whey
 

Whey protein is the most important supplement you can take, with essential benefits for everyone from casual gym-goers to elite sportsmen. But with so many choices, each with a variety of other substances and bewildering acronyms propping up their ingredients list, it can be difficult to know what you’re actually putting into your body - or if it’s even helping your training.

Production process

Both isolate whey and concentrate go through a microfiltration process – basically a really fine sieve – but isolate goes through it more times.
This produces a powder containing more than 90% pure protein, compared with around 75-85% for concentrate.

Protein type

Take whey straight after a workout for a quick hit of muscle-building nutrients.
Casein is the bedtime protein, and you should take it before you hit the hay for a prolonged release of protein to aid muscle recovery and growth.
Soy protein is a vegan option derived from soya beans, and studies have shown that it, like the previous two, supports muscle hypertrophy.

Brand power

Has the brand been around for ages?
If so, it’s a safe bet that all the problems with the powder have been fixed, leaving you with the best product.

Here's what you should look out for next time you reach for the scoop...

Carb content

World-renowned strength coach Charles Poliquin says that if you’re going for mass gains, you must take a protein and carb-rich shake after your workout. For lean gains, avoid excessive carb intake and simple carbs even more so. Low carbs in your diet means a drop in the body’s insulin, making it easier for your body to burn fat

Creatine

You could find this in your protein, most likely if you have a bulking powder. What it does is increase energy, which allows you to train for harder and longer. This means protein synthesis (muscle fibre repair) will occur more, building bigger muscles.

BCAAs

You might find these in you protein powder, and for good reason. If you're training with heavy weights, branched-chain amino acids help prevent the breakdown of muscle tissue and post-workout DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) so you recover quicker and can train again sooner.

Quantity

There is no general agreement to how much protein you should be taking after a workout. 0.55g of protein per kg of bodyweight is enough for building muscle. So for a 75kg man looking to accelerate his strength gains, around 40g of protein per post-workout serving should hit the spot.