Posted on 15 Nov 2013
3 min read
Like an all-powerful Caesar, Gold Standard 100% Whey bestrides the supplement market like a Colossus.
It is the king of whey protein, towering over swarms of competing brands which lurk jealously in the shadows like Cassius or Brutus.
It is, if Optimum Nutrition’s marketing material is to be believed, the world’s bestselling protein, with literally millions of satisfied customers worldwide.
But does it deserve this status?
Why exactly is it #1?
Upon what meat doth this product feed that it is grown so great?
Gymtalk investigates…
Gold Standard Whey has been on the market for a LONG time.
Throughout its reign it has gone through several label iterations, most recently changing from “100% Whey” to “Gold Standard 100% Whey”.
During this time, the product and Optimum Nutrition have remained one of the industry’s most respected brands, amassing a loyal legion of customers.
Looking at the nutritional profile of this product, you can begin to see why.
Gold Standard 100% Whey comprises three different forms of whey protein: whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, and whey peptides.
It also contains amino acids (enzymes to help break down the protein), including three of the most valuable BCAAs (Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine), in addition to other muscle-building goodies such as glutamine.
Per scoop we’re looking at 24g of protein, 1g of fat, 3g carbs, and 120 calories.
This nutritional make-up makes it ideal for a protein injection between meals, before bed or as a post-workout fix.
Remember, Gold Standard 100% Whey is not a mass gainer or a a meal replacement; it should be used to complement your meals and help you reach your required daily level of protein.
Gold Standard 100% Whey comes in 16 different flavours.
Most of these are nothing to write home about.
Coffee and Chocolate Malt are pretty decent – but avoid Vanilla at all costs.
It’s atrocious and enough to put you off trying anything vanilla-flavoured ever again.
The powder dissolves quickly with little shaking, which means mixing your shake won’t leave your wrist feeling like a 13 year old kid who’s just discovered Red Tube.
I experienced no clumps, although there was a little bit of froth.
It also digested like a dream, meaning I was able to catch the Tube to work each day without having to constantly clench my arse cheeks for fear of dropping some kind of methane Nagasaki on my fellow commuters.
I opted to use Gold Standard 100% Whey after coming off a bulking cycle in order to tone up while maintaining muscle mass.
During my first month of using this supplement I had protein shakes first thing in the morning and after every workout.
Remarkably, despite increased cardio (I was running about 15 miles a week) and a lower daily calorie intake, I still managed to gain a few pounds of muscle mass.
This took me very much by surprise as I was definitely expecting to lose a little weight.
What’s more, recovery was fantastic.
I was able to push myself to the limit on every workout without feeling like I’d been gang-wedgied by a pissed-up uni rugby team the next day.
Result.
You can usually pick up 5lbs of Gold Standard 100% Whey for around £45 / $50 by shopping here at Amazon.
Although this is slightly more expensive than some of the other bargain basement brands, bear in mind this supplement contains whey protein isolate (pure protein) as its primary ingredient in addition to lots of other goodies that you would normally find yourself paying extra for.
For this kind of quality you can’t go far wrong with this price tag.
A great tasting, reasonably priced whey protein supplement with an excellent nutritional profile from an industry leading company.
What more could you ask for?
Indubitably, its accolades are well and truly deserved, and the quality of this product speaks for itself.
Just take a look at the simple branding – no gimmicks or bullshit, just pure awesome ingredients.
Get a great price on Gold Standard Whey by ordering it here from Amazon.
If you’ve tried this product and have an opinion on it, please leave your Gold Standard 100% Whey Review in the comments section below, I’d love to hear from you.
Until then, lift smart and lift strong!
Henry is the founder and editor of GymTalk. He spends most of his time sat at a computer shovelling peanuts into his mouth while trying to think up new ways to end sentences with the word “vagina”, but occasionally can be found at the squat rack or playing piano in Luton’s “second best” rock band.
