EvoPro™—Nature’s Ultimate Protein—Amino Blend
Human milk is composed of unique and highly complex proteins, peptides and amino acids, which promote rapid muscle tissue growth. EvoPro™ includes these alpha and beta micellar caseins, alpha-lactalbumin, lactoferrin, L-glutamine and more. Nature created this precise mix to stimulate muscle growth to higher levels, and EvoPro is the ultimate nitrogen delivery source.

Muscle Milk helps grow muscle faster than gainers, whey or even creatine. This increased muscle growth is possible because Muscle Milk is the first product patterned after Nature’s ultimate anabolic food—human mother’s milk. Locked within the composition of human mother’s milk are long-held secrets to muscle growth potential. We took the next step and actually duplicated these important muscle growth factors into Muscle Milk. Muscle Milk helps you grow muscle like never before.

CytoSport Muscle Milk Review

Muscle Milk Protein Supplement

I'm just finishing up my current tub of Cytosport's Muscle Milk protein powder, and I'm very impressed. This is my first time trying Muscle Milk, by the way. I've always heard a lot of good things said about Muscle Milk (taste and quality wise), and at the first chance, I picked up a tub of banana cream flavor.

There are many whey protein powder supplements on the market, and most are quite "similar" - and users buy them depending on their own preferences of taste, price, brand name, etc... At the same time, there are different types of protein powders aimed for different needs and purposes. For example, pure whey protein for post workout, and protein blends for other times during the day, or a bed time protein shake. Then there are different quality protein powders mainly whey concentrate, whey isolate, or a mix of both. Whey concentrate powders are quit a bit cheaper, typically cost around $30 for a 5lb tub online, where an isolate can cost around $30 or more for just a 2lb tub - big difference.

Cytosport Muscle Milk fall in the category of protein blends, most fit for use throughout the day, and also as a bed time protein. Although on the tub, it suggests you can (should) use Muscle Milk post workout, I would not necessarily recommend this. Mainly because Muscle Milk is a protein blend of whey and casein proteins - in what Cytosport calls their EVOPRO formula - "evolution based protein".



Muscle Milk - Evopro - What is it?

As mentioned above, Muscle Milk is an ideal bed time protein because of its protein blend of whey and casein, and not necessarily ideal to take post workout. This "EvoPro" blend, is what Cytosport dubs as "Nature's Ultimate Anabolic Protein - Amino Blend". Why is that? Besides the whey and caseins in this blend, Muscle Milk is patterned after human mother's milk, which has important anabolic growth potentials. Muscle Milk includes alpha and beta micellar caseins, Alpha-Lactalbumin, Purified Bovine Colostrum Extract (rich in Secrotory IgA and IGF-1), lactoferrin, glutamine peptides and more. So just what are some of these ingredients?

Alpha-lactalbumin has a protein efficiency ratio of 4.0 compared to 3.6 for whey and 2.9 for casein protein. Alpha lactalbumin also has higher biological value than both whey and casein proteins. It contains large amounts of essential and conditionally essential amino acids.

Bovine colostrum - Colostrum is produced by female mammals during first 24 to 48 hours after birth, and it contains immune factors along with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, and other growth factors. Bovine colostrum is identical to that found in human colostrum but at higher levels. In short bovine colostrum plays an important role in immunity to diseases among other important functions.

There are various claims that bovine colostrum boosts IGF-1, however, after doing some research on this at pubmed, it does not appears so. While I found that many studies found bovine colostrum to provide significant benefits for athletes, but it did not boost IGF-1 like what many claim.

If you're lazy to read (and try to understand these studies), the gist of it, is that bovine colostrum provides many benefits for athletes, but non of the studies I viewed could confirm that it boosted IGF-1.

Anyways, let's chat a bit on the protein blend of Muscle Milk, which is made up of whey and casein (Micellar Alpha and Beta Caseins and Caseinates, Whey Concentrates, Whey Isolates, Whey Peptides).

The main reason why the whey & casein blend is so popular (effective) as a night time protein is because of their different rates of digestion and absorption.

Whey protein is digested and absorbed rapidly, which also fills your blood with more amino acids rapidly, but this effect doesn't last long. So Whey protein is quick in, quick out. Increase in amino acid blood levels inhibits muscle breakdown and stimulates protein synthesis. However, research has shown that whey protein is oxidized (burned up) as much as it is used for protein synthesis, which means that less of what amount of whey you take in is used to build muscle. This is where casein protein comes in. Casein proteins have slower rate of digestion and absorption, this then gives it more time to fuel protein synthesis, and less into energy production. So in a nut shell, whey protein provides aminos almost immediately, and once the whey is all "used" up, the casein kicks in and continues to provide your system with amino acids - like a time release formula.

"NATURE'S ULTIMATE LEAN MUSCLE FORMULA"

Muscle Milk^® is an evolutionary muscle formula that promotes efficient fat burning, increased strength, lean muscle growth and fast recovery from exercise. Designed after one of nature's most balanced foods: human mother's milk, Muscle Milk takes the guesswork out of high performance nutrition, delivering a precise blend of ultra-premium proteins, complex carbohydrates, functional fats, vitamins and minerals. No matter what your goals may be - building lean body mass, toning your physique, or weight control, Muscle Milk delivers on both results and taste!

Benefits:

EvoPro™-Nature's Perfect Protein: EvoPro in Muscle Milk contains a complete and precise mix of highly bioavailable proteins for sustained energy including, calcium an sodium caseinate, milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, whey peptides, lactoferrin, L-glutamine, and taurine.

LeanLipids™-Burn Fat! Don't Store It!: Predigested, trans-fat free Medium Chain-Triglycerides (MCT's) are more likely metabolized for muscle energy and heat than stored as fat. Long-chain polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids from sunflower/safflower and canola oils are also less likely to be stored as fat.

Complex Carbohydrates: Zero-lactose, starch-based complex carbs found in Muscle Milk, supply energy to the body in the form of glucose. Muscle Milk also supplies carbohydrates in the form of fiber, acknowledging that fiber is an important part of a healthy diet.

Lactose Free: Muscle Milk contains ZERO Lactose!

Amazing Taste: Rich, flavor-packed indulgence that is second-to-none!

Benefits of using Muscle Milk®

Efficient Energy Production: Lean Lipids™ are special fats that are easily mobilized for workout energy, enhance your body’s fat metabolism and promote protein synthesis, anti-inflammatory effects and mineral retention.

Muscle Growth and Repair: EvoPro™ is a complex ratio of proteins, peptides and amino acids designed to replicate the amazing benefits of mother’s milk for rapid tissue growth and repair.

Best ways to use Muscle Milk®

Before: Take one serving of Muscle Milk® one hour prior to training. Muscle Milk provides the caloric energy needed for intense workouts while flooding nutrients to hungry muscles.

After: Take Muscle Milk® within 30 minutes after workouts, games or events to shift the body from catabolic to anabolic. Muscle Milk provides nutrients to kick start the recovery process.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.