So whey protein. It's cool stuff. Essentially it's the lactoglobulins (milk proteins), so all milk naturally has whey protein (as long as its from an animal source). A lot of people use a dry whey supplement when they want to "bulk up." It's nice because the stuff is packed with protein and other good stuff. What whey protein is mostly good for is:
- Easily digestible protein (unless lactose intolerant)
- Immune function boost
- Quick muscle recovery
- Muscle growth
Whey gives an immune system boost because of the globulins in the proteins. Globulins basically are protein structures but are shown to be used by our immune system and made in our immune system. They are present in our mother's milk but also in a cow's milk. Moral of the story, these proteins can help boost your immune system response to sickness, allergies, and foreign items. Cool!
Now for what a lot of you are curious about; the muscles. This is what whey protein is great for. The BCAAs, and specifically leucine, are awesome amino acids to fuel muscles and activate protein synthesis. They can be fuel because our muscles love to pick these guys up and because they can be transformed into fuel like glucose through a couple metabolic steps. Their real role is to stimulate protein synthesis at these spots. In simpler terms, these proteins start up the metabolic steps to produce more proteins that speed up muscle recovery and adaptation to stress.
So now that you guys know what's going on with whey, there are some tips you should know about using it. First, when you are buying whey, make sure that you find a high quality source with a great amino acid profile (has a lot of leucine, isoleucine, and valine) and no additives. A lot of us have USADA to worry about but if not, you still don't want to pump your body with "extras" as this can lead to unhealthy results. Always read up online on products and find people who have used the product before. Next, what you add it to can be anything technically. I love adding it to milk and blending it to make sure I'm not drinking a whole bunch of globs of the stuff. I smooth it out. Some use water, which would be somewhat interesting to taste...but others add it to smoothies. It's up to you. The final thing to remember is that to digest this much protein at times, we need to add a little more hydration to the process, so after drinking up some whey, drink some water after too.
I have used the EAS brand whey protein over the last few years, and I must say that it is really great for muscle recovery. I would add one full scoop to about 10 fl. oz (little less than a soda can) of milk. This way I was "doubling up" the protein by adding milk to milk. Blending it was essential and made it taste like a milkshake. Yum. I could significantly tell that my muscles were more ready the next day for practice or lifting. I could not tell much of a difference in muscle growth though. I was only using the product for about 2 days/week after lifting, 3 at most. Chocolate was my favorite flavor, but vanilla is great for smoothies.
Do I recommend whey protein? Sure! Especially if you are having trouble with recovery. It can tend to make people gassy (because of the milk) but it's a great method to try. Let me know if you guys have any more questions about this! It's one of my favorite topics.
Good post Tom. I used whey protein after workouts for a little bit and never really saw results, especially not in terms of muscle growth. I was also trying to keep body fat content down so I'm sure that was a factor. Some of these products have serving sizes of 60 grams of protein and your body just can't process or digest that much protein in one sitting. The excess gets stored as fat and I don't think that's what anyone wants. That's why I prefer to get my protein from food sources. Eggs, chicken, steak, turkey, roast beef, milk, etc. are all good sources and they taste great too.
ReplyDeleteDo you know much about nutrient timing? How soon after working out to eat, what the nutrient content of your meal/snack should be, etc. I think it's a very important part of muscle recovery but is not something a lot of people are aware of. They'll lift for 2 hours, not eat anything for another 3 and wonder they don't seem to be building muscle or getting stronger. I'm interested if this is something your coaches over the years have emphasized to you.
Keep up the good work, I like reading about this stuff
-Andrew (Superjew)
Good point Andrew :)
ReplyDeleteWe really don't need to overdo protein because, yes, the unused protein goes to fat anyway, just like carbs. And yes, the normal diet and normal sources of protein are still great sources. The whey protein supplement is just a great, convenient way to get something after or before work outs.
As far as nutrient timing goes, you should aim for a 3:1 carbs:protein ratio. We need the carbs to replenish the energy used and the protein added on to encourage recovery and and msucle building. Most are surprised by that ratio. You definitely want to give yourself at least 30-40 min before working out to digest foods. You also want to eat within 30 min to maximize recovery after working out. PLEASE don't wait longer than 1 hour to eat after working out. This leads the body to burn down things you don't want it to and can lead to fatigue and headaches in the long run.
Thanks for following Andrew B)
Yep, that's exactly what I've learned too. I wouldn't say it's surprising, but it's discouraging to know how many people are unaware of the importance of getting nutrients immediately after workouts. It may be a good topic for a post, talking in depth about the when and why.
ReplyDelete-Andrew