Whey Protein: Before or After a Workout

Whey Protein and Workouts:

As everyone knows, whey protein is a huge and beneficial supplement for regular bodybuilding and fitness athletes.  It provides a tremendous supply of protein and essential amino acids that help to repair muscle tissue quickly, and long term energy and appetite suppression to improve the benefits of the workout.  But it is difficult to understand the best time for one to take whey protein, especially if considering both weight lifting and endurance athletes.

Whey Protein: Before a Workout

Taking whey protein prior to a workout results in numerous benefits.  For one, the whey protein is already present in your system by the time your muscles are being damaged by your athletic routine.  That means not only are you being provided a constant stream of energy to power your workout with now insulin or sugar spikes, but on top of that, the muscular regeneration benefits of whey protein are taking effect at the time of the muscular distress, not after.  Because of that, it is highly recommended that especially for bodybuilders, and other fast twitch muscle sports, that one consumes whey protein directly prior to a workout to improve recovery and provide consistent energy.

Whey Protein:  After a Workout

Taking whey protein after a workout also has benefits.  For one, whey protein is exceptionally slowly released, meaning that for hours and hours after your workout the ingredients in whey will continue to repair your muscular damage.  ON top of that for those more concerned with weight loss and toning, whey protein is excellent at appetite suppression, meaning that if taken after a long run or other endurance activity, not only will you derive the muscular benefits, but also will stay full longer.

So When is the Ideal Time to Supplement with Whey Protein?

Ideally you would take whey protein both before AND after your workout.  If concerned with calories I would recommend splitting the intake you want so you derive both benefits.  For those only wishing to take the one supplement per workout, i would recommend those wishing to gain muscle and size in fast twitch explosive muscles to take whey protein prior to working out, and those more concerned with endurance activities and weight loss to take whey protein directly after your workout.  However if at all possible, taking whey protein both before and after a workout will provide the absolute maximum benefit.

Casein Protein

There seems to be much confusion surrounding casein protein and what it is.  A lot of that is due to the fact that like whey, it is derived from milk.  Like whey it is often found in most cheeses, and contains BCAAs (Branch Chained Amino Acids) and calcium.

Differences between Casien and Whey Protein:

Unlike whey, casein protein has a number of uses outside of milk product additives and dietary supplement.  Casein is used in the production of certain types of paints, as well as due to its “sticky” properties, can be manufactured into fibers that can be used to make fabric.  In the past, casein protein was also used to manufacture glue.

Interestingly, despite the marked similarities between whey and casein, they do provide suprisingly different benefits for those who use the protein as a primarily workout supplement.

Also, Casein provides significantly less anti oxidants, and unlike whey protein which has been shown to have a correlation between a reduced incidence of cancer when taken daily, casein has actually been shown to increase the risk of cancer in rats.

So why would someone want to take Casein Protein?….

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Protein Shakes for Women

Before reading up on the best protein shakes for the fairer sex, be sure to read about the numerous whey protein benefits, and how whey protein can effect weight loss, fat burning and how you build and maintain lean muscle mass.

A lot of women out there seem to think that protein is “just for bodybuilders”, and that only those looking to bulk up and put on muscle should be taking it.  They think that protein is going to add muscle at a time when they are trying to drop weight.  They think protein shakes for women are ridiculous. News flash:

***These Women Are Wrong***

Whey protein is not some crazy supplement filled with additives.  It is essentially protein skimmed from milk, with vitamins and minerals generally added to it to improve its nutritional content.  In babies formula, whey protein is one of the main ingredients, as whey protein contains many of the same ingredients found in human breast milk.

Quite simply, whey protein is a extremely safe and effective dietary supplement that every women should be taking daily regardless of fitness level.

You may be asking yourself, but why should i take whey protein.  What will it do for me?

