Hi all,

I can't seem to find where this may have been addressed before. Is anyone using the 'pre-digested liquid Protein supplements' ?

I'm just going into five weeks post-op and I'm having an extremely difficult time getting in the 70-90 grams of protein recommended by my dr. My swelling has gone down pretty well for the most part, but I still have a very 'hard' area right in the center of my belly... it feels about the size of a fist. I have never had nausea, PB's or any other complications since the surgery... however, it seems the least little thing I eat, especially a Protein Drink makes the 'fist' in my belly get even harder. Even one of the small 'Boost' drinks bothers me. Small portions of regular foods are going down well, but, I'm watching it like a hawk, and am eating absolutely minimal amounts of anything. Needless to say, the hunger has been quite severe at times.

Since I've been having so much trouble getting in even minimal amounts of protein, I finally ordered one of those large bottles of the 'pre-digested' protein liquid from 'Bariatric Advantage'. Its 30 grams of protein per 2 TBS serving. I took the first dose this evening. Suprisingly, it tasted pretty good... butter pecan flavor (sugarless), however, the most surprising thing was that my hunger almost instantly disappeared, and has stayed gone for about six hours now.

I'd sure be interested to know if anyone else has used this stuff, and what you thought of it. I intend to keep using it for a while, and forget about the Protein shakes, Slim Fast, Boost, etc. I think I'll feel a little better about trying to eat a little more solid food if I'm not so 'blown-up' trying to get in all those Protein Drinks. I'm also doing liquid 'Centrum Silver' Vitamins, and a liquid Vitamin formulated specifically to help prevent hair loss... guess I'll find out how well that one works as time progresses. :phanvan Going for my first fill in Denver on the 12th... perhaps that will help with the 'hungries' too.

Protica Research is another great place for liquid protein. 25 grams in a 100-calorie tube that takes 2-3 swallows to consume. I love this stuff! I have blood sugar issues and this helps me so much. I keep one with me all the time.

Good luck---it sounds like you are doing great so far! :clap2:

Thanks Bloom! I'm going to look that up right now. BTW, we are exactly the same age. How is it going for you?

jfk: I'm glad you are going to try the Protica! If you order some, try putting into the coupon code box "PR15"... you should get 15% off on your order!

How nice to find another person my age! I am doing OK with my band...but please don't judge your band experience by mine. I have the 10cc band and it has only been since last month that I have gotten true restriction. I have not lost very much weight in the 9 months I have been banded. I have lost 35 pounds total, most within the first month of surgery. But it seems I am finally on track now with my latest fill and I am beginning to lose weight again. I have another 60 pounds or so to lose.

How about you? Do you have any questions or concerns? This is a great place to get those answered.

Protica Research is another great place for liquid Protein. 25 grams in a 100-calorie tube that takes 2-3 swallows to consume. I love this stuff! I have blood sugar issues and this helps me so much. I keep one with me all the time.

Good luck---it sounds like you are doing great so far! :clap2:

This is a verrrry poor quality of protein. You could literally drink Jello and it would be the same thing as the main protein in this product. It's made from collagen. Collagen is great for putting ON your skin or injecting IN your skin. It is absolutely horrible for ingesting as a protein supplement.

Check out the ingredients:

Ingredients: 67.4% Pure deionized Water, 31.5% Actinase® [patent pending blend of enzymatically hydrolyzed (predigested) collagenic protein isolate, whey protein isolate and casein protein isolate], less than 2.0% of malic acid, Vitamins [ascorbic acid ©, niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), riboflavin (B2), thiamin (B1), folic acid, Biotin and cobalamin (B12)], natural flavors, acesulfame-potassium, blue 1 and red 40.

Do you know what collagen is made of? Keeping in mind that this is the main ingredient of this protein, collagen is made from cow & horse skin, hair, ligaments, gristle, etc. It's the garbage part of cows and horses.

There is a scale to rate protein quality and it is from 1-100. The collagen based products rate between 4 out of 100 and 6 out of 100 depending on brand. Matrix and powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury are rated at 100 out of 100, Isopure is 80 out of 100. As you can see, this is a huge difference from 6 out of 100.

There is an FDA study I just read two days ago. Remember those people from way back when that were on ONLY protein diets and they were dying? Of the 17 that died, 13 were drinking ONLY collagen based protein, nothing else. The study explains that this type of protein actually draws out protein vs. adding to your protein stores. Thus, their deaths.

There is some whey protein in this product so it is not the same as the stuff the dead people were drinking, but the point is that the test tubes, shots, and shooters are some of the most expensive products on the market today and they are without a doubt the absolute worst quality protein you can buy. You are better off not drinking any protein supplements vs. the collagen based products.

There are two large nutrition websites that won't even sell the stuff anymore due to liability. That's how bad this stuff is.

Just be very careful, learn about the different sources of protein and the quality of the protein. Most products on the market today are not great as everyone has found lots of money in creating garbage products and selling them for high prices. Proteins are NOT all the same.

