Are you interested in bodybuilding, but unsure how to support the process of building muscle with your diet? Would you like to get more protein sources into your diet for other reasons but you’re not sure where to start? With so many options from natural protein bars to frothy designer protein shakes, it’s difficult to sort through their ingredients to choose which ones are right for your needs. This guide will help you find the perfect protein supplement–based on its protein type–for your lifestyle and goals.
The basic, most important ingredient in a protein supplement is, of course, the protein itself. You’ve surely seen the different labels boasting the amount of protein in each serving, so you can compare that way quite easily. But just as important is what type of protein the supplement contains. This article will describe the features of the three most popular types of protein used in sports-nutrition products: whey, soy, and casein–listed below in order of digestion speed.
Whey - The most popular type of supplemental protein, you can count on protein to be digested the most quickly by your body if you take it immediately after a workout. This makes it the perfect choice for building muscle. It’s absorbed fast by your muscles and then quickly flushed out, and it provides a boost of energy.
Soy - Soy is sometimes referred to as a “woman’s protein,” based on a false idea that it increases estrogen production in the human body. But there hasn’t been scientific evidence for this claim, and soy is a very dense protein that it easily used by the human body. And because it’s a vegetable protein, vegans can take it too. Soy’s digestion rate is somewhere between whey and casein.
Casein - Like whey, casein is found in milk–but unlike whey, casein’s absorption rate is quite slow. It works better, therefore, as a meal replacement or as a nutritional supplement to take right before bed to help your muscles rebuild overnight. With its slower digestive rate and no burst of energy, taking casein at night is no problem.
The next time you’re shopping for a bar, shake, or powder, keep these factors in mind. With the information above and your personal fitness goals in mind, you should be able to find the perfect supplement for your needs.