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