Whey Protein, its benefits — and You
Dubbed the “King of All Proteins,” whey tops the list as most favorite among bodybuilders in terms of developing lean muscle faster. But, what really makes this source great? Whey protein, a combination of alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, immunoglobins and bovine serum albumin, is complete with nine major essential amino acids and is low in lactose content.
What Is Whey Protein?
According to an article published on Built Lean, it is a liquid byproduct in the production of cheese and is commonly sold as a dietary supplement as shakes or protein powders. The same revealed that whey protein is complete as well as is very easy to digest. In the real sense, the body uses 20 amino acids in repairing muscles, bones and organs, along with all the cells in the human body.
Luckily, whey has all the nine important amino acids, which are all great for healing and recovery, especially after an intense workout. Unlike only depending on rice, vegetables, dairies and eggs, you will get the key amino acids for your body by supplementing with whey protein.
An article written by Jaime Filer on Bodybuilding.com stated that jazzing up your diet with protein liquid meals is encouraged because you will get a lot from it. Based on the same article, you it for health, repair and growth of your muscles, skin and hair, among others.
If you were a bodybuilder, an athlete or a fitness seeker who wants to get the most of your training, then reconsidering and looking into your current diet may be needed and that you should start looking up for the whey supplement to help achieve your goals of total muscle power and overall health and fitness development.
What whey has to do with muscle building? Resistance exercise using selectorized or plate-loaded systems, free weights or bodyweights, when supplemented with protein, can help in improving body composition, especially in terms of lean tissue mass, and in fact, a recent study of the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism noted that protein supplementation offers more benefits when combined with resistance training. In fact, in the two groups of the same resistance-trained bodybuilders, those who had whey isolate in their diet, combined with weight training achieved higher muscle gain, leaner body mass and a decline in fat mass. It was when compared to those diet-supplemented with casein only during a ten-week period of training.
What Are the Benefits of Supplementing Your Gym Routine with Whey Protein?
So many bodybuilders take protein shakes, and you may be wondering why? For many reasons than one, it is essential in muscle production as well as in the manufacture of cellular messengers, hormones, enzymes, immune-system components and nucleic acid. Without enough protein, the body’s ability to make up correct structure of the cells and organs as well as its ability of generating the biochemical needed for muscle contraction, healing, cardiovascular function and growth may be inhibited. In short, you can also suffer from slow healing and recovery that might lead to overtraining and eventually, to injury.
As you may already know, muscle preservation and fat loss are a cool combination in terms of muscle building; it is backed up by a study of Minnesota researchers wherein they reduced the caloric intake of certain subjects by 500 calories while supplying the rest with an isocaloric mix beverages. Those who consumed whey protein shakes lost up to 6.1 per cent of body fat and preserved their muscles better. In this example, you can see the big the difference you would make in bodybuilding by supplying your body with enough of protein you will easily get from whey powder.
Protein supplements in the form of whey protein can help you increase in power and size. The key to getting effective results is that you should consume whey an hour before and after working out.
Research and studies also revealed that whey supplements can work on reducing hunger; in fact, Australian obese men were given four different drinks and those who consumed whey reduced their body’s craving for food caused by high levels of ghrelin, a kind of hormone telling your brain you are hungry.
Fighting cancer is another benefit of drinking whey shake, according to various researches that revealed how you can prevent common cancers of the colon or prostate. Definitely, this benefit may be one of the biggest advantages your body will get by supplementing it with whey protein.
Now if you are looking to get rid of stress while bodybuilding, as in emotional stress, you can depend on whey protein as the solution. It works best in improving your mood while refreshing your cells. As a weightlifter or an athlete, you might also want to consider whey protein because it can significantly improve your immunity against infection and disease.
Another known benefit is its ability to increase your body’s glutathione production, an antioxidant far better than vitamin C and E and that works to scavenge the free radicals causing sickness. This element is composed of three amino acids, namely, glycine, glutamic acid and cysteine.
So, how much whey protein is needed? You should supplement with one gram of protein per body weight pound, and anything that goes beyond that dosage would lead to faster healing process. Consider, however, consuming diet with magnesium and calcium because too much of protein can deplete your body’s supply of magnesium and calcium. Nevertheless, never supplement without the advice of a medical practitioner, nutritionist and personal trainer.
If you were to supplement your diet with whey, it is advised you consume protein shake before and after a workout, and then, eat small amount of protein-rich food between three and four hour intervals for a constant supply of protein to help in muscle healing. In addition, you should consume a protein drink before going to bed to provide your muscles, which slowly experience protein depletion, with protein.
To sum it up, whey protein is a vital component in your diet as a bodybuilder or an athlete, but you should not start with supplementation without consulting your doctor or personal trainer so that you can be advised on correct dosage and for your safety. When given the go signal, start exploring and weighing your options on the best whey protein out there to supplement your high protein diet today!