With the latest addition to the KAGED MUSCLE range, “KASEIN” being released, it’s a perfect time to breakdown the latest of slow-digesting science.
KASEIN is an ultra-premium cold-processed Micellar Casein Isolate that is carefully manufactured from hormone and antibiotic FREE milk by an innovative micro-filtration process. This filtration method preserves the structural integrity of the protein, ensuring that the finished product maintains its natural micellar structure, as it is found in milk.
But, when would you want KASEIN over the fast digesting whey protein RE-KAGED? Let’s find out…
While most people think whey is the most anabolic protein around, that’s not always the case. Sure, whey is probably the most versatile and go-to protein source, especially when you want a fast-digesting source around the workout or in the morning.
However, many people fail to remember there are 2 sides of muscle growth and anabolism.
While most people focus on point 1, increasing anabolism, few place any emphasis on point 2, which is still half the battle.
Just like diet and exercise areboth key in fat loss - you wouldn’t try to diet only using one of these 2 key variables. IF you want to optimize results, we all know you must maximize both sides of the equation.
This also applies to adding muscle. Yes, it is of course vitally important to add NEW muscle tissue and increase anabolism. But, here’s the key point, if you aren’t focusing on reducing catabolism as well, you could easily be losing muscle at other times of the day.
Just like your bank balance, if you add $100 per day (anabolism) but also spend (catabolism) $100, the end result a year later is ZERO. This is exactly the same for your muscles.
Guess what this means? You’re probably doing a great job with point 1, using RE-KAGED after the workout, PRE-KAGED and IN-KAGED during, but, are you also reducing catabolism and muscle breakdown at other times in the day? Such as when you sleep, or, when you are working and go longer periods without food? For most the answer is “no” and that’s exactly where KASEIN becomes the answer.
Most of us know that casein is famous for its slow digesting, anti-catabolic properties.
It achieves this by releasing its amino acids slowly over a period of time, which can last 7 hours or longer. Unlike whey, which elicits a greater spike in amino acids but then returns back to normal quickly, casein can give you that “drip feed” like effect while you sleep or are busy working away in the day.
One study even examined this, comparing the amino acid levels in our blood after the consumption of either 1 scoop whey or 1 scoop of casein. They monitored the effects on Leucine concentrations, which is the key essential amino acid our body needs to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and build new muscle.
Although they only selected Leucine, it will basically represent the total amino acid concentrations. Here’s a result of what they found over the course of a 7 hour period:
As you can see, whey (triangle - WP) tends to return to baseline by about the 4 hours (240) mark. However, casein stays elevated and was still significantly higher at the 7 hour end (420).
Just as you were already thinking you needed to jump on the KASEIN train, I’m going to take this one step further.
Not only does it help you reduce muscle breakdown, resulting in a greater net amount of muscle, it can still help you build new muscle, possibly while also shredding body fat!
Yes, you did read that correctly – one study found exactly this. In the study, they compared casein to whey protein and a 3rd group that just ate a normal diet without a protein shake.
They all performed resistance training for 12 weeks … you will never guess what the results were:
You may be thinking how is this possible, but casein proteins contain a lot of the amino acids that you can find in whey to help with muscle growth. However, it can also reduce protein breakdown and aid in recovery. Also, compared to whey, it may excel in this field due to its time-release formula.
This isn’t the only study to find these benefits either; another study tested how adding a scoop of casein before bed would help maintain protein balance overnight. They monitored the effects of long-term muscle growth but also net protein balance (i.e. muscle breakdown vs muscle protein synthesis or muscle growth) and found the casein group remained in a positive protein balance (61 vs -11 for the non-casein group).
If you are currently not feeding your body with a sustained release of high-quality amino acids while you sleep, you are making a BIG mistake! Nighttime is one of the most critical windows to give your muscles a steady supply of amino acids in order to remain nitrogen positive.