Can I take hypercaloric and whey protein at the same time?

Hypercaloric and whey protein are useful supplements for those looking to gain muscle mass. However, a common question is whether hypercaloric and whey protein can be taken together.

While you can take a high-calorie and whey protein supplement together to get all the calories and protein you need for the day, you may not need both at the same time. High-calorie supplements alone usually provide enough protein, and adding whey protein may be unnecessary and expensive.

This doesn't mean that hypercaloric is better than whey, but rather that using both simultaneously may not be as worthwhile.

In this text, we will delve deeper into this issue.

Important points

Hypercaloric is higher in calories and contains all 3 macros (protein, carbohydrates, and fat), making it a better option for those looking to gain weight or use it as a meal replacement.Whey protein is lower in calories and is best for those who just want to increase their protein intake but don't need much help meeting their daily calorie needs.Mixing hypercaloric and whey protein together may not be worth it, as only hypercaloric can deliver all the protein you need in a protein shake.Hypercaloric and whey protein: what are the differences?Calories

One of the most notable and obvious differences between a hypercaloric and a whey protein is the amount of calories each provides.

Whey protein is relatively low in calories, while hypercaloric proteins – as the name strongly suggests – contain considerably more calories per serving.

A whey protein concentrate usually contains between 100-150 calories per serving, while a hypercaloric one can have between 500-1500calories per serving.

Macronutrients

Another difference between hypercaloric and whey protein is the macronutrient ratio in each supplement. Whey provides primarily one macronutrient, while hypercaloric provides essentially all of them.

Whey protein is very rich in protein, with very little carbohydrates and fats, often containing almost none.

On the other hand, a hypercaloric diet will probably have all three macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fat), but with the highest percentage of carbohydrates, followed by proteins, and lastly, fat.

For this reason, whey protein wouldn't be considered a meal replacement, as it's low in calories and essentially contains only protein. For this function, it would need to be combined with additional carbohydrates and fats.

On the other hand, a hypercaloric can be used as a meal replacement on its own because they are more caloric and have a more balanced amount of each macronutrient (in direct comparison with whey).

Your goal

Another major difference between a hypercaloric and a whey protein is the supplement's intended use. In other words, your goal in using these supplements.

Whey protein is primarily used to increase dietary protein intake and thus contribute to muscle hypertrophy.

It's ideal for those who are controlling their calorie intake but also need more protein; whey's main purpose isn't to aid weight gain per se, as it provides few calories per serving.

Hypercaloric foods are intended to be used as a tool to supplement daily calorie needs when solid food alone cannot do so.

Because a hypercaloric can provide many calories per dose and make you easily exceed your daily calorie needs, weight gain is usually the main goal of using this category of supplement.

Is it safe to mix hypercaloric with whey protein?

While there are no problems with mixing hypercaloric with whey protein, the amount of protein you will be ingesting by combining the two supplements may be high enough to become unnecessary.

There's evidence in the literature suggesting that the ideal amount of protein to consume per meal is around 25–30 grams to maximize the rate of muscle building. Consuming more than this won't be wasted, but you won't experience an even higher rate of anabolism by doing so.

In some cases, mixing a high-calorie dose with whey protein can result in an intake of 60 to 80 grams of protein in a single meal, which is simply unnecessary.

If you still want to use both supplements, it would be a good idea to simply use them at separate times throughout the day.

4 tips for combining hypercaloric and whey protein

If you still want to use hypercaloric and whey protein together, take these 4 tips into consideration:

1. Record calories and macronutrients

Combining your high-calorie and whey protein supplement can exceed your daily calorie and protein goals. To avoid this, plan your meals and record your high-calorie/whey protein blend in your daily food log.

2. Prioritize the use of whole solid foods

It's perfectly acceptable to use high-calorie and whey protein supplements to meet your nutritional goals, as long as they don't represent the majority of your calorie intake. I recommend keeping the calories you get from supplements to 20% or less of your total intake, so that the remaining 80% comes from whole foods.

3. Take each supplement separately

Instead of combining the two supplements, you could try using your whey protein supplement as a snack and your high-calorie supplement as a post-workout meal (or vice versa). This is best if you find that combining the two powders causes digestive issues.

4. Use similar flavors of both supplements (thank me later)

Hypercaloric foods are notorious for having “peculiar” flavors.

If you go further and mix different flavors of high-calorie and whey protein, you can create a horrible combination that will make it difficult to consume both (at least together).

To avoid this, try to stick with similar flavors of each supplement (e.g., vanilla flavored high calorie and vanilla flavored whey protein).

What is the best time to take hypercaloric?

Although you can take a hypercaloric at any time of the day, the best time is before and after training.

This is because the carbohydrates in the hypercaloric provide fuel for your workout, and the protein will help rebuild and repair the muscle that was worn down during your training session.

What is the best time to take whey protein?

Similar to a hypercaloric supplement, whey protein can be taken at any time of the day, however, the best time to take it is after training.

This is because taking a fast-absorbing protein like whey after your workout will immediately provide the muscles you just worked with the amino acids they need to rebuild and grow.

Conclusion

You can certainly use hypercaloric supplements and whey protein together. However, a cheaper and more efficient strategy would be to choose the one that best fits your goals.

If your main struggle is gaining weight, your number one priority needs to be eating in a consistent caloric surplus, but if you can't do that with whole foods, then I would recommend using a high-calorie diet.

On the other hand, if you can easily meet your calorie goal with whole foods, then using a whey protein would be enough to help meet your protein goals, but it may not even be necessary if you can do it with whole foods.