Casein

casein; what is it and when do you use it?

If you want to increase your protein intake, protein powders are very suitable for that. It's a quick and convenient way to get more protein. However, there are many different types on the market, such as casein proteins. This can make it difficult to find the right product to suit your fitness goals. 

Casein in a popular protein product. Many people choose this type of protein to build muscle. But what exactly is casein? How does this kind of protein work? What are the benefits and how should you use it? VNMshop tells you all about it! 

What is casein?

Casein is a protein that comes from cow's milk. The total protein in cow's milk consists of whey (20%) and casein (80%). Whey is the liquid part of the milk, casein is the solid part called curd. You can see an example of the distribution of whey-casein very well if you open a container of cottage cheese. A liquid layer then floats on top of the quark, this is whey. The firm quark underneath is the casein part of quark. Another example is a carton of yogurt that is unmixed or just opened. You can also see the parts of whey and casein separated from each other. 

The basis of casein protein as a sports supplement is skimmed milk. The whey is first removed from the skimmed milk. Then the rest of the curd is washed with water, drained, dried and ground to a powder. A casein protein supplement contains about 80 to 85% protein by weight. 

How does the body use casein?

Whey proteins and casein proteins are both high-quality and complete proteins. That means they contain all nine essential amino acids. You can see amino acids as the building blocks of proteins and our body. They are essential nutrients that we must get through our diet. The major difference between whey and casein is the fact that casein digests much more slowly than whey. 

Research shows that this delayed digestion is because the casein coagulates in the stomach. This is due to stomach acids. As a result, it can take almost twice as long for the body to digest casein as the same amount of whey. This is why casein is considered a slow digesting protein, whereas whey is a fast digesting protein. 

The benefits of casein proteins

Thanks to its slow-digesting properties, casein offers certain benefits. These benefits are:

Casein promotes muscle growth

Do you want to build muscles? Then a casein protein supplement is a good choice. The digestion and absorption of the casein proteins by the body is slow. However, if you take casein around your workout, the muscle-building effects will be the same compared to whey. In addition, they are very suitable proteins for muscle recovery while you sleep. Many athletes therefore take casein just before going to sleep. The clot that casein forms in your stomach after ingestion releases amino acids into the body in a steady stream throughout the night. This promotes muscle recovery and growth. 

Less hunger thanks to casein

It is generally known that proteins have a satiating effect, especially casein. This reduces appetite and makes you feel full longer. This keeps hunger pangs away longer. This is because the body takes several hours to digest and absorb the casein. Is weight loss one of your goals? Then it can be useful to add casein proteins to your diet. 

Casein is rich in nutrients

There are many nutrients in casein such as calcium. Most casein powders provide about 50% of the daily required calcium per serving. Calcium is an important nutrient for maintaining healthy bones, muscles and blood vessels. In addition, casein proteins contain certain peptides. These active compounds have been shown to lower blood pressure. 

Are there any downsides to casein protein?

Are you wondering if casein is the right protein for you? It is best to weigh the advantages against the disadvantages first. Casein has some properties that could prevent it from working well for you. 

Allergy to cow's milk

Many people are allergic to cow's milk, especially in children. Most people outgrow it after childhood, but some people suffer from it throughout their lives. Casein is the most abundant protein in dairy, so it quickly evolved into a common allergen. If you are allergic to cow's milk, you should avoid supplements made from milk proteins. It is better to opt for a plant-based protein powder. 

Are you allergic to soy? Then it is better to avoid casein protein powder. Many of these products contain soy as a by-product. Some people are allergic to the sugars in cow's milk; lactose. However, you can continue to consume casein if you are lactose intolerant. This is because the lactose is almost completely removed during production. 

Contains less leucine than whey

There are different types of amino acids (BCAAs), one of which is leucine. All amino acids are important for building muscle, but leucine is the one that starts the process. Whey proteins contain 26% more leucine than casein. Therefore, whey may work more effectively to stimulate muscle growth. 

If you want to take in proteins to feed muscles before a workout or immediately after a workout, you should also opt for whey proteins. These are absorbed faster and better into the blood than casein. However, no differences have ever been shown between casein and whey in terms of muscle growth and strength. 

How should you use casein?

For best results, it is best to take 1 to 2 scoops (20-40 grams) of casein. You can choose to do this before or after training, but casein works especially well to provide nutrients during the night / sleep. A combination of a high-quality whey product and casein protein powder is therefore ideal. 

VNMshop offers some very good casein powders. You can also get it in a stack offer with other products.