So you’ve gotten to the point in your muscle-building journey that you’re asking yourself… casein vs whey?
There are a lot of options besides these two, but which is better for making gains?
Some professional bodybuilders claim that casein is better because it digests slower.
Others claim that whey protein is better because it’s fast absorbing.
Fast absorbing? Slow-digesting? Why the hell do you even care?!
Let’s get into the details of casein vs whey, come to an answer, and I’ll even shed some light on what really matters when it comes to protein.
Casein vs Whey… It Has to Be Important Right?
If you’re asking yourself this question, then you’ve already identified that protein is pretty important to building muscle.
Carbs are going to give you the fuel for optimal performance to stimulate the muscles.
(That’s why I don’t recommend going Keto for building muscle.)
Fats are going to balance your hormones.
Have you ever cut your fat down and tried to get an erection… it’s not happening.
… And protein is going to build the new lean body mass (all aboard the gains train).
You Need Plenty of Protein to Build Muscle (How Much)
The amount of protein you need per day depends on your goals.
For non-athletic individuals (like the general population), protein recommendations are moderately low.
It’s somewhere around 0.35g of protein per 1lb of lean body mass.
But for us meatheads using a strong workout program, we really have to pay attention to our protein to make sure that we don’t lose all our gains.
A common baseline is to eat 1g of protein per 1lb of total body weight.
If your goal is to preserve existing muscle and get shredded, I recommend 1 – 1.2g of protein per 1lb of bodyweight.
This is because when you’re in a caloric deficit, your body literally has to eat itself to continue functioning and increasing your protein intake keeps your body in protein synthesis more often so you don’t lose all your muscle in the process.
Now, if your goal is to build new lean muscle tissue, you can get away with less protein.
For a bulking phase, you should consume 0.8 – 1g of protein per pound of target body weight.
But going back to the argument of what kind of protein you should consume…
Before Going Further You Need to Understand This…
There’s an important point you need to understand before you can truly compare casein vs whey and how they’ll each benefit you.
Your metabolism is always in one of two different states:
- Catabolism
- Anabolism
When your body is catabolic, it is breaking down complex molecules into simpler ones so they can be released as energy.
Oppositely, when your body is in an anabolic state, it’s actually synthesizing complex molecules from the simpler ones for the purpose of storing energy.
OK, so how does this relate to the casein vs whey argument?
Well, each of them are going to excel in assisting your body in one of these states over the other.
Let’s talk about each of them in a little more detail so you get the full picture…
(Note: I created a Shredded Student Checklist if you’re ready to start getting lean and shredded while you go to school.)
What is Casein Protein?
Casein is a naturally occurring substance found in cow’s milk and makes up roughly 80% of the main protein.
It has a high biological value so it has essential amino acids necessary for all the processes that require protein.
What Makes Casein Protein So Great?
In the casein vs whey argument, casein is going to build new lean muscle mass and repair existing muscle that’s in a catabolic state just like any other.
However, there are a couple things that casein does that makes it unique:
- Casein might improve dental health – Some research suggests that casein actually boosts teeth enamel and helps to reduce acid erosion.
- Casein is a slow-digesting protein – Casein clots in the stomach and makes large globules of protein. This clotting slows the digestive process for up to 7 hours total.
Why is that second point a benefit? Because it’s important to know…
When to Take Casein Protein?
The general recommendation for when you should take casein protein is right before you go to sleep.
Why?
When you sleep, your body goes into an anabolic state and it repairs any broken down lean body tissue.
This is a slow process that lasts the entire night.
That’s why, it makes sense to consume a slow-digesting protein that helps in this long state of protein synthesis.
So as your body just sits there, working hard to put you back together again, you can help that process by consuming casein protein before you go to sleep.
Cool, huh?
Casein Protein Side Effects
OK, so casein isn’t like a drug or anything, so the “side effects” you may experience won’t be very intense.
The common side effects include:
- Indigestion or heartburn
- Bloating
- Allergic reactions
- Bad aftertaste
However, just like I mentioned earlier, regardless of the casein vs whey argument, the supplement industry can be a shady place.
…and if you decide to consume a low-quality casein protein powder from some tub that has more colors and action shapes than an Anime cartoon, then you might be in for a few additional side effects.
What are the Best Sources of Casein Protein?
Since casein protein is a naturally-created substance from dairy, you can find it in a number of common foods including:
- Milk
- Cream
- Half and Half
- Yogurt
- Sour Cream
- Ice cream
- Butter
- Cheese
- Pudding
Other foods have casein, but they’re only trace amounts which aren’t worth mentioning.
The other option is to get your casein protein from a concentrated source like protein powder.
Optimum Nutrition is a very reliable and high-quality brand and so their casein powder is often recommended in the bodybuilding community.
So now that you understand the details of casein, let’s talk about whey protein to continue the casein protein vs whey comparison…
What is Whey Protein?
Whey protein is yet another byproduct of milk production (thin liquid).
This liquid is then concentrated and dried and it becomes a powder.
What are the Benefits of Whey Protein?
What separates one protein from another is its amino acid profile.
Some of them are complete and provide more benefits to your metabolism, nervous system, and immune system.
