Muscle Milk

Would like to know if Muscle Milk by Cytosport is a good product for 16yr old female needing to put on weight in preparation for surgery next summer.

Daughter is having orthognathic (jaw) surgery. She is underweight for her age with fast matabolism. Surgeon says she needs to gain weight if she is to avoid necessity for blood transfusion during the surgery.

Currently, her braces limit the types of calorie-dense foods she can eat so protein drinks would be ideal.

Considering the nutrient profile of these types of products and knowing that they are aimed more for the bodybuilding adult, I am concerned that they might be more harmful than beneficial for a still growing teenager.

I have also looked at other similiar products such as Nlarge2, etc.

Any thoughts are similiar experiences are appreciated.

Dad

No similar experience here, but i'd bet that Muscle Milk would be ideal. There is nothing in there that would be harmful to a 16yo, male or female.

It wouldn't hurt to ask your DR though. It is preferable that she eat real food whenever possible.

I hope everything goes OK.

Also maybe it would be worthwhile to remove thebraces if it is that difficult to feed her. I would rather my child have crooked teeth than be under weight. She can get braces any time.

Nate

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,before bed preferably...Im not joking either

I'm guessing the jaw surgery is related to her orthodontics, so taking off the braces is probably not an option. Dave's right, Muscle Milk would work (mix it with milk instead of water to add calories) and there is nothing in it that would harm her. I don't know what her activity level is but it wouldn't hurt her to start some resistance training too. If she starts eating more she's going to put on weight but she doesn't want it to just be fat.

Thanks for your responses so far.

We have talked to her doctor but I wanted to get opinions from those who are regular users of these types of products; it's surprising how relatively unknown most of these products are outside of the bodybuilding circle.

Peanut butter is one of the foods at the top of our list. We're hoping to put together a variety of foods like this that she'll enjoy. The protein drinks will be even more important after the surgery as she'll not be able to eat solid foods for awhile.

JennC is correct about the braces. My daughter's orthodontist and surgeon are working together to correct a functional problem from childhood so the braces cannot be removed.

Again, thank you!

Good luck to you and your daughter -- surgery can be intense!

I like the idea of eating & resistance training for your daughter to gain weight. A little more lean mass can make the difference between making it and well... not making it.... in certain cases such as accidents and in cancer. Eating provides the means for the body to repair itself and grow, and resistance training can provide the reason for the body to grow. Both are important and work well together.

The main idea of protein powders is food. People often forget it, but the most it can do is provide food with a certain digestibility profile. This is where studies that the fitness community can help your daughter. Milk is mostly casein which is a milk protein that will digest slowly and help prevent wasting. Protein powder is usually whey protein which is good for promoting anabolism. Combining the two (such as putting milk & whey together) would provide a mix that is similar to human milk (which is close to 50%, 50%).

Your daughter will most likely have the most success with eating a calorie ratio close to 35% of her total intake in protein, 35% in carbohydrates, and 30% in fats. I do suggest peanut butter as it is a good source of fats and some fish oil in tablets. Swithing to whole milk will also increase your dietary fat intake. Try eating complete "meals" (containing proteins, fats, and carbohydrates) seven (or more) times a day with each meal being at least 300 kcals. 300kcals is not much as a glass of milk is easily 80-90kcals and a pb&j sandwich will get quite a lot. Try increasing the frequency of the "meals" up to 7 a day and then slowly increase the amount of food that she will eat. Seven is also not such a big number considering there is 1) breakfast, 2) snack between breakfast and lunch, 3) lunch, 4) snack after lunch, 5) dinner, 6) snack after dinner, and 7) protein before sleeping.

There is also a lot of foods that are "unexpected" sources of protein. Animals and animal products usually contain good amounts of protein. However, combining beans and rice will also provide a complete protein that is suitable for human consumption. As for the meal before sleeping, you may or may not want carbohydrates in them as they carbohydrate intake before sleeping may interfere with natual body function. Peanut butter and milk sounds like a good option if this is of concern for you.

As a source of food, I am fond of combining leftovers with egg whites to make a white omlete. Egg whites themselves contain no cholesterol, no fat, and no carbohydrates. The nice thing about this combination is that you can put it in a reusable plastic container and eat it as a snack inbetween classes. It can be made into a full meal combined with some rice or bread. I buy egg-whites by the gallon. It only takes 3 minutes in the microwave to make a complete meal.

You both may benefit a consultation with a nutritionist as he/she can help you design a plan to help your daugther. Good luck to both of you.

In my opinion muscle milk isn't ideal. Most of the fat in muscle milk is just vegetable oil, and while that is better than high saturated fat oils, it would be better if the predominant sources of fat in the diet are high in oleic acid (peanut oil, olive oil) or omega-3's (fish oil, flaxseed oil). High fat diets help a lot with gaining weight but if you eat the wrong fats in can cause health issues down the road.

I think protein powders are a good idea, but the primary reason not being that they contribute to weight gain (which they really don't - it's the carbs and fat in "weight gain powders" that do this), but because if someone is gaining weight a high protein intake will ensure that less of the weight gained is fat. So I wouldn't get a "weight gain formula" - these tend to contain a ton of carbs in the form of maltodextrin (high glycemic, unhealthy) or, as in this case, a lot of low-quality fats. Keep in mind when looking at these products that typically, almost nothing on the label is true.

My recommendation for a protein powder would be Driver:

http://www.bulknutrition.com/?products_id=428

The price may look higher but for the protein content it is about the same, and keep in mind that canola oil is dirt cheap. Regarding the MCT's, Muscle Milk doesn't contain enough to do anything at all. You could just add a teaspoon or two of olive oil to the shake to get something similar to Muscle Milk but with a better source of fat (although it won't mix in very well).

Your general rule of thumb for other foods is that they should be calorie-dense but also healthy. So natural peanut butter, olive oil, some other oils are ok. Carb sources should be medium glycemic (and low fructose as well), adequate fiber but not too much, as low-glycemic/high-fiber carb sources are less calorie dense and more filling. Too much fruit and vegetables will also be too filling - I would go with some fruits and vegetables but replace the rest with something like Odwalla juice, which is nutritionally similar but a lot more calorie dense (this doesn't apply to most other fruit juices, which won't have the same nutritional benefits). Also, caffeinated beverages should be avoided.

I also agree that resistance training is definitely a good idea.

Shpongled and Alston20212, somehow I missed your posts. Thank you for the indepth replies and the well-wishes for my daughter. The info you provided is going to be very useful for us and appreciate the time you both took to type it all out. That's what I love about this forum - intelligent dialogue with knowledgeable people.

Thanks again.

Dad

Eat bigger food portions. Or a simple weight gainer would be fine.

When is her surgery? I thought she might have had it by now.