Whey protein is a mixture of globular proteins isolated from whey, the liquid material created as a by-product of cheese production. Some preclinical studies in rodents have suggested that whey protein may possess anti-inflammatory or anti-cancer properties; however, human data is lacking (Sadly, this is very common in science). The effects of whey protein on human health are of great interest and are currently being investigated as a way of reducing disease risk, as well as a possible supplementary treatment for several diseases. Commonly, whey protein is marketed and ingested as a dietary supplement, and various health claims have been attributed to it in the alternative medicine community. Although whey proteins are responsible for some milk allergies, the major allergens in milk are the caseins.

For those of you who are experienced in supplement options, you probably already have your favorite types of whey protein picked out. But many people look at the many types of brands and types of protein supplements and are completely overwhelmed. This post is here to help digest the different types and analyze the pros and cons of each type. Here I list different types of whey protein and also alternates such as soy, egg, and casein supplements. This list is not exhaustive and like all good things is an iterative process as new products come on the market. So if you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.

First of all, lets digest all the different types of whey protein:

Hydrolyzed Whey Protein: “Hydrolyzed” basically means the protein has been ‘broken down’ partially into peptides of different lengths. Because the protein is already partially ‘broken down’ it is absorbed faster, which may have positive effects under certain circumstances given certain metabolic conditions (i.e., burn victims, people with certain digestive disorders, and pre-term infants). Whether or not hydrolyzed proteins are truly an advantage to athletes has yet to be proven. The hype over hydrolyzed proteins was based pretty much on one rat study that found fasted rats given Hydrolyzed protein had higher nitrogen retention then rats fed whole protein. Sadly, this was never followed up with a human study in athletes. Regardless, hydrolyzed protein supplements never became more popular due to the fact that they tasted awful (I can definitely attest to this), were expensive, and lacked enough data to really support their use. The way they were produced at the time also denatured the protein heavily. Thus, when a protein is denatured, it is useless. Therefore, there were some hydrolyzed whey products in which as little as 10% of the protein could actually be useful since the remainder was already denatured. This doesn’t mean that there are no good hydrolyzed whey products available; but I suggest other types as better alternatives.

Whey Protein Concentrates (WPCs): First generation whey protein powders contained as low as 30-40% protein and contained high amounts of lactose, fat, and undenatured proteins. They were considered a “concentrate” and were used mostly by the food industry for baking and other uses. Modern concentrates now contain as high as 70-80% plus protein with reduced amounts of lactose and fat. Many are under the illusion that a WPC is inherently inferior to an isolate. This is false. Though WPCs will contain less protein on a gram for gram basis than an isolate, a high quality WPC contains all sorts of interesting compounds not found in the isolates. Good concentrates contain far higher levels of growth factors, such as IGF-1, TGF-1, and TGF-2. They contain much higher levels of various phospholipids, and various bioactive lipids, such as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and they often contain higher levels of immunoglobulins and lactoferrin. To some, the growth factors are not desireable,and therefore favor isolates. The additional lipids like CLA are a good bonus as they help increase LDL (bad cholesterol) metabolism and help stimulate burning of body fat. Although data is lacking as to whether or not these compounds found in a good WPC will effect an athlete’s muscle mass or performance, studies do suggest these compounds can improve immunity, intestinal health, and have many other effects that both athletes and “normal” people alike may find beneficial. The drawbacks of WPCs are they have slightly less protein gram for gram than an isolate, and contain higher levels of fat (though these fats may in fact have beneficial effects), calories, and higher levels of lactose. People should not be under the impression that a well made WPC is inherently inferior to a whey protein isolate (WPI) and may in fact be a superior choice, depending on the goals of the person. For example, some people don’t tolerate lactose well or are trying to watch every gram of fat in their diet while others may want the potentially beneficial effects of the additional compounds found in a high quality concentrate.

Whey Protein Isolates (WPIs):  WPIs generally contain as much as 90-96% protein. Research has found that only whey proteins in their natural undenatured state (i.e. native conformational state) have biological activity. Processing whey protein to remove the lactose, fats, etc. without losing its biological activity takes special care by the manufacturer. Maintaining the natural undenatured state of the protein is essential to its anti-cancer and immune stimulating activity. The protein must be processed under low temperature and/or low acid conditions as not to “denature” the protein and this becomes an even greater concern when making high grade isolates vs. concentrates. WPIs contain >90% protein contents with minimal lactose and virtually no fat. The advantage of a good WPI is that it contains more protein and less fat, lactose, and ash then concentrates on a gram for gram basis. However, it should be clear to the reader by now that whey is far more complicated than simple protein content, and protein content per se is far from the most important factor when deciding which whey to use. For example, ion exchange has the highest protein levels of any isolate. Does that make it the best choice for an isolate? No, but many companies still push it as the holy grail of whey.

