By David Barr
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I can't seem to escape it. Wherever
I turn, there are comparisons between whey and casein. These
two milk-derived proteins seem locked in an eternal struggle
for the title of "Supreme Protein."
It may be irrelevant because
every time they go head to head, whey gets its ass kicked.
This begs the question as to
why we're even discussing it at this point -after all the
objective research is unanimous, right?
Well, there's a problem with
this. Once again there's a misrepresentation of the scientific
literature, and it's really gotten out of hand. While I (REALLY)
don't want to go into the esoteric and scientastic details,
there needs to be a modicum of reason thrown into this arena;
something to "even out the odds", if you will.
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Pro-Whey? No Way!
We need to keep in mind what we're
discussing here. Whey is a fast protein and casein is a slow protein.
Sure it's oversimplified for some discussions, but it works perfectly
here.
Now every study I've seen has shown
that casein is superior for protein retention (which means growth
and recovery) as well as fat loss (which means fat loss). The first
problem with this is that it's the researchers who initially apply
the data. This is great in an academic setting, but not so great
for universal practical application.
As a former researcher and someone
who proudly calls himself a scientist, I can tell you that most
researchers aren't concerned about the practical application of
their work. Okay, they may actually be concerned with the application,
but the vast majority wouldn't have the slightest clue how to do
so. This is fine, it's not a criticism at all because it's simply
not their job.
Step II: Publication
After publication, writers get a hold
of the findings and then present it to the mainstream audience.
The problem with this is that many writers simply don't have a clue.
Seriously. Just take a look at the ridiculous amount of garbage
available and you'll quickly see what I mean. The worst part is
that while many people believe this incorrect, or at best inaccurate,
work, most others may not know what to make of it.
This phenomenon is called information
dilution and it's a serious problem considering the health crisis
in which western society is currently entrenched. There's just so
much information out there, much of it contradictory, that it's
hard to figure out who to believe.
Whey v. Casein is the perfect
example of this.
The Result
The most important thing to consider
is that there shouldn't even be a whey vs. casein. It's ridiculous,
and accurately represents the apples vs. oranges analogy. That's
because they have drastically different roles!
Whey and casein are not mutually exclusive.
They are both excellent proteins, from which I derive the vast majority
of my daily intake. Use whey when you want a faster, anabolically
dense protein source. Casein is far lower maintenance, and great
when you have to fast for a period of several hours (like when we
sleep). This explains why casein always outperforms whey: all of
the studies are conducted over a period of several hours. This highlights
the positive quality of casein while completely ignoring the efficiency
of whey!
Considering that exclusive studies
are now showing that whey supplementation alone can induce an increase
in muscle mass, the general comparison and subsequent misinterpretation
may be costly for many people.
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Conclusion
Collectively, these milk proteins
are likely the best on the planet for us, no matter what
our goals are. Whey is perfect for stimulating muscle growth
and recovery while casein excels at staving off muscle breakdown.
When used at the right time the maximal benefits of each
can truly shine.
Practical Application
I go into more detail about
all of this in The
Anabolic Index, but here's a quick and dirty representation
of the best times to use.
Whey: Immediately upon
waking and short term meal replacement
Casein: Prolonged meal
replacement and before sleep
Raise your expectations. Raise
The Barr!
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About The Author
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