Muscle Milk Casein Micelles
A Discussion
Milk is an extremely complex food that delivers a broad spectrum of immune and nutrition factors to help babies survive and grow. Milk is far more complex than once thought, with over 100,000 different molecular substances estimated. Science continues to gain fresh insights into milk structures. One area in particular has received recent attention-casein micelles.
The term "casein micelles" may seem confusing. But once you learn why casein micelles are in human milk, and their role in nutrition, they are easy to understand. Casein micelles are another example of the brilliant strategies Nature uses to solve difficult nutritional problems. Whether you are an endurance athlete or bodybuilder, the casein micelles in Muscle Milk can positively impact your metabolism and help you get the most out of your total milk protein supplement.
Casein
In human milk, there are two main proteins: whey and casein (kay-seen). Over millions of years, Nature evolved both proteins to be taken together; each complementing and boosting the effectiveness of the other. Whey is quickly metabolized, while casein is more timed delayed. This fast-and-slow protein release was cleverly designed by Nature, and is just one reason Muscle Milk is maximally anabolic and anti-catabolic, providing a high level of amino acid concentrations in the serum amino acid pool.
Casein composes about 40% of the protein in human milk. While much of this discussion may seem like detached scientific mumbo jumbo, casein is actually a familiar part of our life. The "milk mustache" after a cold glass of milk is largely casein. And one reason milk is bright white is because casein reflects light. Finally, the curds from the Little Miss Muffet nursery rhyme are casein. We have literally grown up on, and around, casein.
Casein Micelles
Caseins, of which there are four types, are found in milk within a structure called a Micelle (my-sill). Simply, a micelle is a dense clumping of various nutrients into a molecular grouping. In a micelle, you can find up to 21 amino acids that compose casein, and powerful bioactive peptides. The cement that holds micelles tighter are the minerals calcium and phosphorus, and some citrate. In fact, close to two-thirds of milk calcium is linked to the casein micelle.
So, casein is a part of a micelle. The micelle also contains minerals, amino acids, and bioactive peptides. The term "micellear casein" refers to the overall grouping of nutrients that casein is a part.
A micelle can be composed of hundreds, even thousands, of smaller sub-micelles. Why would Nature clump all these nutrients together? For the best reason of all, and why Nature designs virtually everything about the body-survival, and why we decided to include caseins in their most complete, native, non-isolated form.
Micelles-Traveling Nutrients
The casein micelle grouping is actually a transport vehicle. In other words, micelles act as a moving van to deliver these nutrients into the stomach, still bound together in this group. The reason for grouping reveals Nature's genius.
The micelle package contains minerals that are not well broken down in the stomach, especially in infants. That's the problem. Nature's solution is to keep the casein micelle intact so stomach acids have a better chance to help make the minerals more usable. This process also allows for larger peptides to be absorbed intact for improved protein absorption.
That's Why...
…casein releases its proteins, peptides and amino acids slowly-because it's part of a slow releasing micelle group. And that's also why slow releasing casein micelles are the perfect anabolic partner to whey. Whey for fast amino acid release and casein for slower amino acid release and elevated serum amino acid pools.
Caseinates
Commercial casein does not dissolve into water especially well. Since water is the predominant intra-cellular medium, caseinates are produced-to be more soluble in water. Caseinates are produced by dissolving casein so it is more water soluble. The most typical forms are calcium, potassium and sodium. Sometimes, as in the case of Muscle Milk, caseinates are made even more water soluble by special processing. Muscle Milk uses select caseinates to make it more mixable in water or milk, while at the same time, presenting them in their native forms to assure and enhance bioavailability. Once again, Nature, not man, was the cleverest formulator.
Article Reference: CytoSport WebSite
(http://www.cytosport.com/News.aspx?NewsID=4)
