Protein - Whey Casein

WHEY PROTEIN AND MICELLAR CASEIN PROTEIN

Milk contains two protein sources, casein and whey. In cows milk, these are in the ratio of 80% casein and 20% whey, whereas in human maternal milk, these ratios are reversed, with most of the protein coming from whey. The ratios are actually about 60:40 whey to casein in human maternal milk. We are going to look in depth at both whey proteins and the various forms that this appears in and the ever increasing in popularity, casein protein, in particular micellar casein.

Whey
So what is whey protein and how can it benefit me?

Whey is a component of milk. Whey proteins have nutritional properties that extend well beyond protein quality as measured by amino acid composition. As far back as the 17th century, it was recognised that, those who consumed whey, generally fared better than those who did not during this era of disease and infestation. Recent research gives new hope to those suffering from conditions such as burns, injury-induced muscular wasting and various catabolic states. So we know from whey research that it is good to heal damaged and repairing muscles. Then the benefits for creating and building stronger healthier bodies is guaranteed.

However, the medical world has nothing new to concede about whey's immunity benefits - the existing scientific research has made this a well-documented fact. Without a doubt, our future health lies with preventative medicine and materials such as whey and colostrum are likely to play a key role.

The importance of using the correct processing method cannot be overstated, for without this most of the properties may be rendered completely inert. There are a number of methods used to manufacture whey, and you may see these advertised on the side of protein powders; eg. Ion-exchange, cross flow microfiltration, hydrolysis etc. These are, however, no longer valid descriptions for labeling supplements.

UK labeling laws require that the whey content in protein powders be classed as either whey concentrate or whey isolate. Concentrates will contain protein solids from 30-80%, whilst isolate will be around 90%.

In short, the biological activity of whey depends on the level of denaturation suffered during its production process and it is entirely unrelated to its nutritional quality. So be sure to stick with reputable manufacturers and never buy your whey because it's going cheap - if that's the case then corners have probably been cut. The immuno-supportive activity can include the following:

Bactericidal
Bacteriostatic
Antiviral
Antioxidant
Increased resistance to carcinogens
Increased longevity
Increased immunity
So we know that whey protein is good for the human body. Whey protein is a highly nutritional, immune supporting protein source. You can learn more about the immune supporting effects of whey protein below. Scoring systems that compare textbook profiles of protein sources consistently score whey protein very high. However, it is important to keep in mind that most commercially available whey proteins fall well short of the textbook profiles that score so high. You have heard it before, Not All Whey Proteins Are created Equal! Why is this? Well, essentially the manufacturing process from which your whey protein is derived from differs greatly. Below is a brief summary of how whey is extracted from each of the manufacturing methods. Generally the processes all have a common start, that is from sweet dairy whey.

Manufacturing Whey Protein
Milk is treated with an enzyme called rennet, which causes the milk to curdle. The surface is skimmed off and when processed, becomes cheese. Whats left behind is called sweet dairy whey and is a 30% concentrate whey protein. At this point it is high in fat and high in lactose (a simple sugar present in milk that causes an allergic reaction in a large percentage of the adult population).

The most bioactive (anabolic) parts of whey proteins are also the most easily destroyed during whey protein manufacture. Almost every commercially available whey protein (including those in your favorite supplement powder) has been heavily processed, including heat treatments and pH changes.

Both heat and pH adjustments will destroy the fragile, bioactive components of whey protein as well as degrade some of the more important amino acids that are claimed in support of whey proteins. Immunoglobulins and BSA start to denature (degrade) at temperatures as low as 140 degrees F. Most commercial whey proteins have been pasteurized at 170 degrees F. Now you can start to see why some whey is cheap and some whey is highly expensive.

The standard whey protein has undergone much denaturation (degradation) and does not compare to the textbook profiles or scores for whey protein. Don’t be fooled by whey protein supplement labels that claim specific protein fraction or amino acid compositions! The truth is that whey protein processing destroys portions of these protein fractions and amino acids! A standard whey protein can vary by as much as 15% in amino acid content from production batch to production batch and the protein fraction composition varies widely throughout the industry, depending on the manufacturing technique employed during production.

