Today we return to Ironmagazine and the hopeless Matt Weik as he does a Chris Shugart from T-Nation and tries to tackle protein, or more precisely, processed protein powders.
Let’s see if he managed to get at least one thing correct.
“When you think of protein powder, you typically think of whey. However, casein protein is a source that you should also consider due to its many benefits.”
Yes, before my awakening and turning point in 2018, I almost exclusively used whey protein to keep my protein intake at at least 2.6 grams per kilogram of body weight, or around 200 to 250 grams a day. Sometimes I used casein later in the day or for breakfast, but I never liked the feeling of the slowed down digestion, which reduced my performance in the gym.
With that being said, my clients only had protein powder before and/or after their training sessions as pretty much all their protein, and other essential nutrients, came from meat. That has always been my staple since I started coaching in the early 90’s.
“Casein protein is the primary protein found in cow’s milk. This is what gives milk its white color. Casein is a complete protein, which means it has all nine essential amino acids that our body cannot produce on its own.”
Yes, it has all essential amino acids, just like whey protein, or any kind of animal-based protein. Only plants are lacking amino acids or have extremely low concentration of some very important amino acids. But then again, plants are not made for humans as we are obligate hyper carnivores, so that is of no concern as you should never eat anything from the plant kingdom, ever.
“Generally, casein protein can be found as protein powder, and it may be used by athletes, weight lifters, or anyone who wants to increase their daily protein intake.
Casein protein offers many benefits, such as muscle building, recovery, and much more. It is also high in calcium, which helps to support bone health.”
Any animal-based protein offers the exact same benefits and more. But yes, casein has a higher calcium content, if that for some reason would be important — perhaps if you were severely deficient and recovering from a broken bone. Still, any animal-based food will supply calcium, and especially any dairy if you would need a boost.
What is Casein Protein?
“Casein protein is a complete milk-derived protein (80% of cow’s milk protein) that’s slow-absorbing and provides a steady amino acid supply.”
Yes, the “absorption rate” of casein is slower and this is due to two major differences. Casein slows down the gastric emptying rate as it coagulates in the stomach forming quite complex structures. Thus it reaches the small intestine at a much slower pace than most other protein sources.
Whey proteins, being more soluble, are quickly broken down into smaller peptides and amino acids by brush border enzymes such as aminopeptidase and dipeptidase. These enzymes facilitate the rapid absorption of amino acids through active transport mechanisms in the duodenum and jejunum.
Casein, despite being broken down into smaller peptides, tends to form more complex structures that can slow down the rate of absorption. This results in a more gradual and sustained release of amino acids into the bloodstream.
So, yes, casein provides a slower release of amino acids for a longer period of time compared to other protein sources, and especially compared to whey protein. Still, the main question is, if it is really of any value?
“Found in dairy products like cottage cheese, mozzarella, and Greek yogurt, casein aids muscle building and reduces appetite. It exists as micelles, rich in calcium and phosphorus, benefiting bone and muscle health.”
Well, all cheese contains casein as that is how cheeses are made; by removing the whey from the milk. During the cheesemaking process, milk is curdled and then strained, separating the solid curds from the liquid whey. The curds, which contain most of the milk’s fat and casein, are used to make cheese, while the whey is the watery leftover (often used to produce whey protein powder.) The amount of casein in cheese can vary depending on factors such as the type of cheese and the fat and moisture content.
Casein micelles are large colloidal particles found in milk, primarily composed of casein proteins, calcium phosphate, and water. The structure of casein micelles is complex and debated, but it is generally understood that they consist of aggregates of casein molecules around calcium phosphate nanoclusters, with κ-casein forming a stabilizing layer on the exterior. The casein micelle does not fit the typical definition of micelles found in physical chemistry and biochemistry, which can dissociate rapidly and reversibly to monomers. Instead, casein micelles are more complex structures that do not easily dissociate — hence its slower “absorption rate.”
