The boom in protein production occurred in the 90s, when its high anabolic properties and bioavailability were proven and announced. Today it is the most popular dietary supplement not only among athletes, but also among ordinary people. Protein (English: protein) is a pure protein that is easily and practically absorbed by the body without residue. This is a concentrated powder that stimulates intracellular protein synthesis necessary for muscle growth. In this case, protein is even used for weight loss. With a protein diet using protein, fat is burned without harming muscles, a person does not feel a loss of strength, and metabolism remains at a high level.
Protein Types and Market Trends
Modern protein production plants produce four main types:
- Whey Protein.
- Soy Protein.
- Casein protein.
- Egg Protein.
All of these are dietary, natural, 100% digestible high-protein products made from organic raw materials with low fat and carbohydrate content.
The latest trend in the protein supplement market is the combination of multiple protein products into one product. One option is to combine whey protein with casein. The latter is slowly absorbed by the body and serves as a source of amino acids for the blood for a long time. The combination of casein and whey protein is suitable for both daytime and before bedtime. This makes it possible to avoid catabolism, which can be triggered by a long break between meals due to sleep.
Recently, in the production of protein, soy concentrate has increasingly been added to the final product based on whey protein. It is also absorbed quickly and contains large amounts of glutamine, arginine and BCAAs (a complex of three branched chain amino acids). In addition, soy protein speeds up recovery.
The inclusion of egg protein, which is completely devoid of carbohydrates, in protein preparations increases the activity of the secretion processes of anabolic hormones.
And yet, after conducting a series of comparative analyses, the researchers identified whey protein as the best protein product for stimulating intracellular protein synthesis and muscle growth.
Benefits for gaining muscle mass[edit | edit code]
Main article: Protein for Muscle Gain
The effect of gaining muscle mass using protein rather than strength training remains controversial. According to some studies, a group of men who consumed whey protein obtained better results than a group that exercised and did not consume protein supplements. In addition, many scientists believe that the properties of whey protein are superior in value to those of casein.
However, other studies show that the protein has virtually no effect. The authors of one such study concluded that young adults who consumed protein during a structured weight training program experienced minimal benefit from consuming whey protein.[11] It should be noted that during the experiment, scientists did not control the consumption of protein from other sources in the diet of study participants.
Another study in a group of older men found that adding whey protein to the diet before and after exercise had no significant effect on skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Scientists compared the effect of the protein with a placebo.[12] According to the results of this study, the timing of protein supplementation does not have a significant effect on a person's strength, well-being, or body shape.[13]
Main article: Protein - harm and side effects
The effect of whey protein on human health is of great medical interest and is being actively studied by scientists as a potential treatment for certain diseases.[14]
Currently, the use of whey protein as a source of amino acids and its beneficial effects on the body in heart disease and cancer is the subject of much research.[15] Whey is a rich source of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)[11], which stimulate protein synthesis.
Whey protein contains the amino acid cysteine, which can be used to create glutathione. Some studies have shown that the amount of cysteine in the human diet does not have a significant effect on glutathione synthesis.[18] According to another study, large amounts of whey protein can increase glutathione levels.
