Muscle Milk, made by CytoSport, is a hugely popular protein supplement company that's well known for their lactose free, high fructose corn syrup-free, trans fat-free, high protein products.

It's recommended that athletic individuals drink a Muscle Milk protein shake 30-60 minutes after physical activity. Muscle Milk is formulated to help make hormones, enzymes, cellular messengers and nucleic acids. It gives your body the protein it needs to build new muscle tissue and strong bones.

Greg chose the name Muscle Milk to evoke the phrase “mother's milk,” both the nutritional lifeblood of babies and a cult protein supplement brand among mid-1960s bodybuilders literally called Mother's Milk.

In 2007, some varieties of Muscle Milk contained bovine colostrums, a source of hormones banned by the NCAA and the World Anti-Doping Agency, said Eric Patterson, of Drug Free Sport. In response, Muscle Milk created the collegiate formula to meet NCAA guidelines.

In short, if you drink a protein shake on a rest day, or a day when you're doing less than you might usually do, there's no need to worry about any adverse effects. However, if you're drinking high protein shakes on their own and not to supplement your protein intake when working out, this could cause weight gain.

It isn't a good idea to drink multiple daily servings of Muscle Milk or other protein drinks. The July 2010 issue of "Consumer Reports" noted that many protein drinks and powders contain potentially harmful levels of heavy metals, such as cadmium, lead and arsenic.

In February 2019, Hormel announced it was selling the CytoSport business to PepsiCo, Inc. for a purchase price of $465 million. The transaction included the Muscle Milk and Evolve sports nutrition brands and was completed in April 2019.

Is Muscle Milk Worth It? Muscle Milk will be a good choice for some people, and others should probably opt for a different whey protein powder or a plant-based protein powder. It mostly depends on your goals, activity level, and stomach sensitivity.

If you're looking to lose weight, Muscle Milk will not be as good of an option as another protein powder with less carbs and fat. If you're looking to sustain hard training or even gain weight, Muscle Milk could be a good tool to help you achieve that.

A study from Consumer Reports found trace amounts of heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, and lead in some protein products, including Muscle Milk. While it was within safe limits, regular consumption isn't ideal.

In most cases, drinking a protein shake on an empty stomach won't cause you any harm. “If it's a tough workout, try hydrating with water during the workout first and then drink the protein shake after,” says Patton.

To be clear, there is no hard-and-fast rule about drinking protein shakes, and having too many of them in one day likely won't have any long-term detrimental effects. For most people, anywhere from one to three protein shakes per day should be plenty to help them meet their nutritional needs.