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Best Whey Protein | Whey Protein Gold Standard

Best whey protein for bodybuilding?

This question can be answered in several different ways. Best quality, best taste, and best price.

ON (Optimum Nutrition) Whey Protein Gold Standard, in my opinion, is the best overall protein, and many must agree as it is the best selling protein product for the past 5 years.

The best quality of whey protein would be one with a high percentage of purity. That
generally means that a gram of protein would be at least 90% pure. That can be found in
whey protein isolate or hydrolysate. The three most common forms of whey that are
available in most protein powders are listed below. Just about all proteins contain a
mixture of two or three of them. The more isolate and hydrolysate, the higher the quality of protein.

The best tasting  is of course, impossible to answer as everyone has different tastes, but I have tried many different brands and flavors. My personal favorite is BSN Syntha-6 Chocolate Milkshake or Mochaccino.

The best whey protein for price would probably be Optimum Nutrition 100% Gold Whey
Protein. This is the top selling whey powder of all time. This because it has the best
combination of quality, taste and price. It is high in whey isolate, which makes it higher in
quality than most powders in it's price range.

Whey Protein Information
Whey protein isolate

Whey protein isolate is a more expensive, and more pure form of  protein.  Whey isolate
contains 90% or more protein and very little fat compared to whey concentrate, which could
contain between 29% and 89% protein.  The difference between the two types is that  isolate
comes from a
longer and more complicated filtering process. Isolate is a better mass builder than concentrate, but will cost considerably more money.

Whey protein concentrate

Whey protein concentrate is a less expensive and less potent version of whey.  Concentrate will contain 29% to 89% protein, depending upon the manufacturer.  A high-quality  concentrate is perfect for a bodybuilder who is on a limited budget.  Look at the
label to determine the percentage of protein in each serving.

Whey Hydrolysate

Hydrolysate protein undergoes a higher level of processing than either whey isolate or  
concentrate. As a result, it is the highest quality but with this usually comes an
increase in retail price. The main benefit is that it is easily absorbed by the body.

Ion-exchange whey

Ion exchange is another method that is used to make higher quality whey protein.  Sweet
dairy whey is combined with a special resin in large vessels.  These vessels are then
charged with electricity and the resin bonds to selected proteins. The resin proteins are
then taken from the vessels, the electric charge is reversed, and only the whey protein is
left.  Ion exchange results in a powder that has a very high percentage of protein.

Ultra filtration

This is also a popular method for making whey protein.  This process involves taking sweet
dairy whey, which is a product from cheese manufacturing, and passing it through a series
of ceramic filters.  As it is passed through the filters, fat and lactose are removed,
which leaves a concentrated liquid form.  This liquid is then dried and instantized for easy mixing.  One of the benefits of producing it this way is that there is no high heat used, which helps prevent damage to the protein.

What is Whey Protein?

Preferred by most bodybuilders, whey is one of the two types of protein found in cow's milk.  Milk is approximately 87% water and 13% milk solids.  The milk solids are comprised of fat, lactose, protein and a small amount of other minerals.  The protein portion of the milk solids is approximately 80% casein and 20% whey.

Whey is much more quickly digested by the human body than casein and it
has a higher biological value, which makes it the most nutritious protein available.

How is Whey Protein Made?

Ion exchange is one of the manufacturing methods. When the casein or curd and milk
fat are separated from milk in order to make cheese, the remaining liquid whey
goes
through a series of filters to separate the whey protein from lactose and other
ingredients.  
This concentrated liquid whey then enters an ion exchange vessel, which
then uses
electrical charges to purify the whey protein.  The purified product is
then dried to
remove moisture.


Why is it so popular?

W
hey protein is extremely popular among bodybuilders for several reasons.  The
biggest
reason is because it is the most complete, and most quickly digested
protein
available.  It has the highest biological value and contains branched chain
amino acids,
which are critical in building muscle mass.  The second reason why it
is so
popular is because compared with other proteins, it is much less expensive.


Who can benefit from supplementing with whey protein?

Anyone involved in sports activities, especially bodybuilding
, will benefit greatly
from
supplementing properly with whey protein.  In addition to supplying the body
with all the
essential and nonessential amino acids, whey protein is especially rich in
naturally
occurring branched chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine).  These
particular
amino acids are used directly by skeletal muscles, and therefore are in great
demand
during exercise or strenuous sports activities.


How much does it cost?

