If you are into fitness, you probably know the importance of protein. Protein is the number one macronutrient for muscle synthesis, repair and recovery, which is why it’s at the forefront of conversation when it comes to sports nutrition. But the quantity of protein you consume is not the only thing to consider, the quality of protein is paramount. This is based on how bioavailable it is, whether it’s a complete or incomplete protein, its absorption rate and whether it contains any nasty chemicals or fillers.
Our Lumberjacked Whey Protein is leading the way for protein supplements; if you’re yet to give it a try, we’re here today to explain why you need to step up your protein game and get on board with the product that delivers. Let’s get into it.
What is protein?
Firstly, for all you newbies - why is protein important? Protein powders are arguably the most popular sports supplement, and for good reason. Protein is one of the three macronutrients, alongside carbohydrates and fats, used by your body to fuel your daily functions. This ranges from liver detoxification to lifting weights, all require protein.
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and when you consume protein, your body breaks it down to the amino acids it contains and they are released into your bloodstream to fuel the many biological processes they contribute to. These processes range from hormonal regulation, metabolic function, immune health and exercise performance, as examined in a 2009 study on amino acids.
Amino acids can be essential, meaning they can’t be made in the body and must come from the diet, or nonessential, meaning they can be formed in the body. Protein sources can be considered complete or incomplete, depending on whether they contain all the essential amino acids. As you may have guessed, complete proteins are superior, because they provide all the essential amino acids, are more bioavailable and contribute most to key functions like muscle building and repair.
Why is protein important?
As mentioned, protein is key for a number of biological functions. In terms of exercise and sports performance, protein intake is critical. It’s used to repair and build tissues, and if you’re regularly working out, your muscles are consistently damaged and in need of repair. Without sufficient protein - being in a negative nitrogen balance - our bodies can’t efficiently repair themselves, and so you’ll shift into a catabolic state, in which muscle tissue is broken down to use for fuel.
If you want to optimize your performance in the gym, you need to ensure you’re fueling your body correctly prior and post-workout, which means getting enough protein to your muscles on a daily basis in a form that is high quality, complete, bioavailable and easy to digest. This is because humans have no mechanism to store protein, which means that the amount of protein you eat in a 24 hour time period is the amount of circulating amino acids in your body.
If you’re low on protein and hitting PRs in the gym, you’re causing muscle damage which requires amino acids to build and repair muscle tissue for proper recovery. You’ve probably heard of the ‘anabolic window’, which refers to the window of time in which you need to consume protein post-workout to optimize muscle protein synthesis and recovery. While this theory is not entirely legit, there is some truth in the matter. According to a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, if you consume enough protein within a three to four hour window of a resistance training session (pre and post workout), you’re going to be good.
How can you get easily digestible protein that is accessible to you pre and post-workout? The solution - Lumberjacked 100% Whey Protein Powder.
Whey Explained
Whey protein is a complete protein, and having it in powdered form ensures that it's accessible for you throughout the day, regardless of whether you have access to a kitchen or not. Lumberjacked 100% Whey Protein is the highest quality protein powder on the market, and has been carefully curated with the customer in mind - we know what it’s like to work hard in the gym, which is why we want our supplements to work hard for you. There’s nothing worse than doing the work and not getting the results right?
Our Lumberjacked 100% Whey Protein is a unique formula, unlike any other whey protein supplement. It contains:
- Whey Concentrate - 19.95g - Delivering 15g
- Whey Isolate - 5.91g - Delivering 5g
- Whey Hydrolysate - 6.35g - Delivering 5g
- DigeZyme® - Multi-Enzyme Complex
Usually when you see a whey protein powder the ingredients are a little more simplified “100% whey protein with artificial flavors”, check out this article by Harvard Health that examines the poor quality of ingredients in your average protein powder. As you can see, ours is protein powder with an upgrade, to ensure that our formula is the most bioavailable, biomimetic protein to allow for maximal absorption so that the protein can do its intended job.
Here’s the benefit of each type of whey we have included:
Whey Concentrate
Whey concentrate contains around 80 percent protein, and the other 20 percent is made up of fat and carbs. This form of whey is the most protein-rich because it has been ‘concentrated’ to increase the percentage of protein.
Whey Isolate
Whey isolate is derived from the same source as whey concentrate, but has been added in a further refinement step to ‘isolate’ the protein. Whey isolate contains 90 percent or more pure protein.
Whey Hydrolysate
Whey hydrolysate is a newer kid on the protein block and essentially involves breaking down some of the amino bonds to increase the rate at which protein can be absorbed by the body. Studies show this makes it easier for your body to metabolize and shuttle protein to your working muscles to optimize muscle protein synthesis and performance, as shown in a study published by Nutrition & Metabolism.
DigeZyme®
This multi-enzyme complex helps your body to break down amino bonds to short chain amino acid molecules and compounds. This is the brand name for the most popular and effective type of digestive enzyme. Digestive enzymes essentially give your body a helping hand so that nutrient absorption is accelerated.
What does the research say?
A study by the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine examined which type of protein is best in a thorough review, covering the different parameters that make protein supplements effective. One of the main ways to assess the efficacy of a protein supplement is by using the biological value (BI). This refers to the amount of nitrogen used to absorb the protein - i.e. how easily it is absorbed; its bioavailability. If the BI is low, your body struggles to digest and use the protein, and visa versa. Lumberjacked 100% Whey Protein has a high BI value, which makes it a superior protein supplement.
This is due to our focus on bioavailability, and the benefits brought about from DigeZyme. A review found that when whey is combined with digestive enzymes allowed the body to absorb nutrients more easily, leading to less gastrointestinal issues that can be a cause for concern with whey protein powders. If you struggle with digesting lactose, the DigeZyme compound in our formula will give you the helping hand you need, to reduce or negate side effects and ensure maximal absorption.
When it comes to the efficacy of whey protein, a study found that consuming a whey protein shake post-workout led to an increase of muscle protein synthesis by up to 184 percent. Another study found that when overweight individuals supplemented with whey protein, they were able to lower their blood pressure by 4 percent. Another study found that it was the most satiating form of protein, which will prevent snacking and help weight regulation.
As you can see, whey protein is the real deal. But all whey proteins are not equal. In fact, far from it. Our Lumberjacked 100% Whey Protein has been carefully curated based on science to ensure that you’re getting the most bang for your buck, and when we mean ‘bang’ we mean: bioavailability, biomimetic, a high biological value, taste, quality and efficacy. It’s the supplement you need for sports performance and total bio-optimization.