Soy Protein: Soy protein has been said to be a ‘feminizing’ compound. By that many people refer to the fact that soy contains phytoestrogens, which bind estrogen receptors. So why would anybody replace whey protein with this supposedly inferior protein? It is typical in any debate that there are two sides of the argument. The ‘feminizing’ effects of soy is only one side of the argument and is supported by little data. Studies show that soy can be as effective, if not more so than whey in its ability to promote growth of lean muscle.

The latest studies into soy protein suggest it does not decrease testosterone and raise estrogen, as previously thought. The first of these studies, presented at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Meeting, May 2004, and sponsored by the US National Dairy Council, found the post-workout consumption of isonitrogenous and isoenergetic soy drink to be statistically significant in hastening mass, fat-bone free mass (FBFM) and increases in strength, when compared to other post-workout formulations (skim milk and maltodextrin beverage), both of which had a similar degree of efficacy. This study demonstrated that intact proteins from both soy and milk protein are effective in supporting muscle hypertrophy, lending a degree of support to soy as a legitimate post-workout nutritional beverage. The following year (2005) an additional study by the Solae company found that: 1) All of the protein sources resulted in the desired affect of increasing lean body mass. In addition, there was no difference between the supplement sources on changes in testosterone levels. and 2)The lean muscle mass gains that were demonstrated in this study are consistent with prior research looking at how soy and whey impact lean muscle mass in conjunction with an exercise regimen.

Like the case for WPIs vs. WPCs, the issues regarding Soy protein need further study; but it should be considered a contender with Whey protein. When it comes to sources of Soy protein, I try to get my intake from either soy milk or soy fluor.

Casein Protein: When you hear people talking about protein supplements they’re usually referring to whey. This is not surprising, as many consider whey protein to be the best protein source. Mostly, this is due to Whey protein having the highest bioavalibilityV  others, digests fast, and has additional lipids and amino acids. But what about casein protein? I see casein protein playing a major role in building muscle. Whey protein is quick digesting, but that can also be its downfall for those who are looking for a slower, more prolonged release of protein. There are 2 times of the day where I would definitely choose casein over whey. They are: 1)Before bed and 2) During the day (not after a workout). These 2 times when casein rules. Why? Because of casein’s slower release into the body. Casein takes up to 7 hours to be fully absorbed by the body, that’s 7 hours of vital protein being delivered to muscles that are repairing after intense training sessions. Casein is often referred to as night time protein, and it is. I have personally experienced more muscle and weight gains just by switching to casein at night times. Now, I would never take whey before bed. The other time of the day I like to take casein is about 2 hours before my workout. For exactly the same reasons, I want that protein to be made available to my muscles during my workout. If I wanted to do this with whey, I’d have to take it right before I trained which would leave me feeling bloated. So don’t write casein off, it has its place, and you can build more muscle taking it!

Initially, I used casein to bulk up as I have mentioned above. Currently I’m at a point where I am happy with my ‘bulk’ and have no desire to gain additional muscle. I’ve dropped the casein from my diet and have stuck with just whey after workouts only and have had great results maintaining my weight.

Egg Protein: Egg protein is absorbed by the body at a rate in between the fast absorbing whey protein, and the slow absorbing casein protein.  Its a protein that can be consumed at pretty much any meal. Since eggs are one of the best muscle building foods mother nature has to offer, you would expect to hear rave reviews.  This isn’t the case however.  Egg protein is great, don’t get me wrong.  You just may be better off cooking hardboiled eggs and consuming them instead of spending money on egg protein.  The biological value of whole eggs is is actually higher than egg protein (100 vs. 88) assuming that you consume the yolk. Here are the main advantages of egg protein: 1)Excellent alternative for those with allergies – If you are allergic to Casein, Whey or Soy, then egg white protein could be your best bet; 2) High biological value – Casein protein powder has a high biological value meaning that a substantial number of it’s amino acids can be utilized by the body for tissue growth; 3) Low in calories – Egg protein is very low in calories as it is virtually free of carbohydrates and fat; 4) Excellent amino acid profile – Just like eggs, egg protein shares an outstanding amino acid profile, meaning that the body can easily convert the protein to muscle tissue.

As I mentioned before, this post is a work in progress. So stay tuned for updates.

