Supplements Buyers Guide > 12 Rules of Protein

Protein comes in many varieties - Whey, Casein, Peptides, Blends, Egg.. the list goes on! Read 12 Rules of Protein for a guide to protein - when to take each type and why!

At A Glance Guide
Below we have prepared an at-a-glance guide on which protein to take, and when - use this as a reference, but be sure to read the rest of the guide to find out why!

First Thing in the Morning           
10-20g whey + 10-20g soya   
Between Meals (mass gain)      
40g casein, small amount of slow-digesting carbs
Pre-workout                                   
10g whey + 10g soya   
20-40g slow-digesting carbs 
Between Meals (get lean)            
10g whey + 10g soya   
Post-workout                                 
20-30g whey + 10-15g soya
+10-15g casein   
20-40g casein
Bed Time 
40-100g fast-digesting carbs   
Small amount of healthy fats but no carbs


RULE #1 – KNOW WHEN TO EAT YOUR PROTEIN AND WHEN TO DRINK IT
The best protein you can get comes from meat, poultry, dairy, seafood, beef and eggs. Our bodies are built to extract protein from whole-food animal sources which remains the most natural and best way for us to get the nine essential amino acids that our bodies can’t produce. However, there are times when whole-foods are not the best option for protein such as first thing in the morning, before workouts, after workouts, some in-between snacks and before bed when shakes are a better option. Still, the majority of the meals you eat each day should consist of whole-food proteins.

RULE #2 – WHEY PROTEIN FIRST
Whey is a critical protein powder. It is the fastest digesting protein you can buy, which means it’s perfect when you need to slam amino acids into your muscles – such as when you wake and pre and post-workouts. Whey has a high proportion of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), the most critical ones for stimulating muscle growth. Whey is also good at boosting muscle protein synthesis particularly around workout time. The peptides found in whey have been shown to enhance blood flow which can bring muscle boosting nutrients to muscle cells.
Look for a product that contains at least some protein isolate which digests more quickly than whey protein concentrate. Try a whey that contains hydrolysates, which are whey proteins broken down into smaller fragments – it digests faster than isolate but costs more.

RULE #3 – CASEIN COMES NEXT
Casein like whey is derived from milk but while whey is fast digesting, casein (particularly micellar casein) digests extremely slowly.  When casein shake hits your stomach digestive enzymes find it difficult to break it down. It can take hours for the enzymes to breakdown the casein (up to 7 hours) giving you a steady stream of amino acids throughout this time. This slow steady release of amino acids helps to stop the breakdown of muscle that normally occurs when you wait a long time between meals. Your body needs amino acids at all times to function properly even when you’re asleep and so will turn to your muscles to get them, casein helps prevent this from happening.
Research has shown that casein can help build muscle in addition to slowing muscle breakdown. One study found that men who drank a post-workout shake containing both whey and casein for 10 weeks gained significantly more muscle mass than men who only drank a whey shake alone.

RULE #4 – DON’T FORGET THE SOYA
Research shows that soya increases muscle mass just as well as whey does. Genistein is a soya phytooestrogen which increases the amount of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) produced by blood vessels. NOS uses arganine to convert to NO, the presence of genistein results in higher NO levels. Soya protein powder is high in both arginine and genistein, which makes it perfect for boosting NO levels. Soya is ideal as a pre-workout drink as it increases blood flow to the muscles but the same mechanism can also improve muscle recovery after workouts. Research also shows that soya can aid fat loss, particularly from the waist and abs. This is probably because the peptides in soya both decrease hunger and influence the brain to keep the metabolic rate elevated even when on a lower-calorie diet.

RULE #5 – START THE DAY WITH PROTEIN POWDERS
When you awake your body is suffering from catabolism meaning your body is literally eating your muscles. To stop this from happening you need some fast-digesting protein to get amino acids into the blood stream to replace any muscle protein lost during the night. It is recommended to take 20-40g of half whey, half soya protein first thing in the morning.

RULE #6 – KNOW HOW MUCH PROTEIN POWDER IS RIGHT FOR YOU
You can’t overdose on protein powder but you can over-indulge. You need 1-1.5g of protein per pound of body weight per day.
For those trying to add only lean muscle mass and keep bodyfat low or lose bodyfat,  20g of protein powder will be adequate at all times except immediately after workouts when it should be increased to 40g. For hardgainers who have difficulty adding muscle mass, those who are looking to put on a lot of mass without too much concern for bodyfat, 40g of protein powder will work except before and after workouts. Before lower level of protein powder to 20g and after workouts raise it to 60g.

RULE #7 – PREPARE WITH PROTEIN POWDERS
Before workouts you want a 20g dose of fast-digesting protein powder within 30 minutes of training. A mix of half whey and half soya is best because they’re fast digesting and enhance blood flow to the muscles. The BCAAs from whey are also used as fuel by the exercising muscles; these allow you to train harder and for longer.

RULE #8 – SLEEP ON PROTEIN POWDERS
When you’re sleeping you’re not eating so your body breaks down muscle protein to use as fuel. You want something slow releasing at night. Immediately before bed take 20-40g of casein protein powder, one containing micellar casein is best.

RULE #9 – RECOVER WITH PROTEIN POWDERS
Immediately after workouts you need a fast digesting source of protein to help advance muscle synthesis and greater muscle growth. Take 40-60g of whey protein powder, this is fast digesting and has high levels of BCAAs which stimulates protein synthesis.
Consider adding some soya to this shake as besides being a fast digesting protein that boosts blood flow to the muscles by increasing NO levels, soya offers potent antioxidant properties that make it better at aiding muscle recovery than either whey or casein. Also consider adding casein to your post-workout shake as this is known to boost muscle growth. The best bulk boosting blend would be ½ whey, ¼  soya and ¼ casein.

RULE #10 – PROTEIN POWDERS MAKE GREAT IN-BETWEEN MEAL SNACKS
Whether you’re trying to gain mass or get lean, drinking protein shakes in between meals is a great snack option. Your goal however will determine the type of protein you should use. To get lean take 20g of whey protein shake as whey protein makes you feel fuller than other proteins or simple carb shakes. Drinking whey protein in-between meals allows you to get the protein your body needs to support muscle mass, while helping keep your calorie intake low. To further your fat loss efforts, swap ½ of the whey protein for soya. Those trying to put on mass need to increase their calorie intake and should have a 40g casein shake between meals. Casein allows you to get ample protein without feeling too full so you’ll eat plenty at your next meal.

RULE #11 – BEFRIEND YOUR BLENDER
Plain protein shakes can become boring so jazz them up by adding extra ingredients. Before workouts in addition to your 20g of fast digesting protein, you need 20-40g of slow digesting carbs, eg. Eat an apple with your shake or throw in a banana, oats or wheat germ.
After workouts in addition to 40-60g of protein powder you need 40-100g of fast digesting carbs. Try blending your protein with Gatorade. At bedtime add some healthy fats to your casein shake to further slow the digestion of this protein. Add a tablespoon of flaxseed or 25g of walnuts.

RULE #12 – HAVE FUN WITH FLAVOUR
You need to find a flavour of protein shake that suits your palate. There are plenty of flavours to choose from eg. Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, banana cream pie, toffee and milk chocolate – there’s a taste for everyone.

Try following these protein powder rules as best you can – don’t worry if you forget 1 or 2 of them your life won’t be threatened as a result. The true test will be how much muscle you gain and maintain as a result.