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Another of the eternal questions – which protein supplement should I choose? Which one will help me reduce body fat? Which protein will lead to the greatest increase in muscle mass? What is for mass and what is for reduction? The answer is not as simple as it may seem, there are no universal methods, but I will try to clarify the subject a bit and make it easier for you to choose.
Is it worth supplementing proteins at all?
This is where you should start – do you even need protein supplements? In January 2018, a systematic review with meta-analysis was published to document the relationship between protein supplementation and resistance training-induced muscle mass and strength development in healthy adults. The results may not come as a surprise to anyone, but it is one of the strongest pieces of evidence that IT IS WORTH IT! The analysis included 49 studies, covering a total of 1,863 participants. It was documented that the inclusion of protein supplementation caused a statistically significant increase in strength (one rep max), lean body mass, and muscle size. The authors also noted that the negative impact (reducing effect) is brought about by aging of the body (years fly by), and it is supported by resistance training. It was observed that the optimal supply seems to be 1.6 g/kg and a higher protein intake over the course of a day does not bring additional benefits. This statement is debatable, as there are situations where higher intake will be beneficial or at least preventive in terms of muscle mass and strength losses. Of course, I am talking mainly about periods of fat tissue reduction (energy deficit and increased physical activity), as well as periods of injury, especially those involving immobilization. During muscle mass development, however, when the body is still supplied with a surplus of calories, protein intake at the recommended level of approx. 1.6 g/kg seems to be sufficient. If you eat a bit more meat/eggs/legumes, or drink an additional shake after training and your intake increases to 1.8 or even 2 g/kg of body weight, nothing bad will happen, but remember - there is no need to "kill yourself" to increase your intake.
It could also be argued whether the supply of protein supplements actually caused an increase in muscle mass and strength in the subjects. Of course, this is about a general increase in protein supply and this should be remembered - if you can consume more protein from conventional food - there is nothing to prevent you, including a high-protein supplement is not a requirement, but rather a way to make life easier and shorten the time it takes to prepare some meals. Well, sometimes an additional sweet treat in the form of a cocktail, icing or even pudding.
What protein is ideal?
The aminogram model has been consistently used for years to be egg white . Interestingly, recent studies have shown that consuming whole eggs (with yolks) stimulated muscle protein synthesis better than consuming just egg whites. Unfortunately, in the study between groups, the only element differentiating them was not yolk consumption (i.e. it was, but ultimately it translated into many elements) – energy and fat consumption were also higher. There is a chance that there is “that something” in the yolk, but it is equally likely that it was the availability of fat or calories that stimulated MPS more strongly. This also gives us an argument not to be afraid of consuming certain, limited amounts of lipids around training.
Scientific studies often focus on comparing the type of protein consumed (sometimes with the addition of other food ingredients) on the stimulation of muscle protein synthesis. For example, Miller et al. in a meta-analysis published in 2014 documented that the supply of whey protein combined with carbohydrates had a stronger effect than the supply of protein from other sources. Unfortunately, their work did not reach statistical significance. Other studies (Denysschen et al. 1999, Pal et al. 2014), which compared whey proteins to soy and casein, did not document significant differences between groups consuming different protein sources. Denysschen's study, as one of the few conducted in this field, used strength training. However, it was conducted on a very small number of people (28 overweight men with hyperlipidemia). Considering these aspects, the data are significantly limited and it is difficult to make clear recommendations. After the publication of Miller's meta-analysis, whey proteins were compared to soy, pea and rice proteins. In the case of comparison with soy protein (the study consisted of including an additional portion of an isocaloric drink), lasting 9 months, supplementation with whey protein contributed to a significantly greater increase in muscle mass (3.3 + -1.5 kg) than in the second group (1.8 + -1.6). Studies on pea protein were a bit surprising - no significant differences were shown between the "pea" and "whey" groups. In the case of rice protein, WPI stimulated MPS more strongly, even when its portions were smaller than those of plant protein.
To sum up – although there are many studies on protein supply – they do not provide clear evidence of the “superiority” of any of them. Whey proteins seem to have been studied the longest and compared in the largest number of trials. They are comparable or better than other animal proteins or proteins from families, they are characterized by rapid absorption kinetics, high bioavailability and high leucine content, and additionally great solubility, good palatability and affordable price. Personally, I believe that reaching for whey proteins will be the most beneficial solution for people who do not avoid animal proteins.
Paweł Szewczyk - Master of Dietetics specializing in sports nutrition. Dietician of Polish National Team and European Champions. Participant and speaker at trainings, conferences and seminars throughout the country. Lecturer at the State Medical Higher Vocational School in Opole and the Institute of Psychodietetics in Wrocław. On a daily basis, he deals with professional counseling in the field of nutrition and supplementation, publishes scientifically and popularly, and trains athletes and dieticians.
Author of the blog: szewczykpassion.wordpress.com
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