Using Casein Protein to Bolster Your Diet and Strength Training ProgramCasein Protein I know you’ve heard the murmurs at the gym and the “lingo” in various forums on the internet concerning this protein. First of all, what is it? What does it do? Well, my friend, you’ve come to the right place! The links below will allow you to jump to various portions of the page for easy navigation... • Casein and the Overnight Fast • What to Look For On The Label • Gluten Free/Casein Free Diets Casein is the main source of protein found in dairy products such as milk and cheese. When this protein reaches your stomach, it comes into contact with digestive enzymes called proteases that break apart the soluble portions of the proteins (it acts mainly on the water-soluble amino acids). As this occurs, the fat-soluble portions of the proteins will clot. When this happens, a barrier forms between the water soluble and insoluble portions of the protein. This sort of structure is called a micelle and is not unlike a normal cell membrane that protects the contents of a cell. In other words, a micelle forms spontaneously to remove the fat-soluble portion of the protein from contact with water. So, there’s basically a “ball” of casein, with water-soluble amino acids towards the outside protecting a core of fat-soluble amino acids. Why should you care? Micellar Casein Protein and Strength Training Because the digestive enzymes of the stomach and intestines can only operate on water-soluble proteins, the outer edge of the micelle (the water soluble portion) is digested slowly. As this occurs, the micelle shrinks in size… The final result is a time-sensitive release of amino acids into the system. Instead of overloading your body with proteins and amino acids (any excess is excreted or stored as fat), you’ll have a steady supply of amino acids for an extended period of time. Studies have been conducted showing steady, elevated amino acid levels in the blood for at least 6 hours following ingestion of casein. So? Well, this evidence suggests an anti-catabolic effect of casein protein since amino acids levels remain steady. In other words, your body will continue to use these amino acids for muscle building, even if you haven’t eaten for a significant period of time (say, 6-8 hours). It’s been shown to reduce muscle wasting. The difference is clear between the effects of these two forms of protein. Whey protein is digested extremely quickly in comparison to casein, which means that most of it will be in excess. What I mean is, your body can only handle a given amount of protein at any given time. Having too high a concentration of amino acids in your blood will force your body to either store them as fat or to excrete them via the kidneys. With casein protein, instead of having a spike of amino acids in the blood, a more controlled release of amino acids into the blood results. You’ll have the amino acids you need to build muscle long after your meal, preventing muscle wasting and promoting muscle growth. The Nitrogen Balance This can also be explained using your overall Nitrogen balance. In general, when your body is losing muscle mass (amino acids) through energy metabolism or excretion, you have a negative nitrogen balance (at least one Nitrogen atom is present in each amino acid). In other words, you’re losing more Nitrogen than you’re taking in, resulting in a negative Nitrogen balance. Taking in casein protein is a way to equilibrate this Nitrogen balance and shift it towards the positive end. Your muscles will be less likely to lose mass since amino acids are being released slowly into the blood through the digestive tract. “Case in” point? More muscle growth, less muscle wasting during a short fast. However, one advantage of whey protein is that muscular synthesis occurs much more quickly since there’s a surge of amino acids in the blood following ingestion. The point I’m trying to make here is that you should use both sources of protein in moderation – too much whey protein and you’ll begin to lose muscle mass during a fast along with storing much of it as fat. Too much casein and your protein synthesis will be extremely slow. So, the obvious conclusion is to use them both together in your protein supplements, shakes and normal diet. Don’t just take a whey protein shake or just a casein shake. This way, you’ll have a fast-acting protein that’s fantastic immediately following a workout along with a slow-acting protein (casein protein) that’ll prevent muscle wasting later on. The main advantage of casein protein comes when you hit the sack. What happens to your body for that 7-8 hours you’re laying in bed at night? If you haven’t had any casein protein before bed, then chances are you may be losing some muscle mass. Why? Most of your muscle rebuilding occurs while you’re asleep, not during the day. Without casein protein, you’re liable to lose amino acids from another muscle source to rebuild the damaged muscle. Not good! Taking in some whey protein before bed won’t really help either, since you’ll be without a source of amino acids for about 7 of your 8 hours of sleep (whey protein is completely digested in about an hour). On the other hand, casein protein continues its release of amino acids into the blood for about 6-8 hours following ingestion. Goodbye muscle wasting! If you focus on one or the other, you’ll be losing some serious benefits! What To Look For On The Nutrition Facts Label You’ll rarely find casein protein on a nutrition labeled as simply "casein protein" or something similar. The fact is that casein protein is attached to ions to ensure electrical neutrality. So, when you’re searching a nutrition label, look for Calcium Caseinate, Sodium Caseinate or simply "Milk Protein". The suffix "-ate" indicates the protein is negatively charged in nature. To balance out this negative charge, positive charges are added to maintain a neutral state (this also occurs in nature to some degree). The Gluten Free / Casein Free Diets (GCF Diets) Gluten and Casein have similar molecular structures, so eliminating gluten also means eliminating casein, in most cases. The GCF diet has been shown to ease the symptoms of autism in children (a disorder affecting brain development in children, resulting in difficult social interactions, communication and compulsive behavior). However, studies are yet to be completely confirmed. Most cases of improvement are made via anecdotal evidence. As a side note, other evidence may suggest casein may be involved in producing headaches, increasing cancer risk and other chronic diseases. This is all inconclusive, however. We’re still learning about this stuff! Return from Casein Protein to Muscle Building Supplements Return from Casein Protein to the Smart Strength Training Homepage
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