For Fast Gains, Use Slow Proteins

In today’s world, everyone seems to be in a rush. The Internet offers training and nutrition information faster than we ever thought possible. We practice fast lifts and run sprints to build muscle and lose fat. It is no wonder by the time you climb into bed, you are ready for a good night’s rest.

Rest is the catalyst for muscle growth. No matter how perfectly you diet and train, progress will not occur without recovery. Since sleep is so critical to making gains, what should you do to take advantage of your downtime? Despite the notion of not eating after a certain hour (7 or 8 o’clock is the most popular time quoted), a slow-acting protein might be in order.

Just as there are high and low-glycemic carbs, various proteins are utilized at different rates by the body. While whey protein is extremely effective first thing in the morning or immediately following a workout when the need for rapid absorption is high, a slower releasing protein may be more appropriate before bed.

Casein makes up approximately 80 percent of the protein in milk, while whey is responsible for the other 20 percent. When casein enters the stomach, it coagulates to form a gelatinous mass. This allows the protein to be digested and utilized slowly, so you will have a steady supply of amino acids throughout the night to help recovery from your workouts.

Micellar casein is unique to other milk proteins. It’s peptide structure and ability to congeal remains undisturbed because unlike whey, it is undenatured.

One of the leading manufacturers of a micellar casein supplement, ISS Research based its products on a well-documented study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 94 (1997).

According to ISS Research, “the key findings of the study were as follows:

1) Whey is a very fast digesting protein source with peaking amino acid levels in 1-1.5 hours after ingestion. Due to flooding the body’s amino acid pool in a short period of time, protein synthesis increased by 68 percent. However, the amino acids in the bloodstream dropped below normal two hours after ingestion.

2) Casein resulted in the best nitrogen retention and utilization. In fact, the amino acid levels remained elevated for up to seven hours. This slow and steady dispersion inhibit total body protein breakdown by 34 percent.

3) Since whey was in and out of the system so rapidly, it showed no effected on total body protein breakdown.

4) Casein demonstrated strong anti-catabolic effects while whey demonstrated none.

Probably the most important fact was that casein emptied from the stomach much more slowly then whey. The fast emptying into the stomach by whey resulted in a large influx of amino acids into the system, overwhelming its capacity (which causes bloating, flatulence). Also this fast emptying resulted in around 40 percent of its aminos being oxidized by the liver for energy instead of being shuttled into muscles for growth and repair.”

Whey protein is a very valuable supplement first thing in the morning and post-workout. But before bed, give micellar casein a try. It may be the key to growth and recovery that you have been looking for.

Author: Rich Fitter
Article appears in Exercise For Men Only, January 2008 issue
Reproduced with permission from The Exercise Group