If Whey Protein and Micellar Casein Powders are both made from milk, then why not just drink milk?
Milk is an excellent source of protein and calcium and has many other benefits, as described in great detail on Wikipedia. The most popular bodybuilding supplements Whey Protein powders and Micellar Casein powders are produced from milk.
So, if you are into bodybuilding or a related sport like rugby, you might be thinking… ‘if the best protein powders are produced from milk, then why not just drink milk?’ I will try and explain the differences below.
Milk makes a great source of protein for the average person, but when it comes to bodybuilding, where you need to consume 1.5g of protein per pound of bodyweight per day, a 14 stone guy would need around 300g of protein per day and consuming 300g of protein per day is not easy, considering a tin of tuna is 35g of protein, a chicken breast is 30g of protein, etc.
Most bodybuilders, rugby players, boxers, etc. use protein powders to achieve their daily protein requirements, where supplements typically contribute around 60% of daily protein, and in the case of a 14 stone guy, 180g of protein.
Bearing in mind a pint of semi skimmed milk is about 19g of protein, you would need to drink about 9-10 pints of milk per day on top of your high protein meals to reach your protein requirements, costing £4-5 per day and adding about 270g of sugars (1080 calories) and 85g of fat (765 calories), which would most likely lead to increased bodyfat.
By supplementing with Whey Protein and Micellar Casein protein at the appropriate times (i.e. Whey Protein with your meals throughout the day and before and after training and Micellar Casein before bed) you can add 180g of high quality protein to your daily diet without adding many sugars, fats or calories. Bearing in mind Whey Protein typically costs under £0.02 per gram of protein and Micellar Casein typically costs under £0.03 per gram of protein, then 150g of Whey Protein and 30g of Micellar Casein would cost around £3.90 per day, i.e. cheaper than milk and without the sugars and fats.
Apart from being convenient, low calorie, low sugar, low fat and being good for you, Whey Protein has the highest Bioavailability and Digestibility of all protein sources and is fast releasing. Micellar Casein helps maintain a positive nitrogen balance during the night, meaning that your muscles are growing, rather than shrinking during the night. If you are determined to get a good physique, improve strength, etc. you need regular protein. So, the question is:
Are you going to spend a fortune and eat several chicken breasts, a few tins of tuna, a couple of pints of milk and 10 eggs a day, whilst living in the kitchen, or are you going to save time and money and invest in a high quality protein powder?
Regards,
Martin
