Protein 101: Show Me The Right Whey
by Dave Sandler

Walk into health-fitness specialty store, and it will hit you right in the face. A huge bucket of protein on “super-special”.  It is a must buy, but why? And why is one protein so much cheaper then another?

What is Protein
It is the building block for which all life is created. Well, actually, the constituents of what forms basic amino acid structures are, but it sounded cool, didn’t it?  Proteins are made from amino acids that have bunched together in a very special way to perform specific functions within the cells of the body. In general proteins can be classified as; those that provide structure, those that provide a specific function on their own, and those that help build something else. Isolating various amino acids and supplementing them separately, has become a big business in the sports performance world, but that is another article at another time.

What is a Protein Supplement
In theory, any supplement containing individual amino acids or processed combinations of amino acids to make a complete protein (containing all amino acids), is considered a protein supplement. Understanding protein supplements is probably one of the most difficult in all of dietary supplements. Consider this when examining protein labels – it may be easier to find the recipe for building an atomic bomb, then deciphering the hieroglyphics of the label. First rule, there is no perfect protein supplement. Second rule, increasing dietary protein certainly can help, but will not make you better without exercising. Remember, the word supplement means to increase, add to, or complement. In the case of food supplements like protein, it does not mean “instead of”. So it is not necessary, nor advised to “pound protein” and completely reduce carbs and fat.

How Does Protein Supplementation Help
Imagine your house has just been damaged by a storm. Your first thought is to make sure it is still structurally sound before worrying about the minor details such as scratches and dents. You send out a search team to do some high tech reconnaissance – ok, you take a quick look around, then decide which action to take. If there is hard structural damage, immediately you contact someone who specializes in fixing that problem. They repair or patch the wounds with specific fillers, and specialized tools. Get the picture! That is protein at work in the human body. Find the damage, determine the extent, pull the necessary resources (amino acids, proteins, etc.), patch the damage, rebuild stronger and prepare for the next time. The ability to repair in the human body is a function of having the necessary tools and materials at the right time to fix the problem.  We call it Protein Timing and it is essential for performance perfection!

Which Protein is Best For Me?
There are two major kinds of proteins; soy and whey. And with so many ways to process protein, it doesn’t stop there. There are concentrates, isolates, hydrosylates and different methods of purifying them. Further terms like: ionized, bioavailability, filtering, and “hyper” anything are described how great a protein may be. All in all, it is confusing, even to those who make the products. While an exhaustive article on explaining the differences would probably help, it would bore you to death, if I haven’t done so already. Basically, concentrates (up to 80% pure) are less pure then isolates (90% or more). Purity means the weight or percentage of protein in a protein (the rest of a protein is fat, lactose and other stuff). Hydrolysates are specially formed proteins to help with quicker digestion. Further, when a product states that it is 100% Pure Whey (or Soy), it does not mean that 100% of the product is protein, rather it means that 100% comes from whey or soy sources and is not a blend of both. However, to make matters more confusing, most proteins blend concentrates, isolates and hyrdosylates to help with digestion, taste and delivery of the best nutrients. That is where proprietary blending comes in to play. Propreitary means “we don’t want to tell you what is in our product in case you do some research and see it is not all it is reported to be.” Not really, but true in some cases. For the most part, some manufacturers use blends they feel are better, while others use blends that are cheaper (and generally less effective). Oh, and bioavailability is just a method of trying to compare how well a product is absorbed and retained. How a company reports it is still a mystery – it is amazing how you can get something to be 164% isn’t it? Protein absorption and retention is a function need. True however a liquid form digests far quicker then a solid form (like a steak).