Nice review Henry although it’s £56.64 not £29.38 on ON Academy for 2.27kg so quite a bit more expensive than bulk UK suppliers.
You’re absolutely right – I did think that was very cheap indeed!
Review updated.
Still good value for the ingredients you get IMO.
Nice review.
I am a huge fan of most of ON’s products with their Gold Whey probably being my favorite, and most used, of their supplements.
Sadly, I actually use the Vanilla every once in a while. I
t is not exactly good, but I can tolerate it.
Love the chocolate flavors.
Even ON’s casein tastes good.
Drinking a couple scoops of it right now actually mixed with water.
Hi Mike, thanks for stopping by.
This was the first ON supplement that I tried but I can see why it’s so popular.
What other products of theirs would you recommend?
Great review Henry, if I take this product, will I make alllll kiiinds of gains?
If you’re eating clean and training hard, I would be surprised if you didn’t!
I actually am a really big fan of ON Whey, I like the taste and texture and it has the best value for money in terms of scoops for weight.
The only bad thing is that the overall product is quite pricey.
Yeah, it’s by no means the cheapest, but the quality is unmatched.
Nice review.
Made me think about the fact that choosing the right protein powder isn’t just a decision made for yourself and your workout results but it can also be a social decision in a way.
Not molesting your fellow commuters in the subway with your supplement induced flatulence really should be something to consider when making a purchase decision.
Unless, of course, you live somewhere in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan.
But then you’d probably have other problems anyway.
Ok… getting off topic a bit.
What I wanted to say is: I really never understood why most companies don’t offer a version without artificial flavoring with their big sellers.
I personally don’t really need a tropical punch after trying to be a really tough dude in the gym for an hour.
I might want to be able to spice that stuff up with whatever flavor I have in mind and especially be able to choose the amount of flavoring.
Maybe even without artificial sweeteners and all that other crap they cram in there just so that it doesn’t taste like painter’s putty.
But maybe I’m the only one.
But I would think that they would find some customers for that if they were to market that a little better..
Why the hell did write that much in this comment now?!
Could be because it’s leg day today..
Hi Peter, thanks for the comment, enjoyed your ramblings!
There’s plenty of unflavoured supplements on the market – just have a gander at some of the “bargain basement” brands in the UK.
Lol good review
Thanks John!
Can I lose weight if I eat clean and use this product?
Hi Wan
This supplement will certainly help you loose body fat and tone up – provided, of course, that you are training hard and eating well.
Hey, just want to know if whey protein increase the muscle mass?
If not, which one do you think is good to increase the muscle mass?
Cheers
Hi Inzy, thanks for your comment.
Increasing protein consumption via supplements such as Gold Standard 100% Whey will certainly aid muscle repair/recovery.
Provided, of course, that you are training hard and eating healthy nutritious food – otherwise you’ll just be pissing into the breeze.
Let me know if you have any further questions 🙂
This is the best whey protein out there and 9 time protein of the year award winner.
Hi Varinder. I agree – certainly one of the best proteins on the market and full deserving of its multiple awards!
Hello sir.
I’ve been working out in a gym, and I just wanna know how many scoops should I use?
I’m using Whey Protein Isolate Gold Standard, I need your suggestions…
Just follow the instructions…
Excellent Review.
What I like about Gold Standard is that it actually consists three whey protein sources.
That makes it one of the best whey Proteins for me 😉
Absolutely!
I’ve just started in the gym and I got 100% Whey.
How many days will it take to see the result?
Impossible question to answer.
Be consistent with your training, diet and supplementation and you will see results within a few months I am sure.
Hello,
We are big fans of the Gold Standard 100% Whey.
The best protein out there on the market!
Keep going with great content.
Won’t get any argument out of us!
Whey Gold Standard – for weight loss or weight gain?
Hi there.
Whether your goal is to gain muscle mass or loose weight, protein is essential.
So, to answer your question, it can be used to assist with both goals.
