How to choose protein

Protein is an important element for any human body, but the product is especially valued among athletes. It is this substance that is a building material for the muscles of the body. With the help of its use, it turns out, to achieve rapid mass gain, muscle growth rate and strength. It is very difficult to get a lot of protein from ordinary food, almost unrealistic, but with the help of dry protein mixtures, the process is simplified. For consumption, cocktails are made, which also help to obtain vitamins and other beneficial substances for tissues and muscles. To get the most out of your diet, you need to know how to choose a protein to achieve the desired effect.

Protein composition and effects on the body

You can determine which protein to choose for gaining muscle mass or losing weight by its composition. The substance itself is obtained from natural ingredients. For this, an extract from ordinary food products is used, among which dairy products, fish, meat and legumes are distinguished. Based on the manufacturer, the composition may include about 70-90% protein, and the rest is for nutrients for the body and muscle growth. Among them are vitamins, creatine, carbohydrates and other supplements.

The main essence of supplements is the rapid growth of muscles - a set of mass. When proteins enter the body, they begin to actively break down into amino acids, which begin to be absorbed into the blood. After that, the substance is transferred to muscles and other tissues, which causes the structure to be strengthened and densified.

In addition, there are supplement options that can help you lose weight while maintaining muscle health. What kind of protein to choose for a girl to get rid of excess weight will help information on the types of supplements. They help to change a little the way the body works, due to which it will use energy from fat, and not muscle mass.

Top Protein Makers

You can buy quality nutritional supplements for working with muscles at specialized stores. It is strictly forbidden to take protein from the market or from hands, from unverified people. Among the best brands that are engaged in sports nutrition and have positively established themselves, are in demand among athletes, one can single out:

• Optimum Nutrition;
• Dymatize;
• Weider;
• BSN;
• Muscle Pharm.

The goods of the companies described are characterized by a better degree of cleansing and easy assimilation in the body. In addition, all cocktails are delicious, but any athlete can say that the selection of such an additive to the diet should be carried out personally, taking into account the different characteristics of the body and the organism as a whole. This is the only way to get the maximum results from the use.

Protein types

To understand which protein to choose for losing weight or building muscle, you should familiarize yourself with the possible types of supplements, their features, as well as the pros and cons.

Whey

This type of additive is used by boiling whey, and due to heat treatment under high temperature, the protein from the milk begins to curdle, which simplifies its separation from the liquid component.After entering the body, it is rapidly degraded, absorbed into the blood and muscle tissue. This takes about a couple of hours. An excellent choice for the restoration of muscles and the body as a whole after intense physical exertion.

In addition, the product is recommended to be used in the morning to replenish the energy that was used at night. After processing under the influence of temperature and filtration of whey protein, carbohydrates and fats are removed. But some manufacturers offer the supplement in its pure form, without purification.

Based on the quality of filtration of the final product, it is customary to distinguish between 3 variants of whey protein:

• Concentrate - this type is considered the most affordable for purchase. It contains 60-80% protein, the rest falls on fats and carbohydrates. The concentrate is obtained immediately after the first filtration of whey.
• Isolate is a product in which lactose is excluded, and absorption by the body is faster than the concentrate. The protein content in the supplement is 92-95%, and the fat content is not more than 1%. Purification is provided by microfiltration or reverse osmosis.
• Hydrolyzate - in this case, protein molecules are broken down after consumption to amino acids, due to which rapid penetration into the blood begins.

Pros:

• Excellent amino acid composition.
• Rapid assimilation and absorption of the necessary substances into the body. The period depends on the specific subspecies, it is 20-100 minutes.
• It helps to quickly and efficiently restore muscles after intense exertion.
• Suitable for gaining muscle mass or drying.
• It is characterized by pleasant taste and aroma.
• Affordable cost.

The main disadvantage is that protein cannot be used by people who are intolerant to dairy products, protein from milk. The only exception in this case is the isolate.

Casein

This type of protein comes from milk that has been skimmed beforehand. Absorption is rather slow, approximately in the interval of 6-8 hours, which makes it possible to gradually saturate with amino acids. Often the additive is used for drying, weight loss, since the composition helps to satisfy hunger for a long time.

Casein is commercially available as a hydrolyzate or micellar protein, which is achieved using the finest filtration possible. The latter type makes it possible to saturate the body with protein for up to 12 hours.

Pros:

• The product has a long lasting effect, reduces hunger and saturates the body.
• The composition includes a large complex of amino acids.
• The production of protein in the muscles improves.
• There is enough calcium to strengthen the skeleton.
• An excellent choice to consume before bed to eliminate catabolism.

Minuses:

• Not suitable for people with lactose intolerance.
• Not everyone likes the taste.

Vegetable

Plant proteins are often made from soy, but some manufacturers make supplements based on rice, peas, and other foods. This is a great option for all people who have given up meat and animal products, but there are enough amino acids in the composition to fill the body. To improve the quality of such a product, it contains leucine, which helps to grow muscles.

For vegetarians, it is recommended to look at hemp-based formulations as they contain more nutrients than soy counterparts, which makes it possible to replace animal foods.

Pros:

• The composition does not contain substances of animal origin.
• The absorption rate is average.
• This type of supplement is one of the most affordable.

Minuses:

• Assimilation is incomplete.
• The amino acid composition is not the richest.
• Requires frequent use in large quantities, which causes gas and other disturbances in the digestive tract.

