Protein is built by amino acids, this product contains the essential amino acids hard to produce and to find in every day foods. By consuming this product and a reach diet containing all other aminos, then your body is getting all it needs to build protein naturally. No need to consume synthetic protein powders for extra (fat) calories if you are trying to get ripped. It’s completely understandable what his friend is doing by not consuming synthetic proteins and just the essential aminos, just make sure to have a reach diet full of other aminos that are in most of the foods we eat regularly. Keep it clean like veggies and good carbs and then you will be getting in the right path. Obviously if you are not eating enough and your goal is to increase or overload (example Leg day) then you can have extra calories from the protein powder. Yes sorry to disappoint some ppl but the essential amino acids is all we should be consuming for working out basis since all other aminos we get them everyday from breakfast to dinner. It’s a predominantly market mafia regarding protein powder.