Whey Protein

Whey protein is the cornerstone of the diet for any fitness enthusiast and athlete. Whey protein not only provides a good source of protein, but many Whey protein supplements contain vitamin supplements that can be beneficial to athletes as well. This article will highlight the benefits of consuming Whey protein daily.

Whey is a naturally occurring protein source found in dairy products. It is isolated during cheese production. However, people tend to consume whey in powdered form or in protein bars. They advantage of consuming Whey in this form is that you avoid consuming a lot of saturated fat or cholesterol that is found in most dairy products. However, many products that contain whey concentrate also contain a lot of sugar that has been associated with many negative health impacts.

Consuming Whey protein directly after a working out has been shown to be beneficial for muscle and strength gains. This notion has been widely proven and studied in animals and epidemiological studies in patients and athletes. The Human body after vigorous exercise more easily absorbs nutrients, particularly amino acids, than at other parts of the day and requires replenishing. Whey is easily absorbed and provides an active source of amino acids. People typically consume whey protein after their workout in the form of shake and usually with Milk or some other supplements. Some athletes when consuming whey protein shakes even add a Banana or other peanut butter or even chocolate to enhance the flavor. Also, typically 25 grams of whey protein is consumed after working out.

Casein supplements are typically marketed as a slow acting alternative to whey protein; however, it is less often consumed in a supplement form than whey. Casein is the other most abundant protein found in dairy proteins besides whey protein. Casein is isolated from dairy products. Casein is harder for the body to digest than whey protein; giving it some beneficial properties that Whey does not have. Some proteins supplements contained a mixture of Casein and Whey because of their opposing properties; whey being useful for quick protein digestion and Casein being useful for slow protein digestion. Most athletes have different uses for Whey protein and Casein. Casein is generally considered to be best for a meal supplement and whey protein is best after workouts.

The mayo clinic also cites many other health benefits of consuming whey regularly for those that maintain an active lifestyle. These include helping patients with gain weight and assisting with wound healing; yes, whey consumption has been found to helpful to promote wound healing in patients. It also has been shown to help patients build and retain muscle mass; something that can be beneficial for AIDs or cancer patients that typically lose weight. However, for Vegan athletes there are a variety of Whey alternatives including soy protein supplements, Hemp Protein, Pea Protein, and even brown rice protein. And many, many more. These sources of plant-based alternatives to whey protein have been praised by users of the products for their effectiveness. However, there are fewer epidemiological studies testing the effectiveness of these plant-based proteins.

Sources:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-whey-protein/art-20363344