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Our Complete Guide To Whey Protein

Written By Jerry Teixeira

Walk into any supplement shop or grocery store and you will find a plethora of proteins to choose from. Most athletes and active individuals know whey protein is important to support their active lifestyle, but many aren’t sure what makes whey protein such a powerful addition to their nutrition plan. Below we’ll take an inside look at what is whey protein and why it is such an important part of your nutrition plan.

WHAT IS PROTEIN & WHAT DOES IT DO IN OUR BODIES?

Before we jump into whey protein and the benefits it provides, let's touch a little bit on protein in general and why it’s so important to our bodies.

In nutritional terms, protein is one of the three primary macronutrients our bodies need to survive. Protein is considered a "macro" nutrient because, like fats and carbohydrates, we need to consume a significant amount of it to survive. Comparatively, we only need to consume a small amount of vitamins and minerals every day, which is why we refer to them as “micronutrients”.

Luckily, protein is contained in various combinations and quantities in every food we eat – even in vegetables. Unlike other macro and micronutrients, our bodies can’t store protein, so we have to consume it consistently through the foods we eat or supplements we take.

Within our bodies, protein plays a role in virtually every function of our bodies. In blood, protein transports oxygen throughout the body. Protein builds and repairs tissue (including muscle tissue) and makes enzymes, hormones, and other chemicals. It is also a fundamental building block of bones, cartilage, organs, skin, blood, hair, and nails.

Female CrossFit athlete Luisa Porras drinking whey protein for its benefits.

The antibodies our bodies use to ward off disease and infection are made of protein, as are the enzymes that read the genetic information in our DNA to make new molecules. Messenger protein molecules transmit signals between cells, tissue, and organs, and transport protein molecules carry atoms and small molecules throughout the body.

As you can see, protein, in general, provides some very important functions in our bodies. However, in addition to these benefits’ whey protein provides its own benefits over other protein sources, which we’ll look at below.

WHAT IS WHEY PROTEIN?

A scoop of chocolate whey protein on a wood table.

Like many great things, whey protein was discovered by accident around 6,000 B.C. and later recognized for its immune system-boosting value by Greek physician and “Founder of Medicine”, Hippocrates.

Whey comes from milk, which is comprised of two types of proteins. The first protein is casein, which makes up approximately 80 percent of milk protein, and the second is whey, which makes up the other 20 percent. When milk is turned into cheese, whey is separated from the solid curds and can be found in the liquid that is left behind.

Once separated, whey goes through several more processing steps to become what most people recognize as whey protein: a relatively tasteless powder with a high amino acid yield. Whey protein is commonly used for shakes, protein bars, and even baked goods. It’s commonly used as a protein booster in commercial products such as smoothies, bars, and plenty of other foods. Not to mention it is also sold on its own.

According to the U.S. Dairy Export Council, there are nearly 6,000 different whey protein products sold worldwide. Between 2010 and 2015, the number of whey products increased by 34% (compared to just 6% between 2005 and 2009).

THE BENEFIT OF WHEY PROTEIN

Additionally, to the general benefits protein offers that we mentioned above, whey protein provides several benefits of its own over other protein supplement options.

Promotes Muscle Development

The first and most important whey protein is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all the amino acids that are considered essential amino acids and must be consumed through food (the body can’t make them). This gives whey an advantage over most plant proteins that need to be combined with other types of protein powders or food to provide the full spectrum of amino acids in amounts that the body can use to build muscle. Additionally, whey protein delivers more amino acids per gram than other complete protein sources including casein protein, egg, and soy.

The real difference-maker is whey protein’s leucine content. Leucine is a branched-chain amino acid (BCAA), and research shows it’s the single most important amino acid for supporting muscle growth. The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) suggests for individuals looking to maximize muscle gains, they should eat protein in doses of 20 to 40 grams per meal with three to four meals throughout the day. Each meal should contain 0.7 to 3 grams of leucine, which whey protein hits those targets perfectly.

Your average 3 ounce serving of beef, poultry, and pork will provide you with 2 to 2.6 grams of leucine, with seafood not far behind. Tune providing 1.9 grams of leucine per 3 ounces serving. Compare that to our grass-fed whey protein powder which provides 25 grams of protein and a full 2.546 grams of leucine! Additionally, it also provides 1.351 grams of isoleucine and 1.415 grams of valine for a total BCAA count of 5.312 grams and 11.404 grams of essential amino acids per serving.

Aids In Body Recomposition & Overall Health

Whey protein is one of the purest sources of protein available and provides an excellent amino acid profile. Unlike other protein powders, whey protein is low in fat and carbs, which leaves you with more of what you want—straight protein to help you build muscle and change your body composition with no excess calories or sugar. This makes whey protein an excellent choice for anyone who is watching their weight or looking to lose weight.

A meta-analysis of nine studies showed that whey assisted overweight and obese individuals in losing fat and reducing risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Whey’s benefits for the heart have been demonstrated in other research as well. A study in the journal Appetite showed that overweight subjects who strength trained and supplemented with whey protein had higher levels of glutathione (a molecule that supports cellular health) and HDL cholesterol after six weeks than a control group that exercised without supplementation.

Another trial from the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition found a linear relationship between the amount of whey protein consumed and increases in glutathione levels. Subjects who took in 45 grams of whey daily for two weeks increased glutathione by 24%.

Supports Faster Recovery

When you’re done with your training session, it’s time for your muscles to start their recovery process and rebuild themselves stronger and bigger. For this, they need protein and leucine. Whey protein delivers its amino acids to muscles faster than other protein sources. A study from Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that whey protein delivers leucine to the muscles faster, stimulating muscle protein synthesis sooner. This makes whey protein the better choice post-workout.

