Choosing the Best Protein Powder

Nutrition

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Choosing the Best Protein Powder
by Thomas Incledon, MS, RD, LD/N, CSCS

After years of training, competing, coaching, and research, I've seen protein powders come a long way in terms of taste and quality. Years ago the protein powders available was a disaster to mix and tasted so awful that most people figured it just had to be good for you! Today, better production methods have come along to save us. The new protein mixes easily and, in most cases, tastes good. In addition to improved taste, there are new types of proteins on the market with their own unique benefits. Knowing the benefits of different proteins and when to use them can help you improve you're your health and performance on the field and in the gym.

Whey Protein
An article on protein powders would not be complete without talking about the current "King of Proteins" - whey. Whey is the liquid byproduct of cheese production left over after the casein in milk is converted into curds. In its raw form, whey contains lactose (milk sugar) and other proteins. These proteins can be separated out of the liquid by either micro-filtration or ion exchange. The micro-filtration process uses a microscopic filter to separate the whey proteins out of the liquid, while the ion exchange process separates the proteins out based upon their electrical charge. There are two major ion exchange processes. The "original" column method can destroy some of the active components of whey protein, while the "newer" stirred bead reactor system usually does not. The resulting proteins in either case may be referred to as whey protein concentrates. As long as all of the active components of the protein are intact, it doesn't matter which ionization process is used.

There are several health and performance benefits associated with the use of whey protein. It mixes easily in most liquids, is easily digested, and has a high biological value, which is used as an indicator of the proteins absorption by the body. Whey protein also has various subfractions each providing its own health promoting benefits. The main subfractions include beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, serum albumin, and immunoglobulins. These subfractions can help to improve immuntity among other health promoting benefits.

Other components of whey protein concentrates include branched-chain amino acids and growth factors (1). These components have various benefitis including helping to improve recovery time between workouts and promote muscle growth. Whey protein also contains components know as glutamyl-cysteine groups which are precursors to various antioxidants. Many factors such as heat, acids, vacuum evaporation, and spray drying can denature the components in whey, thereby impairing its' functional properties (2). This is an important point because the immune boosting benefits of whey are associated with undenatured proteins (2,3). Cheap whey proteins have minimal, if any, of the functional properties of undenatured whey. As scientists continue to discover the benefits of whey, other research also needs to be done to investigate new techniques to produce even better forms of whey protein.

Although whey proteins posses many benefits to make it one of the best types of protein available, it does have its disadvantages. One disadvantage is that whey protein is low in the amino acids glutamine and arginine. Glutamine has been shown to help improve immune system function and possibly prevent overtraining among other benefits. Fortunately, any quality whey protein powder will fortify their whey protein with glutamine to negate this disadvantage.

Casein
The other major protein in milk is casein, the "curds" from cheese. Casein is digested slower than whey protein and maintains amino acid levels in the blood for a longer period of time. This differs from whey protein, which can be broken down rapidly, but elevates amino acid levels in the blood for a shorter period of time. another benefit of casein is that it is fairly high in the amino acids glutamine, tyrosine, threonine, and arginine. These are amino acids are not found in as great an amount in most other proteins including whey. Casein also moves slower through the digestive tract, which may allow for better absorption of its amino acids and growth factors. This last point has stimulated lots of interest in casein research, because it may allow for certain factors to be absorbed that otherwise could not.

The problem with casein-based protein powders is that the quality varies tremendously from manufacturer to manufacturer. The best example of poor quality is the instant powder non-fat milk that you can get at your supermarket. Yes, it has protein, but it is denatured and has minimal functional properties. The same factors that result in denaturation of whey protein can play a role in casein production as well. Another down side is that most casein proteins are low in branched-chain amino acids and are very high in lactose. The low content of branched-chain amino acids makes it more difficult to replace amino acids lost during exercise, and the high content of lactose is a problem for those who are lactose intolerant. A new area in casein research is its potential in functional properties. In sick people, infants, animals, and cell culture studies, casein and/or its bioactive fractions have shown interesting properties, such as antiviral and immune enhancing actions. The big question is whether these properties carry over and have a positive benefit for healthier populations.

Egg
Whole egg protein was the original king of proteins, at least as far as scientists were concerned. The problem with whole eggs is that they contain the fat and cholesterol doctors have told many people to avoid. Supplement manufacturers played this to their advantage by coming out with egg white proteins. Keep in mind, though, when scientists talk about the quality of egg proteins, it was the whole egg they were referring to, and not just the egg whites. Egg white proteins generally offer sufficient amounts of the necessary amino acids. They cook up easily and can be added in place of eggs when cooking. There is not much evidence to indicate that there are any functional properties associated with egg white proteins. This means that they do not contain any of the immune system-boosting or antioxidant qualities like whey protein. As a result, processing is not much of an issue.

