Whey Protein

Within the past few years, I’ve noticed the talk around the gym between bodybuilders and powerlifters move from speaking about the benefits of one type of protein to another. Sure enough, nutritional companies have followed suit in which type of protein supplements they are now promoting. That switch has moved from soy based and egg proteins to whey protein. So, what exactly is whey protein? My understanding is that whey is a by-product of cheese and when milk is in the process of being turned to cheese, the whey protein is removed. This removal process usually occurs through drying. But why is it good for bodybuilding and powerlifting? Because whey protein can be digested very quickly and thus made readily available for building muscle. Not only building muscle but in reducing recovery time as well. The long and short of it is that protein is made up of amino acids and certain amino acids are known for their muscle building effects. Whey protein is high in BCAA’s (branch chained amino acids) which can not only help to build muscle but also quicken recuperation. Here’s the deal. Lets say you take a 30 gram serving of whey protein powder on an empty stomach. In approximately one hour, blood levels of amino acids will peak and they will not return to pre-meal levels (before you had your whey protein shake) for approximately 3-4 hours. This means that it might be a good idea to have a small amount of whey protein before a workout and then a full serving immediately following a workout (along with some complex carbohydrates) to fully take advantage of whey’s absorption properties.

Years ago if you wanted a high bioavailable protein as a food, you would choose eggs. Sure, you could purchase protein powders, protein supplements, BCAA’s, and individual amino acids but for bioavailability, it was known that eggs were on top of the list. The only issue is that eggs in themselves had a bad rap (and incorrect) in regards to cholesterol and the yolks which were seen to be high in fat. If you chose to be a proponent of egg whites, you weren’t getting the full benefit of this natural food. Not eating the egg yolks meant that you were missing out on added protein as well as biotin. So.. who cares about the extra protein? I’ll just eat egg whites. Yeah, but there is the biotin issue. Again, eggs are a whole food and by just eating egg whites you are missing out on the other nutrients within the yolks, including biotin. Ingest enough egg whites without yolks and you’ll soon find your hair may start to fall out. Ughhhh…. we don’t want that.

It was then found that whey protein had a higher BV (biological value), which is how well the body can absorb and utilize protein. So why don’t we just go out and eat a bunch of whey protein? Because you won’t find it in steak, chicken, eggs, vegetables, etc… Here is the issue with whey protein. You can not find it directly in a food. That is where the supplement industry comes into play. They found a great way to make whey protein powder, whey protein bars, and yeah.. even whey protein shots (just saw this product in a Meijer store today).

So, if we want protein with the highest BV (whey protein), we must find it in supplement form. The best way to get that is either through protein powder or a protein bar. There are plenty of manufacturers that make whey protein powder in single serving packs, and sizes from 1 lb. all the way up to 10+ lbs. sold in multi-packs. Single serving packs work well when you take them to work, while keeping the larger bulk whey protein powders at home.

All protein is not created equal. As with nearly everything else, there are a few major types of whey protein and of course
as impurities are removed or the product is made into a more pure form of whey protein, the price goes up. As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for.

Whey Protein Concentrate – Low levels of fat. Anywhere from 29% to 89% protein by weight because whey protein concentrate contains carbohydrates in the form of lactose. Has a taste like milk.

Whey Protein Isolate – A filtered form of whey protein which yields more protein. This type of protein can be isolated to remove carbohydrates, lactose, fat, cholesterol, and other impurities. Whey protein isolate is 90+% protein by weight. Has a taste like milk.

Whey Protein Hydrolysate – Predigested whey protein. Makes it easier for your body to absorb. Less likely to cause allergic reactions. Most costly of the whey proteins. Has a bitter taste.

Whey Protein Benefits

* Highest BV Value – Great for building and maintaining muscle
* Improved Immunity
* Reduces Blood Pressure
* Reduces Stress Levels
* Reduces Effects Of Overtraining

Whey Protein For Bodybuilders And Powerlifters

As a former bodybuilder and powerlifter, I cannot recommend highly enough getting the correct supplements in your diet. Meaning, vitamins, minerals, water, and protein should be tracked on a daily basis. In regards to protein in general, I recommend getting protein from several sources. Although we know that whey protein has the highest BV, a combination of eggs, nuts, steak, chicken, and fish should adequately balance out your protein intake. I’m often asked what is the best whey protein? I personally like a combination of whey protein powder to make whey protein shakes and whey protein bars because I typically eat about 5-6 small meals per day. My personal preference is gold standard whey protein due to its relatively low cost and combination of whey protein isolate and whey protein concentrate.

How much protein do you need?
This question has been asked of many experts and you’ll hear a variety of answers, ranging from 1 gram per pound of weight to double that amount. What I’ve found out is that the more protein that you take, the more water you need to consume. Ever have kidney stones? You don’t want them. So, when I’m training hard and heavy, I make sure that I’m getting one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight and that usually includes about 40-60 grams daily from high quality whey protein. On workout days, I’ll often take a small serving (half size) of whey protein powder about 45 minutes before working out and then another full serving just following my workout. That way, I’ll have the necessary high levels of bioavailable amino acids to help aid muscle recovery and build muscle mass. What a great combination! If I want to take it one step further, I’ll make sure to include creatine monohydrate in my supplementation to get the added benefits of greater endurance for more reps and less lactic acid which aids in quicker recuperation… meaning I can be in the gym tomorrow instead of recovering.

Whey Protein Products

Whey Protein Powder

Whey Protein Bars

Whey Protein Shots

Tagged with: whey protein • whey protein bars • whey protein concentrate • whey protein isolate • whey protein powder • whey protein shots

Filed under: bodybuilding supplements • supplements

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