Casein Protein
Casein buy at American Supps
Casein is often simply called "milk protein", although this is not one hundred percent correct. To be precise, it would have to be called "a milk protein", since this consists of only 60% casein and the remaining 40% whey protein. Casein is one of the oldest types of protein used in protein concentrates and rightly has its place in the daily diet of bodybuilders and strength athletes. With a biological value of 88 it is somewhat on par with meat and below whey protein, but it has two interesting characteristics that whey protein does not have and makes it superior to it, at least in certain situations.
Casein for muscle Building
The first and probably best known feature: is certainly the long time the casein remains in the gastrointestinal tract. It forms a kind of solid gel there, which delays digestion. The advantage of this is clear: Due to the increased length of time it remains in the stomach, casein is more saturated and also ensures a relatively constant release of amino acids over a period of hours - over a period of eight hours to be precise. In plain language, this means that this unique type of protein provides us with muscle-building and anti-catabolic amino acids for a good third of the day after ingestion. "Anti-catabolic" is a good keyword here, because with this knowledge in mind, the fields of application of casein become clear: firstly as a muscle-protecting protein during a low-calorie diet, secondly as a meal replacement when there is no time for a full meal, and thirdly as " Night protein ", which, taken shortly before going to bed, supplies our body with high-quality amino acids until we wake up in the morning, in order to optimally support the nightly growth and regeneration process. Especially during a diet, the fact that carbohydrates that are taken in at the same time as the casein are also "thickened" and thus released with a delay, which keeps the blood sugar level more constant and reduces the risk of possible fat loss.
Optimum Nutrition Casein
The Optimum Nutrition Casein is one of the most famous casein products on the market. Many athletes rely on it to guarantee their protein supply.
The second characteristic of casein, which is rarely mentioned in the relevant literature, is its extremely high glutamine content, the most common amino acid found in the human body with strong anti-catabolic, cell-hydrating and immune-system-strengthening properties. With a share of around 20%, casein contains more glutamine than any other type of protein. Together with the slow release of amino acids over hours, this is one of the reasons for the anti-catabolic properties of casein.
Third characteristic feature: the high calcium content - the highest that a single protein has to show. Just 100 g of casein provide more than 1000 mg of calcium, which is good for bones and muscle contraction. Recent studies have shown that athletes who consume dairy products regularly lose body fat faster than those who eat little dairy products. The scientists attribute this to the high calcium content, but the role of this mineral in lipid metabolism has not yet been researched too deeply, which is why such statements should be treated with caution.
Can casein cause an allergy?
The flip side of the coin is that casein is relatively high in lactose and sodium, which causes nausea and gas in some athletes. So if you suffer from lactose intolerance - the lack of ability to process lactose (milk sugar) normally - casein is unfortunately not an option. In such cases, athletes like to switch to beef protein, egg white protein or egg albumin. Casein is also avoided by athletes who are about to compete and need to have optimal muscle sharpness. Because the high lactose and sodium content stores water under the skin, athletes typically use an egg white protein / egg albumin or a mixture of this and a vegetable protein such as rice in the last few weeks before day X. Another disadvantage of casein is its relatively low content of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), which can be compensated for by combining it with whey protein, which is very rich in BCAA.