Whey protein, whey isolate, casein? First back to basics. The Nutrition Center prescribes that healthy people need an average of about 0.83 grams of protein per day per kilo of body weight. In the Netherlands, most people get enough protein through their diet. Sometimes even too much! What about athletes, endurance athletes, bodybuilders or strength athletes?
However, this calculation does not say everything. Protein requirements not only differ from person to person, but also depend on factors such as body weight, age, body structure and training intensity. One person uses the amino acids in protein from food better, is heavier or has more muscle tissue than another, for example. Factors that play a role when it comes to daily intake.
Muscle building and recovery during intensive training
It is logical that the protein requirement increases with more effort. Especially when it comes to sports where muscle strength is central. The need for protein varies from 1.5 to a maximum of 2 grams per kilo of body weight for endurance and strength athletes. Supplements in the form of concentrated protein shakes, but also supplementing essential amino acids can help to meet this need. Of course, there are also many people who claim that you should be able to get the most out of your daily diet. That is true in theory and sounds nice, but it is difficult for most people to keep track of exactly what you consume every day and what the protein/carbohydrate ratio exactly is. So it is also a bit of convenience. You take a scoop of proteins (recommended dosage) and make your shake with water or milk and know exactly what you are getting.
Whey or whey proteins are high-quality proteins and an important building block when it comes to keeping bones healthy, supporting your muscles and growing muscle mass. Taking whey protein before or during your workout helps fuel your muscles quickly because it is absorbed and digested quickly. Whey protein is the by-product that is created in the production process from milk to cheese.
In the very short term, a protein deficiency can lead to the breakdown of muscle tissue and in the longer term it causes a lot less muscle strength and even reduced resistance. That is why it is important for athletes to maintain their protein intake!
Whey protein isolate and whey casein
In addition to the most common protein or protein shakes, there are also concentrates on the market with an extremely high content of high-quality protein. Whey or whey isolate is a good choice if you are really serious about your sport and want to perform at top level. The advantage of an isolate is that they sometimes have a protein percentage of 90%, are rich in essential amino acids (BCCA) and contain little fat, carbohydrates and lactose. In addition, they are absorbed very quickly and completely into the body and have extremely high biological value. The product is very suitable for dry training. Taking whey protein before or during your workout helps fuel your muscles quickly due to its quickly digestible nature.
Another important supplement is whey casein. The big difference with a protein isolate or a normal protein shake is that this protein concentrate is slowly absorbed into the body. That makes casein your best friend for preventing muscle breakdown when your body is at rest. That is why many athletes use this product before going to sleep.
Both these proteins are rich in amino acids but work slightly differently in the body. This makes the use of both products, at different times of the day, a nice combination to stimulate muscle growth and at the same time prevent breakdown at rest.
Do you want to achieve training goals, continue to grow and become more powerful? Then it is good to have the different ones proteins/protein powders to take a closer look.
