Whey vs Casein

What is Whey Protein?

Whey is a by-product of making cheese and is considered a fast acting protein. This means it is absorbed into you body very rapidly.  In fact it can only take 20-40mins until it has been fully absorbed.  This is amazingly fast in comparison to its counter part casein or even whole food. This is one of the reasons why it is so crucial to take your protein shake quickly after a workout.  Whey is also an extremely high quality protein and low in lactose and fat. All of this combines to give you a very easily digestible source of protein that supports lean muscle growth.

What is Casein?

The other popular form of protein is known as casein. Casein is derived from dairy products. It’s the same protein you find in milk, cheese and yoghurt. Although it was popular some years ago, casein has now been largely replaced with whey in supplements. Casein is considered a slow protein. i.e. it takes 3-4 hrs until you reach your peak of absorbtion and it can take up to 7hrs to full digest.  The peak that you get is much lower albeit more sustained.

Should I take Whey or Casein?

Several clinical trials have compared whey and casein. The results were the same – whey protein came out top every time [1]. Canadian scientists found that after three months of supplementation, whey protein was six times more effective at improving exercise performance than casein [1]. The whey protein group also lost an impressive 4.8% of body fat, and reported feeling far more energetic. Simply put, adding a high quality whey protein powder to yourwill significantly improve your performance – both in the gym and on the pitch.

Can I take Whey and Casein together?

So in theory Since whey rapidly increases protein synthesis and casein blocks protein breakdown, a combination of both would be ideal. Well the jury is still out on that one. A recent study, publicized in Nutrition Express compared the effects of supplementing with either a combination whey and casein protein versus carbohydrate on several markers of muscle anabolism during strength training. [^2] 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.

However, Casein has a unique property, in that is coagulates in the stomach. This causes other proteins to be digested and absorbed much more slowly. This simple little fact suggest that the Casein would nullify the biggest and most important attribute of whey. That is its ability to flood your system quickly with amino acid and stimulate protein synthesis.

What is the best Protein Shake?

Well if you want a mixture of Whey and Casein we recommend Nutrisport 90+. This comes in a 2.5kg tub or a 5kg tub. It’s great value for money and is 66% Whey, 33% Casein.

If you want pure Whey, then Maximuscle have some of the purest protein. But also consider Reflex Nutrition Micro Whey and Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey. There is not one best whey protein powder though. Everyone has different requirements and different tastes so please take a look at our reviews and decide for yourself!

References
1. Lands, L.C., Grey, V.L., & Smountas, A.A. (1999). Effect of supplementation with a cysteine donor on muscular performance. Journal of Applied Physiology, 87, 1381-1385
2. Willoughby DS, Stout JR, Wilborn CD. Effects of resistance training and protein plus amino acid supplementation on muscle anabolism, mass, and strength. Amino Acids. 2006 Sep 20.