Which protein supplements are best?

What protein powder should I take? Whey or cassein? Milk or egg? All these are common questions asked by beginner and advanced weight lifters alike. I have my own recommendations which may or may not agree with other people's opinions. Here are my recommendations and why I make them.

At all times other than before bed or before a period where you know you will not be able to eat for an extended period of time (say 4 hours or longer) I would not hesitate to recommend whey protein in water. Whey is a phenomenal protein. Not only does it have a fantastic amino acid array (it's very high in the branched chain amino acids - we use up lots of these during exercise, and glutamine - the most abundant amino acid in muscle tissue) but it also has an immune system enhancing benefit and is very quickly digested and absorbed by the body (in fact if just whey and water is consumed all of the whey would have been absorbed into the body within four hours!).

The significance for bodybuilders is that whey is very high quality and quickly absorbed, in other words, highly anabolic. Because of it's fast absorption rate (when consumed alone) it is common for bodybuilders to consume a protein drink or eat a meal every three hours or so, to ensure that there is a constant influx of protein into the body. This is a practice I approve of though remember that of more importance is that you eat high quantities of protein consistantly from day to day (the 'protein pool').

There are several types of whey protein powder around - whey isolates, whey concentrates and hydrosylates. The isolates are by far the more expensive and are lower in carbs, fat and lactose than the concentrate. If you are lactose intolerant or dieting and can afford the additional expense then go for a good quality isolate. The cheaper whey concentrates and hydrosylates are still very good proteins and if you are simply trying to gain muscle or get fit it is more than good enough for your needs (concentrate based whey protein drinks are often better tasting than the isolate based drinks too). In actual fact whey concentrates are better studied and understood than isolates. If you read some advert from a supplement company telling you that concentrate based whey protein powders are poor quality or that whey concentrate is denatured and hence rubbish PLEASE don't buy anything from that company. It's likely that they sell only overly expensive isolate protein powder and are trying to rubbish whey concentrate based drinks so you'll buy from them. Don't be fooled. For the majority of us whey concentrate / hydrosylates are more than enough. In fact, as it's the amount of protein over a period of time that is important and as whey concentrate based protein supplements are cheaper than isolate based ones you will be able to supplement your diet with more high quality protein.

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