What is the best protein? Protein rating, reviews, recommendations

Proteins are the basic building blocks of your body's cells. They are what you need for the progressive muscle growth that all athletes strive for. The very name "protein" (in translation from Greek - the most important, paramount) most accurately conveys the meaning of this substance in a biological context. What is the best protein? Read more about it.

Protein value

For any athlete, it is simply invaluable. Here are the main benefits of protein:

• the main structural component of body cells;
• used to develop, repair and preserve your body tissues;
• energy source.

Those athletes who want to achieve visible results should take 2-3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. When you achieve this result, you will definitely see the growth of your muscles. They grow slowly and gradually, and therefore they just need a constant supply of nutrients to help you achieve the desired results. Remember also that in the first hour after an active workout, you should definitely take a considerable amount of protein (preferably a fast-absorbing whey protein), which is easy to do with a protein shake, which we will talk about in more detail later.

Types of proteins

There are several types of protein supplements that are actively used by bodybuilders for accelerated muscle growth. It is worth noting that only 2 types are the most important, and concurrently the most popular:

• whey;
• casein.

All types of proteins have their own unique properties, with both advantages and disadvantages. Scientists have long proven that casein is absorbed in the human body rather slowly, gradually releasing amino acids into the blood. It does not have a particularly strong effect on protein synthesis, although it significantly slows down its breakdown, which makes it an ideal type of protein for nighttime consumption, so that it protects your muscles from catabolism (breakdown) during sleep.

Egg and soy protein are also used by athletes, however, due to their multiple disadvantages (against the background of the 2 above), they are used less frequently. We will tell you more about them below.

Whey Protein

Whey protein is a concentrated mixture of globular proteins derived from whey. Due to its extremely high digestibility and biological value, it is this type of protein that is best for muscle growth and fat burning (that is, maintaining shape during "drying"). It is extremely popular among bodybuilders of all levels, which proves its effectiveness. As a rule, most beginners find their first nutritional supplement in a product such as whey protein. Which is better? Below you will see the summary rating.

Gold Standard protein has been a top choice among beginner (and many professional) bodybuilders for several years now due to its high potency, good taste and attractive price.

Casein

Casein is a rich source of long acting protein. The slow absorption of this type of protein creates the effect of prolonged and gradual saturation of the muscles with amino acids. Which protein is better - whey or casein? There is no answer to such a question, since both have their advantages. Scientific studies show that casein is able to supply amino acids to muscles for up to 7 hours, which triggers a strong anti-catabolic effect that whey protein does not have (now we are talking about the long term). Casein is a natural dairy product without any chemicals. It is created from ordinary milk by ultrafiltration. What is the best casein protein? Below are a few well-known brands that produce only high-quality products.

1. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Casein;
2. Lipotropic Protein from LG Sciences;
3. Dymatize Elite Case.

soy protein

It is the worst type of protein used in bodybuilding. This is true both when gaining muscle mass, and during "drying" (fat burning). The main advantage of this type of protein is its price, which is noticeably lower than that of its "competitors". It itself belongs to slow proteins, as it is absorbed by the body for about 6-8 hours. Having a rather low popularity, it often lends itself to criticism even from experts who advise against its use for the following reasons:

• Low biological value.
• Low absorption rate.
• Inadequate amino acid composition.
• According to the results of multiple studies conducted over the years, soy protein turned out to be worse than other types of protein.

Of course, not everything is so scary, because it also has its own advantages, which we will give below. However, remember that they are unique to soy protein isolates.

• High quality soy protein isolates are free of (or extremely low in) antinutrient activity during raw material processing.
• If methionine is added by manufacturers, then the biological and nutritional value of the protein is slightly increased.
• Isolates affect the production of thyroid hormones (in a small amount).
• Soy protein has antioxidant properties.

As you can see, the picture is not very bright. This type of protein has quite a few disadvantages that cannot cover its advantages. If you still decide to buy, we can recommend soy protein from the following manufacturers:

1. Optimum Nutrition 100% Soy Protein;
2. Scitec Soy Pro;
3. Weider Soy 80 Plus.

We think that the above nutritional supplements will be the best option to purchase. The price of the first two ranges from 900 to 1000 rubles per 900 grams. Soy 80 Plus will be more expensive and will cost you 1500-1600 rubles per 800 grams.

egg protein

An excellent alternative to milk (casein) protein is egg, which provides constant support for muscle tissue. This is due to the fact that it has a fairly high degree of solubility. Egg protein can be recommended for those who have difficulty digesting milk protein. The lactose content of casein provides many with intolerance. However, in egg it is practically absent, as well as fats with carbohydrates. It is easily absorbed by the body and contains no cholesterol, making it suitable for any diet. Already by tradition, below we will present the "leaders" among the manufacturers of this nutritional supplement, which are popular among bodybuilders.

1. Elite Egg Protein by Dymatize;
2. Optimum 100% Egg Protein.

These 2 nutritional supplements can be called impeccable favorites. For the price, protein from ON is much more expensive - 2300-2500 rubles for 900 grams versus 1300-1500 rubles for a similar container from Dymatize.

What is the best protein?

Above, we have already mentioned the best proteins that are available on the market. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, although of the 4 types, whey and casein proteins can be called clear leaders (as fast and slow to digest, respectively). Now we will give the latest ranking of proteins, where we indicate the best complex options.

1. Syntha-6 from BSN;
2. Matrix by Syntrax;
3. Probolic-SR from MHP;
4. Protein 80 Plus by Weider.

It is the above products that are most often recommended for use by many bodybuilders.

Biological value of some products

The biological value of a protein can be determined by the degree of similarity of its amino acid structure with the structure of any protein present in our body. Initially, it was believed that the highest biological value (BC) belongs to whole eggs, which is why their BC was taken as 100. After some time, it was found that in whey isolate (which was obtained a little later than the BC scale was introduced), this the indicator is slightly higher and is in the range from 105 to 154. Below we will give a short list, where we indicate the BC of products with the highest values:

• milk whey isolate - 110-159 / concentrate - 104;
• whole egg - 100;
• cow's milk - 91;
• egg white - 88;
• fish - 83;
• beef - 80;
• chicken - 79;
• casein - 77;
• soy - 74;
• rice - 59.

Protein at home

Of course, proteins will not pump you up on their own. Remember that protein is just a nutritional supplement, not some kind of anabolic. It is intended only to ensure that you manage to eat the daily protein requirement for "pumping", which is 2.5-3 grams per kilogram of body weight. If you do not have the opportunity to purchase a ready-made product, which, unfortunately, is not too cheap, you can prepare a sports protein at home from the usual products. We will not now paint multiple recipes, but only indicate the products that are suitable for such a "dish". So, this section includes the following: milk and cottage cheese (fat-free), nuts, ice cream, eggs, cocoa powder, milk powder, fruits for taste (it is advisable to choose a banana). All this can be mixed in a blender, getting a tasty and healthy cocktail. What is the best protein for girls? All people in terms of nutrition are the same, and therefore there is no difference between the use of any protein in men and women. Just remember that it is very difficult to prepare such a cocktail at home that would suit athletes during the “drying”. All eminent manufacturers reduce the amount of fat and carbohydrates in the final product as much as possible, which, of course, cannot be done at home.

Finally

Given all the functions and biological effects that are inherent in the protein, and its constituents - amino acids, it should be recognized that it plays a very important role in bodybuilding. In this sport, it is used for various purposes: to prevent muscle catabolism, stimulate their growth, maintain excellent physical shape, etc. We think that in this article we have clearly answered most of the burning questions about which protein is better, when to take it, is harmful whether he is, etc. We wish you success in the gym!