Whey protein is commonly sold and consumed as a dietary supplement. Due to numerous discussions about the usefulness of some products, it has been classified as an alternative medicine.[21] Whey proteins can cause allergies, but the main allergens in milk are lactose and casein.[22][23]
After conducting preclinical tests on rodents, scientists concluded that whey protein may have anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties.[24][25]
According to The Hindustan Times, Daniela Jakubovich from Tel Aviv University found that consuming whey protein before meals allows diabetics to maintain relatively acceptable blood sugar levels even after eating.[26]
Main article: Sports nutrition intolerance
In some people, consuming whey protein may cause digestive problems such as gas, bloating, and intestinal cramps. The cause of intolerance is still unclear and is often discussed on strength training forums. One hypothesis is that these disorders are caused by lactose intolerance in some people.[27]Read the article: Lactose-free protein and gainer
It is also justified to believe that the problems are related to functional limitations. The human body can only absorb 4 to 9 grams of protein per hour. Therefore, if an athlete consumes a large amount of protein (regardless of its type: whey, casein, eggs, soy, meat, etc.), some of the substances are not digested in the gastrointestinal tract.[28] Undigested proteins in the colon undergo a process of bacterial putrefaction, leading to indigestion.[29]
These symptoms can be caused by ingredients found in low-quality protein shakes (such as lactose in whey protein concentrate) as well as artificial sweeteners found in most commercial protein powders. The effects of these substances can only be prevented by switching to unsweetened whey isolate or hydrolysate. If symptoms do not go away even when eating a purer form of protein, you should switch to another type, such as soy or egg.
Whey Protein
This is a concentrated protein that is isolated from whey. The composition includes alpha-lactalbumin and beta-lactoglobulin, globular proteins and about 8% serum albumin. Simply put, this food protein also contains large quantities of the amino acids necessary for the body - valine, leucine and isoleucine (BCAA complex). These are important “building” blocks of muscle tissue, without which protein synthesis and muscle growth are impossible.
Whey protein is absorbed extremely quickly, easily and without residue by the body. This product corresponds to the highest coefficient of biological activity - an indicator that determines the amount of protein absorbed from the volume eaten. Medical research has proven the overall health benefits of whey protein. Its use stimulates the body's resistance to certain cancers, normalizes blood pressure, and strengthens the immune system.
Capital brands for every taste
The second most popular is the domestic drug OAT 'N' Whey from Scitec Nutrition. This is a high-quality source of protein and healthy slow carbohydrates, similar to those we get from cereals. The balanced composition allows you to saturate the body with the necessary elements and quickly recover after training, and also provides nutrition to the muscles. A serving of the product contains 354 kcal, of which 54 are from fat.
It doesn't matter where you live. You can easily purchase sports nutrition: Moscow today is open to the whole world, online stores make the purchasing process easy and enjoyable. Meet another popular product from Genetic Nutrition. 100% Dairy Casein is the ideal assistant for those who require a constant supply of protein to the body over a long period of time. It is ideal for evening consumption, after training, as it allows for the slow release of amino acids at night. At the same time, whey analogues act very quickly, releasing all potential into the blood at the same time, that is, they are best used before training. 100% Dairy Casein is suitable for people who are on a diet, as it effectively replaces dinner. A large package contains 1.8 kg of powder, which means it will last a long time.
Production
Liquid whey refers to the by-products of production associated with the coagulation of milk (eg cheese making). The protein content in whey is negligible, and for a long time this by-product was simply classified as waste and poured down the drain. Only after many decades, the development of technology made it possible to establish protein production using equipment that allows the isolation of protein from whey in industrial quantities.
The technology for isolating protein from whey includes several stages. Initially, the process of milk curdling is carried out, the curd and whey are separated. The content of minerals, lactose, lactalbumin in the resulting initial whey does not exceed 5%. In the next step, the liquid product is pasteurized and filtered. The filtered whey protein is then concentrated and dried. The resulting product contains from 60 to 97% protein. The production of whey protein is a rather complex process that is not possible at home.
RAW Meal, Organic Shake Meal Replacement from Garden of Life
A real bestseller! The manufacturer provides high quality protein, which is why RAW Meal is very popular among vegetarians from all over the world.
The product can be considered a natural food substitute, as it contains all the necessary microelements and vitamins.
It contains no gluten, soy or lactose, which allows it to be consumed even by people prone to food allergies. No artificial sweeteners, flavors or preservatives. Sugarless.
Characteristics:
- Volume: 1.26 kg
- Protein content per 100g: 20g
- Calorie content per serving: 120 kcal
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Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC)
When isolating any type of protein, filtration is an integral and one of the most important procedures. When producing protein, whey is passed through a specific sieve, which retains the protein fractions.
