Protein supplements

Anyone wanting to achieve peak results in body building or in fact any other sport that requires muscular strength and bulk, needs to be taking some form of protein supplementation in conjunction with a balanced diet and well formulated exercise routine. Protein is, literally, the ‘building blocks’ of muscle tissue. The act of doing the kinds of exercise designed to trigger muscle growth can actually have a ‘catabolic’ effect, namely ‘burn’ muscle so that it will be lost as energy. Muscle tissue is in a constant state of flux, being built and ‘re organised’ within the body all the time. In order to add muscle and retain it, a constant source of protein is required. This protein needs to easily ingested and it needs to be released constantly into the body to feed hungry muscles. Few people realize that up to 40% of muscle growth occurs during the deep sleep phase, so the body needs protein pretty much all the time.

Protein supplements

There is an almost limitless range of protein supplements available, all of which make different claims. Increasingly whey is being touted as a protein source and there is good reason for this. Whey is a by product of the process of curdling milk, but due to advances in how it is extracted it can now be delivered almost completely free of lactose and ‘bad fats’. Furthermore you may have heard of whey ‘isolates’ and this is an even more refined process whereby the actual aminos which make up protein can be ‘isolated’ as well, meaning you can get whey with the exact amino balance required for optimal muscle growth. Some supplements that have whey in them include:

• Redbak WPI is a fractional peptide isolate protein derived from whey protein isolate, which is regarded as the most formidable protein source for the addition of lean muscle mass. It has high levels of branch chain aminos and is readily digestible creating a blast of protein when you need it
• Optimum Nutrition 100 Whey Gold Standard has been voted America’s number one whey supplement four years running which says a lot about what it can actually deliver for your training goals. It uses whey isolates to pack in 24mg of protein per serving
• Max’s Muscle Builder SRT approaches the problem of getting protein to hungry muscles on a continuous basis by combining whey protein, which digests quickly, with casein which takes longer, as well as a holistic blend of nutrients and carbohydrates designed to support maximum weight gain. The combination of protein sources means protein is being released into your body all the time. Not just immediately after taking the supplement
• AST VP2 is a scientifically advanced whey protein formula that draws upon cutting edge research that shows that some proteins are more effective at increasing strength and muscle mass than others. This formulation draws upon these trials to deliver a protein mix that produces results that are way ahead of most other supplements
• MuscleTech Nitro-Tech Hardcore is the fastest acting and most powerful whey protein based supplement yet made available. It uses ‘fractions’ of amino acids designed to be absorbed as quickly as possible in a nitrogen delivery system. The result is that your protein hungry muscles get exactly the nutrients they need more quickly than ever in a formulation that is 24 times more effective than whey protein alone
• BSN True-Mass contains no hormones or other stimulants, just a protein formulation designed to release nutrients to your muscles as effectively as possible. It is designed to support the higher calorific intake needed to add muscle and create long term increases in blood amino acid levels

These are just some of the supplements out there which utilize whey protein as part of their formulation.

Why use whey protein supplements?

Whey protein is one of the most highly regarded protein sources out there and increasingly sophisticated extraction processes mean that it delivers exactly what your hungry muscles need, without too much lactose or ‘bad fats’. Isolates allow precise amino acid combinations, which further enhances muscle growth as some aminos have quite specific roles to play in the creation and retention of muscle tissue. Since whey is easily digestible, taking it will not use up a huge amount of time or energy. For most top level body builders whey is now considered an essential part of their supplement intake.