Proteins taken ahead of a training session and immediately after – is good nutrition for a strength athlete. And now researchers have found a way of tweaking this basic principle, in a study done by sports scientists at Baylor University in 2006. According to their research, the best post-workout shake contains a combination of fast and slow protein.

The researchers got 36 men aged between 23 and 29 to do weight training for 10 weeks. The men had all been doing weight training for at least a year, and were all given the same training schedule. They trained 4 times a week, working through all the large muscle groups in the body in 2 sessions. The men started with sets of 10 reps and ended with sets of 6 reps.

On the days that they didn’t train, the subjects drank a shake in the morning. On all the other days they drank a shake as soon as possible after finishing their training session, and not longer than 2 hours later.

The placebo group drank a shake that contained only carbohydrates. The first experimental group drank a shake containing 40 g whey protein, 3 g BCAAs and 5 g glutamine. The second experimental group drank a shake containing 40 g whey protein, 8 g casein.

After 10 weeks the group drinking whey and casein had progressed more than the other groups on all counts.

Look for a protein product like Intek Evolution or Pro Complete 40 which combines both whey and casein protein.

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Australian researchers published a long-term weight loss study in healthy adult overweight women (BMI initially ~32).

In this study, they followed 79 women for more than a year to see how protein influences weight loss and compliance to a dietary program.

Women who followed a high protein diet lost MORE weight and more fat than those that ate the high carb diet. Protein intake was inversely related to weight and fat loss such that for those that ate more protein lost an average of 14 lbs and 10 lbs of fat compared to those that ate less protein (and more carbs) who lost 7 lbs and 5 lbs of fat over the course of a year. Body composition was measured by DEXA, the gold standard for body comp assessment. After 64 weeks, body fat was higher in those that ate more carbohydrate and lower in those that ate more protein. The same was seen for belly fat – more belly fat in those that ate a higher carb diet compared to the higher protein diet.

There’s no shortage of whey products on the market, but unfortunately most of them will NOT give you the health benefits associated with high-quality whey.Most whey proteins are processed from ultra pasteurized milk and many are exposed to acid processing. Heat and acid damages the protein and makes it insoluble in water. Many cheap whey protein products are produced from acid cheese; they’re byproducts of acid processing, which is a cheap way to separate whey from the curd. Most of these whey products are rated below pet foods because of the inferior quality of the protein, which is actually more of a nitrogen waste product than one that will produce health benefits that are associated with whey.

In order to make these powders soluble in water they must add chemical flavors and detergents to restore flavor and solubility. 

Overheated whey protein is a clearly an inferior form of whey that also changes its molecular shape. If you have taken biochemistry you will be familiar with optical isomers. Proteins in foods and in your body are in the L form, but processing used to produce some whey products produces damaging D optical isomers, which are not designed to be in your body. Depositing this D protein in your bone, brain and muscle is associated with accelerated aging. Accumulation of D proteins in the brain has been linked to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson.

If you are looking for a high quality whey and a good value stick with trusted brands like Optimum Health’s Pro Complete 40 or Intek Evolution Protein.

Proteins provide the body critical amino acids that serve as building blocks for the formation of new muscle. But not all dietary proteins are equal. The major proteins in milk are casein and whey. These two milk proteins are both excellent sources of all the essential amino acids, but they differ in one important aspect-whey is a fast-digesting protein and casein is a slow-digesting protein.

Whey stimulates protein synthesis
Fast-digesting whey means it is emptied from the stomach quickly, resulting in a rapid and large increase in plasma amino acids. This translates into a quick but transient increase in protein synthesis, while protein breakdown is not affected. Whey also has higher levels of leucine, a potent amino acid that stimulates protein synthesis. Whey protein is superior at augmenting protein synthesis rapidly, but this positive effect is short-lived. Consuming repeated doses of whey allows for sustained high levels of blood amino acids and repeated bursts of protein synthesis that provide superior effects on muscle protein balance.

Casein offers a positive protein balance
Casein is the most abundant protein in milk. It is relatively insoluble and tends to form structures called micelles that increase solubility in water. During the processing of milk, which usually involves heat or acid, the casein peptides and micelle structure become disturbed or denatured to form simpler structures. As a result, a gelatinous material is formed. This is the basis for why casein has a slower rate of digestion, and results in a slow but steady release of amino acids into circulation.

In one study, researchers gave healthy subjects 30 grams of either whey protein or casein protein and made several measures of the anabolic and catabolic effect for 7 hours after the meal. Whey protein resulted in a rapid increase in blood amino acids and protein synthesis, but it was short-lived. Casein, on the other hand, resulted in a prolonged increase in blood amino acids that resulted in a 34% reduction in protein breakdown. The net protein balance remained more positive after intake of casein protein over a 7-hour period. The superior long-lasting effect of casein was attributed to a delayed gastric emptying and slower absorption rate from the gastrointestinal tract to the blood.

