Protein powder is by far the most used supplement by athletes: how many types are there on the market? What are the differences between them? When to use them? Which ones to use? In this article I will clarify doubts regarding the use of protein powders to help you choose the best product based on your physical needs. heatlthcust reader
Whey protein
This guide cannot help but start with whey proteins, the most used of all.
The boom in these proteins occurred when some research demonstrated that they were able to stimulate muscle growth (protein synthesis) more than others, thanks to the high quantity of branched chain amino acids (isoleucine, leucine and valine) present within them. These three amino acids are recognized as the most influential for muscle development.
Whey is a protein present in milk, which contains two types of proteins: casein and, indeed, whey: the first constitutes 80%, the second the remaining 20% of milk proteins.
To obtain a whey protein powder supplement, the latter must essentially be filtered, separating it from the other components of milk such as fats, lactose and casein, through specific manufacturing processes.
There are three types of whey proteins, which are the result of different manufacturing processes and consequently present differences in terms of purity, speed of assimilation and digestibility .
The three types are:
- Whey protein concentrate
- Whey protein isolate
- Hydrolysed whey proteins
Whey protein concentrate
comes from a manufacturing process called ultrafiltration, which is essentially based on the use of pressure to separate proteins from other nutrients through a porous membrane.
This filtration process is the crudest, it returns a final product whose protein concentration is 70/80%, certainly purer because it is less processed but with a residual presence of lactose and fat. They are recommended for those who have a limited budget and do not need to follow extremely strict dietary regimes.
Compared to the previous ones, isolated whey proteins
undergo further filtration processes and more refined working processes such as ion exchange, which return a final product with a protein concentration of over 90% and an almost zero quantity of fats and carbohydrates.
They are indicated in strict dietary regimes. Furthermore, thanks to their high biological value and their extreme digestibility, they can be taken before and after training.
Hydrolyzed whey proteins
undergo the process of hydrolysis , which causes the proteins to separate into protein fragments made up of amino acids called peptides . This further separation facilitates the digestive processes because it is essentially as if predigested proteins were taken. Hydrolyzed proteins are best to take after your workout. The only flaw: the high cost.
In general, whey proteins are digested and absorbed by the body faster than any other protein. This property makes them optimal for intake in the morning and after training, i.e. those moments in which the body needs a rapidly assimilated protein source
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