With the increasing popularity and availability of protein supplements, more and more of you have questions. What kind of protein powder is best? How much should you have and how often should you have it? How do they taste? Do you really need to drink them to get the body you want?

We've compiled these questions and more into one comprehensive Q&A session. Here's the full scoop on how to determine whether these products can truly benefit you, as well as how to select the best protein powder to meet your needs.

What's the most important factor in choosing a protein powder?
We believe that the No. 1 factor is taste. If you don't like it, you won't drink it! The best-quality protein powder in the world won't do your muscles any good if it's collecting dust above your refrigerator because you gag when you drink it. Consistency and solubility can also be considered part of the larger taste umbrella. Find a product with a consistency that you like, whether that's a powder that spoon-stirs easily with water or a thicker milkshake-type blend.

Finding a product that "agrees" with your digestive system is also important. That is, it doesn't send you running to the bathroom all day or make you feel bloated or gassy.

It's a good idea to experiment with single-serving packets of different protein powders before purchasing a large canister of product. You'll then find what you like without a large investment.

Taste-Test Results
We tried a whopping 21 different protein powders and high-protein MRPs to narrow down the best-tasting products and give you a few recommendations. Each was scored from 1 to 5, with 5 being best. The results below are products that scored an average of 3 or 4 (sorry - no 5s). Remember that taste is highly individual, so one person's favorite may be another's least favorite. The eight top-scoring products below are listed alphabetically:

• Designer Protein Smoothie by Next Proteins in AbsBerry Sundae
• Extreme Pure Pro by American Body Building in Grape
• Just Whey by Sport-Pharma in Chocolate
• Lean Body for Her by Labrada in Soft Chocolate Ice Cream
• Pro-Blend 55 by Human Development Technologies in Mocha Cappuccino
• Pure Lean by California Advanced Laboratories in Chocolate
• Simply Protein Complete Whey by EAS in Vanilla Cream
• Super Whey Fuel by Twinlab in Delicious Banana Strawberry Surprise

While frequent, intense amounts of exercise may increase protein requirements up to this level, no scientific evidence shows that more than that is better. Yet anecdotal evidence may indicate that slightly higher amounts of protein may benefit some people. "In order to see effects, you generally have to bump your protein intake up by 20%-25% and keep it there consistently," explains Jim Wright, PhD, senior science editor for FLEX magazine. That means increasing protein to 125 grams daily if you're already eating 100 grams, which is more than the scientifically recommended requirement.

Remember that the fitness pros who eat up to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight daily are doing not only serious strength training but also extensive amounts of gymnastics training and cardio. If you're not putting strenuous demands on your body, chances are that your protein intake doesn't need to be as high as a fitness competitor's.

Will I get leaner and stronger if I drink protein supplements?
Protein intake is just one part of the nitrogen balance equation, along with total calories (energy), carbohydrate intake and, of course, exercise. "The greatest amount of muscle growth seems to occur when protein intake is 1.7-1.8 g protein/kg bodyweight/day (10%-15% of nutrient intake), energy intake is sufficient (that is, weight is not lost) and carbohydrate intake is high (60%-65% of nutrient intake)," state Ann Snyder and Jay Naik in Nutrition for Sport & Exercise (Berning and Steen, Aspen Publications, 1998). That is, if you're eating enough calories and carbohydrate, your dietary protein will be used for muscle-related needs. But if you're on a strict low-carb diet, chances are that some of that protein will be converted into fuel - a very inefficient use of dietary protein.

What's the moral of the story? Protein supplements can definitely help you in your quest to reach your daily protein quota, which according to Snyder and Naik equals about 0.8 gram per pound of bodyweight, but you have to also make sure you're eating enough total calories and carbohydrate.

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