Boom times in Silicon Valley call for hard work, and hard work — at least in technology land — means that coders, engineers and venture capitalists are turning to liquid meals with names like Schmoylent, Soylent, Schmilk and People Chow. The protein-packed products that come in powder form are inexpensive and quick and easy to make — just shake with water, or in the case of Schmilk, milk. While athletes and dieters have been drinking their dinner for years, Silicon Valley's workers are now increasingly chugging their meals, too, so they can more quickly get back to their computer work.
Demand for some of the powdered drinks, which typically mix nutrients like magnesium, zinc and vitamins, is so high that some engineers report being put on waiting lists of one to six months to receive their first orders. And the drinks are taking off across techie social circles. Venture capitalists have also poured money into the companies that offer the meal replacements, and investors including Alexis Ohanian, a founder of Reddit, count themselves as fans of the drinks.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Placenta on Wednesday May 27 2015, @11:49AM
I used to belong to a gym, several years ago. The biggest and machoest men there would drink all sorts of these powder concoctions. But then they'd walk around the changing room naked after taking a shower, and they'd have absolutely shrunken testes. I'm not talking about constricted testes due to a cold shower. I'm talking about them having normal sized penises, but no visible scrotums. It was the weirdest thing. Was that caused by these powder drinks, or was that caused by something else?
(Score: 4, Insightful) by kaszz on Wednesday May 27 2015, @11:55AM
Anabolic steroids?
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 27 2015, @12:21PM
It was caused by steroids.
Steroids are hormones. Gym freaks take the kind of steroids that are testosterone. But the body is efficient, it sees that they have enough testosterone in the blood so it reduces maintenance of the testicles since they don't need to produce testosterone any more.
It is the same old story - use it or lose it.
Also these drinks like soylent are not really "protein powder" -- yes there is protein in it, but there is everything else in there too. They are more like Ensure than Muscle Milk.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday May 27 2015, @12:49PM
Nope [wikipedia.org]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 27 2015, @01:05PM
(a) Holy shit! Could you have linked to a less helpful webpage?
(b) Close enough [wikipedia.org]
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Wednesday May 27 2015, @02:32PM
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday May 27 2015, @08:06PM
Yes, but OP claimed that all steroids are hormones, I fail to see how the bile acid (a steroid) can be called a hormone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 27 2015, @08:48PM
Autism for the lose.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 27 2015, @10:07PM
Pedantry for the lose. Pedantry always loses.
(Score: 2) by Balderdash on Thursday May 28 2015, @12:43AM
If you puke bile onto a whore, she will doubtless moan.
Therefore it is totally relevant.
I browse at -1. Free and open discourse requires consideration and review of all attempts at participation.
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Thursday May 28 2015, @07:34AM
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 27 2015, @01:12PM
Which begs the question. Why are you in the gym shower and locker-room checking out other dudes junk?
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 27 2015, @01:43PM
The question is the answer. It's one of the several nuisances about working out in a gym.
(Score: 2, Disagree) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 27 2015, @01:51PM
*perks
(Score: 1) by Placenta on Wednesday May 27 2015, @09:54PM
I was in there to shower and change before driving home.
If you saw numerous naked men walking around and they had penises, but no visible scrotums, you'd look, too.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday May 27 2015, @09:59PM
> If you saw numerous naked men walking around and they had penises, but no visible scrotums, you'd look, too.
If you were looking you'd look too!
(Score: 1) by BananaPhone on Wednesday May 27 2015, @04:18PM
Creatine does. And causes male infertility.
and its desired effects (Muscle gain) are also temporary.
Stop taking it and the muscles fade.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 28 2015, @11:34AM
It was caused by them not getting enough reach-arounds. Reach-arounds help to keep the balls pulled out.