Sport occupies an extremely important place in modern life. However, building muscles is impossible without sports nutrition, especially if we talk about a sport like bodybuilding.
Sports nutrition is varied and is represented by various cocktails and powders. This article will focus on the nutrient protein. It plays a major role in muscle formation and also helps in maintaining and building muscle mass.
Why is protein popular?
Firstly, it is an excellent source of protein, in turn, protein is the building material for muscles in our body. And what if not muscles is needed by an athlete who is interested in them? Is it true?
Secondly, some types of proteins include amino acids that help restore the body after training.
Thirdly, this, of course, is convenience, because time often does not allow you to eat properly and follow a complete regime, which is why athletes often replace meals with a protein shake.
Whey
So, let's start with whey. This is the type of protein you will need to consume most often. If you are new to bodybuilding, then you definitely need to start with whey. The proteins included in its composition are very quickly absorbed by our body and have a complete amino acid composition.
It should be taken before training, about 30 minutes before it starts. This will provide your body with the necessary amino acids that will be used while lifting weights. It also makes sense to take such proteins after training, after about 15-30 minutes. This is necessary for the body to successfully begin recovery processes as soon as possible.{banner_st-d-1}
What protein?
Athletes are gradually starting to learn about various sports supplements and are wondering what to buy. The same thing happens with the choice of protein, because there are so many different types.
Which protein should you choose? Which one is right for me? When to drink it? Consider the following 7 types:
Whey Protein Concentrate
A form of protein that is in great demand and popularity and is included in a range of sports nutrition products. Of course, the undoubted advantage of such a protein will be its price, because its formula is not “pure”, but contains fats in addition to protein. If you have just set out on the path to becoming a great athlete, then this type of protein will suit you.
You can consume whey protein concentrate before and after training, as well as between main meals.
Casein
Casein protein is a slow-acting protein. In other words, the protein you consume will be absorbed in about 7 hours, which will save you from catabolism for a long time.
Most often, athletes drink casein protein at night to provide themselves with nutrients during sleep and prevent the breakdown of muscle fibers due to starvation of the body.
This type of sports supplement will ensure the restoration and growth of muscle cells throughout the night.
Protein hydrolyzate
Protein hydrolyzate is a high-quality source of protein. Its quality matches the price, of course. This type of protein will provide everything you need to recover after workouts, promote muscle gain and replenish glycogen in the muscles.
The hydrolyzate contains peptides that are quickly absorbed by the body. The protein included in the composition has an excellent degree of purification.
Whey Protein Isolate
The most quickly digestible type of protein, the degree of protein purification is at a high level. Hence, of course, the high price of the supplement. The product itself does not contain fats or carbohydrates. Therefore, isolate is an excellent option for athletes who are on a low-carb diet.
Soy protein
Soy protein is an option for vegetarians. As the name suggests, the protein is extracted from soybeans. Soy protein contains glutamine , which will help you recover after a workout, and arginine , which provides muscles with useful substances by dilating blood vessels.
Soybean is also famous for the following qualities:
- Stimulation of thyroid hormone production
- Supporting safe cholesterol levels
It is not recommended to use before bedtime.
Egg protein
Egg protein is an old school bodybuilding staple. It contains the highest content of various amino acids, thanks to which you will gain lean muscle mass. Has low carbohydrate content.
It is not recommended to use before bedtime.
Milk protein isolate
It contains casein and whey protein. This type of protein is also very rich in amino acids, which is drunk along with other sources of protein.
If you are looking for a quality source of protein, this is not the option for you.
Contraindications to the use of protein mixture
People who have diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver or kidneys should consult their doctor before using protein mixtures. This also applies to people who are lactose intolerant, suffer from diabetes and pancreatitis. The main thing is to control the dosage of protein.
Under normal conditions, a person requires 1 g of protein per 1 kg of weight.
Individual intolerance
Because whey protein is made from milk, it cannot be consumed by those who are lactose intolerant.
Some of the amino acids in whey protein may also cause intolerance to this product. And if you are lactose intolerant, the consequences can be serious.
For example, many people get a skin rash when they first open a can of whey protein. Tiny particles of dusty whey protein released into the air can cause an allergic reaction on the skin, resulting in a rash.
Kidney diseases
If you consume large amounts of whey protein over a long period of time, you may be at risk of developing kidney disease, including kidney stones. People with existing kidney disease are at greater risk of developing stones and, in severe cases, kidney failure.
Gastritis
If, after consuming a protein mixture, symptoms of gastritis appear, you should try not taking cocktails for several days. This will help determine whether the protein is causing your symptoms to worsen.
Cardiovascular diseases
Protein does not harm people with heart and vascular diseases. On the contrary, protein reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood. Which has a positive effect on both the heart and the elasticity of blood vessels.
Best Protein
Without a doubt, the most popular and high-quality protein is the “Whey” protein from Optimum nutrition.
In their sports nutrition chain there are a lot of different sports supplements, both protein (all types described above), creatine, gainers, fat burners, ZMA, BCAA, etc...
What is the role of creatine?
It finally became clear to us how the friend components described above differ. Protein is a whole structure of amino acids, and protein is just one of its types (simple form). It remains to be seen what role creatine plays.
