Regardless of what some advertising seems to suggest, simply consuming whey protein is not going to build massive pecs or sculpted abs. Arduous training in conjunction with good nutrition produces that kind of appearance. Whey protein does play a part, nevertheless. In contrast to the majority of boldly hyped health supplements, whey protein is supported by clinical evidence that it can indeed support your weight training efforts. As reported by “The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society,” whey proteins make the best protein powders for boosting protein muscle synthesis and growth. Whey protein supports muscle recovery when taken prior to working out and boosts your immune system.
Amino Acids
Whey protein contains high levels of three amino acids called valine, leucine, and isoleucine. Collectively, these amino acids are known as branched chain amino acids, or BCAAs for short, and make up 35% of the total amino acid content of skeletal muscle tissue.
During an exercise session, your system boosts BCAA metabolism to supply energy to muscles. Inevitably, strenuous exercise will use up the BCAAs in muscle cells. One scoop of whey protein consists of around four grams of BCAAs, and can therefore enhance muscular performance. One study released in “The American Journal of Physiology” demonstrated that four to five grams of BCAAs taken before working out can substantially lessen muscle breakdown.
BCAAs can also aid in the synthesis of muscle proteins. Another study, this time reported in “The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,” came to find that the amino acid leucine, taken post-workout, together with adequate levels of carbohydrates and protein, increases protein balance throughout the whole body and improves protein muscle synthesis. BCAAs also help with recovery time following an intense training session. One study published in the “The Journal of Nutrition” demonstrated that supplementing your diet with BCAAs previous to performing squats helps reduce muscle soreness post-workout.
So we can see why whey is considered the best protein powder for athletes and bodybuilders.