Protein, and whey protein especially, has shown itself to be a significant contributor to increased weight loss, and higher fat burning for those who take it on a regular basis. Protein shakes for women, are especially important as they get older, due to the high levels of calcium found in whey protein  that boost bone strength and

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Whey Protein Concentrate

You can read more about whey protein types, however this post is going to focus solely on whey protein concentrate, and its benefits and side effects.

As mentioned in the above post, whey protein concentrate is the cheapest form of whey protein, and is the easiest for companies to mass produce.  It is by far the most common type of whey protein when looking to purchase any powder, however because it is cheap does not necessarily mean that it isn’t good.  Althouth the lowest type of protein by weight, concentrate is still exceptionally high in protein as it is, well, a protein concentrate.

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Whey Protein Powder Benefits – Part II

Check out our original overview of whey protein benefits.  In this post we’re going to delve a little more into how whey protein effects the growth of lean muscle mass, as well as fat burning and weight loss, specifically with the use of whey protein powder.

To read more about how much protein to consume for optimal fat burning, check out our post on whey protein and fat burning.  If you’re more concerned about how whey protein suppresses appetite and the science behind it, make sure you read our post on whey protein weight loss.

How Whey Protein Powder Increases Fat Loss and Lean Muscle Mass:

In a recent study from the Minnesota Applied Research Centre, they evaluated how a high quality whey protein source used as a daily dietary supplement enhanced the rate of fat burning and subsequently weight loss by comparing subjects consuming whey protein on a daily basis with a control group, both on a reduced caloric intake diet.  They found the following:

  • Over 12 weeks, the whey protein powder using group lost a substantial amount of fat compared to the control group, specifically 1.2 kg of fat.  While not sounding like a significant amount of weight, the supporting tissue and blood supply adds much more. Continue reading

Soy Protein Isolate

One major question that often gets asked is what is the difference between soy protein isolate powder and whey protein?  Are there any differences, or are they essentially similar as both a fitness and health supplement?  Is soy protein powder bad?  Where do i even find soy isolate protein powder?  What are the dangers of soy products?

Soy protein is a far different protein from whey protein, as it is derived from soybeans as opposed to the milk/cheese that whey protein is produced from.  Soy protein isolate powder(like whey protein isolate) is the highest quality type of soy protein.  It has the largest amount of protein by weight compared to concentrate, which is the same as whey.

However soy, especially as a fitness supplement can have some detrimental effects.

Extensive testing has suggested that the high levels of isoflavones present in soy proteins results in a decreased production of testosterone in the human body; the hormone required to build lean muscle mass.

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Whey Protein Benefits – An Overview

Check out our new post on how whey protein powder benefits and improves the growth of lean muscle mass and weight loss here!!

Also make sure you read whey protein side effects if you’re concerned about the health aspects of taking whey protein daily, check out organic whey protein if wanting to reduce those potential side effects.

Whey is a liquid by-product left over during the creating of dairy products, in particular cheese.  Whey is primarily made up of protein, some fat, and minute amounts of other minerals.  The liquid whey is skimmed of fat, processed for human consumption and dried to create whey protein powder.

Whey protein powder is one of the most nutritious and widely used supplements available today.  It has an extremely high protein efficiency level, is quickly absorbed by the body foruse, and a very high source of glutamine, a power anti-oxidant.  It is used today by most athletes, due to its terrific fitness related benefits. However many of these athletes are unaware of the whey protein benefits that are less well known.

Whey Protein Benefits:

As you can see, whey protein is a healthy and delicious daily supplement that everyone should be using.  It is safe to take, has minimal risk of any potential allergies, its delicious, and best of all, whey protein has numerous health benefits. There is absolutely no reason why a healthy protein shake should not be part of your daily routine.  The benefits above are well established and researched, and additional benefits are being found on a consistent basis.

Check back soon as we break down each of these benefits into easy to understand articles, or if you’re already convinced of all the whey protein benefits that you’re missing out on, please check out our protein power reviews for some great reviews of the most popular protein powders available today.