“As a dietary supplement, casein supports athletic performance by delivering nutrients slowly, making it ideal for prolonged muscle recovery and growth.”
Not really as long as you get an adequate amount of protein daily to meet your needs, as you have an amino acid pool that the body uses. While one big meal a day will tax your digestion and likely produce some waste as some nutrients will be discarded as they are not of immediate use, two or three meals a day is more than sufficient to supply everything you need even when lifting weights, and three to four meals will be more than sufficient even when training at an elite level. A slow gastric emptying will instead interfere with performance as there will be more blood drawn to the stomach and as long as the stomach is working, other processes in the body are slowed down. Remember, casein coagulates in the stomach and takes many hours to clear out.
“One of the best times to use casein protein is before bed to help you stay anabolic all night or between meals to help you stay fuller and prevent snacking.”
No, Matt you dimwit, now you sound like that imbecile Chris Shugart that has zero understanding of simple biology and physiology.
Eating something that is slow-digesting, as in taking a long time being emptied from the stomach before you should sleep, is one of the dumbest things you can do. As I have explained numerous times in various articles, your body enhances its detoxification and healing abilities when you sleep, as well as increasing the release of certain important hormones, such as growth hormone. However, this can only happen in a fasted state, as in when no digestion is taking place. So, you should never eat closer than 4 to 6 hours before going to bed. Having a casein protein meal in the evening, or close to bed, will shut down all your detoxification and healing during the night, and also reduce your release of the youth- and rejuvenation growth hormone. That is extremely bad and extremely stupid!
Now, if you’re really anal about this, as in being a pro-bodybuilder, you could add a small casein shake to your last meal, if you make sure it is 5 to 6 hours before bedtime. This will give ample time to empty the stomach and the slow breakdown of casein in the small intestine might supply amino acids for a few extra hours during sleep. Still, this will interfere a little bit with sleep, but not as much as when the stomach is still working.
Casein vs. Whey
“Casein and whey proteins differ in origin and digestion. Whey comes from milk’s liquid portion and digests quickly, while casein, from milk solids, breaks down slowly.”
Both whey and casein are in milk for a reason. Whey moves quickly to the small intestine where it’s easily absorbed releasing a lot of the branch chained amino acids into the blood, promoting anabolism which is crucial for a growing young life, as in a baby or a calf. Then casein is slowly absorbed into the small intestine, releasing more amino acids over time that are used for growth and other enzymatic processes and hormones. It’s the perfect combination for someone who is growing and developing. And even if feeding at night, it’s a newborn with very low toxicity so even if detoxification is disturbed during sleep, it does not matter much. Also, they will only feed on milk for a short period of time, thus both whey and the casein is limited to the initial growing phase.
“Whey is ideal post-workout for rapid muscle recovery, while casein serves as an overnight muscle-building protein powder supplement.”
If you’re a pro-bodybuilder, then yes, whey protein, especially whey hydrolysate, can serve as a great anabolic agent to quickly supply much needed amino acids. However, I would consume it before and during the first half of the workout, as gastric emptying rate is about 30 minutes or so, and then it takes another hour in the small intestine to release all these amino acids, so by taking whey just before and during the first half of the workout, these amino acids will be present in the blood towards the end of your workout and the hours after when they actually are needed. Much smarter than taking it after your workout as that will take 45 to 60 minutes before blood concentrations begin to peak, and even longer if it’s a cheap whey concentrate.
And again, casein at night is extremely retarded. Do not do that! Ever!
The Many Casein Protein Benefits
“When used at the right time, high-quality casein protein can be useful for various health benefits. Let’s look at some of its major benefits.”
No, not really. But let’s see what funny sh*t you came up with, Matt.
“1. Recovery and muscle growth
In its isolated form, casein is used as a protein supplement. Athletes and bodybuilders often consume casein products between meals or before bed to support muscle recovery.”
Between meals? Why? A normal meal, especially with nutritious meat will take 4 to 6 hours to fully digest, providing a steady release of nutrients and amino acids. No need to take something between meals, not even when only having two meals a day.
