Choosing high quality protein
Not all proteins were created equal. For example, a cheap protein known as casein which is derived from dairy products was popular some years ago but has now been replaced by whey protein as the leading protein type.
Various clinical trials comparing the efficiency of whey and casein protein have found that whey protein is six times for effective at improving muscular performance and what's more, the group which took whey protein lost on average 4.8% more body fat than the group which took casein. That's why taking the time to add a source of high quality protein to your diet pays off in the gym.
Research has also found that whey protein leads to a 119% increase in muscular growth compared to the other types of milk protein. This is partly due to the fact that whey protein stops the hormone cortisol, which destroys muscle. Simply put, whey protein is absorbed quickly into your bloodstream, providing your muscles with some much needed protein.
In Australia, research was conducted that showed Whey protein to increase muscle mass far more effectively than casein. In the study, thirteen subjects were given either whey or casein protein and were put under a weight training programme for ten weeks. After the programme, the subjects in the whey protein group gained on average 10 pounds of muscle while the casein group gained only 2. However, both types of protein did prevent the drop in plasma glutamine levels which happens with exercise.