If you want to build mass, you need an abundance of protein to promote muscle repair and growth.
If you want to loose weight, protein helps boost your metabolism and will fill you up – preventing you from gorging on rubbish.
And whey protein in particular is great for weight loss as it’s low in calories/fat while good at satisfying your appetite.
A very basic answer there – let me know if you have any further questions.
Henry
Sir, by using 100% Optimum Standard Gold Whey can I build muscles?
Hi Babbu.
Supplements should be the very last piece of the puzzle when trying to build muscle.
Before even considering protein shakes, your training routine and overall diet should be on point.
If this is something that you would like help with, feel free to send us an email or contact us on Twitter.
Henry
I love whey.
Hey Henry, it’s a pretty good and useful article.
Thank you!
I’m going to start Insanity (Beachbody co) workout, which is very intense.
I was thinking of buying ON and your article made it easy for me to take a decision.
A trainer at a gym told me that even though ON advertises as one scoop has 24g of protein, but it only has 10-12g.
Is that really true?
My earnings are not that great to maintain a great nutrition diet for the insanity workout.
I was just thinking of takin these:
1st meal) 1scoop of ON.
2nd meal) 1 slice of wheat bread with peanut better or yogurt
3rd meal) oatmeal with banana.
4th meal) 1 slice of wheat bread with peanut butter and banana.
5th meal) oatmeal with banana.
I hope it makes sense.
Thank you!
Hi there.
Regarding your first question, certainly not.
While some (very dodgy) brands have been guilty of supplement spiking and other fraudulent practices in the past, Optimum Nutrition are one of the most respected – and best – brands on the market.
Regarding your diet, I would add in some more wholesome, protein-rich foods.
Milk, eggs, nuts, tuna, etc are all very cheap and excellent sources of protein.
For more advice on diet, check out some of our articles on nutrition:
http://www.gym-talk.com/nutrition/
I have two year to join gym but my weight gain has stopped, I also take supplement and I choose whey.
How to gain weight to this supplement?
Eat lots of protein and perform the following exercises several times per week: squat, bench, deadlift.
It’s really that simple.
Choosing a supplement to assist in a bulking diet.
Mass gainers are quite expensive but bulk buying this is relatively cheap.
Along with a wholesome diet and compound exercises at the gym would this be satisfactory to add to a shake and use post workout?
Or should I find something else (currently on about 5000 calorie diet)?
Gold Standard Whey will be fine – just make sure you are supplementing and not replacing any meals.
I’m working on losing fat/toning more.
Is this protein good for women as well?
I need a good meal replacement.
I have used other brands but have wanted to give this a try for a while and haven’t met any women who use this kind.
Also, best flavor to mix with water?
Hi Cheyenne, yes, supplementing your diet with a protein shake will definitely help with fat loss, regardless of sex.
However, Gold Standard Whey is a protein supplement, not an MRP, so it should be taken between meals and post-workout to help you get a sufficient amount of protein throughout the day.
For me the best flavours are the chocolate ones – you can never go wrong with chocolate!
Let me know if you have any more questions 🙂
Is Optimum Nutrition whey protein isolate helpful for the skinny guys to gain muscles and get bulky?
Yes it will help with your goals – provided you are already training and eating well.
For more help, check out our training and nutrition articles:
http://www.gym-talk.com/training/
http://www.gym-talk.com/nutrition/
Can you please tell me about the flavour ‘Rocky Road’?
I haven’t tried it, sorry, but if the other ON flavours are anything to go by, I’m sure it’ll be delicious!
Far out I love Gold Standard Whey.
Such an awesome product with such amazing flavours.
I usually buy mine from Fitmonk in Australia or Bodybuilding.com when I travel to the States.
Thanks for the comment 🙂
Hey, your review was good but I have to ask that does it help in building some muscles?
Yes, supplementing your diet with protein will aid with muscle recovery/growth, provided you are training right, eating right, and getting enough rest/sleep.
