Are protein shakes essential?

[Butt stuff]

Perhaps you could research each ingredient of the protein powder?

Ugh lol. I'll just take the disease. Though it must be hard to know how certain components might react with others when intaking at the same time.

[Facade]

While protein is essential for getting the best possible results, you are free to pick your sources for protein of course. If you feel uncomfortable with protein shakes then I suggest just going for something different.

The protein is essential, shakes are just 1 of the ways to get protein and are therefore not essential.

[HedonisticFrog]

I am slightly worried that I'll end up getting some weird disease or something from caning protein shakes for years, do you use shakes yourself or just rely on diet?

I've been drinking protein shakes for about seven years now with no ill effects. I use whey protein.