If you’re reading this article, you have enough awareness to know that using a protein supplement can give you incredible leverage as you attempt to create or maintain a healthy body. However, knowing which type of protein to use and when to use it to maximize your efforts is topic not everybody understands so read on for our helpful guide on which protein to take for your requirements.

The formulas that are used to create these amazing supplements are very specific to what goal is trying to be achieved. Since each individual person has different fitness goals, the amount of different protein sources grows each year.

What this article will do is help you break through the noise of the market. With each new product that is introduced, your local vitamin and supplement store becomes more and more confusing. You’d think that more options would make life easier, but it just breeds complexity. Let’s make things simple. Let’s zero in on what you need and what you don’t so you can make an informed decision the next time you go to place a protein order.

WHEY PROTEIN

This form of protein powder is the most popular of all protein supplements, mainly because it appeals to the goals of the majority of people. If you’re looking to put on just a few pounds of lean muscle, whey protein powder is a quality vehicle to get you there. Most brands provide 22-25 grams of protein per serving, with a few grams of carbohydrates and fat as well. The high protein ratio will feed your muscles what they need to grow, while not overloading your body with calories, due to the low counts of carbs and fat.

If you’re looking to drop a few pounds, whey protein powder is also a great option. Since you’re not trying to lose an excess amount of weight, the macronutrient ratio of this supplement would fit your goals just as well as someone who is trying to just put about 5 pounds of muscle on. The higher count of protein would allow you to build more muscle, those new muscles can burn more fat, and you’ll begin to experience the weight loss you were in search of.

The macronutrient ratio of a typical whey protein supplement isn’t the only thing it has going for it; the rate at which your body absorbs these nutrients can also be of benefit to you. Protein in the form of whey is absorbed by the body very quickly, making it a high quality post workout supplement. If you consume your protein shake shortly after working out, the whey protein gets into your system and starts feeding your muscles ASAP.

Bottom Line: Whey protein has the benefit of a fast absorption rate as well as providing a quality macronutrient ratio that is heavy in protein. If you’re not looking to put on a ton of muscle or lose a lot of weight, but would rather maintain a healthy homeostasis, whey protein is a good option for you. Labrada 100% Whey Protein meets all of these standards, and is made by a unique microfiltration process that involves NO heat or acid treatment like that used inion-exchange whey protein production. Give it a try.

CASEIN PROTEIN

Casein protein supplements have similar macronutrient ratios to whey protein supplements, but the rate of protein release in the body is much different. As stated above, whey protein enters the body and gets right down to business, feeding your muscles the protein they crave immediately. Casein protein, however, has a much slower release into the body. This distinct difference means that casein protein supplements should be used in a different way than whey protein.

This slow-release formula can benefit anyone sticking to an intermittent fasting regimen of eating. Studies have shown that casein protein can take up to 7 hours to completely digest and be used by the body. If you take a casein protein supplement just before you enter your fast, your body will have access to that protein for longer, allowing your body to build and repair muscle long after you take it.

Another study showed that an increase of casein protein intake by a multiplier of 2.5 showed an increase in metabolic rate. This combined with a fasted state, which also increases your metabolic rate, can turn you into a fat-burning machine.

Bottom Line: As stated, casein supplements provide a similar amount of macronutrients to your body, but its slow release can be utilized by anyone that is also practicing intermittent fasting. If that sounds like you, then give casein a try.

WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE

This supplement falls under the umbrella of whey protein, but can be a game changer for anyone trying to lose some serious weight. An isolate formula differs from a traditional whey protein supplement by the way it isolates the macronutrient of protein, and gets rid of essentially everything else.

A whey isolate supplement is almost nothing but protein, which offers two benefits:
1) The concentrated amount of protein entering your body can do it’s job faster due to its pure delivery.
2) The lack of carbohydrates and fat allow the calorie count to be lower, which will help create a bigger calorie deficit in your diet. The bigger the caloric deficit, the faster you can lose weight.

Bottom Line: If you’re looking to lose weight, this is probably the protein supplement for you. It provides a quality amount of protein, while also offering a lower calorie count. You’ll still be able to build muscle and burn fat while creating a bigger calorie deficit for weight loss. Made with 100% PURE WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE as the sole protein source, ISO LeanPro® contains ZERO Sugar, Lactose and Gluten — no junk, fillers, or cheap blends.

WEIGHT GAINER PROTEIN
This form of protein can be a combination of whey and casein protein. True to its name, a weight gainer protein’s purpose is to create a calorie surplus, allowing people that are looking to gain weight or mass to do so faster than if they simply ate more food.

To give you some perspective, a traditional whey, casein, or whey isolate protein supplement is about 100-200 calories per serving. A weight gainer protein supplement can be between 500-1000 calories per serving. Rather than having a macronutrient ratio that favors protein like the other options on our list, this supplement will have plenty of everything so the calories can pile on.

Bottom Line: Weight gainer protein should only be used by someone that’s trying to bulk up and put on some serious pounds. 1-2 servings can be well over 50% of the average person’s caloric budget for the day, so if you’re not interested in gaining weight, this is NOT your supplement. Labrada’s MUSCLE MASS GAINER was created by our Labrada Research and Development team to help you gain muscle weight fast.  Muscle Mass Gainer is perfect for “hard gainers,” — those are the athletes who find it hard, or next to impossible, to gain weight.

REFERENCES
Hochstenbach-Waelen123, A., Veldhorst123, M. A., Nieuwenhuizen123, A. G., & And, M. S. (2009, March 01). Comparison of 2 diets with either 25% or 10% of energy as casein on energy expenditure, substrate balance, and appetite profile. Retrieved June 26, 2017, from https://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/89/3/831.abstract