Whey and casein are better together
Since whey rapidly increases protein synthesis and casein blocks protein breakdown, a combination of both would be ideal.

A recent study compared the effects of supplementing with either a combination whey and casein protein versus carbohydrate on several markers of muscle anabolism during strength training. Untrained men participated in a 10-week resistance training program and either supplemented with 40 grams of carbohydrate or 40 grams of protein containing a mixture of whey and casein. Half of the supplements were consumed one hour before and then immediately after exercise on workout days. The results were overwhelmingly positive for the combination protein group. Despite similar background diets and identical training programs, supplementation with protein resulted in greater increases in several measures of muscle anabolism, including greater increases in lean muscle mass, thigh muscle mass, muscle strength, anabolic hormones and muscle specific proteins.

In a similar study that lasted 14 weeks, untrained men performed resistance training and received either 25 grams of carbohydrate or 25 grams of a combination whey and casein protein one hour before and immediately after exercise. The combination protein group had significantly greater increases in muscle fiber size compared to the carbohydrate group. These studies provide strong evidence that a combination protein consumed before and after workouts increases muscle size.

Taking protein before working out has become more popular as it has been shown to increase protein synthesis which has been assumed will lead to increases in strength and muscle gains.  The research on this is mixed in that it does show some increase in protein synthesis but that has not equated to long term gains in lean muscle or strength.

I am not a big fan of protein pre-workout due to the water costs of digesting protein.  It takes a considerable amount of water to digest protein and research has shown that increases in protein can lead to dehydration.  Even very mild dehydration can lead to significant decreases in athletic performance.  You can very easily negate any increases in protein synthesis by losses in performance due to mild dehydration.

Any easy solution is to consume a BCAA product like Intek’s BCAA Evolution prior to your workout rather than a whole protein.  A BCAA product will provide the benefits you would get if you consumed a whole protein (increase in protein synthesis) but will not lead to dehydration and loss of performance.

Dietary recommendations for athletes have often provided guidelines for daily amounts of total energy consisting of carbohydrates, proteins and fats with little importance placed on when meals where consumed relative to training.  New research is showing that it is not just what you eat but when you eat it that determines the overall success of a resistance training program.  Long-term consumption of whey protein before and after resistance exercise alters anabolic signaling in a manner that is advantageous for muscle hypertrophy.

Protein ingestion increases muscle protein synthesis in proportion to the essential amino acid content of the protein dose.  In certain situations essential amino acid ingestion can provide advantages over intact proteins.  First EAA (essential amino acid) ingestion results in a rapid concentration and delivery of amino acids to skeletal muscle which increases protein synthesis.  EAA ingestion also maximizes the stimulation of muscle protein synthesis without affecting the metabolic response to subsequent meals.  On a gram per gram basis EAA ingestion results in a 2-fold greater accretion of muscle protein than consuming intact proteins.

Based on the current research we recommend taking an amino acid drink such as Intek BCAA Evolution pre-workout.  Don’t worry if you are currently consuming a pre-workout powder as you can mix BCAA Evolution with almost any conventional pre-workout.  Post workout be sure to take in at least 20 grams of protein with some type of carbohydrate.  For the ideal post-workout drink try BioRhythm After Glow.

The goal of this type of nutrient timing is to increase muscle protein synthesis so that the net protein balance becomes positive or anabolic.  When resistance training is performed in conjunction with amino acid consumption increased blood flow to exercising muscles delivers the higher amino acid concentrations to muscle which serves as a signal to increase protein synthesis.

Most protein users are aware of the recent consumer reports article regarding heavy metals present in some protein powders.  The brands with the largest amounts of metals where EAS Myoplex and Cytosport Muscle Milk. 

On a positive note the brands we have chosen to support at Performance Nutrition are free of these toxic metals.  You can continue to use Optimum Health Pro Complete 40 and Intek Evolution with confidence.  

Consumer Reports purchased 15 protein powders and drinks and tested multiple samples of each for arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. Levels in several of the products could, with just three servings a day, result in daily exposure to arsenic, cadmium, or lead exceeding USP limits.

Of the 15 protein drinks tested, three of them contained very worrisome levels of arsenic, cadmium and lead.

Which Protein Drinks Fared the Worst?

Three daily servings of the ready-to-drink liquid EAS Myoplex Original Rich Dark Chocolate Shake contained an average of:

·              16.9 µg (micrograms) of arsenic

·              5.1 µg of cadmium

The proposed United States Pharmacopoeia’s (USP) limits for these two toxins are 15 and 5 µg respectively.

The worst of the products tested was Muscle Milk Chocolate powder, which contained all four toxic metals; three of them at the highest levels of all products tested.