Despite the apparent complexity, everything here is very simple. Creatine is one of the most important substances for the body, synthesized by our body, namely the liver, kidneys and pancreas. The basis for the synthesis of this component are amino acids such as methionine, glycine and arginine.
By the way, creatine can also be obtained from food. To do this, you need to focus on meat and fish foods. You can also take the supplement as a sports nutrition. For example, athletes first carry out a loading phase (take an increased portion of the substance - up to 20 grams per day), and then take creatine at a dosage of 2-5 grams per day.
Protein for mass gain
Whey protein isolate is excellent for gaining muscle mass. For example, protein from the Optimum nutrition company - Optimum Gold Standard, which has high quality and excellent taste, all because it is the most quickly digestible type of protein, the degree of protein purification is at a high level.
Types of proteins by filtration type
Protein concentrate
This protein is obtained by simple filtration, resulting in 35-85% pure protein concentration. Supplements containing protein concentrates are affordable, are optimal for beginners, and can be taken at different times of the day. In particular, they are recommended to be consumed before and after training, as well as between meals.
Popular concentrates include Weider Gold Whey Protein with milk chocolate flavor. Its advantages: large economical packaging, pleasant sweetish taste, balanced composition and easy preparation. It is thanks to this last characteristic that this whey concentrate is often recommended to novice athletes.
Protein isolate
Compared to concentrate, isolate is protein in a purer form - 95% or higher. It is obtained by long-term filtration. Isolate contains virtually no fat or lactose, making it an ideal product for replenishing amino acid deficiencies before and after training. If we compare it with a more “advanced” type of protein, hydrolyzate, the advantage of the product is its moderate price. Given the excellent quality of the protein isolate, it is a popular product among many athletes who use the supplement to build muscle definition.
For example, Ultimate Nutrition ISO Sensation whey isolate is high quality and affordable at the same time. And the economical packaging of the supplement will be a profitable purchase for athletes at the stage of mass gain.
Protein hydrolyzate
It has the highest level of biological value today and is characterized by extremely rapid absorption. To obtain it, a hydrolysis method is used, in which large protein molecules are cut into separate fractions. Receiving protein in this form, the body immediately absorbs it and sends it to muscle tissue. downside of protein hydrolyzate is its high cost.
Protein for weight loss
Research by Western scientists helped choose protein for weight loss. One of the qualities of protein should be its rapid absorption. Whey protein is ideal for this role, as it will be much better than soy protein. It will help reduce the amount of fat.
Do not forget that a person should consume 1.5-2 grams of protein per kilogram of weight to maintain muscle mass. This means you need to calculate the amount of protein supplied with food, and then with protein.
The benefits and harms of protein
Before talking about the benefits of concentrated protein, it should be noted that this supplement is not a product of the chemical industry, as insufficiently informed consumers mistakenly believe, but a concentrate of ordinary, natural nutrition. Using innovative industrial technologies, unnecessary components and substances are simply removed from natural products, resulting in concentrated natural protein.
As noted above, milk proteins are especially popular, which are made from natural milk through several filtration, as a result of which the protein molecules are separated from carbohydrates and fats. As a result, compared to conventional protein foods, proteins are more effective for building muscle mass, while they can and should be consumed significantly less than regular milk or meat.
As for the negative effect of sports protein on the body, when used correctly this supplement has virtually no negative consequences. However, it should be borne in mind that if the amount of concentrated protein entering the body exceeds the permissible norms, so-called protein poisoning may develop as a result, as a result of which the liver, kidneys, cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract may be damaged.
To avoid such negative consequences, it is necessary to eat protein using special tables and certain methods developed by specialists regarding its quantity and regularity of consumption.
Please also take into account that you should not consume concentrated protein if your body is individually intolerant to it, despite the fact that only environmentally friendly and natural food raw materials are used for its production, which reduces the risk of allergic reactions to a minimum.
It should also be borne in mind that it is better to give preference to sports supplements produced by well-known and reliable companies, since low-quality proteins can really cause serious harm to the body, however, not because they are concentrated protein, but because they were made from low-quality raw materials, with using handicraft technologies and without complying with sanitary standards.
In general, a good concentrated protein produced by trusted brands is an effective sports nutritional supplement that allows many athletes to achieve tremendous results in building muscle mass.
Whey protein: what is it made from?
Whey protein is made from milk whey, which makes sense.
When milk curdles, whey is formed, which contains all the substances soluble in milk:
- Lactose (5% solution).
- Minerals.
- Lactalbumin (cow's milk whey protein).
Whey is obtained after making cheese (as we told you, on the basis of cheese or dairy factories) as follows:
- Fat is removed.
- The remaining mass is dried with a cross air flow.
- Passed through a filter system.
- Only protein molecules remain on the membrane (filter) mesh, because they are the largest in whey.
As you can see, no special magic happens. Protein molecules are simply separated from the whey, dried, some flavor is added to them (naturally, some kind of flavoring), scattered into jars, and that’s it. Whey protein is ready.
Whey can also be denatured by pasteurization (heating it to a stable temperature of 72 degrees).
For you, I have made a very clear and convenient diagram showing what whey protein is made from.
