Protein supplements are a great way to boost protein intake for fitness enthusiasts, elite athletes and even for the general public. The term micellar casein protein has recently grabbed attention as a novel protein source.
But, whey protein is known for muscle building due to its quick digestion ability. However, casein can be the best protein you can take, especially as a slow-digesting dairy protein.
This article will help you to understand the importance of micellar casein protein. So, let’s start discussing from the introduction.
What is micellar casein protein?
Casein is one of the proteins which is naturally present in milk. In fact, about 80% of bovine milk protein consists of casein, while the rest is known as whey.
Among dairy proteins, casein is naturally present in the form of micelles. Commercially, micellar casein is mostly produced directly from milk using membrane filtration technology. It is simply the purest form of milk casein.
This protein is produced after separation from fat, whey and lactose present in milk. Still, an additional step of spray drying is required to achieve powder micellar casein (1).
Similar to whey, casein is also famous for having all the essential amino acids needed for normal body health.
Why micellar casein protein is important?
The most important difference between whey and casein is the digestibility time. Unlike whey, amino acids present in micellar casein are digested slowly, making it suitable as a bed-time protein (2).
The slow digestion of casein is due to clot or gel-formation of protein under the acidic conditions of the stomach. Hence, more time (about twice) is required for the body to absorb and digest the micellar casein as compared to whey protein (3).
Therefore, it provides amino acids to body cells for a relatively long period of time.
Since micellar casein also contains all essential amino acids, it helps in body health, muscle growth and repair. Additionally, the body cells are able to synthesize the protein without utilizing already present muscles, even if you have not taken the food for hours.
This is why micellar casein is also referred to as “anti-catabolic” (4). In other terms, micellar casein has the ability to improve muscle mass by decreasing the breakdown of protein.
Moreover, a high amount of leucine, a well-known amino acid for the initiation of muscle growth synthesis, is present in micellar casein (5).
Hence, bodybuilders or athletes can consume casein at night in order to prevent protein breakdown, which could occur due to a long time without food, i.e., when you sleep. It can feed the body cell for about six to eight hours.
Scientific research showed that daily ingestion of 27.5 grams of casein protein just before sleep could improve post-resistance training gains in muscle mass and muscle strength (6).
This research has also proved that casein has the ability to increase strength (about 20% or even more) as compared to people who don’t consume it.
Some other amazing benefits of micellar casein
Micellar casein is a good source of calcium; even some casein powders can provide up to 50% of the daily required value of calcium per serving.
We also know that calcium assists in normal body functioning, especially bones, tooth and muscle strength and vascular health.
Among the dairy protein, micellar casein can help in decreasing hunger by enhancing the feeling of fullness. Hence, you can use it to achieve your diet plan or weight loss goals. Simple, it is helpful in reducing fat more quickly than other supplements.
In addition, it provides some essential bioactive compounds or peptides, which are shown to possess the ability to lower blood pressure (7).
According to research, the presence of bioactive peptides in casein provides antibacterial effect and can be beneficial for the immune system (8)
Some of the peptides in micellar casein are actually antioxidants, which help in reducing the harmful free radicals in the body (8). If allowed to gather in the body, these free radicals can even cause cancer.
How much protein is present in micellar casein powder?
Casein is a rich source of protein. It is estimated that one regular scoop (33g) of casein protein powder contains:
- 24 grams of protein
- 3 grams of carbohydrates
- 1 gram of fat (2).
Micellar casein vs Caseinate: Are both the same?
You might have heard of caseinate or hydrolyzed casein. Although caseinates or hydrolyzed casein also contain the casein, they are essentially different products from micellar casein.
Micellar casein is simply a true and native form of casein produced directly from milk. In contrast, caseinates are the isolated form of casein protein, which is made using the chemical, primarily calcium and magnesium.
This is why calcium and magnesium caseinates are present in the market, depending on which chemical is used.
Although caseinates have functions similar to micellar casein, they are less clotting power, meaning the amino acids are released more quickly. That’s why micellar casein is considered as true casein (9).
The flavour of caseinates might be unpleasant for some people; thus, its application in food products might require additional sweeteners or flavours. On the other hand, micellar casein contains a natural milky flavour.
When can you use micellar casein protein?
Micellar casein has different benefits, as we have discussed above. There are different occasions when you can consider using it.
- In the morning or during fasting: Since casein protein is famous for letting you feel satiety, it can be used as a protein shake ahead of a busy day or if you are considering fasting. In these scenarios, casein can be a better alternative to whey.
- Before sleep: Micellar casein can be consumed at night time before sleep to provide a steady dose of protein to the body. It can help in muscle strength while you are taking a long sleep.
- Thick shake or products: Micellar casein can be used for making thicker shakes while making a protein shake recipe.
- Blend of proteins: Some scientific studies suggested that a blend of micellar casein and whey protein is still a better option than using any of them alone (10).
For bodybuilders or sports athletes, micellar casein can be a good choice for building muscles or ingesting a daily dose of protein.
- Usage of micellar casein in the food industry: This protein powder can be used by mixing in milk or water. Moreover, micellar casein can be used by food industries in various products, i.e., beverages, yoghurt, cheese and even processed cheese products (11). Also, it can be used in sports nutrition products, biscuits, and other baking products.
Possible side effects of micellar casein protein:
Various scientific studies have already proved that there is no side effect of consuming casein in healthy individuals.
However, people who are allergic to casein or have an intolerance to lactose might face problems. So, these individuals must not consume it.
There is also another exception for people who have liver or kidney disease. Such people need to restrict their protein intake (2).
Overall, micellar casein is also a safe protein similar to whey casein.
Summary:
Micellar casein protein is the purest form of casein and contains all essential amino acids necessary for human health and muscle growth. It is famous as a “slow-digesting” protein and can be used as bed-time protein to supply amino acids for a longer period of time.
Micellar casein has emerged as an alternative to other protein supplements (i.e., whey) for people concerned about their health or diet, athletes and body-builders.
A blend of both micellar casein and whey protein can also be a good choice for you.
