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Whey Protein Isolate
Whey protein has become the protein supplement of choice for athletes, bodybuilders, sports people and people recovering from illness, injury or surgery. This information leaflet has been produced to help anyone who wants to know more about whey protein. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions together with the answers.
What is the difference between whey concentrate and whey isolate?
Whey Protein Concentrate is made using Micro Filtration technology which removes most of the fat and lactose from sweet dairy whey to make what is commonly termed "whey protein concentrate". However it contains much more lactose and fat than isolate.
Whey Protein Isolate is whey protein concentrate processed to remove almost all fat and lactose.
How is whey protein made?
There are 3 common industrial processes for making whey protein, these are cross-flow cold filtration, ion-exchange and hydrolysation.
What is Cross-filtered whey protein?
In this process whey protein isolate is made by ultra filtration of sweet dairy whey which is a by-product of cheese making. The latest technology uses a series of filters, a process known in the industry as cross or ultra filtration. As the whey passes through the filters fat and lactose are removed to leave protein in liquid suspension.
The liquid is then dried and instantised for easy mixing. The whole process is cold which helps prevent any damage occurring to the protein. This is why it is labeled as “undenatured”. This process yields a whey protein with 0.1% milk fat, to which 0.4% lecithin is added to make supermix or instantised whey protein isolate. This makes an isolate that is low in sodium and very easy to mix. Lecithin is a natural plant derivative that helps create healthy blood fat ratios. Our own Boomers 100% Whey Protein Isolate is produced by this technology.
What is different about ion-exchange whey?
Dairy whey is combined with a resin in ion-exchange vessels. The vessels are charged with electricity and the resin bonds to the protein. The resin and protein are then removed from the vessels and the charge is reversed to leave only the protein. The process produces a good quality whey powder but it does leave a small amount of resin residue (usually called "ash").
What is hydrolysed (or hydrolyzed or pre-digested) whey protein?
Hydrolysed whey protein has been treated with enzymes to break the protein down into smaller peptides and amino acids. All hydrolysed protein tastes absolutely foul, very much like vomit. The very bitter taste comes from the high percentage of peptides and amino acids particularly arginine. The percentage of whey hydrolysed varies from 5% to 25%. The higher the percentage, the more amino acids are isolated and the more bitter it will taste, it is also the most expensive form of any whey protein.
If a supplement does contain hydrolysed protein it should be labeled to show both the percentage of whey actually hydrolysed.
Specialized sports/athetics nutritional programs have used hydrolysed whey protein to increase the blood levels of peptides and amino acids within a very short time to stimulate protein synthesis. Some studies show that when hydrolysed whey protein is combined with L-Leucine some increase in protein synthesis is observed. There are products available that contain these but they have a strongly bitter taste. This plus the very high cost drastically limits their use.
Hydrolysed whey also contains little or none of the original macropeptides such as glycomacropeptide and beta-lactalbumin found in the cheese whey. For this reason the hydrolysed protein is used in medical applications such as enteral tube feeding because they limit the risk of allergic reactions. Some babies are allergic to some whey fractions and one way to limit this risk is to hydrolyse the protein. This breaks down the protein macropeptides that may provoke the allergic response. For healthy people the macropeptides make whey naturally easy to absorb.
In practice, there is no measurable difference between the muscle-building results you will achieve with hydrolysed and other whey proteins.
How can I use whey protein to maximize muscle gains?
Well conducted research (rather than advertising hype) shows that a combination of supplements give the best anabolic (muscle building) results for most people. The 3 supplements shown to be consistently effective are:
- Whey protein isolate
- Calcium caseinate
- Creatine monohydrate
Take three, 30 gram protein shakes per day (30 grams of whey powder is 3 heaped tablespoons in 80-125 mls of milk) in addition to your normal dietary protein. This produces a natural and sustainable anabolic stimulus.
Whey protein supplementation also has a beneficial effect on your energy levels and on your ability to perform tasks that require mental concentration and optimum memory function.
On workout days also add 10 grams (about 1 heaped tablespoon) of calcium caseinate to your post workout shake. This reduces the catabolic effects of your workout.
Creatine monohydrate is used to increase the intensity achievable during the heaviest part of your workout cycle. Typically 5 grams (1 teaspoon) together with half a teaspoon of ordinary sugar in cold water twice per day is enough for most people.
Bigger people, eg men weighing over 95 Kg or more and a lean mass at or about 80%, you may need to increase this to 10 grams pre-workout and 5 grams post workout. Creatine monohydrate is usually cycled so you have 3-6 weeks of supplementation and 3-6 weeks off the supplement.
All the information given here is intended as general guidance only, you should consult your medical practitioner, dietician or health professional for advice that is specifically for you, especially if you have any medical condition or are having medication, therapy, surgical treatment or medically recommended dietary restrictions.
