Geschatte leestijd: 5 minutenProtein, or protein, is what helps your muscle tissue repair after you have deliberately damaged it by training. Protein is indispensable in this process. Unfortunately, in the Netherlands, we often refer to protein as proteins. However, proteins are just one of the various types of protein. For clarity, I always speak about protein in general and only about protein when specifically referring to the protein from the egg’s protein in the protein. In this article, we will discuss the various types of protein.
Types of Protein
There are various types of protein offered in various ways. As a novice strength athlete, it can sometimes be difficult to see through the buckets of powder. Therefore, here is an overview of the various types of protein with an explanation of why and when to use them. However, it is important that you get your nutrients as much as possible from ‘normal’ food. This can often be difficult in terms of quantity and distribution throughout the day for normal mortals who also have a life outside the gym. Six o’clock in the morning, 10 proteins may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
Definitely not mine.
Then it’s handy to be able to get this from supplements like
protein shakes. So be careful that your supplements do not replace your normal diet. It remains a supplement. Another advantage of supplements is that it is often easier to get the nutrients in the desired ratio (protein, carbohydrates, fat).
Whey Protein
When you talk about protein supplements like protein shakes, the number one discussed is whey protein. It comes from
milk. During the process of converting milk into cheese, whey protein is separated. Whey protein is the highest value in providing branched-chain
amino acids, which result in building and maintaining muscle mass.
Whey is also one of the fastest digesting proteins and has the highest value of leucine of all proteins. Leucine stimulates protein synthesis to improve muscle building.
There are four types of whey protein:
- Whey Protein Concentrate is a high-quality protein that also contains carbohydrates and fats. The concentrations are about 70%.
- Whey Protein Isolate is a purer form of whey through additional processing. The concentrations are normally 95% or higher.
- Whey Protein Hydrolysates are broken down larger amino acid chains into smaller fragments. This type is digested faster than whey isolate.
- Micronparticulated whey is also faster than whey isolate because the whey is micronized. This is good because it helps dissolve the protein when mixed with a beverage of choice.
Whey proteins are best taken in the morning and before or after training. Because they are digested quickly, they are ideal when your body craves building blocks after a workout and in the morning after ‘fasting’ for 8 hours at night. Whey or whey is also one of the most sold supplements because this type of fast protein cannot be obtained in the correct quantities from regular food.
Casein Protein
Casein is an extremely slow digesting and rich source of protein that still feeds your muscles long after whey proteins have done their job. While whey protein can greatly increase protein synthesis, higher than casein, scientists now recognize that casein is much more important in preventing
muscle breakdown. This is mainly due to the fact that casein provides a longer release of building blocks, resulting in the body taking longer to enter the catabolic phase and producing less
cortisol (stress hormone).
There are three types of casein:</p >
Micellar Casein
Micellar (or micellar) casein is made when the casein in milk is separated from the lactose, whey, and fat. It is not as easy to mix with liquid as whey. This is due to clumping, but it is worth it because it takes so long to digest.
Caseinate Protein
Caseinate protein is made by adding calcium, sodium, or potassium. This powder is easier to mix, will not clump as much, and will digest a little faster than micellar protein, but not as fast as whey.
Casein Protein Hydrolysate
Casein Protein Hydrolysate is similar to the whey counterpart. It is broken down from larger chains into smaller fragments and can therefore be digested faster.
The best time for casein protein is before going to bed. This way, you provide your muscles with the necessary proteins during the night’s rest for a long period. Depending on when you last meal with fast protein was eaten or drunk, it may be useful to mix your shake before going to sleep with fast and slow protein so that you also have enough nutrients for the first few hours of your sleep.
Whether you should go for Whey or Casein can be read in our article of the same name.
Egg Protein
This is the most old-school type of protein. Egg protein is a rich source of
BCAAs and
L-Arginine. In older movies, you sometimes see how liquid proteins from a raw egg are drunk. However, this is very dangerous and can lead to poisoning and diseases. Fortunately, there are egg supplements available, and of course, you can also separate the protein from the yolks and cook or bake.
Milk Protein
Milk protein comes from cow’s milk after the water and most of the carbohydrates and fats are removed. Milk protein is actually the source of two other proteins that I mentioned earlier; whey and casein. There are two types of milk protein:
- The first is milk protein concentrate. When the whole milk is most filtered and carbohydrates and fat are removed. This process is called ultrafiltration.
- The second type is milk protein isolate. When the milk is further processed. The milk protein isolate is 85% protein. Despite removing the fat and carbohydrates, a large part of the whey and casein remains.
Take milk protein after training or before going to bed.
Soy Proteins
Soy protein comes exclusively from soybeans. Soy provides a healthy way to incorporate non-animal protein into your diet.
They can have a plethora of healthy effects on the body. It is ideal for high protein and low carbohydrate diets.
Soy protein can be used by those who are lactose intolerant and can be used as a meat substitute for vegetarians. In addition, soy protein can be used as an alternative to flour during cooking and producing protein-rich foods that are extremely low in fat.
The various types of soy products are soy protein concentrate and soy protein isolate:
- Soy concentrate is about two-thirds protein and can lead to gas formation in some people due to the indigestible carbohydrates.
- Soy isolate is made from soy concentrate where most of the (gas-causing) carbohydrates are removed. This type digests slower than whey but faster than casein.
Soy protein has gained a bit of a bad reputation due to cases of gynecomastia (“bitch tits”/breast formation in men) and lowering of
testosterone. However, this was in cases where 180 grams per day was used. Assuming 2-3 grams of protein per day per kilogram of body weight, then “180 grams” would mean that this is their entire protein consumption for many or at least a very large part. Studies looking at a smaller intake, namely up to 70 grams, showed no side effects. The potential risk is caused by so-called isoflavones which have properties of the female hormone estradiol and thereby activate its receptor in the cells.
Beef Protein
The protein made from beef after the cholesterol and fat are removed is known as beef protein. This protein has grown in popularity in the past few years and is relatively new when it comes to protein supplementation.
Like whey, it is a quickly digestible protein and is a good source of BCAAs
. What distinguishes beef protein from the others is that it is also a good source of creatine which leads to increased muscle strength and gains in strength and size.
The only available type of beef protein is beef protein isolate. This type is broken down from larger fragments into smaller ones like whey and casein. Due to its fast digestibility, it is best taken in the morning or after training.
As you can see, there are different types of protein with different advantages and disadvantages. It is important, as mentioned earlier, to get these as much as possible from your normal diet. In addition, you must get the right amount and preferably the right type at the right time. Try to get 2-3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Here, take the fast protein after the workouts and in the morning after getting up and a mix of fast and slow protein before going to bed.
