There are various types of protein supplements or protein powders available in the market which helps you to gain muscle in a better way. But, different types of protein powder have different types of functions and benefits. Here, in this article, we will discuss about one of the best protein powders or supplements available in the bodybuilding world that is often overlooked. Yes, you have guessed right. We will discuss about casein protein powder. From what casein protein powder is to why it is so beneficial for muscle gain, we are going to cover everything you need to know about it. So, continue reading the article
Read More: 3 Best Supplements You Only Need to Gain Muscles!.
What is Casein Protein Powder?
Casein protein powder is a dairy-based protein powder or supplements just like whey protein. Both whey and casein is derived from Milk. Whey and casein are the two types of proteins contained in milk. While whey is only 20% of milk or dairy protein, the rest of 80% is casein protein.
How is Casein Protein different from other Protein powders like Whey & Soy?
But, unlike whey protein, casein protein is a slow-digesting dairy protein that means it releases amino acids way more slowly then other protein supplements whereas we all know that whey protein is a very fast-digesting dairy protein thus, it’s very popular too. But, do you know, casein protein powder is proven to be more effective as a supplement for muscle gain than whey protein?! Sounds astonishing, right? Well, read the whole article to know more about it.
Is Casein a Complete Protein Source?
Yes, just like other animal protein sources like whey, casein is a complete protein source that provides all the 20 essential and non-essential amino acids which your body needs to grow and repair your muscles. Casein contains some bioactive compounds too that have long-term health benefits. Moreover, it may also contain various types of micronutrients like calcium (as it is a milk-based protein) depending on the brand. Anyway, there are two types of casein available.
The first one is Micellar Casein which is the most popular form of casein and digested very slowly. That means we are also discussing about this type of casein protein in this article. Another type of casein protein is: Casein Hydrolysate which is processed like whey to digest faster and to absorb rapidly in the body. But since, whey is already established in the market so, this type of casein protein powder is not so much popular among fitness enthusiasts.
How does Casein Protein function in our body?
So, now we know that casein protein is a slow-digesting protein that our body can not digest fast for more than several hours. Is it a good thing? Well, let me explain. Whey protein is good for when you need instant protein sources and while your body is in the catabolic phase. That means, your body needs nutrients to continue the muscle-building process. Otherwise, longer time in the catabolic phase leads to muscle loss which you obviously don’t need, right? In that case, whey protein powder comes in handy. It immediately gets digested and the protein gets absorbed to your muscles to start the anabolic phase and continue the muscle-building process for an hour or two.
But, what if you body doesn’t convert into catabolic phase?! If that happens then there would be no chance of muscle loss and your muscles would always stay in the growing phase. So, your muscles would almost always grow and there would be no fear of muscle breakdown. Amazing, isn’t it? That is what casein protein powder does. It is a slow-digesting protein so people take it before bed or if they are going to skip a meal in a day so that their body can always stay in the anabolic phase and the muscle growing process can stay active. That is why, professional bodybuilders, athletes, and other sportspersons take casein protein before going to the bed.
While sleeping, our body digests our dinner, and the body converts into a catabolic phase which leads to muscle loss but taking casein protein powder before going to sleep helps your body ignore the catabolic phase as it releases amino acids slowly to keep your body in anabolic phase and make your muscles continue growing. Ultimately, if you don’t lose muscles, your muscles will gain much faster. Now, you have realized that you definitely need casein protein before bed or before skipping meals in order to maintain muscle growth. Do you know, this is why casein protein is also called “anti-catabolic” protein.
[N.B. casein protein powder can take up to 7 hours to get digested in our body depending on the brand you are using.]
Benefits of Taking Casein Protein Powder for a longer time
If you take casein protein powder for a long time like for years consistently, you will not only gain muscle mass as you already know why but also you will get some extra health benefits too. Various studies over the years have found that taking casein may boost your immune system and promotes fat loss. So, not only you can gain quality muscle mass by taking casein but also you will be able to maintain a healthy body fat percentage with stronger immunity in the long term.
When to Avoid Casein?!
If you are lactose intolerant like if your stomach can’t easily digest milk and other dairy products then you should avoid casein protein powder or supplements otherwise, due to its slow absorption process, you will feel nausea or bloated for a longer period of time which is obviously not good. So, in these types of cases, you should not consume casein protein or at least consume in a very less amount like ½ scoop a day.
In the Concluding Lines…
Therefore, you have now realized how effective casein protein powder actually is when it comes to reduce your muscle loss and continuing the muscle-building process. It is often overlooked as a supplement among amateur bodybuilders and athletes but it is the supplement that is one of the best for muscle gain. Before going to bed is always the best idea to take casein as long as you are having a healthy diet and supplementation for the whole day. Anyway, hopefully, you have found this article about casein protein powder helpful enough. If it really so then don’t hesitate to express your valuable thoughts in the comment section below. Thanks for visiting and appreciating our work.