They can be used as: supplementary meals for those looking to gain weight, meal replacements for those looking to lose weight, as nutritional supplementation to increase general health and wellness or as medicinal supplementation to treat specific conditions.

What are MRP's?
Meal replacements (MRP's) generally consist of powdered protein formulas that are dissolved in water, juice, dairy or nuts milks and taken as a shake or they may come in pre-packaged bars. They provide macro nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates and fats, in addition to micro nutrients. Different formulas may contain vitamins and minerals and other nutrients in specific ratios to promote their unique intended effects. These effects depend on the specific formula of meal replacement used and can include weight gain and muscle building, detoxification, weight loss, or simply ensuring adequate balanced protein is present in the diet. In general, all meal replacements help to promote healthy eating by maintaining blood sugar levels and providing the body with a healthy source of the nutrition it needs. Maintaining balanced blood sugar and ingesting sufficient nutrients helps to reduce cravings and maintain optimal energy levels throughout the day.

Types of Meal Replacements:
There are four general types of meal replacement options with very different effects. These are: sport, dieting, nutritional and medical formulas.

Sport MRP's - In general sport formula meal replacements are used to accelerate muscle growth and weight gain, while reducing muscle loss between workouts and even helping to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOM). These formulas generally include higher levels of protein (often whey-based) with an appropriate ratio of carbohydrates, fibre and fats to promote anabolic pathways in muscle tissue. They can be used in addition to regular meals and with an exercise program to accelerate muscle growth and lean weight gain.

Dieting MRP's - Meal replacement formulas can be used to aid in healthy weight loss by providing a nutritionally wholesome, but low calorie meal. In these cases the supplement would be taken in the place of a meal to help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce cravings while reducing total caloric intake. By helping to prevent the skipping of meals during dieting, these formulas prevent the slowing of weight loss caused by reduction in metabolic rate. Certain formulas may also contain supplements that can help further aid in weight loss.

Whole Food Nutritionl MRP's - With the current rapid pace of life, it is often difficult for most people to eat a balanced diet on a daily basis. Also, vegetarians and vegans often find it difficult to achieve sufficient balanced protein intake from diet alone, as plant protein sources are rarely complete proteins. Nutritional MRP's are often offered in raw or vegan protein formulations (although some are whey-based) and can help to fill any gaps in restricted or nutritionally insufficient diets. In addition to protein, they may include enzymes for digestion, and vitamin and mineral supplements to further promote a complete healthy diet.

Medical MRP's - Medical meal replacement formulas tend to have a specific targeted healing or wellness function. Some examples of this would be using specific vitamins, minerals, botanicals and other supplements to support phase II detoxification, gut repair or to reduce inflammation, while also providing a meal replacement. This can allow individuals to benefit from combining a healthy meal replacement with supplementation to support them in their health goal, whether that be: detoxification, weight loss, gut repair, anti-oxidant or anti-inflammatory therapy (among others). Having these supplements available in a meal replacement provides the synergistic benefits of all supplements working together in the appropriate dosages, and also makes it easier to remember to take them.