You can return to the homepage of whey protein benefits here.

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Whey Protein Benefits – Ready to Buy Whey Protein?

When going to buy whey protein you need to first determine why you are purchasing whey protein. Is it primarily for diet, fitness, health benefits, or something else entirely? Are you primarily concerned with the flavor of the whey protein you are buying, or are sugar, fat and carb content of extreme importance to you. Determining the answer to each of these is a big first step in finding what product is going to fit you and your lifestyle the best.

As noted in a previous post, there are 3 types of whey protein: isolate, concentrate and hydrolysate. Isolate and hydrolysate are the most pure; that is containing the most protein by weight and the least fat, however they also cost the most and generally the worst

tasting, unless they contain sweetener and other addititves. Concentrate is the cheapest, however contains the highest amount of fat and carbohydrates. Many of the products offered on the market today are blends, a combination of isolate and concentrate generally, to Continue reading

Whey Protein Types : Isolate, Concentrate, Hydrolysate

When going to buy whey protein, it is extremely important that you are selecting the right type of whey protein for whatever goals you have. These goals may be as a diet supplement, for the numerous health benefits of whey
protein, or as part of a fitness or muscle building regimen. In a future post we will also be examining the differences between whey, soy and casein protein, but for now, we will focus on the most popular.

The three basic “types” of whey protein that consumers need to be aware of are:

• Whey Concentrate
• Whey Isolate
• Whey Hydrolysate

Whey concentrate would be the most well known form of whey protein. It is the cheapest to manufacture, and has the lowest protein by weight of all 3 types. It is also the most common type used as Continue reading

Whey Protein Benefits – Fat Burning

The benefits of whey protein far extend beyond providing the basic building blocks for muscle growth. A well timed and coordinated approach using whey protein can also aid in fat loss.  The human body can be considered an organic machine, it requires fuel to function. Thus to maintain a constant body weight, energy expenditure must be equivalent to energy intake. Shifts in either direction will cause a gain or loss in body mass. There are three macronutrients that humans derive energy from:

Whey Protein Benefits – Antioxidant Food Source?

The Whey Protein Benefits site contains many other posts outlining the amazing benefits of using whey protein and can be found here, or by clicking the whey protein benefits link above.

Just as an overview for those who are unaware, antioxidants are molecules which can prevent the breakdown and mutation of cells which cause cancer, strokes and many other diseases. Many so-called super foods like blueberries, green and white tea, and acai
berries are very rich in antioxidants.

Not as well known, whey protein has shown itself to be extremely rich in antioxidants as well. Specifically, whey protein contains enormous amounts of the essential amino-acid cysteine which can to be synthesized to boost the production of the Continue reading

Whey Protein Benefits – Incorporating Whey Protein Into Your Diet

Many people are aware of the key whey protein benefits, but they don’t know how to work it into their diets. Luckily the wide variety of high-quality whey protein products on the market today has made doing so both easy and enjoyable. Here are some ways to include whey protein into your daily diet:

Shakes: Shakes are the easiest and most common way to take advantage of whey protein benefits. Whey protein powder comes in all sorts of flavours and can be mixed with water or milk to make great-tasting shakes. Anything else you can think of can be mixed into these shakes to make them even tastier. Some common additions include fruit and peanut butter.

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Whey Protein Weight Loss

You may want to read back to our Whey Protein Benefits – An Overview post so you have a more in-depth understanding of all the different benefits why protein can provide. This post will specifically focus on weight loss, and the variety of benefits whey protein has in helping with weight loss.

Also make sure you read our post on how whey protein effects fat loss here: whey protein fat burning

In the past few years, whey protein has been one of the most researched dietary supplements, due to its popularity not only with athletes, but also with the general population.  Particularly for this article, some interesting new research has shown that whey protein may be an excellent addition to the diet of for those struggling to lose large amounts of weight, and everyday people looking to lose their last few pounds.

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