Walk in to a store, and no doubt the sales person will try to convince you that one is better then another. Truth be told, there are benefits to health, immune system and performance that both whey and soy possess. Furthermore, the more you process or purify proteins (such as isolates) the less “other” benefits you get in terms of health, and immune boosting. With concentrates unfortunately, you can get anywhere from 34% to 80% good clean protein in your product. And just like it sounds, the less percentage of pure proteins in the product, the more you need to get the same effect. And manufacturers are not required to divulge what kind of protein and how much they are using. Therefore, you never know what you get. In general, if you pay more for your protein, it is probably better for you. That is, we hope that manufacturer’s price their proteins based on quality. And one other thing, often you will see an amino acid profile on a label, but remember, it is probably the profile of a true 100% protein, not which is in the container. Are you confused? I am!  Don’t be afraid to ask questions and “Call” your salesperson out on their knowledge. Blends are generally a good idea since they both help with taste and digestion.

Soy is a fine protein choice. Advocates, and supplement companies that specialize in soy products, are trying to convince people that it is as good or better then whey. Most current, non-supplement-company backed research, still favors whey as the clear winner in improving sport performance. However, there is promise for soy. Also, many soy products have added amino acids to bring the levels up to a comparable whey product. My recommendation, stick with Whey for now.

What’s Up With The RDA For Protein?
Don’t get me started! Ok, its too late. I’m tired of hearing how too much protein can be bad and that most people already eat more protein then they need. Wrong, Nay, Nadda, Nyet, NO! In fact the opposite is true, but for some reason governmental agencies have trouble facing facts, plus they appear to be extremely deficient in knowledge on current research and human activity! High fat, high carb diets are the norm, maybe not intentionally, but nonetheless, good protein sources are rare in most people’s normal daily food intake. Most people are only getting their protein because its wrapped in fat. Sure, a pepperoni pizza may contain plenty of protein (cheese and meat) however, there is so much other crap in it, much of the protein never really gets a chance to do its job. Besides every person is different and so are their needs. But heck, that would just be logical to think that everyone’s needs are not the same and that perhaps the RDAs should not be based on clinically diseased sedentary individuals. RDAs routinely are way under need for those engaged in exercise. Furthermore, supplemental protein is designed to increase viable protein supplies. And if you are eating healthy or just exercising (even if you are not eating healthy), then a little extra protein can go a long way. The RDA suggests that a normal person take in about 0.8 g/kg or 0.36 g/lb of body weight on a daily basis. Research shows that the average person exercising should increase that to 1.2-1.4g/kg or 0.54 - 0.64 g/lb and the athlete, especially those trying to build strength and size, should adjust to 1.7 - 2.2 g/kg or 0.77 - 1.0 g/lb.  And for those who have heard that excess protein can be toxic to liver and kidney function, I say “show me the research”. Once again, the public has been fooled by some anecdotal claim that protein is the root of all evil. Studies have shown that protein levels as high as 2.6g/kg did not place any additional renal stress on the body. So much for the good ol’ days. Also, the RDA suggest that you consume no more then 15% of your dietary calories from protein. Sure leaves you wondering how to split 85% calories among fat and carbs?? Don’t be afraid of getting 20, 25 and even 30% of your daily calories from protein.

When Should I Take Extra Protein?
A scoop here and there of protein during a normal day is fine and may even help your cause. Protein does reduce hunger and tends to fill you up more then carbs and fats. Optimally, for performance, a good protein should be consumed immediately following or even during exercise. In fact, waiting as little as an hour later to get protein into muscle, may be too late. Several research studies have shown that the muscle reparation process starts immediately and the window for the best results occurs within 30 minutes of exercise. Timing is everything. Unfortunately, to get protein into muscle quickly, a steak won’t cut it unless is was in liquid form; it just takes too long to digest. A liquid form of protein (mixed powder supplement) digests much quicker and provides essential nutrients that can begin the reparation process much quicker.

Put Your Best Foot Forward
Newer thinking suggests, that occasional protein supplementation during the day of 20g-40g is beneficial to most people. If you are training, you can increase that to 60g. Most important however, even if you choose not to add additional protein to your diet, don’t let your hard work go to waste!  At the very least, take a shot of good whey protein (6-12g) immediately following exercise. I promise, no matter what age you are, you will feel better and recover faster.

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