In the quest for bigger muscles, increased sporting performance and greater nutrient density many people turn to the world of supplements, particularly protein shakes. With the widespread knowledge that protein is necessary for muscular development it has been one of the mainstays of sports nutrition for many years. However, the increasing pace of life and lack of time to spend on cooking good food has caused athletes and exercisers alike to seek out a convenient source of protein that can quickly and simply meet this need. This marketing niche has been dominated by manufacturers of protein shakes and bars.
Whilst there is no doubt that protein shakes provide an answer to this problem, it is not as simple as gulping down a shake and here comes bulging biceps! The protein supplement market is overflowing with hundreds of different brands all claiming that theirs is the best and will bring about the most effective results. The benefits promoted include protein purity, ease of digestion, higher bioavailability, increased recovery, faster muscle growth and density. How much of this is truth and how much is marketing hype? I am sure that even the most committed protein drinker realises that there some of the advertising used in this niche pushes the boundaries of scientific proof. I think this discussion needs a bit of technical back up to justify that statement.
There are several different types of protein used within most brands including whey, casein, soya and egg white albumin. The most commonly used by far is whey protein derived from milk. Whey is the liquid portion of milk left behind when the curds are coagulated in the process of making cheese. Before the creation of protein shakes the whey liquid was an unwanted byproduct of cheese manufacturer that often was disposed of in animal feeds.
Whey is a highly bioavailable source of protein, rich in branched chain amino acids, easily digested and quickly absorbed into the blood stream. This is one of the main reasons why it has been promoted so heavily for muscle growth and development. The problem is that whey protein only constitutes about 1% of milk. The majority of what can be seen in the picture being poured off is simply water, the whey protein is in solution in the water.This means that to get a significant amount of whey protein a large volume of milk would need be ingested, perhaps more than anyone would be prepared to take in a day. If it is only present in nature in very small concentration why then do we want to ingest it in large volumes? Despite this it is another problem that the protein manufacturers apparently have solved by concentrating and drying the protein into a powder, making it easy to ingest 20g or 30g of whey in one simple drink. Approximately 2 litres of milk would need to be drunk in order to get the same volume of whey. So what manufacturing miracles have been performed to extract such a beneficial, elusive protein from milk for the convenience of the muscle seeking public?
There are several different filtering and extracting techniques used to make a protein shake.
- Ultra filtration, micro filtration, cross flow flitration and diafiltration
- Ion exchange
- Hydrolysing
These methods help to produce virtually all types of whey protein on the market today whether you purchase whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate or hydrolysed whey protein. Every one of these processing steps places the fragile whey proteins at risk of damage. Multiple stages of heat, pressure and evaporation are used in all methods. Whey protein easily denatures, or changes shape and structure, under these conidtions. The higher the heat and the longer the heat is applied the greater the structural damage will be. Other methods use acidic chemicals, electrical charge and enzymatic actions. These also change the proteins from their natural form. Denatured and damaged proteins will be less useful for the body and can cause digestive distress, expressed by the body as bloating, gut irritation and flatulence. So if the product, combined with effective training, does build rippling muscles you may drive the opposite sex away with unwelcome gas!
Some consumers feel they have overcome the protein damage that happens to many brands by purchasing 'cold processed' powders. The term implies that heat is not used in the processing of the whey liquid. This is simply not true. 'Cold processed' is a patented term that guarantees the powder has been produced with temperatures that do not exceed 50 degrees celcius. This temperature was chosen because proteins become denatured above 55 degrees. This also refers to the filtering stages only and does not stop the pasteurisation of milk at 72 degrees celcius before the whey is separated from the curds. This means that some proteins will be denatured before the filtering even begins. But does all this denaturing of protein actually diminish the effectiveness of the shake?
Research into protein supplements and muscle growth show a positve result. Many of these studies compare people taking a protein supplement to those who take no additional supplement. Differences in weight across 12-18 weeks of supplementation and training range from virtually nothing up to 4kg of lean mass. So if these are considered reliable we can determine that taking a protein shake does not guaratee any amount of growth, but is likely to help in some way. However, research comparing whey protein to other sources of protein is significantly more difficult to find. In comparisons to casein protein, the curds, whey has been found to be absorbed quicker, but casein ultimately stimulated more growth. This is now being picked up by the manufacturers and there are more whey and casein blends on the market today. Whey and casein blends? Isn't that how nature packaged it - we call it milk! Other research into the volume of protein needed has suggested that even active individuals probably get enough protein from a varied, whole food diet and that extra supplementation may not be necessary. Of course this is not usually supported by the protein powder manufacturers who have invested large amounts of their own money to prove otherwise.
Whey and casein powders tend to be quite bitter and unpalatable so many other ingredients are added to improve taste, texture, flavour, blendability and colour. Look out for artifical sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, sucralose and acesulfame K to name but a few. Read the label and be discerning in your choices.
Protein shakes do not sit well with our ethos here at Natural Food Finder. They are derived from a natural food source, but by the time they are sold in the tub they are in no way similar to the compound drawn from a healthy cow. There are many grades on the market from very poor to semi-decent. Lets bring this discussion to an end by providing two final guidance points. First if you are going to buy a protein shake regardless, what should you be looking for and secondly a simple way of making your own high quality protein drink.
- Only purchase cold processed, pure whey protein concentrates
- Be sure you know the quality of milk it was made from - grass fed, organic where possible
- No additional sugars, sweeteners, colours or flavours
The Food finder guide identifies a few brands that meet this criteria - click here.
To make your own natural, high quality protein drink follow this recipe:
3 organic, free range egg yolks
1 tablespoon raw grass fed cream
Add pure, organic maple syrup to suit your taste
A pinch of fresh, grated nutmeg
Top up the glass with raw, organic, grass fed, whole milk
Blend together thoroughly and enjoy!