Most commercially available whey proteins are significantly different from whey protein textbook descriptions in important nutritional properties. Given the differences between textbook compositions and real world whey proteins, it is not valid science to make claims for real world whey proteins based on textbook studies. It is also important to keep in mind that while whey proteins have been shown to be anabolic, due to their immuno-supportive, bactericidal, and antiviral functions, a recent study concluded that whey proteins have no effect on protein breakdown in the body (no anti-catabolic function). While anabolic performance is important, you need your protein diet to have some anti-catabolic function for maximum lean tissue growth.

So what are the manufacturing methods?

Ion-exchange whey is manufactured by adding the sweet dairy whey to an electrically charged resin bath. The negatively charged protein fractions are attracted to the positively charged resin particles whilst the water, fats and lactose are left behind. A weak solution of hydrochloric acid (similar to the levels found in the stomach) is added to the resin and protein to dissolve the bond. A sodium or potassium salt is added at this point to get rid of the bitter taste caused by the acid. The whey protein solution is then dried using a cold spray dry technique, so as not to damage the protein. Typically the whey is 80-90% concentrate at this point.

Cross Flow Microfiltration can be used to manufacture whey both from whole milk or sweet dairy whey. Typically, milk is spun at high speeds in large vats to cause the milk to curdle. The fat is removed, leaving skimmed milk. A weak acid is then added to cause the casein to curdle. Once this is removed you are left with a low percentage protein whey liquid. A series of filters are used (each filter allowing through different sized particles) to firstly remove the majority of the lactose and then to remove minerals and finally the last of the fat and lactose. Finally the liquid is then dried using a cold spray dry technique, leaving a high quality whey of around 90% protein content.

Whey Hydrolysis is a method used on a whey isolate to deliver a protein containing only di-peptides and tri-peptides. The whey is treated with an enzyme that breaks down the whey proteins into di, tr and poli-peptides. The solution is then filtered to remove the poli-peptides (the larger protein molecules) and then treated to remove the acidic taste. Hydrolysis never leaves a pleasant tasting protein, and is generally only added to protein mixes to increase the overall quality of the product.

Each of these processes have pros and cons beyond the basic levels of protein. Within milk protein there are five protein fractions. Whey concentrate, because it retains more of the fat, is often higher than whey concentrate in some of these fractions, whilst CFM is often higher in protein percentage wise, is usually lower in Beta-Lactoglobulin than an ion-exchange whey (BLG is an important growth factor).

So What Are Growth Factors and What Do They Mean To Me?
When looking at the growth-promoting effects of whey, scientists identified its growth factors as being the primary agents responsible for this action. Research has shown that these growth factors also form an integral part of the powerful immuno-supportive properties of whey. It is known that growth factors such as IGF-1 help control infection and stimulate healing and production of immune cells. However, there are other constituents of whey that also contribute to its impressive list of benefits, its bioactive fractions (peptides). These fractions have multiple functions to perform within an organism after ingestion.

Beta-lactoglobulin - the most predominant component in bovine milk, this is the cause of many allergic reactions experienced in humans. A component that does not occur in human maternal milk, it may account for up to 75 per cent of the components present in ion-exchange whey products. This high percentage content would indicate that more important fractions have been replaced by its respective processing technique.

Alpha-lactalbumin - the main component in human milk, it is therefore considered by some to be the most nutritive and easily digestible fraction for humans. Bovine milk has a low percentage content of this and this has presented a long-standing problem for the infant formula market. Some companies have now turned their attention to the development of an alpha-lactalbumin based formula, thereby avoiding many of the deleterious side effects caused by beta-lactoglobulin in some infants.

Lactoperoxidase - this is another highly bioactive component that has also been demonstrated to boost immune function. It has been used in dental formulas to inhibit cavities.

Glycomacropeptides (GMPs) - these are a good example of the finely balanced synergy that is unique to the maternal milk formulas of each species. GMPs are known to modulate digestion by initiating the release of the hormone cholecsystokinin (CKK) after the ingestion of fat or protein. This then aids the passage of bioactive fractions such as lactoferrin and lactoperoxidase into those areas of the intestinal tract where they can impart most benefit. This action may be kept in check by the opiate-like peptides known as casomorphins, found in the micellar casein of portion of maternal milk. Basically, their job is to slow things down where necessary, making sure that nutrients do not pass through the system unabsorbed. Both lactoferrin and GMPs offer further protection by promoting the growth of protective probiotic bacteria in the large intestine.

