Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey Review Still the King

I have been away from the gym for a few years and I am just getting back into my routine. Back in the day everyone used Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey. I am wondering if it is still considered the best or if newer brands have overtaken it in terms of quality and price.

I am in the US and I see it everywhere from GNC to Amazon. The flavors like Double Rich Chocolate were always my go to. I am looking for a reliable protein that I can trust without having to do hours of research on every new brand that pops up.

Is the quality still the same as it was ten years ago? I have heard some people saying they changed the formula. I would love to hear from the veterans in the group who have been using it for a long time. Is it still the king of protein powders?

ON Gold Standard is definitely still the benchmark for mixability and consistent flavour. It might not be the cheapest on the market anymore with all the bulk suppliers in the UK and US but you always know exactly what you are getting in that red tub.

Honestly the price has gone mental lately. I remember when a 5lb tub was forty bucks. Now I'm seeing it for sixty or seventy at some shops in the mall. Quality is there but my wallet is feeling the squeeze.

Welcome back to the gym mate! To answer your question, it's still a solid choice but there are loads of "boutique" brands now. That said, Extreme Milk Chocolate is still the best tasting protein ever made in my opinion. Proper treat after a heavy session.

It's still the king of reliability here in Canada. You can find it at Costco for a decent price usually. I've tried some of the local Canadian brands but they always clump up more than ON does.

I disagree about it being the king. It's a blend of isolate and concentrate. If you want the best you should go for a pure isolate. ON is the king of marketing more than anything else.

For most trainees the difference between a blend and a pure isolate is negligible for actual muscle growth. Reliability and digestion matter more. ON is very easy on the stomach compared to some of the cheaper brands that use lower grade concentrates.

Spot on Celestine. I've had some bulk powders from a site here in the UK that gave me terrible bloating. Switched back to Gold Standard and the problem vanished. You get what you pay for in terms of digestion.

Double Rich Chocolate mixed with a bit of oats and peanut butter is my go-to breakfast. It's the only one I don't get bored of after a week.

Has anyone tried the newer flavours like Fruity Cereal? I'm a bit hesitant to move away from the classics.

Fruity Cereal is okay but a bit too sweet for me. Stick to the Mocha Cappuccino if you want something different but not sickly.

I'm in the UK and usually buy it when it's on offer at Holland & Barrett. It's definitely the safest bet if you're picky about textures. No one likes a gritty shake after a workout!

It's the iPhone of protein powders. Is it the best specs for the price? No. Does it work perfectly every single time? Yes.

Agreed. When I was deployed I'd always try to get ON sent over because it mixes with a spoon in a canteen cup if you don't have a shaker handy. Most other brands need a blender or a lot of shaking.

I noticed they changed the scoop design recently. A small detail but I actually prefer the old one!

Anyone notice a difference in the European version vs the North American one? I heard the sweeteners are different because of regulations.

The UK/EU version uses beetroot red for some colours instead of the synthetic dyes used in the US version. Taste is almost identical though.

I'm going to grab a tub of the French Vanilla. Seems like the safest way to ease back into it. Hard to mess up vanilla.

Vanilla is great because you can add frozen berries or a banana to the blender and it actually tastes like a real smoothie.

Is it still 24g of protein per serving? I hope they haven't started ""amino spiking"" like some of those other brands that got sued.