What Protein Supplements Are The Best?

Whether your goal is to gain muscle mass, lose body fat or improve your overall fitness levels, protein can help you reach your goals. Proteins are the building blocks within your body that make tissues, enzymes, hormones, and play a vital role in your body’s immune system. Many individuals find it difficult or impossible to meet the levels of protein that their bodies need and enhancing one’s diet with protein supplements can be an easy and effective way to increase protein intake.

Why Take Protein Supplements?

After a workout, whether focusing on endurance or strength, muscle protein breakdown increases significantly. Also, after endurance training protein synthesis decreases and following strength training protein synthesis increases. But in either case, there is a negative nitrogen balance caused by more muscle protein being broken down than the body is able to replace (2). What does a negative protein balance mean?

It means that you are in a catabolic state and aren’t growing (you are actually losing muscle!). A high protein shake after your workout will lead to increased protein synthesis and decreased breakdown of muscle protein because there are sufficient levels of amino acids (the building blocks of protein) within your muscles to meet your body’s post workout needs (9). Your body will no longer be in a catabolic state and instead will be in an anabolic state of growth.

Protein supplementation, when taken in conjunction with an exercise program, has also been proven to increase the IGF-1 hormone, a power anabolic hormone that is associated with muscle growth. This increase in IGF-1 will lead to more muscle growth during times of overfeeding and less muscle loss while dieting (3)!

Another hormone that increased protein consumption has been shown to amplify is glucagon which “is responsible for antagonizing the effects of insulin in adipose tissue, leading to greater fat mobilization. In addition, glucagon also decreases the amounts and activities of the enzymes responsible for making and storing fat in adipose and liver cells” (3). Another benefit of protein is that when compared to carbohydrates or fats it requires twice as much energy for your body to digest, absorb and utilize.

This means that protein has a higher thermic effect and will increase the body’s metabolic rate. Because protein increases glucagons and has a high thermic effect it will lead to more fat loss while dieting and less fat accumulation while bulking (3).

Several studies have shown that a protein and carbohydrate beverage is significantly better than a carbohydrate only beverage for endurance athletes. Aerobic endurance athletes who drank beverages with protein and carbohydrates saw significant increases in time to fatigue, lessened amounts of muscle damage, and improved performance (5,6).

Other Benefits of Protein

Diabetics also benefit from increasing the amount of protein they ingest in their diets. Post meal glucose levels are lowered by 40% in type 2 diabetics on high protein diets (8). Diabetics on high protein diets also have significantly better insulin response and decreased glucose intolerance (10).

Several studies have proven that protein supplementation is great for elderly hospital patients with bone fractures. 79% of elderly patients with femur fractures had favorable outcomes from their injuries when given an oral protein supplement compared to only 36% of patients having a positive outcome when not given a protein supplement. There were also significantly less complications and a much shorter average hospital stay in elderly patients given protein supplementation (8).

Other studies have shown that increasing protein intake while decreasing carbohydrate intake can lower LDL cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations which would help in reducing cardiovascular risks (3).

Protein deficiencies lowers the body’s ability to make as many antibodies as it requires to maintain a healthy immune response, therefore, protein supplementation can also be helpful for enhancing the immune system of individual’s not ingesting proper amounts of protein.

What Protein Supplements to Take and When Take Them?

Unlike fats and carbohydrates, the body cannot store excess amino acids .Therefore, if the body needs amino acids it will begin breaking down protein structures within the body such as muscle tissue. Because of this it is important to ingest protein several times a day to keep amino acid concentration up all day and prevent yourself from going into a catabolic state (1).

As earlier discussed, it is important to get protein after you workout to switch the body into an anabolic state of growth. Taking fast digesting protein such as a whey protein supplement or a Branch Chain Amino Acid supplement (the 3 main amino acids for muscle growth) is best for post workout because they will quickly deliver the nutrients your body needs.

Within whey protein supplements there are 2 categories: whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate. Whey isolates are of slightly better quality than concentrates but do cost more money. BCAA supplements can be a great post workout protein option but are more expensive than both types of whey. The type of protein you choose for your post workout shake will depend on your own goals and financial preference.

Several quality post workout protein supplements include:



Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Protein Gold
EAS 100% Whey Protein
Nature’s Best Isopure Zero Carbs
Syntrax Nectar
Optimum Nutrition BCAA 5000 Powder
PrimaForce BCAA
Champion Nutrition Pure Whey Fusion

Because the purpose of consuming protein supplements is to provide the muscles with amino acids so that muscle tissues aren’t broken down, it is also smart to ingest protein pre-workout. Consuming protein before exercise better delivers these nutrients because while exercising the heart pumps 20-25 liters of blood per minute as opposed to only 5 when at rest.

While exercising, over 80% of blood flow is directed to the muscles while only 15-20% of blood flow goes to the muscles while at rest. This change in blood flow patterns occurs because muscles need more blood while exercising and the body adapts to meet this need. By ingesting protein pre-workout, amino acids are delivered more efficiently to your muscles (4).

Another important time to take a protein supplement is before bed. When you sleep you go several hours without getting any food. Your body can go into a catabolic state during the time you sleep, therefore, it can be very beneficial to take casein protein before bed. Casein proteins gel up in the stomach and are slowly digested. The casein will slowly be absorbed providing hours of amino acids for your body.

Good casein protein supplements include:



Optimum Nutrition 100% Casein Protein
CytoSport EvoPro
ISS Micellar Matrix
AST Muscle XGF

Conclusion

Protein supplementation can be very beneficial whether your goal is to build muscle, lose fat, or improve your overall fitness level. It is particularly important to get protein before and after workout as well as taking a slow digesting protein like casein before bed. Adding more protein to your diet can be the key ingredient that helps you reach your bodybuilding and fitness goals!