Many of us are already aware of the need for vitamin and mineral supplements to help insure our diets contain all the necessary nutrients. We often fail to realize that there are other nutrients that are as equally important to our survival. One of these essential nutrients is protein.
Protein is required for maintaining and repairing tissue (especially muscle), to keep our immune system functioning properly, production of necessary hormones and providing energy for our body. These important body functions may be significantly impaired without the consumption of adequate amounts of protein. This can be a critical factor in a survival scenario.
Symptoms of inadequate protein consumption may include weight loss (including muscle tissue), fatigue or a general overall weak feeling, an increased susceptibility to infections, and swelling (edema) due to fluid retention. When your body is low on protein, it can also enter the “starvation mode”. One of the early signs that indicate a lack of protein is muscle weakness. Unfortunately, our bodies don’t store protein and this essential nutrient must come from the foods we consume on a daily basis. This could create problems If we don’t know where our next meal is coming from or when.
The Product
A tactical protein replacement from www.vitalitysci.com called SurvivAmino was chosen for this test. It is a fat-free, non GMO, gluten free protein supplement that contains no artificial preservatives or meat or dairy products. This is a big plus in my opinion. This supplement is also in a form that makes it readily absorbable by the body. This also makes it a suitable product for use by those who require a gluten free product or wish to maintain a strict vegetarian diet.
The Review
For this review, a 72 hour scenario was utilized to check the effectiveness of a protein supplement to:
1. Use as a supplement to avoid cramps or swelling during normal activity levels.
On the first day, the protein supplement was used instead of my normal breakfast of scrambled eggs prior to my daily hike/walk. There was some minor cramping in my right leg after several miles but was “walked off” and my hike/walk was continued without further problems.
2. Use as a supplement to avoid weakness or fatigue due to strenuous activity with limited caloric intake.
On the second day, the protein supplement was used a meal replacement for lunch. The day was spent in a period of fairly steady activity while doing some minor repairs to my bug-out van. Overall the lack of an actual meal did not hinder my ability to work at a steady pace and work wasn't discontinued until well into the afternoon. At this time, temperatures were getting extremely hot and required a break in my activity.
3. Use as a meal replacement to avoid hunger pains due to lack of a sufficient meal.
On the third day, the protein supplement was used as a total meal replacement. Activities for the day were pretty routine and not anything of a strenuous nature. Even though I had missed two meals already, my appetite wasn't that great. After eating a small evening meal, my hunger was satisfied. While this supplement shouldn't be used on a regular basis as a meal substitute, it actually did quite well in this regards. It is best to remember that we get additional nutrients from our food and should make every effort possible to eat regular meals when possible.
Overall Review
The contents of the tactical protein supplement were securely packaged and included both an outer seal on the cap and an inner seal to protect the integrity of the product. The dosage size was five tablets and the supplement contained a total of 100 tablets. The packaging gets a thumbs up.
The tablets are fairly large and required them to be swallowed individually. If you have trouble swallowing large pills, you would probably need to break them in half. In my case, they were just swallowed one at a time.
There is no taste factor involved. When compared with Mrs. RW’s home made granola/protein bars, the clear winner in the taste department was Mrs. RW’s protein bars. The pills won’t satisfy your taste buds even though they had readily available amounts of protein.
A tactical protein supplement can serve you well when hiking or backpacking, as an addition to your bug-out bag or as a means to keep the amount of proteins in your body at sufficient levels. Since the body doesn't store protein, it doesn't hurt to keep a good protein supplement available for when it might be needed. These tablets also have a good shelf life and come in a portable form that is easily stored or carried.
The Giveaway
One lucky reader will receive a free product sample of Survivamino from www.vitalitysci.comby leaving a comment about your experience using protein supplements. A winner will be chosen at random from the comments on this post and announced at a later date. Those of you wishing to obtain this protein supplement can also visit www.vitalitysci.com and use the promo code “rwalker” to receive a discount on your purchase of Survivamino at checkout.
While many people realize the importance of supplements to aid our diet, protein supplements are quite often neglected and sometimes fail to be included in an effort to maintain proper dietary nutrient levels for our survival.
Got protein?
Staying above the water line!
Riverwalker