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Almost every person that has ever done weight training will at one point purchase a protein supplement. It is well know that adequate protein consumption is by far the most important aspect when it comes to packing on muscle. However, what is not well known is the quality of protein is also just as important. When it comes to protein supplementation, a lot of people live by the phrase "protein is protein" and any powder will do. Well that is not the case. Buy a cheap 1 or 2kg bag of protein and it's more than likely that the ingredients and quality are not up to scratch.
Protein quality is measured by how well the body can absorb and utilise it based on nitrogen retention. This rating is known as the Biological Value (BV). The higher the BV of protein you use the more nitrogen your body can utilise. This means the higher BV valued proteins promote higher muscle gains. Now let's look at some of the higher proteins and their BV.
|
Source |
Biological Value (BV) |
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Whey Isolate |
159 |
|
Whey Concentrate |
104 |
|
Egg |
100 |
|
Milk |
91 |
|
Tuna |
83 |
|
Beef |
80 |
|
Chicken |
79 |
|
Soy Protein |
74 |
As we can see whey isolate has the best absorption qualities. This should be considered when trying to decide which protein powder to purchase. Hang on; it gets a little bit more complicated than that. Not all whey isolates are the same though. Different formulations and manufacturing processes impact BV. The integrity of the protein molecule is protected by ion-exchange or cross flow membrane extraction methods. So when purchasing a powder READ THE LABEL and look for terms like whey protein peptide blends, ion-exchange or cross-flow membrane extraction.
The process of protecting the protein molecule by ion-exchange or cross flow membrane extraction can prove quite expensive for supplement companies. Normally the much cheaper protein powders do no incorporate this process and therefore the protein molecule is inferior. As the saying goes 'you get what you pay for.'
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Protein Supplements
