What to Look for In Protein Drinks

There are alot of protein drinks available nowadays. I walked into a gas station earlier, and I saw they had Cytosport's Muscle Milk in supply! How convenient for getting your protein on the go! Whey protein is widely available pretty much everywhere. But which product is more effective than others?

What is whey protein? It is a protein derived from milk. During the process of turning milk into cheese, whey protein is separated out. Protein can also be found in a variety of foods such as meats and some vegetables -- soy being one of them.

You can use whey protein for cutting weight, gaining weight, or just maintaining muscle mass. But with the surplus of whey protein products to choose from, it may be beneficial to know what ingredients are in those products to make a wise decision. Because you don't want to buy a product that's geared towards gaining weight when you're trying to slim down, and you don't want to use miscellar casein protein for a preworkout supplement. That wouldn't be good!

Before I get into the ideal protein drink, I'll go over the ingredients and their benefits for supplementation.

• Whey protein - Like stated earlier, it comes from milk products. The reason why there's so many whey products today is because of it's proven benefits for everyone trying to stay healthy. Studies have been conducted to compare whey protein to other sources, and have found that whey protein contains the perfect combination of overall amino acid makeup... and in just the right concentrations for optimal performance in the body. Studies have also found that whey protein plays a role as an antioxidant and helps support a healthy immune system!
• Soy Protein - A complete protein that ranks high in the PDCASS (Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score). Soy protein is generally either low in, or free, in fat, cholesterol, and lactose (soy vegetables don't get fat! xD). The anabolic isoflavones in soy (genistein and daidzein), not only have exhibited effects as powerful antioxidants, but have been shown to exhibit positibe health benefits for both men and women. Brand new research found that genistein, a soy phytoestrogen, increased the amount of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) produced by blood vessals (I'll get more into Nitric Oxide in a later post)!
• Micellar Casein Protein - An extremely slow digesting and rich protein source that continues to supply the body with proteins throughout the day. Studies with this undenatured form of isolated casein protein have demonstrated it to sustain steady amino acid elevations for an incredible 7 hours! Micellar has been shown to offer a strong an anti-catabolic effect not noticed with whey protein. Additional research is demonstrating that the slow and sustained release of amino acids from micellar casein can cause a 'timed release' trickle of amino acids into the bloodstream which can last for as many as 7 full hours after ingestion.

Now then... which is best? Tell you the truth, all of these kinds of proteins offers different benefits for the body. Whey protein increases protein synthesis to the highest degree, soy protein helps you slim down, while still supplying a good amount of proteins, and micellar is a slow digesting protein that has an anti-catabolic effect that lasts for up to 7 hours.

When it comes to whey protein, though, there are many variations as to how it's derived to increase it's absorption into the body. When you browse around for a whey protein product, you'll look into the ingredients and find words like, 'whey protein concentrate', 'whey protein isolate', or 'hydrolyzed whey protein isolate'. Which is best? Flat out, the answer is hydrolyzed whey protein isolate. Whey protein concentrate products may contain 25% to 89% protein, while whey protein isolate will contain 90% and over in protein. But hydrolyzed whey protein isolate is the same as regular whey isolate, difference is the technique manufacturers use when preparing whey proteins. It's sort of "pre-digested" through the action of enzymes that's added to whey solutions to make it more easily digestable. Also, look for something called the Cross -Flow Micro/Ultra (CFM) filtration, which basically brings about the most denatured and growth-factor-rich protein available, while at the same time, maintains a high protein content.

Hard to find? I'll search for you! One of the least expensive quality protein supplements out there is from Higher Power, which contains a protein blend of all three protein types I've talked about. For post-workouts, you can check out Optimum Nutrition's 2:1:1 Recovery, which is a blend of hydrolyzed whey protein isolates and micellar casein, as well as fast digesting carbs, perfect for post-workout sessions, but doesn't contain as much protein per grams. One of the more expensive products is AHN's Muscle Food, which contains glutamine and creatine. Also great for post-workout and/or mass gaining.

Alot of products to choose from, but I hope I helped narrow the search! Hope you get good results!