Protein vs Vegan Protein
The gap between whey and plant-based protein has narrowed significantly as vegan formulations have improved. For most goals, both can work, but the differences in amino acid profile, cost and digestibility still matter. Here is a direct comparison.
What Is Soy Protein?
Soy protein is one of the most effective and most misunderstood protein sources available. It is complete, highly digestible, and backed by decades of research, yet it attracts more controversy than almost any other supplement. Here is a clear-eyed look at what it actually is and what the evidence says.
How Is Vegan Protein Powder Made?
From field to tub, vegan protein powder goes through several processing steps that most buyers never think about. Understanding how it is made explains why different plant proteins behave differently and why some are better value than others.
Does Soy Protein Cause Man Boobs?
Soy protein gets blamed for feminising men, lowering testosterone and causing gynaecomastia. These claims have circulated in fitness communities for years. Here is what the research actually shows — and why most of the fear is significantly overstated.
What Is Pea Protein?
Pea protein has gone from a niche plant alternative to the most widely used vegan protein base in the UK. Here is what it actually is, how it compares to whey, and whether it is worth buying.
Pea Protein vs Soy Protein
Pea and soy are the two most effective plant protein sources for muscle building. They have different amino acid profiles, different allergen considerations, and different price points. Here is a direct comparison to help you decide.
Best Vegan Protein Powder UK
The vegan protein market in the UK has matured. Pea and rice blends have improved enough that the gap with whey is smaller than it has ever been. Here is how to identify genuine value and which formats are worth your money.
Can You Build Muscle on Vegan Protein?
The idea that plant protein cannot build muscle is outdated. The research has caught up, the products have improved, and vegan athletes are building comparable muscle to their whey-using peers. Here is the evidence-based picture.
Cheapest Vegan Protein Powder UK
Vegan protein used to mean paying a premium. That is no longer the case. Competition in the UK plant protein market has driven prices down significantly, but the cheapest tub is not always the best value. Here is how to find the genuinely cheapest vegan protein per gram.
Why Pea and Rice Protein Is the Best Plant Blend
On their own, pea protein and rice protein each have gaps in their amino acid profile. Together, they cover each other's weaknesses and produce a complete plant protein comparable to whey. Here is the science behind the most effective vegan protein combination.
Performance
Creatine
What Is Creatine?
Creatine is the most researched sports supplement in existence and one of the very few that consistently works. Here is a plain-language explanation of what it is, where it comes from, and the mechanism behind why it improves training performance.
Creatine Monohydrate vs HCL
Creatine HCL is marketed as more soluble, faster-absorbing and easier on the stomach than monohydrate. It also costs significantly more. Here is what the research says about whether any of those advantages justify the price difference.
Do You Need a Creatine Loading Phase?
Loading creatine, taking 20g per day for 5-7 days, saturates your muscles faster. Not loading means waiting 3-4 weeks to reach the same point. Neither approach produces better long-term results. Here is what actually matters.
When Should You Take Creatine?
Unlike protein, where timing around training has some logic, creatine timing is largely irrelevant to its effectiveness. What matters is taking it consistently every day. Here is what the research says and when to slot it into your routine.
Is Creatine Safe?
Creatine has been studied more extensively than almost any other sports supplement. The research on safety is clear, yet myths about kidney damage, hair loss and dehydration persist. Here is what the evidence actually shows.
Bulk & size
Mass Gainer
What Is a Mass Gainer?
Mass gainers promise rapid size gains in a scoop. The reality is more nuanced. They are a tool for a specific problem, not a universal bulking solution. Here is what they actually are, who they are genuinely useful for, and when you are better off without them.
Mass Gainer vs Whey Protein
Both products are sold as bulking supplements. One is a protein source. The other is a meal replacement in powder form. Choosing the wrong one is a common and costly mistake. Here is exactly how to decide which belongs in your stack.
How Many Calories Do You Need to Bulk?
Bulking is straightforward in theory: eat more than you burn. The practical detail that most guides skip is how much more. Eat too little and muscle gain stalls. Eat too much and you spend months cutting fat you did not need to gain. Here is how to find the right number.
Dirty Bulk vs Clean Bulk
Dirty bulking means eating everything in sight to maximise size. Clean bulking means a controlled surplus with quality food. One is genuinely more effective. The other feels better in the gym for about six weeks before the regret sets in. Here is the honest comparison.
Best Time to Take a Mass Gainer
A mass gainer is a large calorie delivery system. When you take those calories matters for digestion, training performance, and how effectively your body uses them. Here is when to time your mass gainer shake and when to avoid it.
All topics
General
Best Protein Powder UK 2026
The UK protein market in 2026 is bigger, noisier and harder to read than ever. Discount codes inflate list prices, flavour ranges distract from nutrition data, and pack sizes differ enough to make side-by-side comparison almost useless unless you work from cost per gram of protein. This guide cuts through all of that.
Cheapest Protein Per Gram UK
Tub price is almost meaningless as a comparison. Pack sizes differ, protein percentages vary, and promotional pricing distorts every list. The only fair metric is cost per gram of protein — and when you calculate it, the cheapest-looking product is often not the cheapest at all.
MyProtein vs Bulk: Which is Cheaper?
Myprotein still has the bigger name and the louder discounts. Bulk is quieter, cleaner, and often better at the checkout. The cheapest brand depends on what is being bought, but the better-value brand is easier to call.
How Much Protein Do You Need Per Day?
UK government guidelines set the protein RDA at 0.75g per kg of bodyweight. Sports scientists think that number is too low for anyone doing regular exercise. Here is what the research actually says about protein requirements for different goals.
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Live UK prices ranked by cost per gram of protein