Sources:

www.bodybuilding.com

www.wikipedia.org

Various articles found on Pubmed (will list these and add links to the content soon hopefully)

www.mytopform.com

www.teambeachbody.com

I thought I would post an update on my progress; but instead I decided to post my entire progress history since I started doing Beachbody workouts. Once again, I think this is a testament to the combination of their great workouts, diet plans, and support system. If it weren’t for the support system I probably would have never made it here. The two plots you see in this post are my body weight history (left panel) and my body fat % (right panel). As you can see in my first 60 days I completed Insanity and had a drastic drop in both my weight and my body fat. Over the next 90 days, I did a hybrid program with P90X and Insanity and during this time I started using Shakeology. Through this time, I only lost a few pounds in weight; but my body fat continued to decrease. The same thing happened in the next 30 day series where I completed Asylum, didn’t lose much weight; but my body fat kept decreasing. Following this, I have been mixing P90X, Insanity, Asylum and running (training for half marathons). It is interesting because I started gaining a bit of weight; but my body fat continued to decrease. Which is good because this means that all the weight I gained was muscle mass and not fat.

It is clear that America’s obesity rate is on the rise. The above figure shows the obesity rates listed for each state in 1990, 1999, and 2009. In 1990 The worst was only 10-14% for the rates of obesity; but in 2009 more than half of the United Sates is above 25%. Results like these make me afraid to look at the results for 2009. For a more detailed report, check the CDC’s website on obesity. Many people blame fast food chains, too much time watching TV, and too little time exercising.

But when it comes down to it its all about the choices we make. I understand both sides of the equation because I was obese for most of my life. I am blessed that I had a change of heart my senior year of high school and gained a true desire to live a healthy lifestyle. From then on I have sought ways to improve my own health, fitness, and lifestyle. To me that included changing what I eat, how much I sleep, how much I exercise, and how I treat my body. For years I have focused this inward on myself; but I realized that if I am really passionate about this, I need to turn this outward. Anyone who has a relationship with Jesus knows that his greatest commandment is to love others. So I have decided to try to help others end the trend of obesity. To do that I have signed up to be a coach for an awesome company called Beachbody. Beachbody is committed to ending the trend of obesity in America by promoting better nutrition and adapting to an active lifestyle.

To anyone out there, who is reading this and struggles with obesity: First of all, I know how you feel. I’ve been there and I along with my team want to help you. First of all, if you are trying to change your lifestyle for the better, DON’T GIVE UP! Keep moving forward. If you need help, please contact me, its one of the reasons I’ve set up this blog.

For those of you who have or are in the process of conquering your struggle with obesity, now its time to help others. If this is what you want to do, then join my team by clicking the link below. Or feel free to contact me.

Join Team Beachbody

Brandon Henderson, PhD
Division of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University
440 Riffe Building, 496 W 12th ave, Columbus, OH 43210

Hi friends, I started a New Challenge on Fatsecret! This challenge is called “The Beachbody Challenge”. Its all about making small changes that will benefit our future for the long term. For any of you that know me, I’m not about ‘diets’. To me, diets are things that most people go on to lose weight; but as soon as they lose the weight they go off the diet. When they go off the diet, they go back to bad habits and gain the weight again. Next thing you know, there back on a diet again. Thus begins a never ending cycle. I know this from experience as a young teen when I would constantly battle my weight. Now as an adult, I know that if I want to be healthy, I need to be consistent in my health, nutrition, and exercise. This is what this challenge is about, helping people get consistent.

For those of you who have never heard of fatsecret, here is a short blurb about what the website is about:

“FatSecret is a new online diet, nutrition and weight loss community that harnesses the collective contributions of our members to generate practical and motivating information so that you can make better decisions to achieve your goals.”

When I was a varsity rower in college, I started to have a lot of issues with joint pain my senior year. Most of the pain I felt, happened to occur in my right shoulder. I never knew why because I thought I had always been careful in the way I trained. It only dawned on me why this was happening when I ended up needed physical therapy for ‘over-use’ injuries to my shoulder. As a rower, especially in my senior year, I only concentrated on developing the muscles I needed.

Therefore, I lifted to strengthen my legs, back and arms. I never did any chest workouts. In doing so, I ruined the symmetry of my body and my body started to tried to overcompensate. Thus, my shoulder got out of alignment and then the pain started. If only I knew how important it was to keep my training ‘symmetrical’ I would have never had this problem.

So moral of the story: Balance your workouts. Don’t just focus on one body part in all of your training; because eventually you’ll be asking for trouble. You want big biceps? Then work your triceps. Need quad strength for jumping? Work your hamstrings as well. Need chest strength to push hard (I’m talking to you, linebackers)? Then work your back.

So my wife, in-laws, and pets are planning on a trip across the country soon. The reason being, we’re moving from Columbus, OH to Pasadena, CA. Typically, on road trips the food choices are confined to fast-food, dine-in restaurants, and hotel food. For us, this trip will take 5 days. 5 days of fast-food and restaurant eating is definitely going to ruin one’s diet if not careful. So I put together some tips to prepare myself for this trip and decided to blog it so that others can benefit from this or comment so that I can make it better:

Breakfast

You may be eating breakfast at a restaurant, a hotel continental breakfast bar, or even the food aisle of a gas station. Always avoid excess sugar. Meals containing high carbohydrates may improve your mood for a short time, but lots of sugar can also make you groggy and sleepy. Less than desirable if you are the one doing most of the driving.

