Soya protein and whey mix makes best pre-workout shake
Designers of protein preparations for athletes should combine soya proteins with dairy proteins, says Gregory Paul in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Paul, who is also linked to the soya producer Solae, thinks it’s the combination of whey and soya proteins that’s particularly interesting.
During and after intensive exertion muscle cells need amino acids to recover and gain strength. There are two amino acids that they need in big quantities: arginine and leucine, the structures of which are both shown here. Arginine promotes the production of the ‘good free radical’ NO, which helps stem cells grow into muscle cells and stimulates the production of growth hormone and IGF-1. Leucine gives muscle cells’ anabolic machinery a boost.
Whey contains lots of leucine, and soya protein contains lots of arginine. That’s the reasoning behind Paul’s proposition.
So far researchers have concentrated on the differences in effects between whey and soya protein in trials. These show that strength athletes progress equally well whether they use whey or soya protein shakes in combination with training. Whey shakes come out of the trials a tiny bit better, but the difference is not statistically significant.
One argument you hear frequently against soya protein is that it lowers testosterone levels. According to Paul there are studies that show that this fear is ungrounded
Casein is not suitable for use just before or after training as it enters the blood too slowly. But adding casein to whey and soya protein would help supply more amino acids to trained muscles for up to a few hours after intake.
"Protein blends should be a fruitful area for future research", writes Paul in conclusion. To be honest though, our thoughts have taken us in a different direction. Wouldn’t it be better to combine whey with a hefty dose of arginine? Or soya protein with leucine?
The Rationale for Consuming Protein Blends in Sports Nutrition -- Paul 28 (41): 464S -- Journal of the American College of Nutrition
Designers of protein preparations for athletes should combine soya proteins with dairy proteins, says Gregory Paul in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Paul, who is also linked to the soya producer Solae, thinks it’s the combination of whey and soya proteins that’s particularly interesting.
During and after intensive exertion muscle cells need amino acids to recover and gain strength. There are two amino acids that they need in big quantities: arginine and leucine, the structures of which are both shown here. Arginine promotes the production of the ‘good free radical’ NO, which helps stem cells grow into muscle cells and stimulates the production of growth hormone and IGF-1. Leucine gives muscle cells’ anabolic machinery a boost.
Whey contains lots of leucine, and soya protein contains lots of arginine. That’s the reasoning behind Paul’s proposition.
So far researchers have concentrated on the differences in effects between whey and soya protein in trials. These show that strength athletes progress equally well whether they use whey or soya protein shakes in combination with training. Whey shakes come out of the trials a tiny bit better, but the difference is not statistically significant.
One argument you hear frequently against soya protein is that it lowers testosterone levels. According to Paul there are studies that show that this fear is ungrounded
Casein is not suitable for use just before or after training as it enters the blood too slowly. But adding casein to whey and soya protein would help supply more amino acids to trained muscles for up to a few hours after intake.
"Protein blends should be a fruitful area for future research", writes Paul in conclusion. To be honest though, our thoughts have taken us in a different direction. Wouldn’t it be better to combine whey with a hefty dose of arginine? Or soya protein with leucine?
The Rationale for Consuming Protein Blends in Sports Nutrition -- Paul 28 (41): 464S -- Journal of the American College of Nutrition