Protein supplements
have undergone a drastic revolution over the past ten years. Ten years
ago they didn't have good taste, didn't mix well, didn't digest well,
and were generally being consumed only by bodybuilders or hardcore
athletes. Today there are great tasting protein powders, and they're being used by virtually everyone, including grandparents just looking to stay fit and healthy.
A few questions are routinely asked when it
comes to protein supplementation, like what different kinds are
available, what are the differences between various types, should more
than one kind be used, and if there are certain situations where
consumption of one kind would be more beneficial than another.
Some insight into milk proteins is a good starting point for understanding more.
Milk proteins fall into two general categories: casein and whey.
In general, milk protein is 80% casein and 20% whey. Milk protein
isolate can be made by centrifuging (high speed spinning) milk to
separate the fat from the protein content, then adjusting the pH
(measure of acidity) to the isoelectric point (pH where the overall
charge on the sample is 0) of casein (typically a pH of 4.6), which
causes the casein portion to become insoluble and precipitate
(solidify) out of solution.
The whey portion remains soluble (liquid)
and thus can be separated from the casein portion. This is not the end
of the story however. Several modifications can be made to casein and
whey.