The cost of whey protein
can vary greatly depending on the manufacturer, the
process
used to create the whey protein, additional nutrients that may be added, etc. T
he cost of
some of the more popular supplements are listed elsewhere on this page.


Where can I get it?
Whey protein supplements can be purchased at any health food store, but the very best
prices are available through the links on this page.


Are there any side effects to taking whey protein?

There are no documented negative side effects to supplementing
with whey
protein.  
However, people who are allergic to dairy products, or are on a dairy
restricted diet for
medical reasons, should not use it without consulting a physician.  


If you suddenly increase the amount of protein you are eating on a daily basis, you may
notice a slight increase in intestinal gas, which is normal, regardless of what type of
protein
you are using.


What flavors does it come in?

Whey protein is available from many different manufacturers.  In
any number of
different
flavors.  The most popular flavors are of course vanilla, chocolate and strawberry.


Who has the cheapest whey protein?

I would recommend staying away from the cheapest 
you can find.  I
would
recommend Optimum Nutrition's Gold Standard  because it is
a very high
quality product that is not too expensive.  There are many other
quality
manufacturers, including BSN, EAS, Ultimate Nutrition, Designer Whey, MuscleTech
and
many others.


How much  should I take?

The total amount of protein from all sources you should take each
day is between 1
and 1.5
grams per pound of body weight.  This means a 200 pound bodybuilder,
should be
consuming 200 to 300 g of protein each day.  This amount should be divided up
into at
least 5 or 6 feedings.  At least two or three of these feedings should consist
of foods from
animal sources such as beef, seafood, poultry and dairy products.  The
remaining feedings
can consist of protein shakes made with whey aqnd/or casein.  If your goal is in
the middle of the range, and each feeding should consist of 40 to 50 g of protein.  

Most  supplements in powder form and provide 20 to 24 g of protein per serving.  They usually come with a scoop that is equal to one serving, therefore, each shake should
consist of two scoops.


How do I make a whey protein shake?

Follow the label directions on your particular supplement for a
guideline, but you can
mix  
it with milk (preferred), water or juice.  One common method is to use
a 12 ounces of milk in a blender with one or two scoops of whey protein.  You can also add fresh strawberries, bananas, ice cream, peanut butter, crushed ice, or anything else that suits your fancy. Use a blender for best results. You can mix it with a spoon, but it will take a while to make it smooth.

Can I mix other supplements with it?

Yes.  You can mix virtually any other supplement with your whey
protein when
making a 
shake.  If your brand does not include creatine or
glutamine, for example, you can add a
teaspoon (or whatever the recommended
dose is) of these supplements into your shakes.  
Another good idea is to mix
casein
and whey in the same shake, giving your body some fast 
digesting
as well as longer-lasting protein.  (Casein takes longer to digest than whey, making it ideal to take before bed.)

Will whey protein help me build muscle?

Assuming you are following a good bodybuilding workout program,
supplementing
with
whey protein (and protein in general) will provide the necessary building blocks for
your
body to recover and grow stronger.  It is one of the most
important factors in the process of building muscle.

If I am taking whey protein, do I need to eat protein from other sources?

Yes.  Most of your daily intake should come from meat and other
animal sources.  
Whey
protein should not be used to replace whole food protein, but rather as a means
to
increase your intake between meals and after workouts.  Further, each type
of
protein (whey, casein, egg, meat, rice, soy) has a
slightly different amino acid profile.  
It is best to
take some combination of all of these.  
(One exception would be soy, which is considered to have a slightly inferior amino acid profile.  Soy works well for those who are lactose intolerant, or would prefer to get their protein primarily from vegetable sources.)

When is the best time of day to take whey protein?

Since it is quickly digested by the body, the best time of
day for a
bodybuilder to
take whey protein is in the morning, and immediately after a workout.  
Taking it in the morning is beneficial, because you have gone several hours without any protein, and
you want to get it into your body as quickly as possible.  Taking it
immediately
following a workout is beneficial because this is the time when your body
craves protein
more than any other time.  The quicker you can get high-quality
protein into your depleted
muscles, the better.


Do all bodybuilders supplement with whey protein?

Most, if not all bodybuilders supplement with some kind of protein
powder.  Whey
protein is
by far the most popular choice due to its low relative costs,  high biological value
, and BCAA
content.

Whey Protein Fractions

Whey protein is made up of individual proteins, also called  fractions.These  fractions
can be
separated into purified fractions or
left in a mixture to create whey protein isolate.

