Why Choose Casein Protein Over Whey?

The importance of proteins, and of the amino acids they contain, are crucial to every human being; every cell in our bodies routinely die, and need replacement. Amino acids are the very structural building blocks of cells, and thus are in constant demand. For bodybuilders and athletes, the relationship is a little more intimate, as the quality of proteins, and thus amino acids they ingest will reflect on their performance, professional or otherwise.

Everyone knows the principal, traditional sources of proteins: meat, dairy, eggs, as well as certain vegetal sources, such as soy, beans, lentils and more. These are sources of complete proteins: they contain all essential amino acids, those that the body cannot synthesize from other sources. They are of paramount important not only to health, but also to muscle recovery, repair and growth.

Bodybuilders have a wide variety of protein supplements to choose from. The most common types of proteins on which supplements are based are casein and whey protein. Both dairy by-products, these proteins are complete, and both supply large quantities of L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine and L-Valine, also known as branched chain amino acids. These amino acids are particularly important, since they can trigger anabolic growth, which is the state in which the body must be in order to grow.

The advantage of whey protein is that whatever form in comes in, whether concentrate, isolate or hydrolysate, it is always very, very bioavailable: it is easy to digest, and moves quickly in the body to kick-start anabolic growth, thus preventing the muscle-degrading effects of protein catabolism.

Casein protein, on the other hand, while offering roughly the same amino acid profile (both are derived from dairy sources), it forms a lump, or gel, in the stomach and takes much longer to digest, as it moves from the stomach, into the duodenum and small intestine. This means that this lump of casein, so to speak, supplies amino acids for a lot longer, keeping the anabolic growth window kicked wide open, for as much as 6 hours after ingestion.

The advantages and drawbacks of each type of protein are clear, apparent and easy to understand. Both are beneficial in certain situations, and are indeed perfect complements to each other. In fact, it is desirable for athletes and bodybuilders who are looking for real performance to choose protein supplements that blend both casein and whey. Whey will be absorbed quickly and trigger protein synthesis, through the activation of mTOR signaling pathways, and casein will provide a long-lasting amino acid saturation of the skeletal muscle cells, allowing the muscles to grow as much as the intensity of your workouts will allow.

People are different, of course, and have different metabolism, working at different speeds on different types of proteins and nutrients, so it is normal that some people opt for entirely whey based supplementation, while others chose casein. It’s a matter of finding out what works for you, and running with it!