If your fitness goal is gaining some lean muscle, adding more protein to your diet is a great way to start. Getting the right amount of protein at the right time is vital, and you can do it through food or supplements. One of the most common protein types is casein. It can help you achieve your goal by complementing your workout plan. Casein comes from cow’s milk and comprises about 80% of the entire milk protein. It’s actually the curds and not the liquid part. Manufacturers drain the milk, wash the curds and then drain and dry them. When this is over, they ground it into the casein protein powder we buy from the store.
Casein Structure
In its raw form, casein is a molecule that sits surrounded by a liquid called a micelle, almost like a little bubble in a dish full of water. Casein has four subtypes:
- aS1;
- aS2;
- b – casein;
- k – casein.
The first three are sensitive to calcium. They bind it with phosphorus and carry them through the body for it to digest and absorb. The k – casein protects the micelle and keeps it intact until enzymes remove it. Once the k – casein enters the metabolism, the micelle thickens (curdles) into an intractable mass. When this happens, casein gets harder and resists breakdown. Because it takes several steps to dissolve micelles, casein takes more time to be digested.
Digestion
It’s well known that casein gets digested slower than whey protein powder. It gives your cells its amino acids for an extended period and helps them synthesize protein. This happens even when your body breaks down its own muscles for food. Because of this, people call it “anti-catabolic”. This is all confirmed and established by research. One of them compared how whey and casein act after digestion. People who had whey protein shake had a quicker and larger spike from whey. In comparison, casein powder shake kept a stable and longer-lasting effect.
How to Take Casein
There is no right or wrong way to incorporate casein into your diet. Once you buy casein powder, you can take it with milk or water and mix it in shakes or sauces. You can calculate the proper dosage for you when you take the daily protein intake from food and your dietary supplement goals. The dosage varies from one person to another. For example, if you’re an athlete and want to lose body fat but gain muscle mass, an approximate dosage of 1.5-2.2g per kg of your body weight will suffice. If you don’t exercise and don’t want to add muscle, 0.8-1.0g per kg of your body weight is good. Besides shakes and sauces, you can also make pudding, casein chocolate chip cookies, brownies, rolls, waffles and much more.
When to Take Casein
Same as with the “how” there isn’t a strict rule on “when” to take casein protein. You can do it before a workout, before bed, or between meals. To ensure you have the suitable amino acids during your training, take casein protein a couple of hours before. But if you want an immediate release of energy, you should take whey protein powder. If you take it before going to bed, you’re making sure the body gets the necessary muscle and tissue recovery. The metabolism rests, and there is a slow infusion of amino acids. Casein makes you feel full, so eating it between meals will prolong meal time and distract you from junk food and unnecessary snacks.
Benefits of Taking Casein Protein
Builds Muscle
Athletes and bodybuilders use this supplement for a long time and with visible results. One of the essential elements of casein is the high amount of leucine. Leucine is the initiator of muscle protein synthesis and plays a big part in muscle growth, in combination with the essential amino acids. In one study, experts compared muscle growth with people who took whey, others who took casein, and a no protein group. Compared to the no protein group, the casein one doubled muscle growth and tripled the loss of fat. Combining casein, a controlled diet and resistance training results in a high level of fat loss.
Improves Recovery
Without the right nutrition, your body won’t be able to make your muscles bigger and stronger in a short amount of time. Supplements, such as casein, help repair muscles, their growth and maintenance because after every workout, muscle fibres are tired and a bit damaged. They use amino acids and proteins to rebuild and get stronger at the same time. Casein has the advantage of doing this long-term because of its slow-digesting process.
Promotes Dental Health
Because of the phosphate, calcium and hydroxide combination, casein helps keep the teeth healthy and strong and prevents damage. Keeping them away from harmful bacteria and acid erosion is another significant benefit.
Downsides of Taking Casein Protein
Allergies
Casein is a common allergy because it is the main protein in dairy. If you’re allergic to milk, stay away from casein and whey, as well as any other meals or supplements that contain milk proteins. If you’re also allergic to soy, you should avoid casein protein powder because it may contain soy as an addition. On the other hand, if you’re lactose intolerant, it’s safe to take casein, because most, if not all, of the lactose is removed during the manufacturing process.
Some of the possible side effects of over usage of casein are:
- Nausea;
- Bloating;
- Headaches;
- Liver damage;
- Kidney issues.
In Summary
Casein is one of the most beneficial proteins that works well with almost any body type. When you combine it in the correct dosage, at the right time and with the proper training, you’ll see the desired results.
