The most important aspect of losing weight is to make sure that you are expending more energy (calories) than you are consuming. Therefore I would advise you to download the MyfitnessPal app (or similar) and start to track your calories. The app will give you a target amount of calories to eat per day, I recommend you stick to those calories and use the app to try to equate your food intake to the amount that you need daily to support living and exercise. If you feel hungry eating the recommended amount of calories ensure you are eating sufficient protein, fibre and fats. Ideally aim to eat 20-30g of protein with each main meal, so eat foods high in protein such as chicken, fish, meat, eggs, dairy and whey protein. You could have a protein smoothie for your breakfast. But remember eating less than you are burning is the only way you will lose weight.

The most important aspect of losing weight is to make sure that you are expending more calories (energy) than you are consuming or eat less calorie than you are expending. You can achieve this through reducing your intake of food or increasing your exercise volume or through a combination of both. A combination of both is the most effective way of achieving weight loss. During a period of calorie restriction you may feel hungry so be sure to eat enough protein, fibre and fats. Ideally aim to hit a protein intake of 1.5-2g per kg body mass, so if your weight is 70 kg multiply this by 1.5-2g to calculate your total daily protein requirements (70 x 2 = 140g per day). You can then achieve this daily intake by eating 20-30g of protein rich foods with meals and snacks, such as chicken, fish, meat, eggs, dairy and Gold Standard Whey protein. It can be hard to achieve a high protein intake in some meals such as breakfast and in this instance you could add Gold Standard whey protein to your breakfast smoothie or porridge or you could have a GS whey protein shake or a Optimum Nutrition protein bar as a snack suggestion. You can also try Lean Meal Replacement which can be used to substitute a main meal and contribute to weight control. But remember eating less than you are burning is the only way you will lose weight.

We would recommend our Optimum Nutrition Amino Energy as it has one of the lowest amounts of caffeine per serving at 100mg per two scoops. You could start by taking one scoop, containing 50 mg of caffeine, 30-45 minutes before a workout and see how you feel after. You can build up slowly depending on how you feel and your tolerance levels. We also now have our Gold Standard Plant Pre-Workout, which contains 85mg per serving if you are looking for a plant-based option. There is roughly 70 mg in a cup of coffee and 40mg in a cup of tea to give you an idea of caffeine content in drinks.

The main stimulus that builds muscle is resistance exercise, so firstly it is important that you are on a muscle building gym programme that changes as you progress. The food and supplements you consume will then support this training programme. The most important aspect of muscle building is to ensure you are eating enough calories to support growth, after this you need to hit approximately 2g/kg body weight of protein daily, which should be spread in 20-30g doses in 4-5 servings throughout the day. Whey protein around training is great and can also be used in the morning to increase the protein content of this meal. Casein is also a great option before bed as it is absorbed slowly from the stomach and delivers amino acids to the muscle as you sleep. A pre workout such as Gold Standard Pre Workout is also a good option to increase the intensity of your sessions, which will allow you to lift heavier or more volume indirectly supporting muscle growth.

We would recommend that someone with any type of medical condition refer to their medical advisor before taking any of our supplements.

All the supplements you are taking sound perfect for supporting performance. If you are taking Gold Standard Whey there is no need to also take an isolate protein powder. You should take one or the other to support performance. If you’re looking for some on the go options you can also check out our bars and shakes which contain over 20g protein.

In terms of the amount of protein shakes per day, there is no absolute figure as this depends on your protein intake from food. You should aim to consume the majority of your protein from food and then use a shake as a convenient way of topping up your intake. Your protein intake should vary between 1.4-2g/kg body weight to support performance, going towards the higher end if you are aiming to build muscle. Also to support recovery and performance your protein should be evenly spread across the day, aiming for 20-30g of protein at each meal. There is no best time to take a protein shake as it can be taken at any time throughout the day but a protein shake after a workout is a good option as it provides the muscle with a high quality protein source which is delivered to the muscles fast after exercise.

Gold Standard 100% Whey Unflavoured without sweeteners is a great option to use after a workout or throughout the day to top up your protein levels.

We have no products which are caffeine free and contain either or both of these ingredients. However, both products (Beta Alanine & Creatine) can be bought in powder form so they could be added to a flavoured drink of your choice. Unfortunatley we do not sell powdered beta-alanine in the EU.

The main advantage of Gold Standard Isolate is that it is 100% isolate compared to Gold Standard Whey which contains both whey protein isolate (WPI) and whey protein concentrate (WPC) in its formulation and therefore has a higher percentage of protein and a lower level of carbohydrate, lactose and fat per serving. Gold Standard Isolate has 30g of protein per serving whereas GS Whey has 24g per serving, so depending on how much protein you need daily or want to hit in one serving you may prefer to choose one over the other. However, both protein powders support muscle growth and repair effectively.  

All proteins regardless of processing have the same health benefits.  

The quality of the proteins will only differ depending on manufacturers. At Optimum Nutrition all of our proteins are of the highest value as they come from high quality milk. 

There may be a small difference in the bioavailability of isolates but this does not translate into a superior performance or health benefit. There is no research to suggest that WPI or partially hydrolysed whey protein is superior for muscle growth and repair compared to other forms of protein. However, partially hydrolysed isolates are lower in fat, carbohydrate and lactose which may be an advantage for some consumers.  

