What does it take to build muscle and get in shape? Determination, motivation and training for sure.... However the key to building muscle is protein and lots of it!
Protein supplementation is critical if you if you want to get the most out of your workout. Proteins are made up of amino acids, which are the building blocks of muscle tissue. High-intensity exercise causes damage to your muscles in the form of microtears. In response, your immune system rushes available amino acids to the damaged tissue, where the amino acids are incorporated into new, stronger musculature.
If you are looking for quick recovery from intense exercise, you will benefit from fast-acting amino acids, usually in the form of whey protein. Pure whey protein gives the body shorter proteins that are easier to breakdown into amino acids for absorption through the intestines and into the bloodstream. This is easy-digesting protein. The end result is an amino acid infusion that reaches the muscles much more quickly. This helps cut down on recovery time and empowers athletes to get back up to full strength (and back to working out) in a fraction of the time.
But as useful as this kind of protein is for recovery, slower acting or slow digesting protein is beneficial in other ways. Consider micellar casein protein.
What is micellar casein protein?
Casein is a protein consisting of five different types: alpha casein, beta casein, gamma casein, delta casein, and kappa casein. Micellar casein is comprised of all five of these casein types in a natural globular structure.
In many ways, micellar casein and whey protein are two different sides of the same coin. Both whey and casein come from milk, with whey (the liquid part of the milk) making up approximately 20% of the total protein, and casein (the curds) accounting for the remaining 80%. But while whey protein is perfect for fast digestion and absorption, micellar casein protein digests much more slowly. In other words, pure whey protein is fast digesting protein where micellar casein is slow digesting milk protein.
What exactly does that mean??
Muscle growth/repair doesn’t only happen in the hours following exercise; it happens all the time. When you’re in an anabolic state, resting, that’s when your body starts to repair itself. A fast, direct infusion of a protein supplement does little to support this ongoing process. This is where casein milk protein comes in.
When you consume casein protein, stomach acids form a sort of “clump” around the protein and begin to release protein at a slow-but-sustained rate. This creates a steady stream of amino acids flowing into your muscles all day and all night. Casein milk protein is especially useful when consumed just before bedtime.
During the seven or so hours that you spend sleeping per day, your body’s natural muscle building and repair processes continue. However, as you’re not generally consuming protein while you sleep, the body doesn’t have as easy access to amino acids. For example, within only four hours of consuming whey protein, your body has effectively run out of easy-access branched-chain amino acids (BCAA). Micellar casein provides your body with a long-duration source of BCAA before bed, and BCAA before bed means better protein synthesis (and improved muscle growth) all through the night.
Micellar casein protein supplements have been linked to greater strength and endurance, improved metabolic rates, and better muscle gains.
How to take micellar casein
While both whey and casein are available in milk, to really get the doses that your muscles crave without also significantly upping your calorie intake, you should be supplementing.
NPL has just the perfect product. NPL Micellar Casein powder is the best micellar casein protein powder on the market.
Mix 3 level scoops, (approx. 30g) with 250ml of cold water. Vary the amount of water to achieve desired consistency and taste. To increase your protein intake per serving and achieve a delicious milkshake taste, use milk instead of water.
Losing weight, getting in shape, and packing on muscle tissue isn’t easy; it takes hard work and determination. But once you’ve racked your weights, hit the showers, and settled down for the night, it’s time to let your body take care of things for a while. An effective casein protein powder will help you get enough BCAA before bed to keep your body working for you long after you’ve stopped working out for the day.
Give NPL Micellar Casein a try and you will see the difference!
Available for purchase online from FIZIQUE