Hey Henry that was a detailed review.
Could you please help me out with my questions?
So I have started hitting the gym after a long time.
I wish to have a nice lean body with a little bit of size gain but don’t want to be bulky.
Can ON WHEY do that for me?
My trainer said if I take one scoop with milk after workout and one again at night, I will see results.
Your opinions on this?
Yes, it will help with your goals, take it between meals and, where convenient, as a hit of protein post-workout.
Just remember that supplements are a small piece of the puzzle and they’re certainly not a magic fix.
The biggest changes in your body composition/strength will come from training and eating correctly.
Which time will best to use this product?
Post-workout then at any other time during the day to boost daily protein intake.
I see I am an odd duck here but I would like to know what Gold Standard Whey Protein will do for me.
I am a 65 year old female diagnosed with osteoporosis 5 years ago.
All supplements and exercise are geared to increasing bone density.
I take 1 scoop a day mixed with 1 scoop of Neo Cell collagen.
Will the whey help me ?????
Please consult your doctor, they’ll be in a much better position to advise.
When and how many shakes should get per day?
And can you recommend a good flavor without chocolate?
As many as you need to hit your daily protein goals, which should be around 1 to 1.5g per pound of body weight.
Flavour-wise, Caramel Toffee Fudge and Banana Cream are both delicious.
How much water should I drink if I use this product?
Your daily water intake should be around 1 litre per every 1,000 kcal you expend.
So if you expend approx 4,000 kcal per day, you should be consuming 4 litres of water.
If you’re getting enough, your urine should be colourless and odourless.
I want to gain only muscles which protein should I prefer?
A simple whey shake like this with low carb/sugar/calorie content will be fine.
I have been in the gym for quite some time now, been working out so hard, as I would love to be ripped.
So a friend of mine suggested Whey Isolate.
After couples of weeks I realized that I’m loosing too many weight.
Any Advice?
As I want to get ripped but at same time gain as many muscles in a ripped manner!!!
Hi Kedrick, thanks for stopping by.
If you are supplementing your existing diet with this shake – and not replacing meals – as well as lifting weights then you should certainly be building muscle and not losing weight.
Diet-wise, focus on eating healthy, high-protein meals with lots of veggies and drinking lots of water.
Don’t overdo it on the carbs, focus on high-protein, high-fat, as advised by the caveman diet etc.
In the gym, work out with full body routines (such as 5×5) three times per week, leaving lots of time for adequate rest and recovery.
If your goal is to get ripped, then you’ll also need to include some high-intensity cardio (boxing is great) a few times per week to expedite fat loss.
Hope that helps as a starting point – do let me know if you need any more guidance.
Henry
Would I make gains using this, I do about 6 sets and I’m pretty tired after working out.
I train almost every day.
Yes, supplementing your diet with whey protein will certainly aid muscle gain, provided of course you are training and eating correctly.
Hi there,
Could you please help me with couple of questions?
I am fat and I wanted to lose weight.
If I use this protein shake, does it help me to lose weight?
Supplementing with a protein shake will help your body receive all the protein it needs to build and maintain muscle mass.
However, supplements are a small part of the puzzle – you, of course, need to be eating well and exercising as a basis to losing weight.
So, simply, yes, protein shakes can help, but they shouldn’t be your first port of call.
In how much time it will give result?
Impossible to tell as there are so many factors at play.
The key is to not go looking for shortcuts or answers in supplements – this is a long-term game.
Be consistent with your diet and training over months and years and you will definitely see results.
Sir I am 121 lbs and a skinny guy.
Will whey protein isolate or ON Serious Mass help to gain mass and weight?
I would like to bulk up.
My body was in good shape.
Yes, it will certainly help, but you need to firstly focus on getting your training and diet right.
Hey.
I just need to know how much whey protein to help me to increase my muscles?
I eat a lot right now, I have 15 inch biceps, after whey protein will it increase?