Muscle Milk’s Vanilla Crème contained slightly less lead, but still exceeded the USP lead limit of 10 µg.

A fourth product, Muscle Milk’s liquid Nutritional Shake Chocolate, also tested high in arsenic, providing you with an average of 14.3 µg of arsenic per day, which is very close to the USP limit.

Arsenic and cadmium appear to be the most problematic here, as the levels of these two compounds in some cases exceeded maximum “safe” limits. However it’s worth noting that, ideally, you don’t want to ingest these toxins at ANY level, as even low-dose exposure can contribute to lingering health problems.

Prevention is clearly your best defense when it comes to protecting yourself against heavy metals and other toxins.

Fortunately, preventing exposure to toxins like arsenic, cadmium and lead is possible by making sure you’re eating as much organic foods as possible, and using protein drinks that are free of heavy metals.  We recommend Intek Protein Evolution and Optimum Health Pro Complete 40 as two of the safest, high quality, great tasting protein products available.

While we cannot recommend any of the low quality, commercial protein shakes on the market, we strongly believe that whey protein powder is a very healthful supplement to your diet and an excellent source of protein.

Whey protein has been linked to a variety of health benefits, including:

·              Helping your pancreas-produced insulin work more effectively, which supports balanced blood sugar levels

·              Promoting healthy insulin secretion

·              Helping to promote your optimal intake of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals needed for your overall wellness

·              Supporting your immune system, as it contains immunoglobulin

·              Helping you preserve lean body tissue (particularly during exercise) as it delivers bioavailable amino acids and cysteine

·              Maintaining blood pressure levels that are already within the normal range

So keep in mind, protein drinks can be quite beneficial, whether you’re working out and want to increase muscle or using them to supplement an otherwise healthy diet, but quality is everything, and drinking something that’s contaminated with heavy metals won’t do you any good.

Making sure that the product you buy fulfills the healthy criteria mentioned in this article (Such as Pro Complete 40, or Intek Evolution) will ensure that you’re getting the safest, healthiest protein supplement possible.

Which Protein Should You be Using?

Muscle growth is dependent on the balance between protein synthesis and protein breakdown. The goal is to increase protein synthesis and decrease protein breakdown. Casein protein is considered to be a muscle-sparing protein. Since casein protein slowly enters the blood stream, it has a moderate impact on protein synthesis, but it has a powerful effect on reducing protein breakdown.

Current research has shown that in terms of overall muscle tissue increases and decreases of body fat, casein reigns superior. It’s been shown to accomplish this by increasing anabolism to a moderate extent, but more importantly, decreasing catabolism to a large degree. It seems that the reason behind this is simply because of its slow digestion and consequently, absorption rates. It provides a steady, slower paced release of amino acids into the blood stream.

We all know that we need to take whey protein after workouts–but that doesn’t mean that whey can’t be better. Slow-digesting casein protein was once believed to have no place around workout time, but newer research suggests otherwise. In fact, a study from Baylor University (Waco, Texas) reported that men who consumed a whey/casein blend of protein after workouts for 10 weeks gained significantly more muscle than the subjects who consumed a whey protein shake without casein.  These subjects also lost more fat than the ones using only whey.

Current research is showing that the optimal protein for fat loss and muscle building is a mixture of whey and casein protein.  Try Intek Evolution Protein or Optimum Health Pro Complete 40 for the ideal blend of whey and casein proteins.

Insulin is a powerful anabolic hormone that increases muscle growth. It speeds the movement of amino acids into muscle cells and activates signaling chemicals that promote protein synthesis. Blood glucose is a powerful insulin stimulator, but amino acids can also trigger insulin release. Many athletes take protein or amino acids supplements before or after weight training to boost muscle mass and strength. The amino acids from protein act as building blocks for muscle repair and protein synthesis. Hydrolyzed whey protein has been shown to increases insulin release more so than regular whey protein. Hydrolyzed whey protein contains protein hydrolysates which are small packets of amino acids produced by breaking down proteins with acids or enzymes. Insulin release was 28 percent greater following ingestion of HWP compared to WP. The body absorbs HWP better than WP, which results in higher blood levels of specific aminos and greater potential for muscle protein synthesis.

For a great tasting product that uses Hydrolyzed whey protein try Intek Isolate Evolution.

Soy foods, such as tofu, soy meat substitutes, soymilk, soybeans and soy ice cream contain chemicals called isoflavones that bind weakly with estrogen receptors on the male reproductive system. Most studies showing negative effects on the male reproductive function used animals. A study found that men who ate two servings or more a week of soy foods had lower sperm counts than men who ate less soy. The soy had no effect on ejaculate volume, sperm structure or sperm activity. The most effected were obese men. The effects of soy protein on male reproductive function and testosterone levels are highly controversial.