Meat

The protein characteristics are very similar to whey isolate 85%, but does not cause problems for people with lactose intolerance. It is produced using the processing of beef, which is deeply cleaned to eliminate fats and cholesterol.

Pros:

• Suitable for people who cannot tolerate milk protein or gluten.
• The composition of nutrients is excellent in balance.
• Includes its own creatine.
• It is absorbed almost completely and quickly.

Minuses:

• Overpriced.
• It is characterized by a bitter taste.

Egg

One of the best supplements where there are no fats, carbohydrates, but the composition includes all the necessary amino acids, vitamins and other trace elements. It is made on the basis of chicken eggs; during the production process, the yolk and moisture are removed from them. The rate of assimilation is average, the digestion after consumption will be in about an hour, and the nutrition of the tissues up to 4 hours.

Pros:

• Almost complete assimilation of the composition.
• A large number of nutrients.
• The presence of fats is excluded.
• Satisfies the feeling of hunger.
• Well suited for recovery after heavy exertion.

Minuses:

• Pure protein is rare on the market.
• High price.
• May provoke an allergic reaction.

How much does protein cost

The cost depends on the composition and methods of obtaining the protein supplement. Based on the type, the average cost will be as follows:

• For a small volume of a whey supplement weighing 500 grams, the client needs to pay 400-1400 rubles. If you purchase goods in the amount of 4-5 kg, then the price will be 3.5-8.5 thousand rubles. and it is more beneficial, especially for athletes who take supplements every day.
• Isolates of 500 grams will cost between 800-1200 rubles.
• Casein in the amount of 500 grams or egg albumin cost about 600-900 rubles.
• For a whey hydrolyzate for 800 grams, you need to pay 1.5-2 thousand rubles.
• Dry protein from plant ingredients costs 1000 rubles per weight of 0.5 kg, but if soy is used as a basis, then the price is halved.
• Beef protein costs about 1.5-2.3 rubles with a weight of up to 1 kg.
• Multi-component additives, based on their composition, cost 250-1500 rubles.

Protein selection parameters

When choosing a protein supplement for drying or gaining muscle mass, it is important for each consumer to know a few basic rules.

Composition and additional elements

On the market, you can often see multicomponent proteins that include 2-3 types of proteins. In this case, you should familiarize yourself in detail with the composition on the package before purchasing. The very first ingredients on the list are in the majority. In this case, if the list begins with soy protein, and then whey protein comes, then the supplement is vegetable, with the addition in the form of milk elements.

Equally important for athletes is the amount of fat and carbohydrates in the mixture. It is best to keep the volume up to 4%. Moreover, the presence of dietary fiber can be beneficial for the stomach and its function. Such substances increase the speed of absorption of the cocktail, and also help get rid of gases.

Protein-based blends can include various additives to enhance flavor. Among them, chocolate, fruits, vanilla are often used. In this case, much depends on the preferences of each person, but you need to understand that consumption will be carried out daily, so the taste should not be sugary, or you can buy several cans of protein with different tastes at once to alternate them. When choosing a taste, one should focus on harmful substances, including aspartame, cyclamate and saccharin.

Amino acid profile

At the heart of any protein is protein, but this is a general term that includes many acids with a specific value. A quality powder includes 18 amino acids, including BCAAs. This makes it possible to effectively build muscle and burn fat. The BCAA chain contains 3 important elements - leucine, isoleucine and valine. The higher the percentage in the composition, the better the additive.

Not all manufacturers can indicate a protein profile, so you should look at the average data for certain species:

• Whey and casein - include all the necessary elements, half of which are irreplaceable, the amount of BCAAs is the largest.
• Albumin (egg) - although the composition is completely absorbed, it is not as good as compared to dairy counterparts. In this case, there is no pair of 2 elements - lysine and valine.
• Beef - includes all the necessary particles, as well as essential amino acids, but in a minimal amount when comparing the ratio with protein mass.
• Vegetable - The middle variant between egg and meat protein, which contains 16 amino acids.

Contraindications

When choosing and using protein for muscle growth, it is recommended to pay attention to contraindications, although there are few of them:

• Lactose intolerance.
• Stomach upset.
• Allergy.
• Frequent flatulence.
• Kidney failure.

In the presence of the described problems, it is recommended to carefully select the composition or completely abandon its use.

Which protein is better to choose

To simplify the selection of protein supplements, experts recommend adhering to the following rules:

• For fast and high-quality growth of muscle mass, it is recommended to buy whey in the form of a concentrate. With the help of such a substance, it is possible to add quickly the breakdown of active substances, which in a short time will nourish the muscles with amino acids. During the purchase, you should study the composition, which should not contain plant proteins, because they reduce the amount of the BCAA group. In addition, you should add a hydrolyzate to your diet, and also drink it right before strength training.
• People looking for drying should use the most refined mixtures without fats and carbohydrates. In this case, preference is given to whey isolates, which in addition are filtered. Before going to bed, it is recommended to use casein to saturate the body and slow down or completely stop muscle breakdown.
• For those wishing to lose weight, you should use a protein that will be absorbed slowly. The composition should not contain fats. Plant-based or egg-based casein and multi-ingredient supplements are best suited. In addition, there will be useful mixtures that improve the functioning of the digestive system.
• For people who are lactose intolerant, use whey isolate, proteins based on meat, plant-based foods, or eggs. Proteins from beef are better for a set, and from eggs and plants for drying.

Between sports, experts advise to use a complex type of protein, which will contain a maximum of nutrients and vitamins. The basic rule is that proteins should be different in the rate of assimilation.