We do not give out this information as it is a protected formula.

We do not give out this information as it is a protected formula. There are no extra benefits of WPC compared to WPI.

None of the above products are lactose free. Gold Standard Platinum Hydrowhey has the lowest lactose levels as it contains only partially hydrolysed whey protein.  

Whether you choose GSW or GS 100% Isolate is really a personal preference in relation to taste and texture and protein requirements as both products have the same health benefits and equally support muscle growth and repair

Melatonin cannot be obtained in Ireland or the UK without a prescription; hence there is no Optimum Nutrition Melatonin available on our website. 

Gold Standard 100% Whey Unflavoured  and without sweeteners and is a great option to use after a workout or throughout the day to top up your protein levels. 

Creatine is a supplement that takes a period of time to saturate the muscle and work effectively. A loading phase of 20g per day for 7 days followed by a maintenance dose of 3-5g per day can give a quicker saturation time. However, over the course of 28 days, a single daily dose of 3-5g per day has been shown to have the same saturation effect. This means that a loading phase is not necessary unless you are seeking an improved performance in a time period shorter than 28 days. In terms of the duration of use, creatine can be taken indefinitely, provided there are no underlying medical conditions. 

The difference in the Gold Standard Gainer (GSG) and the Serious Mass is the quality of carbohydrates and protein used. The protein blend in GSG is a combination of whey protein isolate and hydrolysed whey protein, which are more filtered forms of protein and therefore lower in lactose, fat and carbohydrate and thus gives a high percentage of protein per serving, compared to whey protein concentrate, which is the primary protein in serious mass. Whey protein concentrate is still a quality form of protein and Optimum Nutrition use the highest form (85%) of whey concentrate available.  

The carbohydrate blend used in GSG consist of complex carbohydrate in Oats, Potato starch and pea starch, whereas Serious Mass is made using maltodextrin, which is a simple carbohydrate.  

Due to the differences in these key ingredients Gold Standard Gainer (GSG) is viewed as a more premium gainer product compared to serious mass and targeted towards a more educated consumer seeking higher quality ingredients. Although both products offer the same benefits of adding calories to a person’s diet and in conjunction with resistance exercise  support them in achieving an increase in lean muscle mass.  

There is no caffeine in our Gold Standard Whey products except for chocolate flavours as our cocoa naturally contains 0.2g/100g caffeine.

ON Gold Standard Whey contains a blend of whey protein - whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate and hydrolysed whey protein isolate. The additional steps in processing provide a higher % protein per gram and remove some of the additional fat and lactose. In comparison, most competitor protein powders are entirely whey protein concentrate, which is the most basic whey protein powder. Optimum Nutrition is also unique in that we own our entire process from farm to tub. This ensures that we can control and maintain standards every step of the way.

Regarding Gold Standard Whey 

ON Gold Standard Whey contains a blend of whey protein - whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate and hydrolysed whey protein isolate. The additional steps in processing provide a higher % protein per gram and remove some of the additional fat and lactose. In comparison, most competitor protein powders are entirely whey protein concentrate, which is the most basic whey protein powder. Optimum Nutrition is also unique in that sense that we own our entire process from farm to tub. This ensures that we can control and maintain standards every step of the way.

The creatine in SM would have the same usage as if taken as a standalone supplement. Creatine is traditionally used for supporting performance during high intensity training – which is also why you would see it in some pre-workout formulas (Gold Standard Preworkout for example).

Typical creatine dosing would be 3-5g per day - Serious Mass provides 3g per day.

Anyone trying to increase body mass for performance reasons would be likely to benefit from usage. Those engaged in highly demanding sports where they need large calorie intake or physique athletes in the bulking phase are the most likely to use.

The sunflower lecithin is a part of the initial blend of BCAA which we use to make up the amino energy product so the amounts in the product are at trace levels, there is up to 1% added to the BCAA blend, so there would be maximum 23 mg of sunflower lecithin per serving. It is added to the product to allow the product to be better dispersed when liquid is added.

Lean Whey is formulated to be entirely comprised of a Whey Protein Concentrate, which is naturally higher in fat than Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) or Whey Protein Hydrolysate (WPH). Gold Standard Whey is mainly made up of WPI & WPH.

Yes, lean whey is suitable in the sense that it is very low in carbohydrates per serve. However, the ketogenic diet is defined more by your overall dietary intake, with a large proportion of your calories coming from fats. Lean whey is low in fat. Taking lean whey won't be detrimental for somebody following a ketogenic diet but isn't advertised as a ketogenic product.

There are actually many successful vegan bodybuilders. With a small bit of meal planning and preparation it is very achievable to get your daily protein requirements from plant sources. Some planning is however very important around training as you need to consume a protein source that contains all of the essential and non-essential amino acids in order to support the growth of lean muscle mass at that time. As individual plant foods are usually low in one of more amino acids you need to combine plant proteins to give you a full complement of amino acids. This is why we have combined quality plant proteins rice and pea in our Gold Standard 100% Plant protein, to ensure you are getting 24g of high quality protein in one convenient serving to support lean muscle mass. Alternatively, soy and quinoa are the only 2 protein sources that contain a full complement of amino acids.