It is no secret that there is a rise of hockey players’ regularly using protein as a dietary supplement in their day-to-day training schedules. Nutritional supplement retail and internet stores readily make available an extensive range of protein powders. Media advertising promotes the advantages of its use. As a follow on from last edition of Go Hockey News blog about protein, in this edition we look at a beginners guide to understanding and using protein powders.

Protein powders are designed to promote increased muscle mass when combined with regular exercise. The powder formulas can be mixed with milk, water or fruit juices to make a tasty shake. But just how do supplements speed up the muscle growth process?

Put simply, they work together to provide your body with the necessary foundation to create the amino acids that are needed to build muscle tissue, quicker and more efficiently. The reason athletes and bodybuilders traditionally have benefited so much from the intake of protein supplements is that intensive physical activity requires higher than usual levels of protein. By increasing your protein intake you are also giving your muscles more time to recover but they also grow faster as a result.

Throughout the digestion process protein is broken down by dietary enzymes known as proteases. The quicker these a broken down, the faster they can be converted into amino acids which can repair muscle tissue faster and promote quicker but natural growth. It is also known to improve the overall immune health of an athlete, helping them to stay healthier, fitter and stronger for longer through intense training campaigns. Research also suggests that consuming extra protein before you work out is a great way of optimising muscle development. This protein is quickly digested into amino acids in readiness to be used by the muscles requiring repair following a strength work-out. However protein powders should not however be used to replaces whole-food sources of protein altogether, as powders do not contain the natural vitamins and minerals provided elsewhere.

PROTEIN POWDER ADVANTAGES

There are several advantages to consuming 2-3 protein shakes in place of whole food protein sources throughout the day and they include:

• Convenience
• Faster absorption for post-workout protein requirements
• Better absorption and digestion
• Constant flood of amino acids at all times

By now it should be clear that including a good protein powder in one’s diet is very beneficial in ingesting your daily protein requirements. The tricky part is trying to pick a GOOD protein powder that will contribute to your purpose for taking protein shakes and not break the bank.

There are many factors to take into consideration if you are contemplating using protein powders

1. Know what your goal is and then to match it with the type of protein powder which matches your goal

The following is a synopsis of the types of protein powders;

Always Look At The Label When Deciding On A Protein Powder.

Whey - Is the ultimate protein, in terms of quality and bioavailability. Whey has the highest proportion of branched chain amino acids or BCAA’s including isoleucine, leucine, and valine, which are critical for driving protein synthesis. They are considered the building blocks to produce amino acids that are used to build muscle tissue. Whey is an extremely fast digesting protein and highly soluble, making it great for after a workout to restore protein synthesis. In fact, studies have shown that whey protein can stimulate anabolism post-workout. Whey protein comes in a few options, concentrate, isolate and hydrolysate. Concentrate are less expensive, contains higher levels of lactose and fat and yield less protein, approximately 80 percent protein for every 100 grams. While isolates are more expensive, lower in fat and lactose and have higher protein content from a gram for gram perspective. Hydrolysates are by far the most expensive, but are designed for rapid and fast delivery to working muscle.

Casein – is an extremely slow digesting and rich protein source separated from milk by means of ultra-filtration. Casein contains a high amount of bioactive milk peptides that support immune function as well as enhance muscle growth. Casein’s unique properties allow it to form a gel in the gut, causing a slow and steady release of amino acids over a long period of time, thus making it an excellent, long lasting anti-catabolic protein. In fact, studies conducted on casein protein have demonstrated it to sustain steady amino acid elevations for up to 7 hours after ingestion, making this protein an excellent choice for preventing muscle breakdown. Casein is a great night time protein option, or for use during extended times between meals.

Soy - usually gets a bad wrap from the bodybuilding community, as many have deemed this soy bean derived protein to elicit estrogen effects. It is the thought that the active ingredients in soy, isoflavones, may stimulate estrogen receptors and thus cause feminizing effects, which is definitely not the ideal situation for a bodybuilder who is trying to maximize testosterone levels and increase muscle protein synthesis. However, this is not the case, soy isoflavones’ estrogen-like powers is actually very weak. A recent study examined the affect of soy on reproductive health in men and found no effects on serum sex hormones, testicular volume or semen quality, when given 40 mg of soy isoflavones daily for 2-months approximately the same amount found in 2 cups of soymilk. Although you still might not be convinced or willing to pass over your whey protein, soy is a great protein alternative to animal choices and even great for those who have allergies to lactose. Soy protein’ constituents, including saponins support healthy immune system function and combine with cholesterol to reduce it’s absorption into the body through the small intestine. Phytosterols have also been shown to help maintain cholesterol levels.

2. Natural and pure protein

Not All Protein Powders Are Created Equal

The quality of a protein powder is in my opinion more important than the total quantity of protein.

Always look at the label when deciding on a protein powder and make sure it doesn’t contain any more that 7-10 ingredients. Also, try and find a powder with more natural ingredients. Typically if you have a hard time pronouncing all the ingredient names, that might be a sign to put that one down and look for another one.

When choosing a powder it is also important to never get pulled in by advertisements that state it has so called “added ingredients” that will promote even more muscle growth.

Supplement companies use a dirty little trick where they will include a small trace amount of an extra ingredient that may be helpful in promoting more muscle gain on its own, but the amounts they include in their product is not enough to make a significant difference. When they do this, the price is normally inflated and not worth considering.

Also When choosing a powder make sure it has the following:

• Low Fat (1-5 grams is ok)
• Low Carb (1-5 grams is ok)
• High Protein (normally about 20-30 grams per serving)

3. Who is the manufacturer and is the seller reputable

Another factor to consider when picking a protein powder is to find out how long that company or product has been on the market. Ay general guideline is to only consider products that have been around for at least three years and have received positive feedback. Normally, if a product lasts this long it is because it is a quality product that people continue to purchase because it works.

Supplements manufacturers are notorious for hyping up their products with unrealistic claims and promises. DO NOT buy into the hype of major companies that price their product above and beyond what you really need to pay.

I am not saying their products are not good or that you will not see results with them, but rather, they are just not worth the cost they are charging.

Take the time to compare ingredients, company track records, and do not let the hype influence your decision. Also it is important that when considering the use of protein powders we suggest that further medical advice is sought.