Thanks WasaBB! Your information is so important to all of us who use protein supplements. I have to ask, have you read any of proteinguy's pitches on the various threads hawking his protein? Do you know anything about the quality of what he's pushing? I'd love to see you respond to him.

Thanks WasaBB! Your information is so important to all of us who use Protein supplements. I have to ask, have you read any of proteinguy's pitches on the various threads hawking his protein? Do you know anything about the quality of what he's pushing? I'd love to see you respond to him.

HA! I already responded to Spammy.

I went to the web site but I couldn't find the specific ingredients in the product so I have no clue which protein he is using.

I really wish these people would pay for their advertising so they don't mess up the threads with sales pitches.

BB: thanks for the info on Protica. I am very protein-sensitive and I have loved this product because it makes me feel energenic and normalizes my blood sugar quickly. But I did just write the company to ask for their views and reasons for using collagen and I will report back on their explanations.

BB: thanks for the info on Protica. I am very protein-sensitive and I have loved this product because it makes me feel energenic and normalizes my blood sugar quickly. But I did just write the company to ask for their views and reasons for using collagen and I will report back on their explanations.

I can already tell you why they use collagen. It's cheap. It's the cheapest Protein they can use for raw materials. It is the garbage parts of the animals. Something that is of great quality is very expensive, whey for example.

Think of it this way, there is no dispute that they use collagen for their main protein, it's right there on their label. If you wanted to give your child a protein food, would you use meat or would you use cow hair and gristle? That's the only way I know to put it in perspective.

No doubt they'll respond with some song and dance about how great their products are, but the science doesn't back up any claims that they sell quality protein.

Collagen type products are what Jello is made of. You could drink Jello and essentially get the exact same benefit as the type of product you are using and at least that would be cheaper. :cry

OK, here is the response I got from someone at Protica. It is long and a little too technical for me, but maybe BB or someone else can decipher:

Actinase employs three Proteins to achieve a patent-pending formula that is (a) highly bioavailable (i.e. easily digestible and absorbable) and (

complete (contains appropriate amounts of all essential amino acids). The proteins, in order of abundance, are collagen, whey and casein. All three proteins are hydrolyzed into peptides with an average molecular weight of 1,400 Daltons; this makes the combination of proteins more bioavailable than other Protein powders, bars or liquids on the market. By itself, Collagen lacks several amino acids. However, in combination with whey and casein in the correct proportions, the collagen (1)

improves the overall amino acid balance, (2) increases the overall glutamine content (more than whey or casein alone), and (3) achieves a protein combination with all essentialamino acids.

Actinase is more bioavailable than whey, whether it is isolated or concentrated. The challenge with isolated or concentrated whey is that passes through the stomach and small intestines rapidly, causing some malabsorption. Additional malabsorption is the result of the denatured protein molecules in whey drinks and bars. Denaturing occurs when the normal tertiary structure of the protein molecules are unintentionally broken down into an abnormal structure as a result of heat or acid processing

(typically for the purposes of pasteurizing or baking protein drinks and bars). Denatured proteins do not have the same properties as the original protein before pasteurization. Hence, the biological activity of the proteins (i.e. the body's ability to assimilate and use the proteins) has been diminished or eliminated. In contrast, Actinase is extremely heat stable because it is made completely with peptides. Because of their small size, peptides are very heat stable. Typically, you will only find peptides in infant formulas since their small size also makes them easier for the body to digest and assimilate.

To provide a real world example, consider a raw egg when it is first cracked open. The "white" of the egg is not actually white; it is translucent (almost clear). The "white" is mostly protein, and it is in its original, biologically active form. When you cook the egg, the "white" becomes white and opaque. What happened is the heat (i.e. pasteurization process) caused the protein molecules to unfold (i.e. break apart) and then reconnect in an unnatural manner. The protein is now denatured. The egg will now be difficult for the body to digest and absorb (as evidenced by gastrointestinal distress experienced by many people who eat eggs).

You will notice that Profect is translucent (you can see through the Profect vial, even though there is an extraordinary amount of protein in a very small volume). This is because the protein in Profect is still in its natural, biologically active structure.

Jim Duffy

Protica, Inc.

Telephone: 610-832-2000 x711

Company Site: www.Protica.com

Online Store: www.Protica.com/store

Product Site: www.Profect.com

There are 23 amino acids that combined equal a chain. One chain equals one protein. What they are saying is that they take a cheap protein that does not have all 23 amino acids and combine it with a quality protein (whey) and then they can claim it is a quality protein.

It's like taking a porterhouse (a steak) and combining it with mostly bone meal (dog food) and claiming you have a quality steak. It's not, it's partly steak and mostly bone meal. But it passes FDA guidelines because it isn't a food item, it is a supplement and supplements are not required to follow the same rules and regs as food items.

The problem with collagen is that it tends to rob other sources to make a full protein, those sources are your own body. You already have protein stores in your body, they are a given. You wouldn't have passed your surgery labs if your protein stores weren't good. If you take THEIR collagen and YOUR protein, it can make a full protein. You don't want to TAKE from your protein stores, you want to add to - and maintain them.

