What Kind Of Protein Is Casein?

There can be confusion over what type of protein is best for you or whether you should use a protein powder when trying to build muscle. Casein is a high quality protein that certainly can be incorporated into your diet to help support an active lifestyle. It is found naturally in milk as well as in a supplement powder form.

What Is Casein and its Purpose?

Casein protein is derived from milk in larger quantities than whey protein, the other protein found in milk. Casein is distilled during cheese production without the use of chemicals. It is known for its slow digestion ability, which can be very beneficial at certain times of the day; whey is known for its fast digestion. It is common to use casein protein before going to bed because it will limit protein loss during your eight hours of sleep when you do not consume any food. This is important as you are fasting during your sleep and your body is in a catabolic state, breaking down complex materials.

Digestion Process

Casein is slow digesting because it forms a gel in your gut that over time slowly releases amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Three to four hours after consumption of casein will result in peak amino acid levels for protein synthesis, and it may last up to seven hours after consumption.

Benefits

Casein is a good source of the amino acid glutamine, which is important for strength athletes. Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid found in muscle, and it plays a key role in the immune system. When long, stressful bouts of exercise are performed, glutamine levels will be depleted, which might compromise the immune system and lead to illness.

Disadvantages

One disadvantage of casein is its amino acid profile is not as good as that of whey protein. The biological value of a protein is measured by the amount of protein that is retained from the absorbed amount. The biological value of casein protein is 71, while whey protein is 104. It also is more common for casein to cause gastrointestinal distress in those who are either lactose sensitive or lactose intolerant.

Supplement

Casein protein is found naturally in milk at about 6 g per cup. This is not a very large amount, which is why casein also can be found in powder supplement form. A scoop of the powder often contains more than 20 g of casein protein, which is much easier to consume than 4 cups of milk.