Casein Vs. Whey Protein

Various essential activities like maintenance, repairing and building body cells and tissues of our body cannot be completed without protein. It is the reason why protein is referred as the main building block of the body. Along with maintaining the body cells, protein also maintains the health of various body parts like bones, teeth, hair, skin, muscles and bone cartilage. This means, that protein deficiency can create significant amount of damage to these parts of the body. This deficiency can be cured with help of various nutritional supplements. There are various types of protein, that are used for various types of protein powder supplements. The most common types of them are whey protein and casein. Both whey protein and casein are gained from dairy products, especially milk and cheese and they are highly beneficial for weight loss, bodybuilding and fat loss. Then, what is the difference between the two? Which one is the best, casein or whey? Well, here is an article about casein vs whey protein for more help.

What is Casein?

Casein is a phosphor-protein and it mainly consists of salt and calcium. About 20% of cow milk and cheese is casein. It consists of a high percentage of praline peptides and it holds poor water solubility. Due to its chemical properties, casein is considered as a slow protein, which is also the main reason behind its usage in various popular protein supplements. Since it gets slowly digested, casein forms a clot inside the stomach. This clot is responsible for slow and sustained supply of amino acids into the blood stream that lasts even for several hours. It is the reason why the person taking these supplements stays energetic for a longer period of time and shows increased resistance power as well. This is where casein protein is found superior than whey protein, in the competition between casein vs whey protein.

What is Whey?

Whey protein is milk plasma and it is actually a byproduct in the process of cheese and casein making. There are two basic types of whey protein, which are sweet whey and sour whey. Wherein, sour whey is incurred while making acidic types of cheese and sweet whey is incurred during the process of sweet cheese making. Whey protein which is used in whey protein supplements is incurred from cow's milk and it contains more protein than casein. Whey protein is available in three forms, namely, hydrolysate, isolate and concentrate whey protein. Protein fraction of all these three types is different and isolate whey contains as much as 90% of protein. There are numerous whey protein benefits, especially for those who are interested in bodybuilding and muscle strengthening.

Casein Vs. Whey Protein

Now that we know what exactly are whey protein and casein, we can now try to determine the best source of protein amongst the two. As I said earlier, the prime difference between the both is determined on the basis of their chemical properties like water solubility and digestion. Well, on the accounts of fast absorption, whey protein is found more effective, for obvious reasons. When it comes to providing increased energy level for a longer period of time, casein has an edge over whey protein, due to its slow rate of absorption. When you judge both these types of protein on the accounts of muscle and tissue repairing ability, one has to say that whey protein shows better and faster results than casein.

When it comes to casein vs whey protein for weight loss, both these products are equally beneficial for 'fat loss'. However, whey protein is more beneficial for bodybuilding and muscle building. This doesn't mean that both of them are totally safe. There are a few casein and whey protein side effects that cannot be overlooked. Let's talk about casein first. Since casein takes less time to get absorbed inside the blood stream, it starts acting like gluten and leads to several side effects like elevated nitrogen levels in the body, decreased calcium levels in women, indigestion, stomach ache, stomach cramps, casein allergy symptoms like loss of appetite, hives, eczema, runny nose, etc.

Along with all the success stories about whey protein and weight loss or bodybuilding, one also needs to be aware of the whey protein side effects. So, is whey protein good for you? Well, yes, only when it is consumed in moderation. Over-consumption of whey protein may lead to some severe side effects like liver diseases, liver failure, kidney diseases, kidney failure, osteoporosis, symptoms similar to those of lactose intolerance, etc. So, which one amongst casein vs whey protein is the best for you? The answer is, both. If you are planning to consume them in moderation, then both these types of protein are beneficial for your body. However, if you are planning to replace them for protein rich foods that contain natural forms of both these proteins, then that will definitely prove harmful.

Well then, here we come to the conclusive point of this article about casein vs whey protein. As long as you consume whey or casein protein powder in moderation, it is safe and in fact, useful for you. However, as a word of caution, I would like to say that you need to consult your health care provider prior to consumption of any such supplements. Take care!