The first technology for obtaining a concentrated protein product was the filtration of whey through ceramic membranes with very small holes. Despite their unimaginably small size, molecules of fats and carbohydrates pass freely through such holes, but larger protein fractions settle. Collected from the membrane, the whey protein was sent to high temperatures to dry into protein powder.
The downside to whey protein concentrate is the purity of the filtration. It is technically impossible to obtain holes in the membrane of the same cross-section, so a mixed mass settles, in which the proportion of protein is 35-8 5%, despite the fact that honest manufacturers maintain the protein content in their products at a level of at least 70-80%. As a result, the concentrate is not the purest protein product; it may contain excess carbohydrates and fats, which can lead to excessive gas formation in the body. Whey concentrate is a good solution with limited production funding, and therefore the cheapest on the market. The protein fractions of the protein obtained using this technology retain all their beneficial properties.
How to cook?
Naturally, you can’t just throw it into a bowl and eat this whole mixture. You also need to know how to cook them correctly.
It would be advisable to mention that homemade protein takes longer to cook than purchased protein. However, what a pleasure it is to use protein prepared by yourself with exclusively healthy ingredients.
You can prepare different types of protein meals:
Porridge. It can be made from cottage cheese or wheat, filled with plain milk and sprinkled with peanuts. You need to mix everything thoroughly. If you want, you can also cut a banana into the porridge or add honey. Remember that the portion should not be very large, preferably no more than 150-300 grams.
Chew the wheat very thoroughly to get all the minerals you need from it. After all, when it is mixed in the mouth with saliva, incredibly healthy wheat milk comes out. It is very good to eat this porridge at least once a day.
Protein cocktail. Milk must be mixed with soy concentrate and egg powder. Also add some condensed milk or honey.
The prepared cocktail should be drunk immediately after finishing the workout once a day. Also, on a day when you are not training, you can drink this cocktail to help your muscle mass grow.
Vitamin salad at home: simple recipes, benefits and harms of vitamin salads (105 photos and videos)Protein shake for weight gain - preparing at home and taking for muscle growth
- How to take glutamine - calculation of dosage, time of administration and instructions on how to properly use sports supplements in sports (115 photos)
Whey Protein Isolate (WPI)
Protein isolate is a much purer product. It is obtained through prolonged filtration, also called ion exchange. The result is a dry mass with a protein content of up to 95%. Whey isolate contains virtually no fat or carbohydrate lactose and is ideal for consumption. Very often, manufacturers use a mixture of isolate and concentrate in the finished product, which can significantly reduce the cost of the finished mixture, but the whey protein content does not exceed 70%. Experts recommend carefully reading the information on the label and choosing a product whose main component is isolate.
Selection rules
When choosing high-quality Russian-made protein, you should pay attention to the following aspects:
Price. Any sports nutrition, whether domestic or foreign, cannot be too cheap. However, when choosing a foreign product, you have to pay extra for colorful packaging, brand, and pleasant taste.
Compound
It is recommended to pay attention to the total protein and amino acid content of the product. The most valuable products are those with a high content of BAC amino acids and essential acids.
Often mixtures can be enriched with vitamins and minerals - creatine, glutamine, etc.
Type of protein processing. The quality of the protein also depends on the type of its processing: concentrates that contain a high content of lactose, which often causes gastrointestinal disorders, are considered the least valuable. The best form of protein is considered to be isolates, which have the highest nutritional value.
Important! When choosing a protein, you should definitely take into account the individual characteristics of the body and carefully study the composition, because there are people who, for example, suffer from lactose intolerance or an allergy to egg white
Whey Protein Hydrolyzate (WPH)
Protein production by hydrolysis, in which large protein molecules are divided into individual fragments. A similar process occurs in the digestive tract and takes a lot of energy from the body. Protein hydrolyzate eliminates this need in the body; the resulting protein is absorbed immediately. Some experts believe that when restoring muscles you should only take hydrolyzate, although it is worth considering that this is the most expensive type of protein. It is worth noting that the capabilities of modern equipment make it possible to adjust hydrolysis in such a way that the content of small protein fractions can be only 3-50%. This can significantly reduce the cost of the product. With a low content of small fragments, such a protein becomes bitter.
