Protein isolate. What is it, where to buy, how to take it for weight loss, muscle gain

Protein isolate is recommended not only for those involved in strength sports with the goal of building muscle, but also for those who make sure that their food is complete.

This will allow a person to supply their body with a sufficient amount of protein, which is the main building material for muscle fibers, as well as one of the key nutrients necessary to maintain the functioning of all body systems.

What is Protein Isolate

Protein Isolate is a protein considered to be of high quality and has maximum biological activity. It supports the processes in the body aimed at the synthesis of amino acids, the actual amount of which determines the quality of a person's muscle mass.

Numerous studies in the field of sports nutrition confirm that the composition of the isolate is optimal both for professional athletes (bodybuilders, bodybuilders, powerlifters) and for people doing sports for themselves.

Protein Isolate Properties:

• it has a positive effect on the immune system by supplying the body with a sufficient amount of glutamine;
• it has antioxidant properties (it naturally removes toxins and toxins from the body);
• increases the rate of muscle mass growth (subject to regular strength training according to correctly drawn up training programs in the gym).

A distinctive feature of the isolate is that it is 95% pure protein. This sports nutrition product is completely devoid of fats and carbohydrates, which allows it to be included in the diet of people seeking to lose excess weight. Despite its "pure" composition, the isolate is capable of provoking acute allergic reactions in a person prone to them.

In such cases, the body usually reacts either to the dairy component of the formulation, or indicates the presence of impurities (flavors, colors, flavor enhancers, sweeteners).

Due to the minimum amount of secondary substances in a high-quality isolate, the food additive is absorbed almost instantly, which is also an important advantage of the product in question in comparison with its analogues.

How it is made and what it consists of

Protein Isolate is a sports supplement usually formulated as follows (example formulation refers to mid-range isolates):

• Protein... At least 90% of the total ingredients. Low protein supplements are not isolates.
• Soy or sunflower lecithin... It is used to increase the solubility of the main component.
• Flavoring... It is necessary to correct the smell of isolate, which in its natural state has a sourish aroma that can alienate the consumer from a particular product.
• Secondary componentfor example cocoa powder. It is used in a number of cases to change the taste of a food additive.
• Natural colors such as beetroot juice. They are used by some manufacturers and, as a rule, reduce the cost of the isolate itself.
• Sweetenersuch as sucralose.Despite the minimum calorie content, this ingredient can make the composition of the product unsuitable for people trying to lose weight, or those who for health reasons have to limit themselves in the consumption of sugars and their substitutes, regardless of the origin of these additives.

The nutritional value (in particular, protein concentration) of 100 g of a quality isolate is equivalent to the value of 500 g of chicken fillet.

Protein isolate production consists of several steps:

1. Ion exchange... This is a kind of fine processing of whey, as a result of which the maximum amount of protein is retained in the food supplement. The disadvantages of this stage are the preservation of beta-lactoglobulin, which is considered one of the strongest allergens.
2. Microfiltration... As a result of this process, the manufacturer achieves the maximum purity of the composition of his product, removing unwanted components (for example, allergens, lactose, fat), while maintaining a high concentration of protein.

In 90% of cases, manufacturers use only one of the stages in the production of their goods. This is done in order to reduce the cost of primary processing and, as a result, reduce the price of the finished additive and increase demand from consumers.

Benefit and harm

Like all dietary supplements, protein isolate has both positive and negative properties.

Its main advantages include:

• high rate of assimilation by the body;
• versatility (the isolate can be included both in the diet of athletes working to gain muscle mass, and in the diet of those who are losing weight);
• reduces the risk of depression of the nervous system by minimizing the manifestation of signs of stress;
• stimulates the natural production of endorphins (hormones of joy);
• supports the basic function of the liver (filtration of substances entering the human body);
• contributes to the normalization of blood pressure (it is most effective when taken together with medications prescribed to an athlete by a doctor after diagnosing the condition and making a diagnosis);
• ease of use of the food supplement (in the vast majority of cases, the recommendations of the manufacturers of sports supplements of this type are reduced to the fact that they must be taken once a day before or after strength training, in an appropriate dosage);
• the ability to consume the isolate not only in the form of a drink (if the athlete does not like the original taste of the additive, he can prepare, for example, healthy baked goods by including the isolate in the dish).

Among the negative qualities of protein isolate are:

• the possibility of developing an allergic reaction (in order not to provoke an acute response of the body to the intake of the isolate, it is recommended to examine the state of health for a tendency to allergies before using the sports supplement. adequate reaction of the body);
• the risk of liver overload (possible if the daily rate of the isolate is incorrectly calculated);
• the occurrence of constipation (if the drinking regime is not observed);
• violation of protein metabolism (possibly with incorrect calculation of the daily norm of the isolate).

Protein selection

Protein isolate is a protein concentrate that can be obtained from virtually any type of supplement. The choice of protein is recommended taking into account the athlete's goal, the level of physical activity, as well as the initial state of human health.

Protein Isolate is recommended to be taken in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations, taking into account the athlete's baseline data, as well as his lifestyle and level of physical activity.

This is due to the fact that uncontrolled intake of the food additive in question can lead to the development of side effects, including exacerbation or occurrence of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, allergic reactions or problems with hormonal background.

