What is Whey Protein Isolate?

We find that a lot of people do not know the difference between whey protein and whey protein isolate or whey protein concentrate. Whey protein is a bit of a catch-all phrase that some marketers exploit to sell a lower grade product at a higher price.

You should be informed as to what is right for you as Whey protein is advertised everywhere you turn these days.  Whey protein would be the most popular kind of supplement available to strength and endurance athletes. Not only is it easy to buy any where, but it’s really easy to drink and as it naturally is almost tasteless and odourless.

But when talking about whey, we often hear of the term “Whey Protein Isolate” or WPI for short. What is whey protein isolate and how different is it from the whey that Little Miss Muffet was snacking on? How does it affect one’s body and why do people love to use it?

We will try to give you some basic answers here without going into great detail.

What is the difference between Whey Protein Isolate and Whey Protein Concentrate?

Whey protein isolate is a protein supplement and food ingredient that is created when the components of milk are separated. When people make cheese, a by-product called whey is produced. When whey is further processed, you can yield three kinds of whey proteins: whey concentrate, whey isolate, and whey hydrolysate.

The difference between each kind of whey protein boils down to the composition of the individual product. Of the three, whey isolate contains the higher percentage of protein. Whey protein concentrate is around 80% protein while Whey Isolate sits at 90% protein.

Whey protein isolate is also pure enough to be lactose free, fat-free, cholesterol free, and carbohydrate free.

The main reason why whey proteins are popular is because they are bioavailable. This simply means the body easily and effectively absorbs the protein. The high concentrations of BCAA or Branched-Chain Amino Acids also helps. BCAA are important in reducing muscle breakdown. They help promote muscle growth. In terms of amino acid composition and digestibility, Whey Protein Isolate sits comfortably at the top position.

So now that we have a good idea of what whey protein isolates are and how they are made, let’s try to find out how it works.

How Does Whey Protein Isolate Work?

The people who use whey protein isolate, typically are strength or endurance athletes or regular people wanting to lose some body fat. This is because these are the people that need to supplement their daily protein intake to reach a particular macronutrient goal. For dieters, some of them usually stay away from traditional protein sources like meat. So this means they need an easy alternative protein source. Cooking mince with spinach leaves for breakfast isn’t for everyone.

For body builders, cross fitters and gym buffs, they need a clean protein source that goes directly to their muscles typically within 30 minutes of finishing a workout. When we say “clean” protein source, this means a source that is low in fat and other additives.

Whey protein isolate is absorbed faster and more effectively than many other protein sources available. Thorough protein absorption means overworked or stressed muscle groups can recover faster.

Your body requires nine essential amino acids for optimum nutrition. You have to supplement with food to make these nine essential aminos. These aminos are in whey proteins and help stop the muscle oxidising or eating itself, called catabolism. This helps the protein synthesise into newly grown muscle.

Why is Whey Protein Isolate Better than Whey Concentrate

We wouldn’t go as far as saying that Whey Protein Isolate is better than Whey Concentrate. They have differences that will make you choose one over the other. The protein count or percentage is higher for Whey Protein Isolate than for Whey Concentrate. WPI is absorbed faster. For people who have just finished a hard workout, this makes isolate better than concentrate.

But if you want a slower release over time to allow for size gains and growth where the immediate muscle trauma isn’t present then whey protein concentrate or a whey protein isolate & concentrate blend might be better. People trying to bulk tend to have these late at night.

Aside from the protein content, there are other factors that make isolate more popular than concentrate. Whey Protein Isolate is more processed than whey concentrate and the result is a “cleaner” protein source. Isolate has less fat and lactose than concentrate. This may not mean much to the regular user but if you are lactose intolerant, concentrate might be too much. People who are lactose intolerant find it hard to process lactose in their stomachs, which can result in bloating and gas. If you start the day having protein within 30 minutes of waking up then this would ruin your day.

According to some studies, whey concentrate may have some other benefits over isolate. Due to the further processing of Whey Protein isolate, whey concentrate may better health-wise. There are lots of studies going on all time and you can easily do a Google Scholar search to see the latest results.

So what is the verdict?

In choosing the right protein supplement for you, you should not just go for the “best” but for “what’s best for you”. If you are lactose intolerant then whey isolate is the definite choice. However, if you want the health benefits of drinking whey protein for a lower cost and you aren’t sensitive to lactose, then whey concentrate or a whey 50/50 blend may be a better choice.

[products ids=”55, 71″]

Accessibility Formats

Audio Only

Narrated Video With Large Text Captions