Expert opinion
At the same time, ongoing studies note that the quality of products even from these leading companies does not meet international standards. Thus, we can conclude that domestic firms cannot yet provide the European level of quality for sports products; the only advantage is a lower price. We have given the opinion of experts, now let's look at the main brands and draw our own conclusions.
Filtering Methods
The production of whey protein primarily involves filtering whey from lactose and fats using one of the following technologies:
- Ultrafiltration is the passage of whey through extremely small holes in a ceramic membrane under high pressure. Large protein fractions settle on the membrane and are sent for further processing.
- Microfiltration is a method of additional filtration of the protein mass obtained as a result of ultrafiltration at low temperature. Thanks to microfiltration, it is possible to additionally filter out fat molecules, reducing their content in the protein mass by 1% or more.
- Ion exchange. To separate protein molecules from lactose, fat and other components, charged ions are introduced into liquid whey, which bind only to the protein. Next, using the potential difference, protein is isolated through the ions. The disadvantages of this filtration method include: the loss of some useful fractions and the entry of intermediate chemicals into the finished product.
- Hydrolysis is the chemical process of breaking down large protein molecules into small parts, which are called peptides and are quickly absorbed by the body.
Belarusian
Since these products are frequent guests on Russian shelves, let’s include them in the list of our investigation. So, Atlant is a sports nutrition product that is produced somewhere in the vastness of Belarus, and there is no information on the location of the manufacturing plant on the packaging. There are no contact details or logo, although serious companies never do this. According to information provided by the manufacturer, the product consists of 80% protein. Independent researchers come to the conclusion that its content does not exceed 14%. We analyzed reviews coming from consumers of Atlant products. Sports nutrition seemed good mainly to beginners who tried a similar product for the first time. Experienced athletes report that they have never experienced headaches or gastrointestinal problems when using such supplements. The average price per package is 700 rubles. I would like to add that not a single sports nutrition store with a good reputation sells this brand. Their products often include the brands Syntha-6 from BSN, Elite 12 Hour Protein from Dymatize, Matrix from Syntrax, Elite Fusion 7 from Dymatize.
Protein made in Russia
Russian protein samples appeared on sale relatively recently. Until this time, including the Soviet Union, sources of nutrients for athletes were mainly natural products: eggs, milk, cottage cheese, fish, beef, cereals and legumes. At the same time, their athletic performance sometimes reached legendary levels.
Active protein production in Russia began with an increase in loyalty in the requirements for the quality of food products, including sports nutrition, the use of which began to rapidly gain momentum. Now domestically produced protein is gradually gaining popularity at the global level. Among the most famous brands: Hercules, ATech, PureProtein, Ironman, LadyFitness. Perhaps in the near future, Russian brands will compete with such well-known and oldest protein production corporations as Optimum Nutrition.
Sportein Enriched Protein from Academy-t
Which Russian protein is better? The list of these includes the product Sportein Enriched Protein, produced by.
The peculiarity of this type of sports nutrition is that exclusively high-quality German raw materials are used for its production, the production process is also foreign - ultrafiltration is carried out to create protein. As a result of all this, consumers receive a completely pure product, rich in vitamins, bio-milk peptides, microelements, and amino acids. It helps to build muscle mass quite quickly.
Reviews from experts in the field of sports nutrition say that it is the Sportein Enriched Protein protein that, due to its composition, helps improve the body's endurance and strengthen the immune system. Moreover, regular and correct consumption of this product has a beneficial effect on the overall health of the intestines, saturating it with prebiotics, which makes the system healthier.
