How to choose the right protein? There are 5 main types

Ekaterina Lyubaeva

MD, doctor of the highest category, sports medicine doctor, nutritionist, medical director of Halsa.

What kind of protein is protein and how does it differ? Which one to choose?

The market is flooded with different brands and types of protein – hydrolates, isolates, concentrates, protein shakes with vitamins and minerals. How to make sense of this variety and, in the end, what to choose?

What kind of protein is protein?

Protein is divided into five main types depending on the original product. Whey and casein are obtained from milk, there is egg and beef protein, as well as soy protein.

Whey
This protein is probably the most popular with athletes: it has all nine essential amino acids. It is usually sold in three versions: concentrate (minimum lactose, fat and carbohydrates), isolate (no fat and lactose, but more than 90% protein) and hydrolysate (easily digested due to protein pre-treatment, high ability to stimulate insulin secretion).

Casein
This protein is the most slowly digestible, and it is loved just for that. It is released after a meal within 4-6 hours and provides a gradual saturation of the body with amino acids.

Egg
Such protein includes a full set of essential amino acids. It is well digested, nutritious and contains no fats and carbohydrates. Therefore, it is suitable both for weight gain and drying.

For weight loss and lean bodybuilding
Whey and casein proteins are recommended. These proteins are perfectly digested, help to break down fat and give the body the necessary level of daily protein content.

For gaining mass
For gaining muscle mass and strength, it is also recommended to buy whey protein in the form of concentrate. But they should not be carried away, as its long use disturbs the gastrointestinal tract – in general, this is true for the use of any protein, if you exceed the daily norm. We’ve already told you how to calculate your daily allowance.

And how to gain muscle mass if your metabolism is too fast, you can see in the video on “Championship”.

Source: MuscleRussia.

Forrecovery after training
For anabolism, it is optimal to take “fast” hydrolysate (partially broken down protein) before training to provide muscle nutrition, and isolate (a protein mixture with a minimum of carbohydrates) after. Casein protein is also suitable for recovery after active training: drink it at night as an additional meal, regardless of when the training session took place.

Is there sugar?
Sugar in protein shakes can be used with caution by people who are underweight. And even then, the risk of endocrine system disorders increases. Choose protein shakes that contain high-quality sugar substitutes of vegetable origin: for example, stevia or guava syrup.

Are there vitamins?
Very often manufacturers boast that the product is enriched with vitamins and minerals – and this is a reason to be wary. Any supplement has its own dosage, in the case of protein it is a scoop. If vitamins are added to the standard dosage, the balance will change: either there will be little vitamins or not enough amino acids. Such products are not suitable for sports nutrition, and I do not recommend buying them.