Read 58 times since Friday, November 04, 2011
We tried to review the two types of protein in one intense match-up. Both are popular protein products in the market today. Each sport supplement recognized for its physiological importance. So, what are we going to do when ask to choose between whey protein and casein protein? As difficult as this mission might be, it's time to decide. Which is better?
The Fast Whey
Premium whey is a high quality protein derived as a byproduct of cheese production. This protein is pure and natural which is a rich source of the essential amino acids needed to keep a healthy body. This protein supplement is considered as a fast acting protein, referring to its ability to be easily digested and metabolized by our body. With fast absorption and metabolism rate, the body experiences transient increase in the availability of protein synthesis. In just a matter of hour, the amino acid levels in your blood have reached its highest point. With muscle growth depending on the balance between protein synthesis and breakdown, increase in muscle mass can be expected in persons taking this sport supplement. However, even though that the absorption rate and metabolism of premium whey is fast, this effect may be short lived. Therefore, repeated doses of sufficient amount of this protein supplement are necessary to maintain high amino acid levels in our blood and subsequent protein synthesis.
The Slow Casein
Casein is popularly known as the milk protein, because it is primarily abundant in milk products. In fact, it is even responsible for the white coloring of our milk. Casein is considered as a slow acting protein because of its gelatinous material that is usually formed after the processing of milk. Thus, making absorption and metabolism harder and a lot slower compared to whey proteins. However, this is not a bad thing though. Actually, its slow acting property allows for slow but steady release of proteins into the circulation maintaining constant amino acid levels in the blood, resulting to a slower rate of protein breakdown compared to whey, therefore, providing long lasting effect on preventing muscle loss and promoting muscle mass increase.
The Battle
Scientific researches over these two supplements have been of great help in deciding which supplement is better over the other. In times like these, it is better to resort to some research based studies to help us choose which is which. First up, is the study by Borie et al, comparing the rate of protein synthesis of both whey and casein protein. The study found out a significantly higher rate of 68% protein synthesis of premium whey compared to 31% of that of casein. However, the study also showed that ingestion of casein leads to greater accumulation of protein over time. Another study on the effect of these proteins on overall mass and strength resulted in a greater gain in tissue strength and muscle mass in police officers taking casein protein compared those in whey. On another note, one study indicated that whey protein is more suitable in elderly people compared to casein in limiting body protein loss. Moreover, a study conducted by Cribb et al (2006) on the effect of whey isolate on and resistance training on strength, body composition and plasma glutamine showed a significant increase in muscle mass and loss of fat mass in whey group when compared to itself and no significant decrease were found out in casein group when compared to itself. In addition, in terms of strength, the whey group outperformed those in casein group.
The Verdict
This is one tough battle! With one providing a rapid but short-lived effect while the other slow but long-lasting. It is really hard to choose which one is better considering their benefits to health. But with more evidences favoring to a fast-acting protein, we declare whey protein as our winner for now. Do you agree? Sport and Supplements offer value added products and supplies for the fitness and gym enthusiast, visit http://sportandsupplements.com for the latest products now.
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