Supplements Part 2: Whey Protein

Protein may play one of the most crucial roles when it comes to overall body function. When most people think of protein they think of dietary protein (meat/whey), but there are countless different types of proteins in the human body and each type plays a certain role in the body. For example, proteins create the structure of muscles, provide cell function regulation, aid in fluid and acid-base balancing, help as transporters and serve as a source of energy - to name a few (Fink & Mikesky, 2018). Proteins also play a role in the production of certain hormones, enzymes and T cells. To say the least, adequate protein intake is vital for full body function and overall health. For the sake of this article I will stick specifically to whey protein, but I will dabble into the basics of protein below so we can grasp a full understanding of its function.

There is no question that whey protein is the most popular protein powder on the market. Whey is the most researched protein powder with countless research articles. It’s safe to say that the average individual drinks whey protein on a daily basis mostly due to its convenient nature. Before we start let's jump into protein basics.

What are Proteins?

All protein is made up of molecules called amino acids - the smallest functioning group of proteins. When these amino acids are chained-linked together they are considered a protein, but the length of each amino acid chain can dictate its function. For example, a dipeptide is a protein with just two amino acids linked, while a polypeptide is a protein with 10 or more amino acids linked. When we eat dietary proteins the majority of those proteins we consume are polypeptides. When our body breaks down the protein we ingest, it's the amino acids that are going to be the end product. There are roughly 20 existing amino acids, which can be separated into essential or nonessential. The 9 essential amino acids (EAAs) are required to be consumed through diet, where the remaining 11 nonessential amino acids are produced naturally by the body meaning they are not required through diet. I won’t go into detail on amino acids as I will be writing an article on good ole BCAAs in the future, but I will say that BCAAs include the essential amino acids leucine (most common), isoleucine and valine. Protein is vital for hypertrophy but ultimately, EAAs are the main driving factor in enhancing muscle protein synthesis (muscle growth). This leads us to the fact that not all protein is created equal. Many have heard the terms “complete” and “incomplete” proteins, but you might not know what that means? Complete protein or often referred to as high-quality protein are protein sources that include all the essential amino acids in a sufficient amount, where incomplete protein or low-quality protein lacks at least one or more EEAs. Complete proteins include animal products like meat and eggs, while incomplete proteins include plant based foods such as fruits and vegetables. Okay, before I piss off all those vegan and vegetarians an individual can eat complementing proteins - meaning someone can eat at least two incomplete proteins together to fulfill all the EAAs. So yes, it's possible to get all the EEAs without eating meat or animal products, it's just harder. That being said, animal proteins are always going to be a more efficient choice of protein due to the increased bioavailability compared to that of plant proteins. 

Muscle Protein Synthesis

In order to understand dietary proteins' role on skeletal muscle it's essential to have a basic understanding of muscle protein synthesis. Muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and muscle protein breakdown (MPB) are the two metabolic processes that occur in skeletal muscle post-exercise. MPS can be described as the process at which the incorporation of amino acids into bound skeletal muscle proteins or simply put - the process muscles undergo to repair and build muscle (Witard et al., 2022). MPB is the degradation of bound muscle proteins in their amino acid precursors, which occurs along MPS (Witard et al., 2022). MPS must occur at a higher rate than MPB for there to be muscle protein gains. There has been an obsession of understanding the metabolic process of MPS because of the obsession of increasing muscle hypertrophy in individuals. MPS = Muscle Hypertrophy. Not only does MPS need to be at a higher rate than MPB, but all EAAs need to be present for protein synthesis to occur (Wolfe, 2017). This leads me to whey protein powder and the importance of quality, amount and timing. 

