The Benefit of Whey Protein
“Just Why is This Protein Source So Popular? What Are The Benefits Of This Popular Protein”



Up until about 10 years ago, the ultimate in protein supplements were those derived from whole milk and egg sources. Egg was thought to be the best because it had the highest protein efficiency ratio which was a scale used to measure how well a protein source is utilized in the body.

However, in the past few years, biochemists and nutritionists have improved on egg proteins by making available a new supplement called whey protein. Often called “ion exchange” proteins, whey sources supposedly have the highest biological value of any available protein source.

There are numerous advantages and benefits of whey protein when you are building muscle and weight lifting. First, they have higher amounts of branched chain amino acids than any other protein products. This group of amino acids are very important when it comes to building muscle tissue and are also important for oxidation during exercise.

Another benefit of whey protein is it’s ability to raise levels of glutathione. If you don’t know what glutathione is, it’s basically one of the most important antioxidant’s in the body. It stands to reason that the more glutathione you have in your body, the better. Therefore, one of whey protein’s benefit is to help raise levels of this very important tripeptide.

Another benefit of whey protein, and a very important one for those of us who are building muscle, is to promote IGF - 1 levels. Studies have shown that IGF - 1 release is related to the quality of protein ingested, and you guessed it, whey protein tops the list. Now, it’s beyond the scope of this page to go into IGF - 1 but suffice to say, it helps promotes muscle growth.

Now, I’ve saved the last benefit of whey protein for the best. In my opinion, this one is probably the most important benefit of whey protein because it directly affects the muscle building process. Here it is: FAST ABSORPTION.

If you time your whey protein intake just right, you can take your bodies development to a whole new level - overnight. Alright, I know that’s a bold statement but in my opinion, it’s a true one. Whey protein powder is the most easily absorbed and readily available for building muscle. There are other high protein bars, pure protein bars and certain other high-protein meal replacement supplements. But, this protein is the best source for protein as a supplement.

Ok, let’s look at this important benefit of whey protein a little closer. Ok, you’ve just finished a super intense weight lifting workout. If you could zoom down to the microscopic level of your muscles, you’d be astounded by the sight. There are tears in the tiny grooves of your muscle fibres and leaks in the muscle cells. I guess you can say your muscle fibres are in pretty bad shape.


This would explain why your muscles are numb and shaky after your workout. Over the next 24 to 48 hours, muscle protein will break down and additional muscle glycogen will be used up. Your muscles are at their weakest point and are susceptible to sickness. Here’s why it is so important to use a quick acting protein as soon as your done your workout:

It gets the necessary protein, specifically branch chained amino acids to your muscles as quickly as possible. You see, during recovery, your body replenishes muscle glycogen and synthesises new muscle protein, It’s this process that makes your muscle stronger and larger. You can do much to enhance this recovery process.

Try ingesting whey protein into your post workout drink and I’ll guarantee your gains will explode overnight. Again, a bold statement but a true one. Look at it this way, the sooner you start rebuilding your muscles, the quicker and stronger they will get.

If you wait and have nothing to eat after your workout, the moment will be lost and it will take all that much longer to recover and believe it or not, building muscle is not about training, it’s about recovering.