Do you bodybuilding in the gym? Take advantage of Muscle Nutrition's online sale at special prices, specializing in the online sale of supplements for all needs at special prices.
In this section we discuss casein protein powder.
Casein protein powder offers a great nutritional contribution to the body because their characteristic is to have a slow absorption that continues to feed the muscle mass even when the other types of proteins have already been digested.
Casein protein supplements play an important role in the well-being of those who practice body building in the gym: casein protein powder is perfect when trained muscles need to be nourished and it is also advisable to take casein protein powder before going to sleep to reduce nocturnal catabolism. To give your best in body building in the gym, choose casein protein supplements: it is easy to buy them with the online sale at special prices.
In milk, caseins are mostly found in the form of micelles, large spherical protein aggregates dispersed in the milk mass with the hydrophilic part facing outwards and the hydrophobic part concentrated in the internal "core". Knowing these aspects roughly is important to understand the different properties of casein supplements.
Casein micelles are the result of the association of other smaller spherical particles, the submicells. Each submicell is made up of a lot of casein molecules, but they are not all the same. In fact, 4 different proteins are known: αs1-casein, αs2-casein, β-casein and k-casein. The first three are strongly hydrophobic and tend to precipitate in the presence of calcium; k-casein is instead made up of two different parts, one more hydrophobic and one more hydrophilic: the hydrophobic portion of k-casein integrates perfectly with the other caseins, while the hydrophilic part turns towards the outside of the micelle, in contact with the surrounding liquid environment; a sort of shield is thus formed which protects the other caseins from contact with calcium ions (which would cause them to precipitate). Furthermore, this shield is negatively charged and this causes the various micelles to repel each other.
Small quantities of lactose and mineral salts such as calcium and phosphorus are incorporated inside the micelle, which have the function of stabilizing its structure. On the outside, instead, we find whey, containing lactose, whey-proteins and small organic ions.
The size of the micelles varies according to the type of milk; in that of a woman, for example, they have a smaller diameter than that of cow's milk and this makes human casein more digestible. The stomach proteases, in fact, must break down these micelles before attacking and digesting the proteins concentrated inside them; in this sense, the increase of the specific surface (smaller micelles) facilitates the digestive action. Similarly, in the dairy industry smaller micelles mean faster, thicker curds.
With the addition of rennet (proteolytic enzymes), the k-casein is broken in two, its protective action is lost and the various caseins, instead of repelling each other, aggregate and form the curd. With acidification, however, the negative charge of the micelles is lost with a consequent tendency to aggregation.
DIGESTIBILITY
Due to their nature and their tendency to form micelles (which are very resistant to heat and dehydration, so they can be found in protein supplements), caseins are known to represent a "slow absorbing" protein source. Compared to whey proteins, therefore, caseins are digested and absorbed more slowly, ensuring a more delayed entry of amino acids into the bloodstream. For the same reason, at the same dosage, they have a lower insulin index and a greater satiating power.
From all these premises derives the advice to take casein supplements away from training and / or before going to bed for night rest, in order to stimulate protein synthesis and limit the catabolic phenomena induced by prolonged night fasting.
Compared to whey proteins, caseins tend to give more viscous and sticky solutions (lower solubility).