“As a protein supplement, casein delivers a comprehensive range of amino acids necessary for muscle repair and strength building. Following an intense workout, the body repairs microscopic muscle fiber tears, increasing muscle growth and strength.”
This is true for any animal-based protein. It’s not “casein exclusive” you dimwit. We already covered this.
“Beyond being a complete protein, casein is favored by bodybuilders due to its unique digestion profile. While soy and whey proteins quickly enter the bloodstream, casein requires six to seven hours for complete digestion.”
Yes, as I have explained, casein coagulates in the stomach, slowing down gastric emptying and then it is slowly absorbed in the small intestine at a rate of approximately 3 grams per hour, while whey is absorbed at a rate of 20 grams an hour. And why would that be a benefit? There’s not one single reason why that would be good as long as you’re a normal human being and have ample of meat in your diet, as you should, as you are an obligate hyper carnivore.
Again, even with only two meals a day on an animal-based diet you will not run out of amino acids unless you starve yourself.
“This slow digestion mechanism provides a steady amino acid supply to damaged muscle tissue, enhancing post-workout recovery. Additionally, the prolonged digestion process increases feelings of fullness, helping to suppress unnecessary food cravings.”
No, you still have an amino acid pool and it will be full as long as you have at least two meals a day and meet your protein requirements for the day by consuming animal-based proteins.
And the feeling of fullness is due to coagulation in the stomach, that is not a good thing as it slows down gastric emptying and as long as that takes place, other processes in the body is put on the backburner and more blood is required for digestion, cutting in on your performance.
And cravings come from nutrient deficiencies. If you follow your species-appropriate carnivore diet, you will never have any cravings and you will never feel hungry.
“2. Casein lasts longer in your body
Not all proteins are created equal. Each type — soy, egg, whey, animal, or casein, all offer distinct advantages. Casein’s standout feature is its strategic timing of nutrient delivery.
Unlike other proteins, casein provides a gradual, sustained amino acid release that can extend for hours. While muscle development isn’t instantaneous, consuming casein-rich milk before bedtime offers optimal overnight protein support, surpassing alternative protein sources in effectiveness. ”
For f**ks sake Matt, are you suffering from dementia? Too little cholesterol in your diet? Just stop repeating yourself, please. There’s no advantage to this and you should never consume anything close to bedtime as you do not want digestion to take place when you sleep.
“3. Bone health
Casein protein is an exceptional calcium source, crucial for maintaining bone health. A typical 30-gram serving of casein protein powder delivers approximately 45% of the Daily Value (DV) for calcium, though specific percentages may differ between products. Casein offers a more concentrated nutritional profile than whey protein isolate, which would require around 86 grams to provide equivalent calcium. This makes it particularly beneficial for certain population groups.”
Maintaining bone health requires a balanced intake of various bioavailable nutrients (only found in animal-based foods) and regular physical activity. Key nutrients include calcium, vitamin D, protein, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. Calcium is essential for bone structure and cell functions, and the body will demineralize bone to maintain normal blood calcium concentrations when intake is inadequate. So, yes, calcium is important and so are other nutrients, and you will only find them in the correct chemical form in animal-based foods.
And while casein is rich in both calcium and other minerals, you will get more than enough if you follow our species-appropriate human diet of animal-based foods. Meat and the occasional eggs will provide what you need. If you are very active or if you have been following a depriving plant-based diet, simply add in some extra dairy for a while such as cheeses, raw milk, or yoghurt, or focus on canned salmon, sardines, oysters, crabs, clams, lobster, and shrimp.
And while casein contains on average about 1900 mg of calcium per 100 grams, whey contains 650 mg of calcium per 100 grams. Both of them will provide more than you need in a single serving, so no need to exclusively get casein simply because of calcium.