Healthy breakfast eating at a restaurant:

• Choose an omelet filled with vegetables and order a side of whole-wheat toast instead of a stack of pancakes and syrup. If you do want pancakes, try whole wheat with sugar-free syrup.
• A bowl of oatmeal with fresh fruit is very filling and good for you.
• If you want something sweet, choose a bran muffin, which is a good source of fiber. Or opt for whole-grain toast with just a little jam or jelly.

At the hotel continental breakfast bar:

• Choose a whole grain cereal with low-fat milk.
• Fresh fruit gives you vitamins and fiber.
• Yogurt or hard-boiled eggs are good sources of protein.
• Avoid sugary muffins, sweet-rolls, and pre-sweetened cereal.

Pre-packing your food is always an option

• Look for single-serving whole grain breakfast cereals and low-fat milk.
• Protein bars can make a good breakfast food substitute, but watch out for extra sugar and calories (always read the labels).
• As a last resort, choose a hot breakfast sandwich or small breakfast burrito over donuts and sweet-rolls. They will have some protein, which is good for sating your hunger.

Fast food restaurants:

• Most breakfast choices have lots of calories and saturated fats, but breakfast burritos may have less than other selections.
• Fruit and yogurt parfaits will give you some calcium and protein without too much saturated fat.
• Drink low-fat milk or 100 percent juice instead of sodas and orange-flavored soft drinks.

Snacks in the Car

Eat healthy snacks in the car:

• Load up on fresh-cut vegetables and fruit. Bring along a small cooler with ice packs to keep your snacks fresh.
• Bring plenty of water. It will keep you hydrated and, if you spill it, won’t stain the upholstery like sodas.
• Individually wrapped portions of string cheese or vegetarian cheese alternatives can be kept in the cooler with the fruit and vegetables. They are a great source of calcium and protein.
• Bring baked whole grain crackers along on your trip. This is good for added fiber and nutrients.
• Don’t overindulge in greasy chips. There are baked varieties that have a lot less unhealthy fats. You need to watch how much you eat of those too, however, since they don’t offer much in the way of nutrition.
• You can also pack sandwiches made with whole grain bread and peanut butter or lean meats. Keep these in the cooler, too.
• Nuts such as almonds, cashews, and walnuts contain polyunsaturated fats and are easy to take on a trip in either individual bags or larger containers.

Healthy eating in restaurants for Lunch/Dinner:

• Order a soup or a salad to eat with your main course. Soups and salads are generally healthy and start to fill you up so that you eat less of the more calorie-dense main meal.
• Skip the entrée altogether. Soup and salad might be enough for a healthy meal.
• Split a meal with your dining partner. Most restaurants serve huge portions, so there is usually enough food to share. This saves calories and money. Besides, sharing eliminates the temptation to take leftovers back on the road, where they can’t be properly stored.
• Select foods that are prepared with healthier, low-fat methods. Baked chicken is healthy, but fried chicken has too much fat.
• Eat the vegetables. Most entrées come with at least one vegetable. If not, be sure to order a vegetable side dish.
• Skip dessert, or choose some fruit. A full meal that ends with a sugary dessert may make you feel sleepy. That might be fine if you are passenger, but a bad idea if you are the driver.

Doesn’t look to safe does it?

• Find sandwich shops like Subway or Quiznos that let you select your sandwich ingredients. Choose whole grain breads, lean meats, and lots of vegetables.
• Many fast food restaurants offer salads, but you need to be careful when you select one. Some of those salads are very high in fat, especially taco salads or those topped with fried chicken strips.
• Don’t super-size your meal. It sounds like a great deal, but you will eat way too much calories, fat, and sodium.
• Order sandwiches made with grilled chicken rather than fried chicken.

Eating at the hotel:

• Find a local grocery store and buy healthy snack items such as fruit, nuts, or healthy choices from a salad bar or deli section. If your hotel has a microwave, you can find healthier frozen dinners or soup.
• If your only choice for a snack is the hotel vending machine, skip the candy and chips and look for nuts or microwave popcorn.
• Some restaurants will deliver food to your hotel room and may have some healthy menu items available. If you go for a pizza delivery, don’t order extra cheese or meats high in saturated fat. Choose lots of vegetable and mushrooms. Order a side salad too.

Follow these easy tips for better nutrition on the road, and have a safe and healthy road trip.

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