This is a question I’ve been asked time and time again and one a beginner will inevitably consider when embarking on the road to supplementation.
I’m always amused by the marketing of protein products. Step into your local store and you will be bombarded with outrageous claims of increased anabolism, % gains, and strength increases.
No wonder the regular joe is confused.
As by product of this, there even seems to be a negative stigma associated to protein supplementation amongst non lifter:
“Yeah he’s big, but he takes protein shakes so it’s not natural.” Laugh.
A key point that is often overlooked with these products is that they are supplements. They supplement your diet. There is nothing in protein shakes that cannot be obtained from a well planned diet regime. However, not all of us have the time and patience to prepare chicken breasts/tuna/milk/egg yolks – and time their consumption at the most opportune times throughout the day. Is higher protein intake even necessary?
This is a question you might very well ask. Indeed, it’s an oft-debated and hard-to-prove question. In a clinical setting I will routinely give patients with burns and post operation higher relative levels of protein to hasten their recovery. There is, however, not enough quality data on weightlifters to make strict recommendations. 1.4-1.8g/kg/day is a effective safe range. This isn’t that much at all, so don’t let supplement companies fool you into thinking you should be going through 10kg of their protein each month. Also if you have any kidney problems, consult your doctor before upping your protein intake.
The absorption of protein
Now keeping this in mind, I believe the supplement industry have blown the importance of timing completely out of proportion. Food absorption is a long process. That sausage roll you ate 15 minutes ago hasn’t magically made its way into your bloodstream. I’ve come across a number of weightlifters that carried around protein shakes to consume at 2 hourly intervals for fear of the dreaded catabolism of muscle. I’m not here today to discuss the physiology of the digestive system or processes of muscle wasting but rest assured that there is no need for such an approach. Our ancestors often made due with one very big protein rich meal a day. The human body is an incredible contraption and it is smart enough to take precautions to hold on to our hard built muscle.
Therefore the goal of protein supplementation should be to meet our macro requirements at inconvenient times (such as with high protein low carb diets) and to increase protein synthesis – or, in other words, the rate at which muscle mass is gained by timing protein intake. Hence we are back to our original question…
Which protein should I get?
There is no definite answer of course, and it will depend on other factors such as cost, taste, and mixability. However, your most the most important consideration should be the ingredient list. When we look at the ingredient list of protein powders we’re told the source of the protein. Now this is commonly whey concentrate/isolate/hydrolysate, egg albumin, casein, and soy.
Whey
This is by far the most common source of protein in supplements.
Coincidentally, before the advent of the lucrative bodybuilding industry, this by-product of the cheese making process was often simply discarded as a clear soluble layer formed during curdling of milk. Now that is not to say that it is rubbish – far from it. Whey is rapidly absorbed and this is exactly what we are looking for post workout. However, we need a basic understanding of the three different commercial forms in order to evaluate products when purchasing.
Concentrate
This is the cheapest form by far. It is the least processed, and contains other bio compounds such as cholesterol and lactose. Meaning it can be as little as 1/3 of actual protein by weight. Look at bargain basement proteins (see here and here for example) and they will have this as the only ingredient. Now whey concentrate isn’t bad, but it has its disadvantages. Digestibility is the main one. Your body will need to process these more extensively, which can lead to ammonia production.
If your significant others are having issues with your gas, it might be time to invest in some better protein.
Isolate
This is processed whey. That is accomplished by varying methods, usually microfiltration. The protein is purified and isolate is usually over 90% pure protein by weight. This means its quickly absorbed and gas or stomach cramps are not much of a problem.
Hydrolysate
Remember basic chem? Hydrolysis translated to breakdown with water. In this case, it means our proteins our enzymatically predigested. This is great – even more rapid absorption. Hydrolysed protein is a fantastic choice for those that get a lot of gas issues with regular protein. So why not just have pure hydrolysate? The answer is of course cost. And by getting rid of all these additional components present in concentrate we nullify any of the additional health benefits.
Egg Albumin
Ah egg whites – now this is the standard that all proteins are measured by. All proteins aren’t actually 100% bioavailable. That is to say, if you take 10g, not all will be able to be utilised by your body. EXCEPT egg protein. I rate it highly. The problem with it, however, is that it can be hypoallergenic. Although rare, I would not advise making egg protein your sole source.
Casein
I've taken 100% casein for a few months as a before bed shake. It is the main constituent of dairy products. Think of it as a slow release protein (no wonder that blob will sit in your gut for hours).
Soy Protein
Soy Protein has quite good digestability and mixability. However it’s gotten some bad rep in the past few years due to supposedly lowering testosterone (increase of estrogen).
Other
There are others. Rice and hemp (plant protein) come to mind. If u are vegetarian – u can try those.
Now what about the fats/carbs/etc in the products? Fats are not too much of a concern as they are generally low. Look for high quality MCTs (medium chain triglycerides) if possible. Typically a higher fat content = better taste. Surprise, surprise.
Carbs
Now I could go on about carbs for pages and pages.
However the bottom line is if you’re using it as a meal replacement then complex carbs (or no carbs, depending on your diet) and post workout = simple carbs. Glucose (dextrose) is best. Of course we’re doing this in an effort to spike insulin. This handy hormone will help shuttle the amino acids from your bloodstream into muscle tissue1.
Putting this information into use
So now you know why you should supplement with protein and you have some clue of the different sources and ingredients. So let’s put this info to some use.
Which protein should you buy?
Well as most things are concerned, it comes down to cash. Are you a broke student, scraping by from loan to loan? Go buy a cheap whey concentrate and dextrose powder for postworkout. However, buying cheap tuna and chicken breast isn't the cheapest form of protein intake. Highly demanded, I could put some simple calculations to show you, how cost effective protein powder is.
Got money to burn?
Then I could recommend all sorts of different regimes. Fast acting hydrolysed whey with glucose P/W, casein before bed, protein blend for meal replacement. Of course if you are a high level athlete this will also depend on your goals and training regime. But this article is aimed at the beginner bodybuilder.
My personal recommendation
So what do I, do?
After trying just about every protein on the market, from blends to pure whey, egg, casein etc, Ive settled on a quality blend as my favorite. I use either Olimp Whey Protein Complex 100% and Betancourt Big Blend.
For post workouts I add some simple carbs to get an insulin spike and for meal replacement I leave it as it is, as it gives me flexibility. Either with skimmed milk or water, the taste is amazing. Protein blends have been shown to actually promote protein synthesis a bit better then pure whey. Therefore I get the best of both worlds, good taste, mixability, low gi issues, protein synthesis boost P/W, and meal replacement when I need it. All this without breaking the bank. Maybe not the best value but it works for me.
But that’s the point.
Protein supplements are not rocket science. You’ve got the basic info necessary to pick up a protein supplement and read past the hype. The rest is all about personal preference. Its protein. You can’t go far wrong.
