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If you have questions about protein absorption rates, Nutrimuscle answers your questions and provides you with plenty of information on the subject.
To know how to choose your protein wisely , you first need to understand what absorption rate is, how it works, and how it impacts your performance.
Contents :
- What is the rate of protein absorption?
- So how can we explain the existence of several speeds of protein absorption?
- Why is protein absorption rate important in bodybuilding?
What is the rate of protein absorption?
In order to understand what the speed of protein absorption is, you must first know how the protein digestion mechanism works.
Proteins are macro-molecules made up of smaller parts called amino acids. The process of digestion consists of “cutting” proteins into amino acids that can be absorbed by the body.
The absorption of proteins by the body takes place in several stages:
- After ingestion, the protein ends up in the stomach. This is the gastric phase where the ambient acidity leads to the modification of the complex structure of proteins. This is where the “cutting” of proteins into amino acids begins.
- Then, the protein digestion process continues in the duodenum (the first segment of the small intestine)
- Finally, it is at the cellular level of the internal wall of the small intestine that the work of cutting proteins into absorbable amino acids is completed.
- These amino acids then circulate in the blood to provide energy to the muscles and stimulate the synthesis and turnover of proteins, essential for proper muscle development.
The speed of protein absorption is therefore defined by the speeds at which the stages mentioned above take place and more particularly the speed of digestion.
So how can we explain the existence of several speeds of protein absorption?
The protein powders generally used for bodybuilding come from milk. This same milk breaks down into two major protein components:
- whey proteins, better known as whey protein
- caseins, which are found in casein isolate
These two types of proteins do not have the same amino acid composition and they do not react in the same way to stomach acid.
Thus, after being ingested, whey proteins end up in the stomach and are "released" quickly, pass through the duodenum, are broken down into amino acids which are absorbed in large quantities immediately by the body and over a period of time. short duration.
As for caseins, their amino acids are “released” more slowly in the small intestine and their absorption takes place over several hours.
Why is protein absorption rate important in bodybuilding?
The rate of absorption of a protein is an essential criterion to take into account in bodybuilding. Indeed, depending on your needs and objectives, one protein will be more suitable than the other.
For example, after training, your muscles have been heavily strained. So you need to recover and provide your muscles with a big source of amino acids quickly. In this case, it is ideal to take a fast protein: a whey protein or a whey isolate.
In another case, if your goal is to dry out, a slow protein like casein isolate will be ideal, since its prolonged absorption will give you an appetite suppressant effect while providing your muscles with the amino acids they need. On the other hand, taking a slow-absorbing protein is not recommended before training because it will weigh on your stomach during your session.
