Today, many people take various types of protein supplements. These can be taken to build muscle mass or may be simply just to improve their overall health. Knowing the differences between various protein supplements can be rather confusing as many consumers have difficult discerning what certain terms mean.

One type of protein supplement would be an isolate. These are sources of protein that have undergone a chemical process to purify the protein. This process removes everything else and leaves only the protein. A popular isolate that is purchased as a protein supplement is whey protein isolate. Overall, isolates are the highest form of protein, measuring well over 90% of them having protein.

Another kind of supplement is a concentrate. This type of protein is not as pure as that of an isolate but still can pack a pretty powerful protein punch. With 70-85% of them being actual protein, concentrate sources will have other nutrients. Whey protein also has more lactose.

Blends are another form of supplements. A blend of protein would combine different sources of protein. These sources would have varying levels of purity as well. Typically, blends are more cost effective. They can have fairly high levels of protein but not as high as the isolate.

Weight gainers are another supplement. These come in the form of high calorie protein powders like Maxiraw protein powder. The purpose of these products is to help those who need to gain weight rather quickly. This is often the case for bodybuilders and athletes. Weight gainers may supplement a meal or used between meals.

Some protein supplements are known as recovery blends. These also include other non-protein supplements. These might include creatine, multivitamins, minerals, glutamine and taurine. These are designed to be used following a workout. Recovery blends are aimed at helping the body recover following a workout.