Thank you.
Aim to consume around 1-1.5g of protein per lb of bodyweight per day.
Most of this should come from real food sources such as meat, fish, nuts etc but use a protein shake between meals to help you reach this goal.
Hi Henry.
I am 18 year old skinny boy, my height is 6’1 and my weight is 66 kg.
I’ve had a lot of supplements but they have not given me any results, so my question is will ON whey protein will help me to gain weight?
If you’re not making any gains, I would advise that you stop looking for answers in supplements, as they are only a very small piece of the puzzle.
Instead, make sure your workout routine and diet is more conducive to results.
I would suggest starting with a decent full-body routine such as Stronglifts 5×5 and making sure you’re getting plenty of wholesome high-protein food in your diet with lots of healthy fats.
Hi, I am 18 years old and my weight is 100 lb.
How many lb protein requires to growth 170 lb of whey gold?
As a guideline, I would suggest consuming around 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day.
Consume however much whey protein you need to help you hit that daily target, but focus on getting as much protein as you can from wholesome food sources.
Hi, I’m 28 years old, female.
Need some help in finding a good protein shake.
I have been taking PHD Diet for a while now but after I keep reading all the good reviews about Gold 100%, thinking to switch over.
I am on my diet plan so need a very good supplement to replace my meal.
I am trying to lose some fat and tone up my body.
I do gym 5 days a week.
Can you suggest me a better one with good flavor??
I’d definitely recommend Gold Standard if you have the budget for it.
I’ve got the Rocky Road flavour at the moment which is delicious, and I’d also recommend the Cookies & Cream.
Dear Henry, I do workout at home, my body is lean, and I have low-fat body.
I am using Whey Protein Gold, please give me tips to gain some weight as well.
Use it as a supplement between means to help you increase your daily protein intake.
As a guide you want to be hitting between 1 to 1.5g of protein per pound of bodyweight per day.
As far as workouts go, I’d recommend a three-day-per-week full-body routine.
We have written about plenty here.
Hi, we tried whey protein gold standard and all we can say is it’s simply awesome and the results were pleasing.
We tried it for 1 month and we were able to gain lean muscle mass.
Great to hear!
Does Whey Gold Standard contain nuts?
I wouldn’t have thought so – but to err on the side of caution I would suggesting contacting their customer service.
Hey Henry,
Nice review.
My Goal is to reduce fat/weight and get lean muscles.
Is this product good enough for that?
Regards,
Vishnu
Yes, it will help, provided you are training hard, eating healthily and giving your body adequate rest/sleep.
Hi, I want to lose my weight.
Could you suggest to me if this ON product is good enough for me to lose the weight?
Or if any other product is best for the same goal?
Thanks.
If you want to lose weight, I wouldn’t suggest a protein supplement.
Save yourself some money and just focus on reducing your calorie intake and getting some exercise.
Hello there, Henry!
Nice, well organized article!
Regarding using Gold Standard 100% Whey to gain mass, I do have several questions that I would like you to answer.
What training routine should I go for for better results?
Should I opt for the 5×5 Reg Park’s training routine?
Or should I go for any other intense training routine?
Waiting for your response, Mr. Henry
For beginners, I would always recommend a routine which prioritises strength development, as heavy compound lifting is the best way to build muscle, bar none.
5×5 is a great place to start – do some further reading on all of the variations out there (Reg Park, Stronglifts, Madcow).
I’d also recommend finding a copy of “Staring Strength” by Mark Rippetoe, which you should be able to pick up from Amazon fairly easily.
Really enjoyed reading this review found it quite funny “methane Nagasaki on my fellow commuters.”
I have just purchased the strawberry flavour and I’m enjoying it very much.
Thanks Henry, come back and let us know how you get on!
This is a good protein… and for a long time had a good price… but now Myprotein impact whey came out… AND IT OFFERS THE SAME QUALITY for a lot less.