Soy
Soy proteins are another hot research topic right now. There are several reasons for this. Strong evidence exists that soy products may provide prevention against or relief from post-menopausal symptoms in women (4), protect against cardiovascular disease (5,6), and stimulate thyroid function (7). Soy protein isolates are high in branched-chain amino acids, glutamine, and arginine. Some athletes feel soy is useful when dieting because it provides the amino acids mentioned and helps maintain thyroid hormone levels while they are cutting back on calories. This aspect of soy has not been studied to the same extent as its other benefits. Future research should provide insight as to how much soy, or the active ingredient in soy protein, is necessary to help trim off some body fat.

Since it is a legume, soy is low in methionine, an essential amino acid. Therefore, it may be necessary to combine it with another protein that contains methionine in adequate amounts. The classic combination for vegetarians is to combine legumes, like soy, with whole grains, like wheat or corn. For nonvegetarians, any animal protein will be sufficient. While soy is vastly improved over the old junk pushed around years ago and is relatively cheap, quality can vary. Most of the research on soy protein isolates has been done with Supro soy proteins. To make sure that you are getting the same benefits, look for that name on your soy protein.

While soy has tremendous potential for helping women in their postmenopausal years, the long-term effects of soy have not been studied as well on men. Soy contains phytoestrogens, which can act in both an estrogenic and anti-estrogenic fashion. It is the phytoestrogens that allow soy to exert its protective benefits on postmenopausal women. Until more is understood about the effect of phytoestrogens in men, soy intake should be limited to about 60 grams per day for men.

Which Protein?
So now you have some background on the pros and cons for each protein. Keep in mind that whey, casein, and soy all possess unique functional properties. Research is also progressing in the area of functional milk proteins, so don't be surprised if milk protein isolates are the next wave of proteins. Due to their differences in amino acid composition, whey and casein complement each other very well. Soy offers benefits that casein and whey don't provide. This has led some people to try a combination of all three proteins in order to obtain all the benefits associated with each protein. There is no clear-cut evidence as to what ratio or combination works best. It appears that a minimum of 40 grams of soy protein is needed per day in order to get the benefits of soy. If one uses a whey to casein to soy ratio of 1:1:1, then that would be about 40 grams of each protein per day.

The problem I have with this approach, however, is that in both research and practice, whole foods appear to provide more benefits than its isolated components. This is why protein powders should be used to supplement, not be the primary source of protein in your diet. Also, once protein needs are met, (done easily through diet), extra protein doesn't do much.

About the Author
Tom has been involved in research, lecturing, and writing about performance enhancement for over ten years. He regularly speaks at national conferences and conducts seminars across the country. For private consultation, he can be contacted for individualized training programs and consultations at HPS Inc. or call Human Performance Specialists, Inc. at: 954-577-0689.

References
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2) Bounous G. Gold P. The biological activity of undenatured dietary whey proteins: role of glutathione. Clinical & Investigative Medicine - Medecine Clinique et Experimentale. 14(4):296-309, 1991 Aug.
3) Bounous G. Baruchel S. Falutz J. Gold P. Whey proteins as a food supplement in HIV-seropositive individuals. Clinical & Investigative Medicine - Medecine Clinique ET Experimentale. 16(3):204-9, 1993 Jun.
4) Nagata C. Kabuto M. Kurisu Y. Shimizu H. Decreased serum estradiol concentration associated with high dietary intake of soy products in premenopausal Japanese women. Nutrition & Cancer. 29(3):228-33, 1997.
5) Baum JA. Teng H. Erdman JW Jr. Weigel RM. Klein BP. Persky VW. Freels S. Surya P. Bakhit RM. Ramos E. Shay NF. Potter SM. Long-term intake of soy protein improves blood lipid profiles and increases mononuclear cell low-density-lipoprotein receptor messenger RNA in hypercholesterolemic, postmenopausal women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 68(3):545-51, 1998 Sep.
6) Lichtenstein AH. Soy protein, isoflavones and cardiovascular disease risk. Journal of Nutrition. 128(10):1589-92, 1998 Oct.
7) Balmir F. Staack R. Jeffrey E. Jimenez MD. Wang L. Potter SM. An extract of soy flour influences serum cholesterol and thyroid hormones in rats and hamsters. Journal of Nutrition. 126(12):3046-53, 1996 Dec.