Wheying Up Your Options

Welcome to the 21st century: where supplements are in abundance, types vary, and confusion is rife. This obviously holds true when it comes to protein powder options as well. There are so many different types and assortments, each with their own claim of how they differ from the other. So, we are going to delve into the various assortments and give you a better understanding of what you see on the shelves, what you’re looking for, and what may be the best fit for you.

Whey Protein

Our first and most common type of protein powder is whey protein powder. This type of protein powder is the most commonly sold on the market and arguably the easiest and most accessible form of easy protein. However, there are 3 distinct types of whey protein that you will most likely come across during your trips to pharmacies or supplement stores. So, we will look at each one individually and show you how they differ.

1. Whey Protein Concentrate

In short, whey concentrate is the most commonly used type of protein used by the general public. It is the most affordable form of protein powder and generally tastes really good with a whole assortment of flavours to choose from. In terms of content, it contains are fair amount of lactose, has slightly more sugar, fat, and fillers than the other types and has a marginally smaller amount of protein content per serving than the other two below. That being said, its protein content is still incredibly high, and it contains a very impressive amino complex.

Who for – Anyone looking to get an easy source of protein in. Most people who do not have any digestive issues and are shooting for great taste will enjoy choosing this type of protein. It is useful for anyone, from the average person to the elite level athletes and competing bodybuilders.

2. Whey Protein Isolate

Whey isolate is almost identical to whey concentrate in terms of its amino profile content. However, its does contain a significantly less amount of lactose and fillers, less carbs and even boasts a higher protein content than whey concentrate. Furthermore, it is pricier than whey concentrate due to the extra processing steps it undergoes to achieve its more “isolated” nature.

Who for – Any person who feels that they struggle with bloating, indigestion, and gut uncomfortably from whey concentrate will find solace in this form of whey protein. High level competing athletes who fear the potential uncomfortably and bloating from whey concentrate tend to opt for an isolate as well.

3. Whey Protein Hydrolysate

Whey hydrolysate is a type of protein powder that shares remarkably similar properties and traits to an isolate. However, it has been even further broken down to a point where it could be considered “pre-digested”. This allows this type of whey protein to be absorbed faster than its counterparts. The trade-off for that is the slightly higher insulin spike, the increased price, and the bitter taste from its extensive “breaking down” process. 

Who for – Anyone who is concerned with the increased digestion speed of their protein intake.

Casein

Casein protein powder is a protein source that is designed to be absorbed significantly slower than other protein powder sources. As a result of this slower digestion process, casein allows you to feel satiated for a greater period of time. An additional and pleasant side effect of this prolonged feeling of satiation is that you may experience a rather noticeable decrease in your appetite. Casein also makes for an incredible ingredient source of protein when baking protein eats, particularly due to its thicker texture. However, when compared to whey protein, casein has much lower leucine content and may, as a result, not yield the same sort of muscle protein synthesis stimulus as whey. Consequently, this makes casein a rather poor choice of protein when one is looking for the anabolic effects of a protein powder. This shortcoming can be bypassed, by mixing casein with a whey powder or even a BCAA that has a great leucine content. Just make sure that you get the flavour combination correct. 

Who for – If you are going to be without food for an extended period of time, then the long-lasting feeling of satiation of casein will aid you perfectly. Additionally, people who suffer from mid-sleep hunger at night will benefit from taking a casein close to bedtime.

Vegan Protein 

Generally dubbed as plant-based whey (generally consisting of rice, pea, and hemp sourced protein), this is a type of protein that caters for your vegan and vegetarian crowd. Due to the lactose and milk content in other types of protein powders, vegans tend to avoid using these kinds of powders as a viable source of protein. The cool thing about vegan protein is that it has a much higher protein content per serving than other protein sources. However, the essential amino acid levels and leucine levels inside vegan protein are significantly lower than whey protein and some of the other protein powder varieties. Vegan protein has been shown to have a dramatically lower effect on blood essential amino acid levels and, as a result, yields a much smaller count of blood essential amino acid content when compared to a whey protein. As a result, this makes vegan protein an inadequate choice of protein when one is looking for anabolism and muscle growth if not supplemented by a source of BCAA’s, EAA’s and/or leucine.

Who for – As stated above, this type of protein is the tried and true choice of vegans and some groups of vegetarians. It is also important to note that people who are lactose intolerant or suffer from severe bloating due milk-based protein powders tend to opt for vegan whey as their choice of protein powder. 

These are the most commonly found protein sources that you will see at your retailers and used by people at large. Be sure to pick one that is right for you and your lifestyle, as there is no shortage on variety. This review should be a good guide in helping you select they type of protein powder that suits you.


SUGGESTED SUPPLEMENTS


Ciccone Pharma Whey Isolate

Ciccone Pharma has contracted one of the most credible industry brands (TNT –Titan Nutraceutical Technologies) to manufacture its Whey isolate. This product is a premium sourced micro-filtered protein.


TNT Mercury Micellar Casein

TNT Mercury Micellar Casein is yielded from Micellar Rich Milk Protein Isolates. This pool of amino acids is high in essential aminos , which are responsible for muscle protein synthesis, or MPS.


Nutritech 100% Vegan Protein

Nutritech 100% Vegan Protein has been formulated as a premium-quality single source protein, making use of natural pea isolate sourced from GMO free golden peas grown in the USA, with 25g of protein per single serving (78%).

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