Protein 101

Protein is the most essential macro-nutrient for bodybuilders, athletes, and anyone else involved in regular exercise.  Although it can be very difficult to make sure that you are eating protein consistently throughout the day, protein supplements are in easy, tasty, and relatively inexpensive way to make sure you reach all of your nutritional demands.  NOT getting enough protein is a sure way to destroy muscle and promote catabolism, which is obviously detrimental to any type of fitness program or goal.   The most popular and useful types of protein supplements are:

Whey Protein(Concentrate/Isolate)

This supplement is a must have for pretty much everyone.  With proper utilization of this protein supplement I have seen many "hardgainers" gain 10 pounds of muscle and increase their overall strength drastically in about a months time.  Now I'm not saying that everyone will have this type of reaction to taking a protein supplement, but I truly believe that you cannot have a balanced nutrition program without incorporating a high quality protein source into your daily regimen.

Whey isolate is an easily digestible supplement and has a better amino acid profile than even egg whites, meaning it has the highest biological value that you can get from any food or supplement.  This makes whey protein the best supplement for your post workout meal because of how easily it is for your body to process and use this type of protein. 

Milk Based Proteins(Casein)

Casein protein supplements are similiar to whey supplements in the sense that they both come from milk.  The difference between the two is that casein protein is extracted in a process called ultrafilteration which enables it to be completely separated and used.  These types of proteins are great because of their ability to slowly release amino acids over an extended period of time, creating a muscle sparing effect. 

Many people consider casein one of the best supplements for protecting muscle and creating a positive nitrogen balance(anabolic).  This is a great protein supplement for a mid day snack or before bed time.* Because of the low biological value(BV) and the time it takes your body to actually diegest this type of protein,your body is far less likely to store it as fat while you sleep.

Weight Gainers

These protein supplements/Meal Replacements are meant for people with high metabolisms looking to either gain weight(duh...), or looking to help with recovery.  Weight gainers usually have a combination of essential,non-essential amino acids, protein isolates, and sometimes even glutamine and creatine in them to provide maximum absorption and stimulate muscle growth.  This is one of the simplest ways to add calories to your regular meals or add extra calories between your larger meals.

With all of the effective exercise techniques available today it is more important then ever to make sure that you are meeting all of your nutritional demands for recovery and proper muscle growth.  These proteins supplements are a great base for building lean muscle, shedding fat, and increasing athletic performance.

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