Sports nutrition manufacturers
Level UP
The 2020 ranking of sports nutrition companies opens with Level UP, a successful company that has positively proven itself in the Russian market. As stated by the manufacturer, their quality control is strict - right down to individual units of the batch. Levelup also invites everyone to see how they make future sports supplements in the city of St. Petersburg - this is written on the official website, where the manufacturer called such production “transparent.”
Do4a Lab
A young and promising sports nutrition company takes 9th place in the ranking of the best sports nutrition manufacturers in Russia. The founders of the brand are Vadim Ivanov, a famous blogger, whose project had very high traffic and popularity among amateurs and novice athletes.
On his blog, Vadim shared some personal “recipes” on how to gain weight, exercises, drug reviews, incl. anabolic steroids, gave recommendations to people. Now Do4a Lab is not just a blog, but a whole line of sports products, which every day deserves more and more attention from the target audience - athletes.
All Docha Lab products are made from raw materials that are imported from Germany, which, in turn, are imported to Germany from China, because... production facilities are located there. Docha Lab food is produced at the largest pharmaceutical enterprise in Russia. Over the 3 years of its existence, Daughter Lab’s products have not yet been criticized, because The company has set a course for “quality-quantity”, rather than price and markup.
Fitness Formula
Fitness Formula brand products are produced by the manufacturer of the same name, which ranks 8th in the ranking of sports nutrition manufacturers in 2020. All raw materials come to the company’s own plant from New Zealand from the Fonterra farm, and from China from the VitaJoy concern. The main principle of the Fitness formula is European quality at Russian prices.
Production facilities and laboratories are located in the cultural and scientific center of Russia - St. Petersburg. The company's product range is not rich - only 7 items: BCAA, Creatine, Gainer, whey protein, beta-ecdysterone and two carnitine mixtures with different formulas. Fitness Formula Whey Premium is a popular protein complex obtained from whey concentrate, containing 76% pure proteins.
Ironman
Ironman is one of the brands (hereinafter referred to as ART SNT), which ranks 7th in the ranking of sports nutrition companies in 2020. ART SNT is a very large, multi-brand player in the Russian sports nutrition market. Under the auspices of ART SNT, there are as many as 6 independent brands, including MD and Ironman, which are considered among the best in our ranking.
The production facilities of ART SNT are located in the Moscow region, have their own accredited research laboratories, completely modern equipment, the environment outside is a clean area, they comply with all SES standards and even have certificates - in general, ART SNT is a real, not an underground office.
Unfortunately, as she herself states, despite the fact that by Russian standards it is at the highest level. All manufactured products are analyzed for chemical, organoleptic, and microbiological compliance, so that the end consumer receives a product that is known to be complete and not compromised by any characteristics.
R-Line
6th place in the ranking of sports nutrition brands of the year goes to Rline, better known in the sports nutrition market as Rem-line. Remline was founded in 2002, but due to some circumstances it was forced to rebrand in 2014, removing the EM prefix from its name. After rebranding, product quality indicators increased, new lines of sports nutrition appeared, including the “mysterious beast”, walking in online stores and on the shelves of sports markets - BCAA 8:1:1.
In terms of composition, it should be “mega BCAA”, but it is not for sale on the official Rline website, which is very strange. Rline states that this series of amino acids is a limited edition, and is produced in very limited quantities. Rline brings raw materials from Europe with further processing and packaging in Russia, most likely in St. Petersburg.
Academy-T
The legendary company takes 5th place in the 2020 sports nutrition rating. Academy-T is one of the pioneers of the domestic sports nutrition, created back in 1986 under the name NPK Agronauka, later renamed and changing the form of organization of the enterprise to CJSC Academy-T. The official date of birth of Academy-T, a company in the light of the development and production of sports products, is considered to be 1994.