Protein Quality

Protein quality can mean a lot of different things, but ultimately it refers to protein being complete or incomplete and its bioavailability level. Whey protein is a milk-based protein that is a by-product through cheese production. For example, the gross top liquid layer that you see when you open your yogurt is whey. When it comes to quality protein powders whey protein marks all the boxes because it’s a complete protein containing all the EAAs with a potent amount of BCAAs, which we know stimulates MPS. Studies have shown that as little as 10 grams of whey can stimulate an increase in MPS (Ziegenfuss et al., 2010). Just know that consumption of EEAs, especially leucine, will increase MPS. Not only is whey protein a complete protein source, our body is able to absorb it quickly and utilize it efficiently, making it a great post-exercise protein shake. Another popular protein powder is casein, which is also found in milk. Casein protein powder has a slower release of EAAs making it a poor choice for an immediate post-exercise protein shake. Not only is casein digested slower than whey it also contains less EEAs per gram of protein. Studies have shown that whey isolate leads to greater gains in lean mass, strength and a greater loss in body fat when compared to casein (Ziegenfuss et al., 2010). One mistake that most people make is drinking whey protein when only mixed with water. Whey protein should be taken with - dare I say it… Carbohydrates. The reason being that consuming carbohydrates will cause insulin to be released into the bloodstream which then allows insulin to facilitate the uptake of glucose and amino acids into the muscle cell. Interesting fact I learned in grad school - There are individuals who will drink a protein-only drink without carbohydrates and then experience hypoglycemia. This occurs because when protein is consumed the amino acids will be absorbed, which causes insulin to be released resulting in a decrease in blood glucose levels (hypoglycemia). Just to illiterate, whey protein should be consumed with carbohydrates to take advantage of MPS and muscle fiber hypertrophy. Above I mentioned whey protein isolate and you might be wondering what that means. Whey protein powder either comes as an isolate or a concentrate and this only refers to the type of process the protein powder goes through. A whey protein isolate goes through a multi-step process of filtration, which results in it having at least 90 percent protein, where concentrates are not filtered and contain less protein, more carbohydrates and more fats. The additional filtration process of whey isolate removes most of the lactose, allowing it to be a bit better for those who are sensitive to lactose. 

How Much Protein

Protein quality is important, but maybe not as important as amount. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for normal healthy individuals is 0.8 g/kg/day with an increased RDA of 1.4 - 1.6 g/kg/day for active people and even a higher RDA of around 2.0 g/kg/day for high level athletes (Cintineo et al., 2018). The total amount of protein intake should be dependent on an individual's goals and personal activity level. Most of my audience are either looking to enhance sports performance, increase muscle mass and/or overall weight. In those cases it's most likely that a higher protein intake is going to be more beneficial and necessary. We need enough protein (EAA) to induce muscle protein synthesis, which means the more intense we train the more protein we need to consume. To put it into perspective, an athlete who is trying to gain weight and weighs 150 Ibs will consume around 120 grams of protein a day. There are special instances like an injury where an athlete should increase overall protein consumption, as increasing protein intake can inhibit muscle atrophy to some extent (Fink & Mikesky, 2018). For a rough estimate, the average whey protein powder container usually contains about 20-30 grams of protein per serving. There isn't a protein powder out there that has more grams of protein per serving than whey protein, which makes it the most efficient and effective protein powder supplement. Again, it's much more beneficial to consume protein through real foods, but reality sets in and whey protein powder can help get someone to their overall protein needs. I like to think of supplements as a tool and not as a need. There has been concern that consuming too much protein can be detrimental to kidney health. This may be the case for individuals with pre-existing kidney problems, but there is no significant evidence that for healthy individuals it’s detrimental to any kidney function (Martin et al., 2005). One fact we do know is that an overconsumption of protein or any macronutrient for that matter will lead to weight gain. When too much protein is consumed the body will convert that extra protein to glucose (sugar) or fat and pee out the remaining amino group (Fink & Mikesky, 2018). 

Does Timing Really Matter?