Immunoglobulins - asantibodies, they have quite a wide range of immuno-supportive functions. IgG is perhaps the most specific to human immune function, along with IgA, it helps to neutralise toxins and other unwanted invaders in the circulatory and lymphatic system. IgD and IgE are highly antiviral. IgM is known to fight bacteria.

Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) a glutathione precursor, BSA has powerful antioxidant and tumour prevention properties.
Lysozyme - this is known to destroy bacteria and viruses.Aside from the growth factors and fractions found in whey, there are several other ingredients that are known to have some effect on immune function. These include the following:
Interleukins - reduce inflammation and boost immune function.
Leukocytes - stimulate production of interferon.
Cytokines - stimulate and regulate immune response, communications and tumour regression.
Sulphur amino acids - regulate body cell mass and provide antioxidant properties.
Orotic acid - supports red cell integrity.
Hydrogenperoxide producing enzymes - attack bacteria.
Proline-Rich Polypeptide (PRP) - boosts the under active immune system and restores thymus gland function (produces T-cells that fight viruses and antigens).PRP can help balance overactive immune systems, present with autoimmune diseases, where the body actually attacks itself. This means that undenatured whey may be helpful with conditions such as:

Rheumatoid arthritis
Multiple sclerosis
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Fibromyalgia
Lupus
Scleraderma
All forms of whey protein will spike your insulin levels and in particular hydrolysates.

Caseins and Micellar Casein
Casein is the other constituent of milk, as apposed to whey protein. Casein is generally considered milk protein, because in cows milk the casein portion takes up a good 80% of the formula.

Casein
Casein is hardly a poor quality protein. For many years, casein has been considered the standard reference protein by which all other protein qualities are measured and compared. It is now known that caseing has had a bad wrap. And there is more than just ignorance behind this thinking. When it comes to money, there is much mis-information leaked into the world. In order to sell 100% whey protein powders, some unscrupulous companies have tried to convince consumers that casein is of poor quality … even going so far as to hint that casein may be dangerous. This is of course unfounded and indeed, wrong.

Casein is GRAS (generally regarded as safe) listed by the US FDA and is one of the few food components to achieve that status. This is a fundamental point that you need to consider at all times. Casein contains many bioactive peptide sequences that provide important benefits for the body. In fact, the highly regarded peptide, glycomacropeptide (described above), which many people believe to be a whey protein, is, in reality, a peptide chain from casein that finds its way into cheese whey protein as a byproduct of cheese manufacture. So casein has a very important factor that is ideal for your muscle building desires.

As it has been stated above and you can work out for yourself, human maternal milk contains 40% to 55% casein. There is of course a reason behind this in nature.

Micellar Casein
Micellar casein differs from "caseinate" in that micellar casein is not denatured and is the naturally occurring form of casein. A recent study involving 16 healthy, well fed individuals compared the effects of whey protein to micellar casein on whole body protein utilization.

So we know how good whey protein is as an anabolic protein and immune supporting health boosting choice. So why don't we consume whey protein the whole time. Well, there are a number of problems with this. One of the major points that you need to get a grasp of when it comes to protein, is that we don't need to focus on only anabolic (muscle growth) effects, but rather both anabolic and anti-catabolic (preventing muscle wastage and breakdown) actions of our diet. And that is where Micellar Casein rules supreme.

Several studies have demonstrated that whey protein is a fast dietary protein as discussed. With a fast dietary protein, all that happens is that every time it is consumed, the amino acids are released quickly into the bloodstream in a large grouping. It is the fast, excessive release of amino acids that causes the body to send a significant portion of the aminos to the liver for oxidation. In other words they are wasted and useless. This also causes aging effects upon the body through oxidative damage.

These same studies have shown that as each new batch of amino acids is released into the bloodstream in a large group so often, a lower percentage is used for lean tissue growth support and a higher percentage is oxidized in the liver. Even worse, these percentages become more skewed on each successive protein ingestion, resulting in a reduction in the efficiency of protein utilization. Why waste your money consuming whey protein more often when the benefits would be doubtful at best?

Secondly, the groundbreaking study comparing micellar casein to whey protein concluded that micellar casein significantly inhibited protein breakdown and that whey protein had no effect on protein breakdown. It did not say that whey protein had a slight effect or somewhat of an effect on protein breakdown.