Academy-T products are used by Russian Olympic athletes and bodybuilders, because the company cooperates with many official teams of the Russian Federation, supplying them with its sports supplements. In addition to success in the sports arena of the Russian Federation, the company has already managed to develop and patent several innovative sports nutrition formulas, for example, BCAA complex Sportamin 6000.
The MD brand belongs to the Art Modern Scientific Technologies group, which was described above. It is produced at the same factory in the Moscow region, from the same raw materials as the IronMan brand. MD is an acronym for Muscular Development. On the manufacturer’s official website you can find information about the legendary bodybuilding magazine Muscular Development, which appeared in America in the 60s, but no connection has been identified between the American magazine and Russian sports nutrition. In general, the MD brand produces high-quality and cheap products that are very popular among athletes.
Geon ranks third in the ranking of the best sports nutrition companies. Geon was founded in 2006, however, at that time the company was not interested in sports nutrition, because... Geon was exclusively engaged in the supply of pharmaceuticals. The company really liked to tinker with laboratory test tubes and medical powders, and subsequently, without thinking twice, the company released the first line of sports nutrition of its own production in a very limited edition already in 2011.
Resourceful buyers paid attention to the quality of the product and its composition, and subsequently began to regularly use Geon products, telling their friends in the hall what a cool powder they bought. In general, the stormy excitement around the new brand already in 2014 allowed Geon to bask in the glory.
Read more: How girls can start fitness training in the gym at home
Geneticlab
The second place in the ranking of the best sports nutrition manufacturers is occupied by the Genetic Lab company with the same brand name Geneticlab Nutrition. This is a relatively young brand that has left many “sports nutrition pioneers” behind it. Genetic Lab was founded by Russian bodybuilder Ruslan Khaletsky, who is now also a successful businessman.
Genetic Lab purchases raw materials from European certified companies Pharma Trading AG, Hochdorf, and Arla - Germany, Switzerland, Denmark. By the way, Arla successfully sells its products in Russia; among the assortment on the shelves you can find Arla butter, yoghurts, curds, etc. The most popular product of Genetic Lab is whey protein - Whey Pro protein concentrate in which - 78%.
Binasport
Binafarm is the best Russian manufacturer of sports nutrition, which is the founder of the Binasport brand. All Binapharma products are made from natural raw materials supplied from EU countries: France, Germany, Denmark, Austria. Binapharm has been producing sports nutrition for Russian national teams for more than 17 years.
Then in 2020, Binapharm launched new product lines and carried out a “rebranding” - this is how the Binasport trademark was born, which received only the best experience of the company, as free as possible from the shortcomings of the past. Binasport is an impressive start to the new history of the company, a clean slate, so to speak, and a very enchanting start.
Now Binasport in terms of product quality is equal to foreign brands, and in some ways even better, in terms of price-quality ratio it is clearly better. By the way, since 2020, the Binasport brand has been registered in Austria, and most likely it can soon be seen on store shelves in the country. One of the most popular Binasport products is whey isolate Excellent Isowhey Protein, which surpasses even the world leader ON Whey Isolate in terms of pure protein content - 90% versus 80% of the mass fraction of pure protein isolates in the composition.
Ultimate Nutrition
A relatively inexpensive brand whose products are made in the USA. Included in the TOP 3 of the world ranking of sports nutrition in 2018. Ultimate Nutrition offers a wide range of sports products: amino acids, proteins, arginines, gainers, vitamin complexes and minerals, testosterone boosters, etc.
- Ultimate Nutrition 100% Prostar Whey Protein. Protein “energy station”, whey isolate concentrate, containing more than 20 amino acids in its composition, and 85% protein obtained from cow's milk.
- Ultimate Nutrition Muscle Juice Revolution 2600. Mega mass gainer. Contains 8 different whey proteins (isolates, concentrates, and hydrolysates). One serving contains 27% protein, 69% carbohydrates, the remaining mass fraction consists of fats and minerals.