The timing at which an individual consumes whey protein post-exercise has been a debatable topic for years now. I remember growing up and it was recommended that you drink a protein shake within 30 minutes of working out or you won’t get results or the benefits. This concept is a real thing and that concept is considered the “anabolic window of opportunity”. The anabolic window of opportunity describes that muscles are primed for anabolism (growth) for only a certain amount of time post exercise (within an hour), therefore EAAs need to be consumed immediately (Ivy & Schoenfeld, 2014). In theory this makes sense because MPS and MPB are both elevated following exercise so ingesting protein and carbohydrates would increase insulin levels allowing an enhancement of MPS. Ingesting carbohydrates post-exercise is a different topic, but I will say that yes ingesting carbohydrates immediately after intense exercise is extremely important. If an athlete utilizes large amounts of glycogen (storage form of carbs in the body) for a workout, those glycogen stores must be replenished as quickly as possible. I have an entire article on carbohydrates here. The same can’t be said for protein ingestion though because our body does not care whether we wait 1 hour or even 24 hours to consume protein post-exercise, as long as we consume enough. Let me make it clear, total amount of protein intake is more important than timing of protein intake. Majority of research to support the anabolic window uses training intensities that are low to moderate aerobic based, which does not apply much to competitive athletes. Reversely, a research study found that taking 6 grams of EEAs after resistance training had similar increases in MPS whether it was taken 1 or 3 hours post-exercise (Rasmussen et al., 1985). After working with athletes for countless years I feel that protein intake post-training or exercise is more logistical than anything. If my athletes leave the gym without consuming any protein I’m not sure when they are going to eat anything next due to traveling, school, practice etc.. so I feel through experience that it’s easier when they are able to consume it directly after. Again, what is important is overall protein consumption throughout the day rather than the timing at which protein is consumed post-exercise. Two takeaways from this are 1. Don’t think that just because you didn’t get your protein within an hour of exercising that all is lost and 2. This doesn’t mean you should go out of your way to postpone your protein intake because life happens and you might not know when you are going to actually get it in. 

I mention in Supplements Part 1 that the FDA doesn't regulate the supplement industry meaning that choosing third-party tested supplements is important. I personally use and recommend the supplement company Thorne, but there are a few companies out there that do a pretty good job. Whey protein powder is the ultimate protein supplement for athletes trying to gain a competitive edge. We know that whey is a complete protein that contains all the EAAs, which are the key to muscle building and repair. Not only is it a high-quality protein, but our body absorbs it quickly allowing for an immediate source of protein. Protein intake is less about timing and more about overall protein intake, but it doesn't hurt to have a whey protein shake on hand immediately after exercise. 

References 

Cintineo, H. P., Arent, M. A., Antonio, J., & Arent, S. M. (2018). Effects of Protein Supplementation on Performance and Recovery in Resistance and Endurance Training. Frontiers in nutrition, 5, 83. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2018.00083

Fink, H. H., & Mikesky, A. E. (2018).  Proteins. In Practical applications in sports nutrition (5th ed., pp. 116-140).  Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC, an Ascend Learning Company.

Ivy, J.L., & Schoenfeld, B.J. (2014). The Timing of Postexercise Protein Ingestion Is/Is Not Important. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 36, 51-55.

Martin, W. F., Armstrong, L. E., & Rodriguez, N. R. (2005). Dietary protein intake and renal function. Nutrition & metabolism, 2, 25. https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-7075-2-25

Rasmussen BB, Tipton KD, Miller SL, Wolf SE, Wolfe RR. An oral essential amino acid-carbohydrate supplement enhances muscle protein anabolism after resistance exercise. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2000 Feb;88(2):386-92. doi: 10.1152/jappl.2000.88.2.386. 

Witard, O. C., Bannock, L., & Tipton, K. D. (2022). Making Sense of Muscle Protein Synthesis: A Focus on Muscle Growth During Resistance Training, International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 32(1), 49-61. Retrieved Apr 21, 2022, from https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijsnem/32/1/article-p49.xml

Wolfe, R.R. Branched-chain amino acids and muscle protein synthesis in humans: myth or reality?. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 14, 30 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0184-9
Ziegenfuss, T. N., Landis, J. A., & Lemieux, R. A. (2010). Protein for sports—new data and new recommendations. Strength & Conditioning Journal (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins), 32(1), 65-70.