The FDA disagrees that it is highly bioavailabe (how much your body can absorb and use), that is a company claim and not a fact.

There is an FDA study out right now that I just read a few days ago that demonstrates this. I probably wrote about this previously in this thread, I forget. There were 17 people that reportedly died from protein only diets. They didn't consume anything but high protein drinks. 13 of 17 people were taking ONLY collagen based proteins. Nothing else, no food, no whey, no anything. Just collagen based proteins. They depleted their protein stores. (All liquid protein diets have to be medically supervised, it's just not wise at all, not long term.)

You could drink Jello and get the same thing as collagen. Jello is a collagen. You know that texture that is in the test tube products? It's not a clear water like substance, it's cloudy and kinda slimy. That's why.

They are taking the cheapest sources of protein on the market and charging the most for it by making it concentrated, convenient, fruit flavored, and cute packaging.

Those companies make me so angry, people are paying a lot of money for a really horrible product and it isn't going to do for them what they need. When you lose massive amounts of weight you WILL lose muscle mass regardless of what you do. The reason you are keeping protein levels up is to maintain as much muscle as you can during the weight loss phase. The more muscle you have the better your metabolism. The better your metabolism the more you lose and the better you feel.

The downside to whey protein is that it is cheese type product. It can stink to high heaven! That's why you have to find a brand that you like. That's hard to do, everyone has different tastes and opinions on what tastes good. Try to find products that are in samples, call the manufacturers and ask for samples to try before buying a full container of their product otherwise it can get expensive buying a bunch of products that end up being disgusting. What one likes, another won't. Some people LOVE Isopure, I think it's vile and it's the first thing that I ever barfed on after getting banded. I finally got it down but there was no keeping it down. Yet some love it.

That was some really good info WABB. Thanks so much for posting it. What are your thoughts on the Bariatric Advantage liquid protein? I checked the ingredients and its whey. I haven't quite figured out the 'pre-digested' part though. (sounds like its been regurgitated by someone else..ewww!) I am assuming that its been pre-digested by some type of enzymes. Does that sound about right?

Bloom...I didn't order the Protica although I did look at it. Now, since seeing the info from WABB, I'm glad I didn't. It was way too expensive for the number of portions anyway. It seems that the BA protein is probably a better choice. I am doing ok so far with the band. The biggest problem I have is having any kind of a regular meal-time. I guess I would still have to call myself a 'grazer' although I have been eating only very minimal portions. I bounce between three jobs all the time, and finding a regular time to eat, for me, is almost impossible. I do emergency response stuff, and it makes it very difficult as I never know for sure when I'll be anywhere.

I was doing (yet another) short stint with Nutri Systems about a month or so before I decided to be banded. About a month of that along with two weeks of pre-op and five weeks of banding have dropped me from 278 lbs to 229. It probably sounds a little silly, but I found an old belt which I can now get around me, and I tighten that puppy as much as I can stand.... it kind of reminds me not to eat too much... a little 'band-helper'.

I don't know about bariatric advantage brand. I don't know anything good or bad.

One of the problems with any protein product is that you need to know the QA of the manufacturer. You'd think you can just go buy protein and it will do as it says but that isn't true. The problem is the raw materials. One month it is great quality and the next month it isn't.

The two best quality proteins that I know of are Unjury and Matrix 5.0. That is not to say there aren't others, those are the two that I know of that are the best. They have the QA in place to make sure it is the same quality month after month. There are a gazillion products on the market, just do your research, find a quality product by a well known manufacturer, and one that doesn't make you barf if you drink it. Protein products are a big money maker anymore and everyone is trying to sell theirs even if it is really snake oil. There are even products to help people sell theirs over others. These are not designed for the better known manufacturers, but the little person that can't afford QA and is essentially selling snake oil. It's a big big business. So don't waste your money and get a quality product.

Welcome to the UNJURY Homepage

matrix 5.0 list of all sizes and flavors. Find all matrix 5.0 products at AllStarHealth.com

Just a point of information about the terms used with amino acids. An essential amino acid is one your body cannot produce so you have to eat it. A nonessential amino acid can be synthesized by your body. The essential term is not about good or bad quality or whether it is necessary, but simply your bady cannot produce it so you have to eat it.

Just a point of information about the terms used with amino acids. An essential amino acid is one your body cannot produce so you have to eat it. A nonessential amino acid can be synthesized by your body. The essential term is not about good or bad quality or whether it is necessary, but simply your bady cannot produce it so you have to eat it.

You are absolutely correct.

I kept starting over, deleting, hitting the back space key... I was having a hard time wording that post and you clarified something that is absolutely correct. Thanks!

Thanks for the info, BB and others. That was just too technical for my brain to grasp at this point. But now I am stuck. I really LIKED the Protica product----I barf on Unjury!! Maybe I will try the other ones mentioned here, so thanks for that, also.

jfk: You sound like you are doing great as it is!! I can't believe how much weight you have lost. Congrats!!