The sooner you get protein (and the leucine within it) into your muscles, the faster you can begin to recover from your workout. From hard training athletes to weekend warriors who partake in multiple activities per day, fast recovery between sessions is critical. Whey protein delivers leucine to the muscles more efficiently than other protein supplements, making it a must-have for any post-workout shake.

Other protein options can have their own advantages, such as casein. Casein digests more slowly making it better suited as a nighttime option before going to bed, so it can feed your body leucine gradually through the night as you sleep.

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WHEY PROTEIN

Concentrate:

Whey concentrates contain 70-80 percent protein, with low amounts of lactose and fat (but not as low as an isolate). Many people think whey protein concentrate is inherently inferior to isolate, but a well-made whey concentrate may, in fact, be a better choice than a whey protein isolate, depending on your goals.

Though whey protein concentrates will contain less protein on a gram-for-gram basis than an isolate, a high-quality concentrate contains more of the other helpful compounds found in milk. Good concentrates contain far higher levels of growth factors, phospholipids, and lipids, such as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and they often contain higher levels of immunoglobulins and lactoferrin.

Isolate:

Whey protein isolate has had almost all fat and lactose removed, boosting its protein concentration to 90-95 percent pure protein. This is more beneficial for athletes and individuals with an active lifestyle and needs the extra amino acids for muscle repair and/or growth. Some people who have trouble with milk do better with whey isolate than concentrate due to the fact it is virtually lactose-free.

Hydrolyzed:

Hydrolyzed whey is often referred to as "pre-digested," because it has already undergone partial breakdown. This reduces digestion time compared to the other two forms of whey protein. Both whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate can be made into whey protein hydrolysate, so its protein content can vary.

STANDARD WHEY VS. GRASS-FED WHEY

Setting the bar for a higher quality whey protein supplement starts with the quality of life and food the cows have who supply the milk for they whey protein. Grass-Fed dairy products have been shown to offer more health benefits and fewer toxins that come from factory-farmed animals.

Grass-Fed Dairy cows avoid feedlots, the need for feed supplements, and GMO foods, which often include toxins that the cows consume and pass on in their milk. Grass-fed naturally produces a cleaner and high-quality whey protein supplement. (For more on grass-fed vs regular whey see here)

Grass fed cows grazing in a pasture of green grass in the morning.

HOW MUCH WHEY PROTEIN SHOULD YOU TAKE?

Knowing how much whey protein you can consume in one sitting will go a long way to make sure you feed your muscles the amino acids they need without wasting protein or your money.

To start, we need to understand how fast whey protein passes through our digestive tract and how much protein our digestive tract can digest within that time frame. It turns out that it takes 1.5 hours for whey protein to pass through the section of our gut that can absorb it.

So, the big question is, within that time window of 1.5 hours, how much whey protein can our bodies digest and utilize? At an absorbing rate of 8-10 grams of whey protein per hour on average, our bodies can absorb an average of 12-15 grams of whey protein in one sitting before it passes through our digestive tract and we can’t utilize any more protein from what we consumed.

With several whey supplements providing 20-25 grams of whey protein per serving, you might think you’re losing 5-10 grams of protein every time you drink a whey protein shake. However, this might not be the case.

The 12-15 grams of whey protein doesn’t factor in the protein used by the body for energy. According to the University of Illinois McKinley Health Center, states that athletes in training may benefit from more protein. So, 20 grams to 25 grams of whey protein following each workout may be optimal.

Additionally, one way to ensure your body utilizes more protein per serving is to consume probiotics and/or digestive enzymes with your protein. We’ll get more into this later, but for now, understand probiotics like lactobacillus acidophilus (which you’ll find in our grass-fed whey protein isolate and colostrum) and digestive enzymes like proteases help your digestive tract digest more whey protein.

Another option is to consume your protein more slowly. Sipping on a protein shake over the course of a 15-30 minute time window can lighten the load on your digestive tract and assist it to utilize more of the protein you consume.

WHEN SHOULD YOU TAKE WHEY PROTEIN?

Male CrossFit athlete drinking a whey protein shake after his workout.

You’ve most likely heard about the “post-workout anabolic window” that lasts for 1-2 hours and the prescription to have your whey protein immediately after you finish your workout to maximize gains.

However, studies show this isn’t the case. According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), the window lasts more like 24 hours and possibly even longer. So, the key is to consume adequate amounts of protein throughout the next 24 hours following your workout and before your next training session. Focus more on regular protein consumption and your post-workout protein needs should be covered.

If having the immediate post-workout whey protein shake helps you remember to consume protein following your work, then absolutely do it, but don’t think that one protein shake will cover your needs.

WHAT ELSE SHOULD BE IN MY PROTEIN?

As we mentioned above, probiotics and/or digestive enzymes can help your digestive tract utilize more of the whey protein you consume. A 2017 study found that probiotics such as the Bacillus strain, help maximize the absorption and benefits of protein supplementation. This is why we’ve included 2 billion CFU of Lactobacillus acidophilus in our whey protein supplement.

Digestive enzymes are a great option too. Protein supplements that include digestive enzymes such as protease, can be just what your gut needs to help break down your protein faster and utilize more of it within the 1.5-hour window. Additionally, protein formulas with carbs and fats (most protein supplements include at least a little of each) will also benefit from digestive enzymes that will work to break down carbs and fats as well. These include digestive enzymes such as amylase and lipase.

FINAL WORD

Whether your goal is to add muscle, lose body fat or support your active lifestyle, whey protein can help. A whey protein shake will never replace a proper nutrition plan, but a high-quality whey protein supplement can be an important tool in helping you reach your daily protein requirement and support your overall nutritional goals.