The individual components of whey protein are Lactoferrin, Glycomacropeptide,
Immunoglobulins Alpha-lactalbumin, Beta-lactoglobulin and Lactoperoxidase.


Alpha-lactalbumin (Alpha-lac)  Whey protein is made up of approximately 25%  Alpha-lac.  
This fraction can be added to infant formula, because it
can create a protein profile similar
to human milk.


Beta-lactoglobulin (Beta-lac)  This fraction accounts for 50% of whey protein. Beta-lac is
what gives it it's water binding ability and other functional properties.


Glycomacropeptide (GMP) Glycomacropeptide is a peptide derived from casein.  It is found
in cheese whey and has anti-microbial capabilities.


Immunoglobulins (IgG1, IgG2, IgA and IgM).  Immunoglobulins are believed to neutralize
toxins and viruses, and have shown anti-microbial activity.  Research is being
done to
determine the possibility of using milk antibodies in the
prevention and treatment of
microbial diseases in humans.  Colostrum derived whey protein
contains greater
concentrations of immunoglobulins.


Lactoferrin (LF)  
This whey fraction provides many benefits.  Due to its iron binding properties, lactoferrin
increases iron transport, and absorption.  Similar to alpha
lactalbumin, lactoferrin is
commonly added to infant formula, because it's protein profile is similar
to human milk.  
Lactoferrin is an anti-microbial and antiviral agent.  That is believed to
incubate organisms
such as bacteria, yeast, fungi, E. coli, parasitic protozoa, HIV, hepatitis C,
and herpes
viruses.  Research also shows that it may stimulate regrowth of beneficial bacteria in
the
intestinal tract.  Studies in animals have also shown that lactoferrin may help
maintain
bone density.

Lacto peroxidase (LP)
This fraction of whey protein is an enzyme that also acts as a natural microbial agent.  
Lacto peroxidase is sometimes added to milk to inhibit
bacterial growth in order to extend
shelf life.

Health Benefits



What are some of the additional health benefits of whey protein?

Whey protein has many health benefits in addition to supporting muscular growth. It
has
been shown to assist the immune system by
raising glutathione levels.  
Glutathione is an essential antioxidant that protects cells and
neutralizes toxins such as
carcinogens and heavy metals, among others.  Studies in animals have
shown that we
protein concentrate, consistently raises glutathione levels further than any other
kind of
proteins studied, including soy.  (Bounous G. and Gold P., Clin. Invest. Med. 1991).


Glutathione is actually so necessary to an immune systems health that immunity it self can
be modulated by glutathione levels.  (Roseanne
K.,Fidelus and Min Fu Tsan.  Cellular
Immunology, 1986).  People who suffer from
AIDS, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's and
Parkinson's, often exhibit reduced glutathione levels.  A small
study of HIV-positive men
who ate whey protein, found that glutathione levels increased dramatically, with two
out of
three men, eventually reaching an ideal weight (Bounous G.,
Baruchel S., Faiutz J., Gold P.,
Clin. Invest. Med. 1992).


Along with its ability to enhance the immune system, whey protein fights infections.  
Research animals given whey protein showed increased response from hormonal
and
cellular immune systems to salmonella and Streptococcus
pneumonia.  This response
was not seen with other types of protein (Bounous G., Konshavn P., Clin. Invest. Med 1988).


In addition to whey proteins ability to assist the immune system and fight infection, is its
apparent ability to fight cancer.  In vitro research has shown
that exposing breast cancer
cells to low concentrations of whey protein causes the growth
of the cells to be inhibited
(Baruchel S. and Vaiu G., Anti Cancer Research 1996).


Another clinical study showed regression in some cancerous tumors when subjects were
administered 30 g per day of whey protein powder
(Kennedy R.S., Konok G.P., Bounous G.,  
Baruchel S. Lee T.D., Anti Cancer Research. 1995).  


Also, animals that were fed whey protein before being given dimethylhydrazine (DMH), a
powerful cancer-causing chemical, had a much stronger
immune response than animals
that were fed other types of protein.  The tumors that did result
were smaller and fewer in
the animals that were given whey protein (Bounous G., Clin. Invest. Med. 1988)


Additional research was done to confirm this study in which rats were given whey protein,
and also subjected to DMH.  The result again was
fewer tumors and a smaller pooled area
of tumors.  The researcher's conclusion was that we
protein, offered "considerable
protection to the host," when compared to other proteins, including
soy (McIntosh G. H., et
al. Journal of Nutrition
1995).
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