There are only 3 amino acid profiles that are considered complete and they’re soy, egg whites, and whey.
So whey has a high nutritional value when compared to other proteins sources.
Additionally, whey protein is a fast-absorbing protein source.
This means that protein synthesis occurs at a much faster rate and can be more quickly used by your body to repair damaged muscle tissue.
This makes it more effective for protein synthesis if you consume it at the right time.
Remember if you’re going to pursue a very intense training regime, then using a very fast-absorbing protein source will have its benefits.
For example, Starting Strength, one of the most popular and effective novice training programs in the world has a controversial diet recommendation for high school kids called GOMAD (Gallon of Milk A Day).
On the surface, this seems like a ridiculous recommendation for gaining weight, but when you think about it…
…a very ambitious strength training program that’s constantly putting your body into a catabolic state requires a very fast-absorbing protein in high quantities.
With that logic, the idea of consuming a whole gallon of milk every single day doesn’t sound completely insane.
When is the Right Time to Consume Whey Protein?
Well, obviously you can consume whey protein whenever you damn well please.
(It’s your body and you can do whatever the hell you want.)
But have you heard of the “30 minute anabolic window”?
Do you know where that came from?
Well, after you finish working out, lifting heavy-ass weights, your body goes into a state of catabolism.
So, in order to offset this fast breakdown of molecules, it makes sense to digest a fast-absorbing protein source.
That’s why it’s slightly beneficial to consume whey protein within 15 to 30 minutes after working out to slow the breakdown of proteins in your body.
Now I said beneficial, but how beneficial? …we’ll get to that.
Whey Protein Side Effects
For the most part, whey protein is very safe for us meatheads.
The problems only come when you consume an excessive amount.
In those cases, you may experience side effects like:
- Increased bowel movements
- Nausea
- Thirst
- Bloating
- Cramps
- Tiredness
- Headaches
Funny story, but a buddy of mine told me that someone told him to take a certain protein and it always gave him fucked up dreams haha.
I don’t know where that came from… anyway…
What are the Best Sources of Whey Protein?
Similarly to casein, the best whey sources are dairy products like:
- Ricotta cheese
- Milk
- Yogurt
- Cheese
Additionally, if you want a more concentrated source, you need to consume it as a protein powder.
Again, I recommend Optimum Nutrition, MyProtein, or PEScience brands.
(Note: This is a 6-month muscle-building course I recommend to anyone who’s looking for the right first step to becoming big. Targeted workouts, full meal plan, video tutorials, and tons of gains.)
When Protein Powders Are Helpful…
Up to this point, I’ve really been trying to deliver the answers to the questions you’ve been asking yourself about protein powder, but it’s time for me to be completely honest on the subject of protein supplements…
The fact is… you don’t need them.
Yes, your favorite bodybuilder at that expo you went to told you that brand XYZ protein is awesome and you should try it (I get it).
However, protein powder is just a supplement… meaning… an addition to the solid diet that you should already have.
In my opinion, protein powders are only good for two things.
1. Urgency situations
There are some times when you just can’t get your hands on some quality protein.
As a guy who lifts weights and works out, you basically need to carry your protein around in a holster on your hip.
However… you can’t always get your hands on a chicken breast when you need it.
That’s when it’s a good idea to have a tub of powder laying around that you can mix with any glass of water or milk and you’re ready to go.
This works for times when:
- You’re on vacation
- You’re visiting friends out of town
- You stayed overnight with your Tinder match
(Keep the powder in the car for that last one.)
So what’s the other reason you might really need powders?
2. Difficulty consuming enough calories
This probably rings true for all you hardgainers out there (guys who can’t seem to put on weight).
There are two main reasons why it might be difficult for you to consume enough calories.
- Your metabolism is a little faster than average and you burn a few hundred calories more than the average guy.
- You have a very weak appetite.
In either case (disregarding the casein vs whey argument), you might have a hard time forcing calories down your throat and that’s when having the ability to drink your calories is a major benefit.
Despite Everything I Just Told You…
When it comes to building muscle, these differences in the anabolic and catabolic states, slow vs fast digesting proteins, and subtle details in amino acid profiles are…
…not worth it.
Too often, guys get caught up in these details, make their muscle-building diet way more complicated than it needs to be, and it has negative consequences overall.
Consider this… when it comes to fitness, unnecessary complexity leads more often leads to quitting.
That means if you spend all day today analyzing the benefits of whey protein vs casein protein so you can make sure you have a shake ready 30 minutes before and after your workout and another one ready before you go to bed… then OK.
But is it worth it if all this extra work leads to you giving up a few short weeks from now?
No, it’s not.
That’s why I’ll leave you with this blunt recommendation on protein…
The most important thing is to make sure you consume all the protein in a single day before you go to bed.
It doesn’t really matter if that’s in 1 meal, 14 meals, pre-workout, post-workout, or while you’re surfing through a blizzard in the middle of a hurricane.
Just eat it.
Keep it simple and you’ll make gains.
What Do You Think About Casein vs Whey?
Now that you know that both protein sources have their place in the muscle-building game, do you have any plans to work them into your diet?
Leave me a comment below and tell me your opinion on casein vs whey and whether you think you’ll use them for your fitness goals?