For gaining muscle mass

For safe and gradual gains in muscle mass, it is recommended to consume pure protein in an amount, which can be calculated by the formula: 2 g * 1 kg of actual weight.

For example, if an athlete weighs 80 kg, then the daily amount of protein that must enter his body will be 160 g (when calculating the protein intake rate, it is important to use figures that reflect the actual protein content, and not weigh the total composition with secondary components). At the athlete's discretion, the daily allowance can be divided into several doses.

Considering that the isolate is absorbed by the body in the shortest possible time, it is recommended to take it in 15-20 minutes. before the upcoming power load. During this time, a sufficient amount of amino acids will enter the athlete's bloodstream that can protect muscles from unnecessary destruction, as well as depletion of the body.

When dividing the daily norm of the isolate into several doses, it is recommended to adhere to the following scheme (on days of power loads):

1. The first serving should be consumed in the morning, immediately after waking up (after a glass of water, but before breakfast).
2. The second serving should be consumed within 20 minutes. before the start of strength training (it is not recommended to eat for 1 - 1.5 hours before training).
3. The third serving should be consumed immediately after the end of the workout (it is extremely important to monitor compliance with the drinking regimen, especially during intensive strength training).

On days when power loads are not planned, it will be enough to drink the isolate 3 times at regular intervals (morning, afternoon and evening). It is permissible to mix dry powder with fat-free fermented milk or milk drinks.

In this form, the isolate is able to replace one of the intermediate meals, providing the athlete with a feeling of satiety for 2-3 hours, while supplying his body with a sufficient amount of nutritious nutrients.

For relief and weight loss

If the goal of the athlete is to lose weight or increase the relief of existing muscles, the daily norm of the isolate is calculated by the formula: 1.5 g * 1 kg of the actual human body weight.

For example, if the weight of an athlete is 70 kg, then his body will need 105 g of pure isolate per day (the amount of protein in the supplement must be at least 90%). Protein powder can be taken in one or several doses, depending on physical activity during the day.

On days of strength training or cardio training, it is recommended to consume isolate according to the scheme below:

1. It is optimal to drink the first portion in the morning, after drinking a glass of water, but before breakfast. Such a habit will close the deficiency of amino acids in the athlete's body after 1-2 weeks of regular consumption of the isolate.
2. During the day, you should eat a balanced diet and take nutritional supplements that meet the needs of the body of a particular person.
3. The second portion is appropriate to take in 30-90 minutes. after the end of the workout.

On days when active training is not planned, it is permissible to take the isolate 1 time per day, drinking it in the morning.

When taking a sports supplement of this type, general recommendations should be followed:

• the isolate should be diluted in juice only if the goal of the training process is to gain muscle mass (otherwise, the fast carbohydrates contained in the juice will not only not help you lose weight, but will also increase the body fat);
• it is important to take the isolate at about the same time every day;
• add to the intake of the isolate the amount of creatine recommended for a particular person (increases the effectiveness of the isolate by 1.5 times);
• it is important to monitor your diet, giving preference to low-calorie healthy foods, completely rejecting foods with a high content of sugar, flour, dyes, flavors, flavor enhancers, preservatives, and so on.

Rating of the best isolates

Before purchasing an isolate, it is important to study the assortment of the consumer market, comparing it with the needs of a particular person.

Top protein supplements include:

• Dymatize ISO-100... The main advantage is the complete absence of carbohydrates and the minimum amount of calories. When using the isolate in baked goods and other dishes, the taste of powder is completely absent, which proves the naturalness and high quality of the product. Average cost - 2500 rubles. for 700 g of protein powder.
• Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard... In addition to the isolate, the composition contains a sufficient amount of protein concentrate, while there are no fats, lactose and other harmful substances that can provoke an unwanted reaction in the body. The advantage of this line of the American brand is the presence of isolates with both natural neutral flavors and a number of additives, for example, Chocolate, Caramel, Vanilla, and so on. The cost of this supplement is at least 1,500 rubles. for 450 g of powder
• Ultimate Nutrition ISO Sensation 93... Recommended for use by people seeking to gain lean muscle mass. A distinctive feature of this isolate is the high content of digestive enzymes, thanks to which the protein is absorbed by the body faster. The average cost of the product in question is 3,500 rubles. for 2.3 kg of protein powder.
• QNT Metapure Zero Carb... The main advantage of this product is the presence of only 3 components: isolate, natural flavor and sucralose. The manufacturer does not use lactose, which allows the isolate in question to be included in people with its intolerance. 1 serving of protein powder contains at least 22 g of pure protein. The average cost of an isolate is 3800 per 2 kg.
• VP Laboratory Nutrition Pure Iso Whey... For the production of this isolate, high-tech processes and equipment are used, which allows to achieve not only the maximum amount of protein, but also useful subfractions of the original product. The average cost of a product is 2,000 rubles. for 900 g.

Thanks to its unique “pure” formulation, protein isolate can be included in the diet of both people seeking quality muscle gain, and those whose exercise is aimed at losing weight.

This becomes possible due to the absence of harmful substances in a high-quality additive.that can negatively affect human health (digestive upset, allergic reactions, and so on), as well as the presence in it of a minimum amount (and in some cases a complete absence) of fats and carbohydrates.

Despite the large number of positive properties of this type of sports nutrition, it should be taken in strict accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations (maximum daily dosage, time of administration, and so on).

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