What is Micellar Casein? | Should You Be Using It?

Fitness enthusiasts know the beneficial effects of supplementing with whey protein after a workout. Whey protein supplementation can lead to an increase in muscle hypertrophy and many other benefits that have been well-documented over the years.

Whey protein is the most popular source of protein supplementation, but recently Micellar Casein protein has been gaining more attention. Many weightlifters do not truly know the benefits of supplementing with Casein protein, and therefore do not supplement with it. Casein protein can be very beneficial for active individuals needing more calories or protein in their diet, or individuals who workout for longer durations during the day.

In this article, we'll be discussing what is Casein protein, and what benefits does it provide?

What Is Micellar Casein?

Casein protein is the protein found in the curds of milk and is slowly absorbed by the body. This contrasts with the most popular supplement on the sports nutrition market, whey protein, which is used for its fast absorption rate. Casein has earned the name 'the bedtime protein' because it is most commonly consumed before sleep to provide the body with a slow releasing source of protein over an extended period of time.

Whey vs. Casein

If you've been to the gym then the likelihood is that you've bought a whey protein-based product and there is a good reason for this. The fast absorption rate makes it the perfect post-workout snack, meaning that a whey protein shake straight after your workout will lead to immediate protein synthesis to help your recovery and stimulate muscle growth.

Casein has fallen under the radar as a result of whey's dominance when it comes to protein powders. But there are many benefits to a slow absorbing protein.

The Benefits Of Casein

Supplementing with casein just before going to sleep, it can be absorbed throughout the night, benefiting the body’s needs for protein synthesis over the 6-8 hours of rest. When you are asleep you are not ingesting food or protein. By supplementing with casein before bed, you will have protein in your system throughout the night to increase protein synthesis and help increase muscle growth. This can be beneficial to anyone who is training regularly.

Casein protein ingestion before sleep has been proven to result in an increase in protein synthesis after a workout. Casein protein is also higher in calcium content and can be a good source of fat loss. If you are an individual who engages in long, strenuous workouts then casein supplementation can be very beneficial for your caloric needs.

The slow absorption makes casein great for night time ingestion. A study done by Snijders et al. (2015) demonstrated that post-resistance training gains in muscle mass and strength are shown to be further increased after daily supplementation with 27.5 g of dietary casein protein consumed prior to sleep. Casein supplementation can further augment the skeletal muscle adaptive response to prolonged resistance training.

Should You Use Casein?

If you can afford to add Micellar Casein protein to your stack then it is worth it to maximize muscle growth and repair. You should still supplement with whey protein after your workout. Using a product like THE Whey, with 25g of protein per serving, makes a great post-workout shake to help you build muscle and recover.

Micellar Casein protein is more beneficial prior to bedtime. A combination of whey and casein supplementation can lead to an increase in protein synthesis and muscle hypertrophy. I personally believe more people would supplement with casein if they were more knowledgeable about the benefits it provides.

Micellar Casein is considered a high-quality protein that increases lean muscle mass. Many weightlifters want to increase muscle while maintaining a lean physique, and casein can help them reach this goal. One of the main goals for weightlifters is to increase their muscle hypertrophy. Casein supplementation can enhance their ability to increase muscle hypertrophy.

What Products Do We Recommend?

This high-quality Micellar Casein product is best mixed with milk.

Milk Protein Smooth is made up of 78% micellar casein at a 4:1 ratio of casein to whey. This means you get a large dose of slow absorbing protein and the fast absorption of whey. This is a great product to use if you workout late at night or there is a large amount of time between your dinner and going to bed without eating a main meal.

Take Home Message

Casein is the perfect 'snack' before you go to bed to provide you with a slow releasing protein source as you sleep. If your goal is to increase muscle mass then casein is a great addition to your supplement stack.