The study concluded that whey protein had absolutely zero effect on protein breakdown. In other words, you can eat all of the whey protein you want as often as you desire, but it will not have an anti-catabolic effect. There are initially high anabolic properties, but these rapidly diminish if you consume whey all of the time. And there are absolutely no anti-wasting effects of the protein. This means whey is ideal and perfect for scenarios when you need to replenish amino acids and fast, such as immediately upon waking, and immediately post training. At all other times you are looking to consume highly anti-catabolic and anabolic proteins such as micellar casein.

The Science Of Muscle Building
Basically, through the sound, scientific principles of "Fast and Slow Dietary Proteins", research has concluded that no single source protein supplement is the ideal method to grow new muscle tissue (anabolism) while, at the same time, preventing muscle tissue breakdown in the body (catabolism).

If one consumes only Fast proteins such as whey, the amino acids enter the bloodstream too fast, stimulating protein synthesis, but also causing the body to divert a significant percentage of the amino acids to the liver, where they are oxidized and used for energy instead of for promoting lean tissue growth.

If you combine quality proteins with differing digestion rates in the correct ratios, you can eliminate this uneconomical scenario by creating a sustained release effect. This is what is truly going to place your body into a highly anabolic and anti-cataboic state, primed for muscular recovery and growth. We have to recommend that one combins different types of Fast proteins, in the form of whey protein concentrate, isolate, hydrolysate, and egg white, with a Slow protein source, micellar casein. With this combination of Fast and Slow Dietary Proteins you are essentially trying to ensure that precise amounts of amino acids will be released into the system at exactly the right times, so as to maintain a constant positive nitrogen balance and an ideal anabolic / anti-catabolic environment for muscle tissue development.

So for anybody who is serious about making lean tissue gains, a mixture of Fast and Slow Dietary Proteins is the only logical and scientific option to consider. Anything else is substandard and that doesn't mean that it does not work, it merely means that it is not the most optimal way we know, nor, is it the best option available to you in the real world.

Groundbreaking studies have come to the following conclusions:
• Micellar casein significantly inhibited protein breakdown (anti-catabolic function) over seven hours after ingestion. Whey protein had no effect on protein breakdown.
• Micellar casein moderately stimulated protein synthesis (anabolic function).
• Less amino acids were wasted through liver oxidation after micellar casein ingestion than after whey protein ingestion.
• Micellar casein resulted in better overall nitrogen retention in the body compared to whey protein! Micellar casein is anti-catabolic and is an important component in the sustained release of amino acids into the system for maximizing anabolism.

Whey and Casein And Their Biological Value's
All proteins are made up from different ratios of amino acids, the make-up of which determine the proteins Biological Value. This is the measurement of protein quality expressing the rate of efficiency with which protein is used for growth.

Of the whole foods, Egg contains the highest quality food protein known. It is so nearly perfect, in fact, that egg protein is often the standard by which all other proteins are judged. Based on the essential amino acids it provides, egg protein is second only to mother's milk for human nutrition.

On a scale with 100 representing top efficiency, these are the biological values of proteins in several foods:
Protein Ratings

FOOD PROTEIN RATING
Eggs (whole) 100
Eggs (whites) 88
Chicken / Turkey 79
Fish 70
Lean Beef 69
Cow's Milk 60
Unpolished Rice 59
Brown Rice 57
White Rice 56
Peanuts 55
Peas 55

As far as sources of protein created in the lab are concerned, here is a short list of some protein sources you can find in supplements common today. See how they compare to the natural sources listed above:

PROTEIN SUPPLEMENT PROTEIN RATING
Whey Protein Isolate 159
Whey Protein Concentrate 104
Casein 77
Soy 74

As you see, the BV of whey is very very high, but this is wasted if it cannot be absorbed and used by the body in the short period it is in your system. Now take a look at the BV value of casein which is lower than that of Whey. What is unique about casein protein however is the slow digestion rate. Studies that compare whey and casein administered in the workout period inevitably find that whey protein exerts a far stronger anabolic response in this case. However, when casein is administered at other periods the strength gains are twice of those seen with whey. This is because while whey stimulates protein synthesis much more than casein in the short term, casein causes a sustained release of amino acids, preventing muscle breakdown for a more extended period of time . This makes whey the protein of choice for the workout period, with casein preferably added at other times, especially before periods of fasting (such as sleep).