In comparison, beef provides 8 mg of calcium per 100 grams and canned sardines provide 380 mg of calcium per 100 grams. And keep in mind that all animal-based calcium is fully bioavailable while calcium from plants needs to be converted, which only yields a few percent and the non-converted calcium can clog your arteries (which is impossible with animal-based calcium.) So, you do not need as much as you think as recommendations are based on a typical modern sh*t diet, which mostly are plant-based and totally void of any nutritional value.
“4. Fat loss
Casein offers a calorie-dense protein option with minimal fat and carbohydrate content, making it an exceptionally pure protein source. Its slow digestion contributes to prolonged feelings of fullness, supporting appetite control.”
Not really, no. Most casein protein powders on the market have about the same protein content as whey concentrate, or even lower, ranging from an abysmal 72 grams to 84 grams per 100 grams of powder. For example, the “micellar protein” that Chris Shugart’s Biotest sells, which is a combination of whey protein isolate, milk protein isolate, micellar casein, and whey protein only contains 70 grams of protein and whopping 10 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams. That’s laughable.
If you for some reason want to buy a casein protein powder, make sure that it is at least 84% pure, as in containing at least 84 grams of protein per 100 grams. Remember, there is about 8 to 10% of moisture, so the maximal content of nutrients is about 90 to 92 grams per 100 grams. So, a powder that yields 88 to 92 grams of protein is exceptionally pure.
“5. Improves strength
Most men aim to boost their strength, typically turning to whey protein for support. However, a study found that casein protein can double the strength gains achieved with whey, particularly in leg, chest, and shoulder muscles.
Researchers attribute this remarkable difference to casein’s potent anti-catabolic properties.”
Real men turn to real food, as in meat and eggs. And have you even looked into that extremely ridiculous study? The study you mentioned, Matt, was a clinical trial on the effect of increased protein intake during a hypocaloric diet on lean mass gains and fat mass loss in overweight police officers. A hypocaloric diet is defined as a diet that is low in “calories,” as in low in both energy and nutrients, as in a starvation diet. And that is the only scenario where slow gastric emptying and a prolonged release of amino acids might be beneficial because of its anti-catabolic effects — since you are frikkin’ starving! However, no sane human should ever be put on such a diet, as I’ve explained in countless fat-loss articles. It’s idiotic.
With that said, there are many studies on whey vs. casein in athletes, and across the board, those using whey gained a little more muscle mass and lost a little more body fat than the casein groups. As for strength, it varied between the two depending on each individual body part, so that is not of any significance as it comes down to the individual and his/hers tolerance and recovery for each muscle part of the provided training program and previous training experience and CNS adaptations. So, whey is better for anyone who is not starving themselves on a retarded diet.
So, this point was completely out of context. Pretty much what we should expect from you Matt.
And that was it for Matt’s lousy article. Not much science or common sense at all. So, instead of listening to his bullocks, simply focus on real animal-based food and you will surely get all the protein you need. And if you are a really big boy or girl, then perhaps a protein powder can help to bring that protein intake a bit higher, especially if you use anabolic steroids, SARMS, or even a few peptides, as that changes the rules and increases muscle protein synthesis, making you able to use much more protein than previously for building muscle mass.
As for protein powders, any high-quality whey such as an isolate or hydrolysate will do if you use it before and/or during workouts. A blend of whey, egg, and casein or beef protein will work the hours before a workout, or as a supplemental boost to any of your meals. Just make sure that the protein content is above 84% so you do not get any unnecessary carbohydrates/sugars or a lot of chemicals. Ideally, the protein content should be in the 88 to 92% range.
And if the label only provides a protein content per serving, then divide that content with the serving size to get the percentage. Also, since most labels use a serving size of 30 grams, the carbohydrate content should be much less than a gram, preferably 0.2 to a maximum 0.5 grams. And the protein content in a 30 gram serving should be between 26.4 to 27.6 grams. If they’re not, it’s garbage.
If you need help with any kind of health problems or transitioning from your current way of eating to our natural species-appropriate, species-specific way of eating, I’m available for both coaching and consultation.
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